PT Quad or...

[Illum]

I thinking about buying a real headlamp [the zebralite H50 doesn't really count]

I've had the opportunity to use the Quad once from a friend and loves it

My main grudge is the fact that most Headlamps are 3AAA, I think it would be much more efficient running 2AA than anything else...but oh well.

Why I think the Quad suits me:

• 4 5mms is actually plenty of light in the darkness, as per experience with using the A2 at night.
• 3 modes, with only one button on top, unlike the corona, for me anyway its easier to tinker
• On Medium it'll run 11.5 Hours

What I would prefer as criteria:

• Throw is not the priority, prefer as floody as possible, I'm hoping to use it in pair with my H50, which is permanently residing as a belt light
• 5mm LEDs are preferred, if there's anything in the distance I need to identify I know my Surefire E2L will not fail me.
• Don't like AAAs, but if that's what works, then oh well
• Setting: Mountain Trails, an multi-day trip about 3 days. Minimal packing so weight is a premium and runtime [on medium or low] is a high priority.
• Ability to use L92s, I'm not going to fuss about carrying spare AAAs
• Available budget, peak $100

FYI, for this particular trip planned lights are
OSRAM Golden Dragon Lantern [4xDuracell Ultras] 6 Hours on high
Surefire E2L-HA [2xEL123A] single stage, Runtime: 9 Hours
Inova X5-WH [2xEL123A] its basically just a cell carrier
Fenix E01-BK [L92 AAA] neck carry, Runtime: 12 Hours
*Headlamp*
Zebralite H50 [L91 AA] Medium Runtime: 16 hours on Alkaline, expect more on L91
Im not planning to carry any spares CR123As as I probably won't need 18 hours of E2L. If I need alkalines I can probably bum a few from a general store downhill... but these darn AAAs...:tired:

Any recommendations appreciated, :thanks:

 

[jzmtl]

Do you want a big one or small one? For small one you are pretty much stuck with 3AAA, anything AA will be at least 3AA and rear battery compartment. I don't like Quad because of the typical 5mm LED color.

My personal choices are PT EOS and APEX extreme. The former has very good balance between spot and flood, and warm color. Latter will literally run all night at 130 lumen. They can all use lithium without problem.

 

[half-watt]

if you're really hooked on 2xAA you might be able to still find a Black Diamond Zenix IQ (the second generation version; the 1st gen ran on 3xAAA). it had a 1W center LED with collimating optics flanked on either side by one 5mm white LED (hence, 2x5mm plus the 1W LED).

run time was not that great on the 1W despite what BD claimed and despite the fact that it was an improvement over the original Zenix. please keep in mind that HL mfr's rate their distance and burntime down to a measly, picayune 0.25 lux. this might be fine for a microlight, but not for a real, manly HL. other than in tent use and perhaps to a lesser degree task/proximity lighting when setting up camp, for example, the HL output will be next to worthless long before the 0.25 lux level is reached.

click the following link (but before doing so, please read my next paragraph after the link): http://www.bdel.com/gear/spot.php

then, scroll down a bit and you'll notice on the right-hand side the word "Compare" with a magnifying glass and an eye to the left of the word. click the "Compare" link to see a matrix/table of both current BD HL offerings and some of their most recent discontinued ones. the matrix/table lists the Zenix IQ 2xAA HL. like many BD HLs, it has many modes of operation, making it quite flexible in its use. IMO, the current BD Spot (3xAAA with 1W Cree [maybe a 3W Cree driven at 1W??? -- it's bright whatever it really is]+3x5mm white LEDs) is far superior to the BD Zenix IQ.

