Well I am new to the forums but I have been reading and find them interesting. I use a headlamp at least 1 week a month for Closed plant explorering. In my business I buy surplus out of closed plants for resale. Most of the places I go have no heat or lights and tend to be dirty and greasy. I started out with a 1 watt 3 led light I picked up off eBay out of China. I broke this after about a weeks worth of use. What did I expect right. Anyways I was using a coast single led which was very poor. I picked up this Husky 3 watt High Definition LED Headlight a few weeks back and found it to be bright just not focusable. It puts out a wide flat light that is really not so great. I have been looking around and found the Black Diamond Icon which looks great but I am not sure what to get. Any Advice?
Using Husky 3 watt What else should I try?
- Thread starter jspec
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Woods Walker
The Wood is cut, The Bacon is cooked, Now it’s tim
If 3XAAA is your game check out the Rebel LED EOS. I have the Husky and find the EOS much better. Think the Husky is brighter but it does not have the runtime. Also the multi modes of the EOS and beam are better than the funky Husky beam. The tint of the Husky is better but at least with the two Rebel EOS headlamps I own the tints are kinda good too.
tnuckels
Enlightened
The following two headlamps (there are probably more) have dual output (spot or flood), which is comparable to your desire for a "focusable" beam, I think:
Princeton Tec Apex 4xAA, spot = main LED (high, low), flood = 4x5mm LED (high, low, blink), regulated, around $70 for up to 130lm
Petzl MYO RXP 3xAA, spot = main LED (low, medium, high, blink), flood = main LED + flip-up diffuser (same modes), regulated, programmable, around $90 for up to 140lm (160lm boost)
I'm not sure how to compare runtimes on an apples to apples basis as there are too many variables involved, or that the number of batteries exactly equivalent to more or less runtime.
I think either should fit your bill, as described so far. Don't know much about the Icon. Sorry.
Good Luck!
EDIT: Two more for about 1/2 price of those above:
Energizer Hard Case Professional 4 LED Headlight
Remington Arms 4AA LED Headlight
Do a search in the Search Forum box.
Princeton Tec Apex 4xAA, spot = main LED (high, low), flood = 4x5mm LED (high, low, blink), regulated, around $70 for up to 130lm
Petzl MYO RXP 3xAA, spot = main LED (low, medium, high, blink), flood = main LED + flip-up diffuser (same modes), regulated, programmable, around $90 for up to 140lm (160lm boost)
I'm not sure how to compare runtimes on an apples to apples basis as there are too many variables involved, or that the number of batteries exactly equivalent to more or less runtime.
I think either should fit your bill, as described so far. Don't know much about the Icon. Sorry.
Good Luck!
EDIT: Two more for about 1/2 price of those above:
Energizer Hard Case Professional 4 LED Headlight
Remington Arms 4AA LED Headlight
Do a search in the Search Forum box.
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I was looking at the PT apex and will check out the petzel. The only issue is I mount this on my hard hat and that ebay one fell off my head at 22' in the air. Needless to say it is kinda destroyed. I don't want to spend a bunch if it not built like a tank. I am not sure I like the fact the the PT has a belt mounted battery either. Do any of the rechargeables have 8-10 hour battery life mostly on high? Thanks for the help btw. I have searched and read a ton neat forum. I have been addicted to it for a few days now 
Marduke
Flashaholic
Energizer Hard Case Pro 100lm headlamp. It runs $36, and is designed to take a beating.
This is the headlamp I am referring to:
http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/tufhd31ph.pdf
http://www.light-reviews.com/energizer_hcp_4led_headlight/
http://www.botachtactical.com/enhaprhe.html
It has a clip up diffuser for either focus or a flood beam.
This is the headlamp I am referring to:
http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/tufhd31ph.pdf
http://www.light-reviews.com/energizer_hcp_4led_headlight/
http://www.botachtactical.com/enhaprhe.html
It has a clip up diffuser for either focus or a flood beam.
tnuckels
Enlightened
The destruction of any light can easily be achieved, if you only try hard enough. Neither of these are "built like a tank", though the Petzl might be more forgiving as I have read of concerns over the brittleness of PT's plastics.
The belt pack is one of several options available for the PT Apex: 4xAA head, 4xAA belt (Extreme), 2xCR123A (Pro). Petzl also sells a belt model, the MYO Belt, though not currently regulated, programmable, and less bright (85lm, 150lm boost).
These are not "rechargeable" lights in the sense that they have a built in proprietary battery and charging system, but either can use rechargeable batteries. High is a relative term. On maximum power none will last you a full work day. Running at the "most light you think you'll need" is perhaps a different story. In this respect the Petzl is more flexible as each of its three modes can be set to any of 10 power levels (plus a 4th blinky mode set to one of 3 blink settings). And if you choose wrong, Boost is always available at the touch of a button, albeit for only about 20 seconds while you hold down on the switch.
Is it your hard hat, or do you borrow one each place you visit?
If it's your own, Petzel sells hardware to securely mount their headlamps to a helmet. I'm not sure if PT does the same, but Petzl's would probably serve the purpose just as well for any headlamp. Or, a few small holes and strategically placed zip ties should do the trick.
If you're borrowing one at each new site a fix will need more consideration.
