Best headlamp for night-time bbq'ing

Because this is California, we can barbeque pretty much all year round. But, winter bbq'ing in the dark is a little annoying. I have been using a RiverRock headlamp from Target and it's ok, but I would much prefer a _wide_ even flood. The central blue hotspot bothers me and reduces it's utility. I am also assuming an incan would be better with all the smoke generated. Any suggestions? BTW, I don't need the ultimate-won't-let-you-down-when-your-life-depends-on-it light. It's just chicken, right?

I think every lamp like Petzl Tikka, or Tikka Plus, with a wide beam, is good for your use.

The price of Tikka (not Plus) is not much high...

I'm another year-round BBQer, but luckily have enough outdoor lighting to get the job done. The Tikka XP would seem like a good choice--a wide, wide even flood using the diffuser plus a pencil beam at those times you might want one. Different output levels to dial in the needed intensity.

Probably costs about eight chickens.

I don't know that incandescent would necessarily be better, but it might be worth investigating headlamps that stand farther from your forehead to help limit glare if that proves to be a problem. Another possibility might be a gooseneck trouble-light clamped to the BBQ itself instead of a headlamp.

I grill out several times a week here in Ohio and my headlamp of choice is my PT EOS. I don't feel the need for much flood, but it's good to have a fairly white beam so that you can easily tell when you're burning something!

the best one is the one you are carrying on your person

the inova 24/7 would be good too. good close range flood and impressive run time too, long enuf for you to bbq all yur chickens :laughing:

I'm in the same boat....

I got a new grill for Christmas. My wife complained about the smoke from the old grill getting in the house, so I put the new one on our (unattached) deck about 20 feet away. There aren't any lights out there and the grill is turned in such a way that the outside house floodlights don't help, so I figured this would be a good time to use my newly acquired headlamps for nighttime cooking. I preferred the PT EOS to the RiverRock. For my second nighttime cookout, I used a Nuwai Luxeon I Variable Headlamp (HLX-712L) that I had ordered from AmondoTech. My big problem both times was judging the color of the meat as it cooked. Last week I ordered a PT Yukon Extreme. It arrived yesterday and I used it for the first time last night. The incandescent light (on high) made a world of difference. That's the one I'll use from here out.

Some things to consider:
1. Water proofness: You will get this thig kind of grummy and you will want to wash it.
2. Easy of switch opperation: You want a clickie switch that you can opperate with greasy hands, not a rotating bezel.
3. Color retion: As was already mentioned, you need to see what color your meat is, which will almost certainly mean you need an incadescent and good batteries.
4. Battery economy: No need to get a lightweight headlamp that eats AAAs when AAs cost the same. C or D form factors are also worth considering.
5. Beam pattern: A faceted or orange peel reflector will do you well.
6. Power: in a back yard you will be competing with the glare from your and your neighbors patio lights. You will actually need more than the people going in caves or off in the wilderness.

My first choice would probably be either the PT Yukon (not the HL but the incadescent model) or the BD Gemini. There are a several cheap headlamps you can get at any discount store that meet the most of the above requirements.

I think the PT Corona would be perfect.
Good flood,
many levels,
light weight


http://www.jtice.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=PTCoronaHeadLamp

~John

I can't tell the "pinkness" of the meat with Nichia LEDs, I haven't tried Luxeons, but I suspect they aren't full spectrum either. So this is one of the places I would recomend a Halogen, it really brings out the reds.
How about the Petzl Myolite 3, LEDs for general utility work and incandescent for good color rendition. The beam is fairly good, but put some contact paper as a diffuser on the lens, for a smoother beam.

Skeeterbytes said:

Probably costs about eight chickens.

Click to expand...

I live on a corner lot which means the sidewalk goes past my back yard. I've gotten some strange looks when using a headlamp at the grill, so it's good to know I'm not so odd afterall.

I use a Browning headlamp with 5x5mm LEDs which gives a good flood, but I agree that the Nichias aren't the best for meat color recognition.

I can't tell the "pinkness" of the meat with Nichia LEDs, I haven't tried Luxeons, but I suspect they aren't full spectrum either. So this is one of the places I would recomend a Halogen, it really brings out the reds



Please tell me you dont cut beef steaks on the grill to check for doneness.

Just press on the meat with you finger to see if it is done.

A general rule, touch your forefinger to your thumb, this is what rare should feel like. Now touch your middle (bird) finger to your thumb, this is what medium rare should feel like. ring finger to thumb medium, pinky to thumb= well.

that is your grilling lesson of the day.

one more thing,
Kingsford baby!! :rock:

BTW Target RR is what I wear when I grill, with a Mag85 near by.

Either:

A) get an incan headlamp for the color renditioning, as eating undercooked chicken is a potential health disaster, or

B) get a long runtime led headlamp that's bright enough to see your meat thermometer, which is the best and most accurate way to judge levels of cooking meat, regardless of type.

Personally, I favor hybrid headlamps that have both leds and incan. You not only get the color and runtime benefits, but the beam differences between flood and throw.

Hello Jefft,

You might also consider taking a PT EOS and removing the optic from it. This will give you a very nice, close range, flood beam. If you go to a store that sells them, you can pick one with a "warmer" beam. That will give you better color recognition.

On the other hand, perhaps we should all come over for a party and try our various suggestions...

Tom

I cut a piece of "Write-right" PDA plastic screening and placed it over the lens of my RR Headlamp. This helped to diffuse the light, removing the blue hot spot in the middle of the beam.