off the top of my head, i can't think of another 2xAA HL. oh,... wait... just remembered, the old PrinceTec Switchback. the PTec Switchback is now a very different BIKE light, but 4 or 5 years ago, that PT tradename was used for a hybrid Xenon+3x5mm white LED headlamp. it was rather unique in that it was a 3V system with two different power sources, viz. 2xAA in the front, and 2x2xC (4C in a 2x2xC parallel-series arrangement) in a remote battery-box. i still have a couple of these layin' about in storage in my gear closet. it had three modes of operation, as i recall, Xe HI, Xe Lo, and 3x5mm LED (only one LED output level; it wasn't too bright on LEDs, maybe 10 lumens; if it was 15 lumens, i'd be plenty surprised, but on LEDs only, it supposedly ran for 300h on 2x2xC and 40h on 2xAA). when running off of the 2xAA source, the Xe Hi was NOT available. i modified one of mine so that it did also work on Xe Hi when running off of the 2xAA source - though it sucked them 2xAA cells dry fast on Xe Hi.



if you really want a Zenix IQ and can't find a new unused one, i have two of them and will part with one of them. PM me if interested.


EDIT
----
just remembered, the Petzl Micro incandescent HL ran on 2xAA. i have one and replaced the lamp with a terralux screw-in base LED "bulb" ==> http://www.led-replacement.com/tle-1s.html. also, one of my very first HLs was a LLBean rebadging of a PrincetonTec 2xAA incandescent HL - i'm forgettin' the PTec name for it. you wouldn't want one; not very bright.

 

[Illum]

"2AA" is good to have, but I'm not overly worried. I'm just hoping I can synchronize battery types

My personal choices are PT EOS and APEX extreme. The former has very good balance between spot and flood, and warm color. Latter will literally run all night at 130 lumen. They can all use lithium without problem.

A little research suggests the EOS is a certainly one of the nicest 3AAA headlights PT has made, I might consider it. :thanks:

I've heard of Apex shells cracking...so I've kept away from the Apex, et al fearing of a field breakdown due to unreliable material/design

just remembered, the Petzl Micro incandescent HL ran on 2xAA. i have one and replaced the lamp with a terralux screw-in base LED "bulb" ==> http://www.led-replacement.com/tle-1s.html. also, one of my very first HLs was a LLBean rebadging of a PrincetonTec 2xAA incandescent HL - i'm forgettin' the PTec name for it. you wouldn't want one; not very bright.

the zenix IQ certainly looks unique...but wow...6 modes

When your in total darkness, an lnova X5 sometimes is too bright.
I prefer something dim, hence 5mm LEDs

 

[pipsqueakspace]

If you're looking at the Princeton Tec Quad and EOS then you should take a look at their closest competitor which is Petzl.

The Petzl Tikka Plus is smaller than the PT Quad and has more output. The Tikka XP is similar to the EOS but is brighter and has a retractable diffuser ( puts out 35 lumens as compared to 25). Both brands seem to be well built.

 

[Woods Walker]

I did a review of the Rebel 4-mode EOS and Rebel 2-mode EOS II on CPF. I know 3XAAA can be an issue for some but the Rebel LED EOS is one of the best in class. The beam is a nice mix of flood and throw with reasonable runtimes and output. I wish they came up with a 3xAA EOS with battery pack on the back. Now that would rock beyond all reason.

FYI.

The Rebel EOS has a 50 lumen high, around 24 lumen med and a true 5-6 lumen low.

 

[mooman]

Illum, I am curious why you stated in the first post that zebralight does not count as a headlamp. I was thinking of getting one for that specific purpose. Is there something wrong with using it in that form factor.

 

[R@ndom]

The apex/eos doesn't crack till you go around banging your head on rocks (caving). I'm got a pelican 2690 off the marketplace recently. Using nimh direct drive should give me good constant runtime. It's a american made pelican so should stand up to abuse.

 

[jankj]

Illum, I am curious why you stated in the first post that zebralight does not count as a headlamp. I was thinking of getting one for that specific purpose. Is there something wrong with using it in that form factor.

IMO, the zebra H50 is an excellent headlamp, but your mileage may wary, and it also depends on what you'll be using the headlamp for. For trail use you probably may want a little bit more throw - typically, you want a good flood/throw balance that will enable you to see where you put your feet as well as the trail ahead. For all other tasks the zebralight is perfect.