Or just get the less expensive ones @ 2 for the price of 1.
tnuckels
Enlightened
A Stenlight s7 or S7+ would be a great choice. The are expensive headtoches, but just about indestructible. I would think given your amount of use, the cost would be justified. They come with a blade mount for a caving hardhat or an optional headband.
tnuckels
Enlightened
Noelex, does the $230 price for the S7 include anything besides the lamp itself, and the battery packs, recharger, head strap, etc., all available at an additional cost?
I've always admired these lights and if I were a "real" caver, and my @ss depended greatly on my equipment performing in a harsh, muddy, wet environment, a light along these lines would be my choice, though I'd still carry a backup.
Still, I've seen photos of folks in some pretty harsh places wearing lesser lamps. To each his/her own, I suppose.
I've always admired these lights and if I were a "real" caver, and my @ss depended greatly on my equipment performing in a harsh, muddy, wet environment, a light along these lines would be my choice, though I'd still carry a backup.
Still, I've seen photos of folks in some pretty harsh places wearing lesser lamps. To each his/her own, I suppose.
The Stenlight is available as the head unit only or with a package including battery charger etc. The headband is optional.
I purchased the head unit only nad made my own headband from some scap bits of aluminium and elastic. The Stenlight will run on a wide range of voltages and I made my own battery pack inexpensively and use a hobby charger to charge them.
I will put together a post of what I have done shortly.
I purchased the head unit only nad made my own headband from some scap bits of aluminium and elastic. The Stenlight will run on a wide range of voltages and I made my own battery pack inexpensively and use a hobby charger to charge them.
I will put together a post of what I have done shortly.
To elaborate on costs
USA Stenlight $230
Stenlight S7+ ? ??
Batteries $25
Home made headband $7
Connecters wires for batteries $15
Charger $30
Total for Stenlight S7 $307
Stenlight S7+ ??
UK Stenlight S7 165 pounds
Stenlight S7+ 220 pounds
Batteries 15 pounds
Home made headband 5 pounds
Connecters wires for batteries etc 10 pounds
Charger 20 pounds
Total for Stenlight S7 215 pounds
Stenlight S7+ 270 pounds
Therefore the Stenlight S7+ is about 4 x the cost of an RXP or Apex
The advantages compared to the RXP or Apex are:
Bullet proof construction
Waterproof
Reliable
Double the number of emitters (2x 3watt) which together with better heat sinking gives higher light output.
Fully regulated on all settings
Beam angle can be customized with the desired Throw spread required.
Battery packs can be customized with the desired weight/ run time trade off (With a 7.4V 1000mahr pack the weight is very slightly more than the RXP and much less than the Apex with longer runtimes for the same brightness)
The cost difference would not justified by 99.9% of users, but for members of this forum the "feelgood factor" alone of a well made product compared to the plastic offerings from the major manufacturers justifies the cost difference at least to me.
USA Stenlight $230
Stenlight S7+ ? ??
Batteries $25
Home made headband $7
Connecters wires for batteries $15
Charger $30
Total for Stenlight S7 $307
Stenlight S7+ ??
UK Stenlight S7 165 pounds
Stenlight S7+ 220 pounds
Batteries 15 pounds
Home made headband 5 pounds
Connecters wires for batteries etc 10 pounds
Charger 20 pounds
Total for Stenlight S7 215 pounds
Stenlight S7+ 270 pounds
Therefore the Stenlight S7+ is about 4 x the cost of an RXP or Apex
The advantages compared to the RXP or Apex are:
Bullet proof construction
Waterproof
Reliable
Double the number of emitters (2x 3watt) which together with better heat sinking gives higher light output.
Fully regulated on all settings
Beam angle can be customized with the desired Throw spread required.
Battery packs can be customized with the desired weight/ run time trade off (With a 7.4V 1000mahr pack the weight is very slightly more than the RXP and much less than the Apex with longer runtimes for the same brightness)
The cost difference would not justified by 99.9% of users, but for members of this forum the "feelgood factor" alone of a well made product compared to the plastic offerings from the major manufacturers justifies the cost difference at least to me.
tnuckels
Enlightened
A bit Off Topic, but related and fun, nevertheless:
Yucca Patrol posted links to headlamp reviews in the Equipment Forum section of the NSS website, but I can hardly get past the homepage banner video.
Cool watching folks to the "real deal". I can't imagine walking straight into that waterfall with a PT or Petzl on, though I'm amenable to being proven wrong.
Enjoy!
Yucca Patrol posted links to headlamp reviews in the Equipment Forum section of the NSS website, but I can hardly get past the homepage banner video.
Cool watching folks to the "real deal". I can't imagine walking straight into that waterfall with a PT or Petzl on, though I'm amenable to being proven wrong.
Enjoy!
So I have been using the Remington for a few days. It's almost perfect except I feel the difuser is going to break. Is there anyway to get rid of the red and purple lights? Maybe put another bright led in there? Oh and those clips are pretty cool.
Marduke
Flashaholic
The headlamp is easily disassembled, so a swap is possible. The blue is a direct swap for white, but since it comes on at the same time as the red, I'm not sure exactly what could be done for those. There is a chance you could swap all 3 for white, and it would still work. I guess worst case is you would have a REALLY low low mode.
I plan on trying the above modification if one of the three Lowe's around me ever start carrying the light.
