Two new Princeton Tec LED headlamps

[cave dave]

I just got an REI catalog in the mail and there are two new lights from princeton tec.

The Scout witch is smaller than aurora but has 2 LEDs and only 2 AAA batteries. Only one light level I think. But it must use a step up, two bad they just didn't use a single AA. $20

The Yukon which is a 3LED, Halogen combo headlamp that has 3 AA in a rear mounted battery case. $36

I could find no info about these lights on the Princeton tec website or the REI website.

I seem to have lost my Aurora

so I might just have to buy the Yukon to replace it.

 

[Monsters_Inc]

And then just when you've bought the Yukon, you'll find your Aurora mysteriously appear.

Ain't that always the case?!

 

[txwest]

Hey, when you want to buy a new light, one excuse is as good as another.... :>) TX

 

[geepondy]

Hmmmm....good reason to stop in at REI I guess. I like the sound of the Yukon to complement my Aurora.

 

[Charles Bradshaw]

Why do these 'engineers' insist on using power sucking halogen bulbs with AAs??????? You would be better off with a Solo, plus Matrix Module (can use Lithium AAs), and a Versalux PR-2 LED bulb with the textured reflector (brighter than Matrix Module, BUT, can only use Alkalines). With the Solo, you still have the incandescant bulb options. So you have maximum options in one headlamp. Only 2AA and waterproof. Can be blade mounted too.

Speaking of REI, I have my eye on the Brinkmann focused LED headlamp. For $19.99 or $19.95, it may be quite useful, particularly if it can handle lithium AAs, like the Rebel. I want to see if it can be helmet mounted. (My Arc LS headlamp mod from Silviron can't be: wire is 3 inches too short.)

 

[Plinko]

Bradshaw,

These 'engineers' designed the new Yukon as an all-in-one unit that allows the user to select from LED's for trail, or in-camp chores, and the incan bulb for when it's needed. I can recall many occasions where route finding at night would be utterly impossible with an LED. When it's pitch black and your route markers are camouflaged every 100 feet, at best, no LED (with the exception of the 5w ls) is gonna help your plight.

Carrying a seperate bulb module around for the Solo is rediculous for real-world application, as no one is going to want to take the time to change out the module back and forth every 5 minutes, based on light need. Additionally, the Matrix light output is pathetic, unless you're planning to be in the backcountry or underground for 2 weeks' worth of nights on a single battery change...but then again, if you're gonna be out that long, why not take a brighter light and a change of batteries? A Photon keychain light puts out as much light as the bulky Matrix. If you REALLY need 40 hours of light, take 3 Photons...saves weight, space, and gives you an added degree of redundancy. The point is, Princeton Tec is using much brighter LEDs than those employed by the Matrix. Just as the modern farmer has relegated the sickle to antique status, so will the Yukon obliterate the old Solo/Matrix combo.

For what it's worth, I've used the Brinkmann focused LED headlamp. Construction is far-inferior to Rayovac's 12 dollar LED Combo headlamp, readily available at most Wal-Mart stores. Light output on the Brinkmann is so tightly focused that it's worthless as anything but a long-distance illminator...As a long distance illuminator it fails as well since it uses only one standard 5mm LED and isn't bright enought to perform the intended roll. I guess if you're satisfied with the Matrix and the PR-2 LED bulb, then you might just be satified with this though. In my opinion, a disappointment in quality as well as light output make this less usefult to me than the lead paperweight on my desk.

If they used an LS instead of a 5mm LED, things might have taken on a whole new light.

So far, my all-around most useful headlamp is the aforementioned Ray-o-Vac headlamp with a 1w LS side emitter mounted where the incandescent buld would normally be, and the two red LEDs swapped for white 5mm Nichias, giving it the option to run 1 LED, 2 LED's, or the LS for long range light. I still require 'high beams' when I'm hiking off-trail, and a PT Tec 40 fills that need...but for everything else, the LS or LEDs are a nice combination. The only thing I don't like about it is the 4-5 hour runtime I get with the LS (since it uses AAA batts). Hopefully the PT Yukon will take it's place in my stable of headlamps and finally let me use lithium AA's again, like the good ol' days.

 

[eluminator]

Interesting. I like my Aurora, but I wish I could remove the headband for washing. Has anyone tried removing the hinge pin?

 

[cave dave]

Yes you can remove the hingepin. Be careful not to lose that samll nut, and throw the headband with backplate in the washer.

I miss my lost Aurora because I modified it with a Tikka headband which was removable with no tools, plus it was thinner and lighter. So even if i buy a replacement I have to deal with the inferior headband of the Aurora.

 

[cave dave]

Pictures:

 

[Lux Luthor]

Any info about the switching mechanism? I can't see any place for a switch in the pic, so I wonder if maybe it's magnetic.

