Search And Rescue Headlamp Suggestions

[Lumen83]

Hello,

I am looking for a headlamp to use while performing search and rescue duties in thick mountainous terrain. I have a hand held thrower for long distance illumination. So, the headlamp should be floody in order to illuminate the area around me for my own ability to navigate either on an established trail, or in thick forest. Here are some of the requirements for the headlamp:

Single cell cr123a
Needs to operate in temperatures from 20 below to 100 degrees farenheit
Needs to be rugged and utterly reliable in all weather (pouring rain, sleet, snow, scorching hot sun exposure above treeline, high winds, etc.), waterproof, drop proof, etc.
Needs to be very light. Every ounce counts. Has to be comfortable hiking with it in very difficult terrain for 10+ miles at a time
Has to have at least 12 hours of run time on a low setting that has atleast around 20 lumens. Has to be able to run with useful light for hiking through a complete night

Any suggestions? Some of the zebralights look attractive. Although, I know nothing about their ruggedness or reliability. And, their one year warranty seems a little short.


Thanks!

 

[jlittle]

I just ordered the zebra light H32F should be at the house next couple days will let you know what i think. I'll be using it for night shift maintenance on aircraft in Afghanistan.

 

[Lumen83]

I just ordered the zebra light H32F should be at the house next couple days will let you know what i think. I'll be using it for night shift maintenance on aircraft in Afghanistan.

I was looking at that one. That would be great to hear how it functions. Thanks!

 

[mckeand13]

I've got two Armytek Wizard Pro headlamps. I can't say enough good stuff about them. They have taken a beating and been used a lot. Still working without issue. I know those are 18650 format, but you could check out the Tiara line for 1xCR123.

I'm always surprised that Zebralight has such a following. Their UI is so complicated it makes my head spin. Who needs all of that programmability? Just my 2 cents.

If you want durable and US made, Malkoff has a headlamp strap for his lights. Probably a little heavier than other options though.

 

[Lumen83]

How are the Armytek headlamps for durability and reliability?

 

[jlittle]

I looked at the armytek lamps and almost got one just seemed like every other comment in threads was they have quality issues. That being said. I may still get one if I'm not fond of the H32F

 

[mckeand13]

I looked at the armytek lamps and almost got one just seemed like every other comment in threads was they have quality issues. That being said. I may still get one if I'm not fond of the H32F

And I've seen plenty of negative comments about Zebralight's quality. That's life though right? People in general post many times more negative comments than they do praising a product.

I'll say I haven't had any issues with my Armytek lights and hope I never do. My neighbor has 3 Wizard's and no problems either. I can't personally comment at all on Zebralight products as I've never owned one, and won't because of their UI.

 

[Tachead]

I would go with the Zebralight H32Fw personally if you want to stick with CR123A's. It has all the attributes you want and don't worry about the one year warranty. ZL will fix any light after the warranty period for a nominal fee of $15US. I have owned and used many models and brands of headlamps over the years doing everything from backcountry camping and rock climbing to mechanics and carpentry and ZL is all I use now. Between their many output levels, light weight, compact size, long runtimes(driver efficiency), and great beam quality I think they beat most other options out there.

 

[Tachead]

And I've seen plenty of negative comments about Zebralight's quality. That's life though right? People in general post many times more negative comments than they do praising a product.

I'll say I haven't had any issues with my Armytek lights and hope I never do. My neighbor has 3 Wizard's and no problems either. I can't personally comment at all on Zebralight products as I've never owned one, and won't because of their UI.

Years ago when ZL first started their company they had some issues but, over the last bunch of years very few people seem to have issues and I follow most flashlight forums and Reddits year round. The ones that do, always get their lights fixed even years after the warranty is expired and seam to be happy with their dealings with them. I will say, my ZL's have been nothing but reliable so far.

Armytek on the other hand, seems to constantly have reports of issues(mainly driver and switch glitches/failures) as well as people having problems with their "no hassle warranty". Just search on here, Reddit, Youtube, and other forums. I tried them and still have 2 models including the Tiara C1 Pro V2 which has been reliable thus far and is a nice headlamp. But, out of the five lights of theirs I bought, 3 had issues in the first year of ownership and required warranty. This is more failures then I have had with any brand in my 25+ years of being into lights so, I don't trust them much anymore. I also did not have a "hassle free" experience in a couple of my dealings with them and I live in the same province as their HQ. I think their bodies, designs, and UI are really nice but, in my experience they have quality control issues or something going on with their drivers or firmware.