Illum: Please, please post your reasons for discarding the zebralight as headlamps... What will you be using your headlamp for?

 

[Illum]

The Petzl Tikka Plus is smaller than the PT Quad ( I have both) and has more output. The Tikka XP is similar to the EOS but is brighter and has a retractable diffuser ( puts out 35 lumens as compared to 25). Both brands are well built.

I've looked into the Tikka XP, but the company did say light is not to be used with Lithium cells :shrug:

The beam is a nice mix of flood and throw with reasonable runtimes and output.
FYI.

The Rebel EOS has a 50 lumen high, around 24 lumen med and a true 5-6 lumen low.

From the design of the EOS as reviewed by FLR appeared to use a TIR optic...so I was suspicious on my own accord that its going to be primary a spot beam

Illum, I am curious why you stated in the first post that zebralight does not count as a headlamp. I was thinking of getting one for that specific purpose. Is there something wrong with using it in that form factor.

to each his own...but I find the zebralite a better suited as an area light, but there isn't anything wrong about it used as a headlamp.
Its analogous to saying SAK isn't a good field knife, sure there are better knives suited to certain applications, but theres nothing wrong with using the SAK. I just don't prefer to, thats all

Walking in a clearing its a great headlamp...but when your in the tall brush lighting up the top of the grass isn't necessarily what you'd want, but more like whats behind the grass. Is it a hole? a cliff? or just a black rock? As much as I favor spill, I think a headlamp should have some reach but not the majority of its output, like incandescent headlights. If your around camp its an admirably handy multipurpose light and gets used a lot around the tent, inside the tent, etc.

I find its output perfect when its casting light from the breast pocket level with the glare shield in place. But for the sake of not losing it, I had it clipped to the belt near the right pocket for good measure and it stayed there every time I'm in the outdoors. It'll light up the space immediately in front you about 3 feet on medium. With only one disadvantage though, it'll blind people in front of you if they are facing you and yourself if your looking down, but otherwise handy when your on your own.

I'm hoping to acquire a headlamp that can be used in combination with the zebra. For this particular trip I'll be hiking with 8 people. Assuming we are behind schedule and must hike at night [ugh...most accidents happen at night] I don't want a headlamp that throws a scorching fireball in the face of some in front of me if he rears his head at some noise.

For trail use you probably may want a little bit more throw - typically, you want a good flood/throw balance that will enable you to see where you put your feet as well as the trail ahead. For all other tasks the zebralight is perfect.

exactly! Couldn't have said that better :thumbsup:

 

[darknessemitter]

the zenix IQ certainly looks unique...but wow...6 modes

Actually most of the BD headlamps like that have 2 modes with 3 or 4 brightness modes for each. Works like this:

Press reverse clicky fully (until it clicks) and release to activate. Either the 1 Watt or the 5mm's will come on in High mode depending on which was used last.

To change brightness level of the currently active led(s), just half press the reverse clicky (just far enough to blink the light off for a moment). Usually goes high-mid-low-strobe and back to high. Since you barely have to press the switch, you can cycle modes rapidly by tapping the switch.

To switch from current leds (either 1 Watt or 5mm's) to the other leds, press the reverse clicky fully so that it clicks off. Now click it fully again, and the other led(s) will come on. You can cycle brightness levels with a quick half-press, the same as with the other led(s).

Once you get used to it, you can very quickly access whatever mode you need.

 

[Woods Walker]

I've looked into the Tikka XP, but the company did say light is not to be used with Lithium cells :shrug:



From the design of the EOS as reviewed by FLR appeared to use a TIR optic...so I was suspicious on my own accord that its going to be primary a spot beam

Is that the new frosted optic of the Rebel reviewed as it has a great balance of throw and flood. I use it at least twice a week night hiking.

In anycase check out the review.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=211817