 

[Darkaway]

I'm a huge P.T. fan and I just gotta have a Scout soon. I have a couple of 1-2-3 LED lights and I don't see a huge difference in light output between 2 and 3 LED's. 1 LED is too dim so 2 LED's are optimum for me. If anyone finds a place to actually buy these please post.

 

[Denny Francisco]

I like my PT Aurora, also, as it is lightweight, and gives a nice broad illumination for around camp. Now if they would just combine a well-driven luxeon for throw, along with the 3 Nichias for close stuff, you'd have a really cool camping/hiking/caving light with 3AAs. Then if they would use a dimming circuit as in the Aurora, that would be one fine light. I'm tired of waiting and will make my own for now, borrowing the Aurora dimmer circuit. I'll definitely be checking out the new Scout from the REI store up the street. Oh yeah, ONE more flashlight......

 

[Charles Bradshaw]

Looks like a couple of nice new products from PT.

Plinko, you and I have different needs and lighting preferences. Also budgets. I agree that the Matrix is dim, though it is good for some things. Depends on one's needs.

I do hope you are right in that PT is using brighter LEDs than what the Matrix uses. That would be a huge plus.

Like you, I like to be able to use Lithium AAs, which the Versalux LED bulb can't use.

The Versalux PR-2 is best in 2C or 2D configuration.

 

[RickLux]

I use the septor streamlight 5 days a week. It has the 1 - 3- 7 led option and a comfortable headband. I use it with seven and the run times have been very good, hours of bright light. For route finding in the dark in the mountains here in N.C. 5 watt ls run on 3 -123 lithiums is excellent now that you can get them cheap 1.25 a battery. My lambda white 5 watt emitter matches my old surge pt in throw and it is a better flood.
The light output is very close.

 

[Lux Luthor]

Originally posted by Denny Francisco:
...Now if they would just combine a well-driven luxeon for throw, along with the 3 Nichias for close stuff, you'd have a really cool camping/hiking/caving light with 3AAs...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Agreed. That's why I'm excited about the Yukon. It should be simple enough to replace the incandescent with an LS.

I also suspect (knowing PT well enough) that the battery compartment is fully waterproof - unlike with, say, Black Diamond headlamps.

A Google search on this light revealed absolutely nothing, so it looks like we'll be waiting a while.

 

[GlowBike]

Nice! The Yukon looks just like a BETTER Petzl Zoom, which I already use (w/ the Halogen bulb) as a helmet-mounted light for mountain biking. Remains to be seen whether it will be any brighter, but I'm sure the beam quality will be better (how could it not be?). And the LED mode will be really nice at the trailhead when I don't need 50 yards of throw.

Anyone who's seen these things - is the bulb a screw base like the Petzls, or a PR base like other PT products? I'm hoping for the PR so I'll have more bulb options to run w/ NiMHs.

- Dan

 

[Plinko]

GlowBike, the bulb's definitly not a screw-base, like the rest of the pretzl lights, but from the picture (thanks to Cave Dave), it doesn't look like PT's typical PR-bulb,,,but rather more like the smaller bi-pin bulbs Black Diamond is using in their incan headlamps. Even in PT's Switchback headlamp they still kept the PR based bulb, albeit an oddball dual-filament version. Adjustable focus is the other feature I'm curious about. If they have it, it will be a step up from the previous generation PT headlamps...and if I'm going to cram a 1w LS side-emitter, the adjustable focus would greatly simplify things. Until they hit the shelves, I'm holding my breath...

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[John N]

Very interesting. I'm very interested in the Yukon.

I recently purchased a Petzl Tikka and a PT Aurora and didn't find either one optimal. The Tikka has good ergonomics a simple on off switch (I prefer), but has NO waterproofing - DOH! WHAT were they thinking?! The PT has more features (modes), waterproofing, but I find it is much less confortable and I don't like the way the modes work (doesn't remember setting) and find it somewhat difficult to turn on and off (I'm probably the only one here who doesn't like the Aurora :-)

In summary, my optimal headlight would be 1) 3AA cells, 2) waterproof, 3) simple switch, 4) rugged 5) comfortable, 6) bright and low mode (at least).

It sounded like the Petzl Duo would be good, but I looked at it and it seemed like it had very poor construction.

If the Yukon is waterproof (and it will be coming from PT), has a simple switch (it looks like a simple rotate bezel switch, ala PT Switchback) and is comfortable, it seems like this will be a winner for me.

The cost looks pretty good too.

I wonder if there is any room in there for electronics (probably not much).... Hmmm.

-john

 

[Plinko]

Has anyone heard or seen anything more on these lights? Still nothing at REI or on their website...

 

[John N]

I checked in the Lynwood store and no sign of them.

-john