 

[MX421]

How are the Armytek headlamps for durability and reliability?

out of four of the armytek wizards i bought, i only have one that works. The rest are either sent back or in the process of going through their "hassle free" warranty.

On the other hand, i've got more than that amount of Zebralights in different formats and have only had an issue with one which was replaced/repaired under warranty.

For outdoors, i'd recommend a 18650 light for longer runtimes, but for closeup you might get by with a smaller light for lower weight. Perhaps check out obne of the AA Zebralights. They are pretty bright now at around ~300 lumens. Try a H53

 

[Tachead]

out of four of the armytek wizards i bought, i only have one that works. The rest are either sent back or in the process of going through their "hassle free" warranty.

On the other hand, i've got more than that amount of Zebralights in different formats and have only had an issue with one which was replaced/repaired under warranty.

For outdoors, i'd recommend a 18650 light for longer runtimes, but for closeup you might get by with a smaller light for lower weight. Perhaps check out obne of the AA Zebralights. They are pretty bright now at around ~300 lumens. Try a H53

I would second this opinion. Although the CR123A models are smaller, the output and runtimes of the 18650 models are just way better and they are still quite light and compact.

 

[MX421]

I can't personally comment at all on Zebralight products as I've never owned one, and won't because of their UI.

The Zebralight UI can be as simple as the Armytek UI in that you hold the button to cycle through the L, M, & H modes, but the UI can be so much more. Although it seemed daunting at first, the UI is/was quite intuitive once you spend the time to get familiar with it.

They have actually changed their UI where you can program it to be the way you want. Unfortunately that takes time to figure out as well so i see your point there. I haven't sat down to mess with it yet, but i plan to when i get the chance.

Armytek's UI isn't that easy either really.

 

[Lumen83]

I would second this opinion. Although the CR123A models are smaller, the output and runtimes of the 18650 models are just way better and they are still quite light and compact.

The real reason I need to use a primary over an 18650 is because of extreme temperatures. There has been times when I have been above treeline when it is below 0 degrees F. The 18650s just do not handle that the way that a primary cr123a does.

I'm glad I learned more about Armytek issues. I really need a light that is not going to fail. Even though I take a handheld for searching, when we are doing a litter carry, I want that free hand to be there in case of falling, to grab trees, or use a pole for support. Having a head lamp that will not fail ensures that hand is free.

The Armyteks seem to beat the zebralights in terms of lumens and run times for the cr123a lights. But, it sounds like zebralight might be more reliable. Are there any other alternatives?

 

[Szemhazai]

I was advisor to the Polish Medical Air Rescue in case of choosing lights for pilots and rescue personnel - after consideration and testing some lights (petzl/nitecore/fenix/armytec/some others) I've sugested Armytec Wizard PRO with magnet USB charging option and 2 pcs of fast mount holders.

 

[terjee]

Quick note on the Zebras:
Spec say they will hit the target, but both of the models still considered current are cold and low cri (H32 and H32F). The warmer ones has a tad higher cri, and are still available I think (H32w and H32Fw). If you want the two latter, now might be the best time.

The 18650 versions and also AA versions does offer better performance in those regards. The AA lights with L91 primaries could perhaps be worth considering if you're managing your own batteries, but I get that it might be a poor fit if everyone else in your group has standardized on CR123As.

I fully admit to not having experience with search and rescue, but I'm used to mountainous terrain. Personally I feel the warmer temperature and higher CRI makes a difference, so I figured I should at least mention it.

 

[Tachead]

The real reason I need to use a primary over an 18650 is because of extreme temperatures. There has been times when I have been above treeline when it is below 0 degrees F. The 18650s just do not handle that the way that a primary cr123a does.

I'm glad I learned more about Armytek issues. I really need a light that is not going to fail. Even though I take a handheld for searching, when we are doing a litter carry, I want that free hand to be there in case of falling, to grab trees, or use a pole for support. Having a head lamp that will not fail ensures that hand is free.

Although CR123A's are definitely superior for temp extremes, I find as long as you keep 18650's warm when not in use(in an interior pocket next to you), they work fine and you will just see a lower capacity then you would in normal temps. Using your headlamp on the higher modes will warm the battery while in use. Just fyi, I live in Canada where the winter temps can drop below -40C at times although I try to avoid being out for long when its that cold lol.

Keep in mind any light can fail so, I highly recommend having a backup considering your uses. I too use my lights in mission critical uses in remote places so, I always carry two headlamps and two flashlights. I think for your uses an 18650 headlamp and a CR123A headlamp for backup would be a great combo. That way you have the CR123A's in case there is an issue with you main 18650 headlamp or the batteries for it.

 

[Lumen83]

Although CR123A's are definitely superior for temp extremes, I find as long as you keep 18650's warm when not in use(in an interior pocket next to you), they work fine and you will just see a lower capacity then you would in normal temps. Using your headlamp on the higher modes will warm the battery while in use. Just fyi, I live in Canada where the winter temps can drop below -40C at times although I try to avoid being out for long when its that cold lol.

Keep in mind any light can fail so, I highly recommend having a backup considering your uses. I too use my lights in mission critical uses in remote places so, I always carry two headlamps and two flashlights. I think for your uses an 18650 headlamp and a CR123A headlamp for backup would be a great combo. That way you have the CR123A's in case there is an issue with you main 18650 headlamp or the batteries for it.

I think those are some great points and I will have to consider them. Do the cr123a lights fit in the 18650 headband? That way I could just pack the small cr123a light as a backup and use the same headband setup.

 

[Tachead]

The real reason I need to use a primary over an 18650 is because of extreme temperatures. There has been times when I have been above treeline when it is below 0 degrees F. The 18650s just do not handle that the way that a primary cr123a does.

I'm glad I learned more about Armytek issues. I really need a light that is not going to fail. Even though I take a handheld for searching, when we are doing a litter carry, I want that free hand to be there in case of falling, to grab trees, or use a pole for support. Having a head lamp that will not fail ensures that hand is free.

The Armyteks seem to beat the zebralights in terms of lumens and run times for the cr123a lights. But, it sounds like zebralight might be more reliable. Are there any other alternatives?

Just to warn you, myself and several others have tested the actual runtimes and/or outputs in our lightbox setups and Armytek is known to overstate/inflate both specs. In fact, some Armytek models have been proven to have up to 33% less then their claimed output. They also use an inferior driver to Zebralight that is less efficient, generates more heat, and has less sophisticated thermal regulation. ZL's specs are usually very accurate on the other hand.

As for other options, if you don't mind bad tints and very cool white beams, Petzl makes very reliable headlamps from my experience and has some neat features like automatic brightness control on some models. I'm not sure if they offer any CR123A options however. Fenix also makes some nice headlamps and get pretty good reports for reliability and customer service.

 

[Tachead]

I think those are some great points and I will have to consider them. Do the cr123a lights fit in the 18650 headband? That way I could just pack the small cr123a light as a backup and use the same headband setup.

The silicone holders are different but, their headbands are pretty light and compact(especially the smaller ones without the top strap) so, it wont increase your pack weight and volume much carrying two.

 

[Lumen83]

Just to warn you, myself and several others have tested the actual runtimes and/or outputs in our lightbox setups and Armytek is known to overstate/inflate both specs. In fact, some Armytek models have been proven to have up to 33% less then their claimed output. They also use an inferior driver to Zebralight that is less efficient, generates more heat due to lower efficacy, and has less sophisticated thermal regulation. ZL's specs are usually very accurate on the other hand.

As for other options, if you don't mind bad tints and very cool white beams, Petzl makes very reliable headlamps from my experience and has some neat features like automatic brightness control on some models. I'm not sure if they offer any CR123A options however. Fenix also makes some nice headlamps and get pretty good reports for reliability and customer service.

Tint is important to me and I hate cool white beams. I was wondering how fenix compared to ZL. They do have a model that interests me.