What's the last thing you used your headlamp for?

I want to pick up a headlamp, but its not really something I 'need'. Help convince me that I need one.



Tell me about the most recent time you used your headlamp and explain why it was better than just using a regular torch.

I wore a Princeton Tec EOS 70 lumen headlamp last night when I brought trash cans to the end of the driveway. Prior to getting the headlamp, I used a flashlight for the same task.

The headlamp frees up a hand so I make half as many trips. I used to carry a flashlight in hand or wear a flashlight around my neck, but the flashlights didn't stay pointed ahead of me while walking.

I take nightly walks on rural roads and have been using the headlamp lately so I don't have to hold a flashlight during the entire walk. I still use a flashlight while walking on the main road, but the headlamp's flashing mode signals oncoming drivers of my presence well in advance and they steer clear.

A few weeks ago, I used the same Princeton Tec EOS while installing a new light switch inside the house while the AC power was turned off.

The last thing I used my headlamp for?

This is almost 700' underground including two 175' rappels. (I wasn't smiling after the climb out!!)


This is one of your CPF members who led me into the depths. LOL!


This is a walk-in mine.


Well, sort of....


Princeton Apex Pro.

Joanne

I used mine for our annual winter campout on super bowl weekend. Setting up a tent on a moonless night with one hand would have been no fun.

shoveling the 2ft of snow off my roof here in New England the night before we where expected to get more snow. I find i use it alot, changing the oil in the lawn equipment while in the garage, painting inside the house to give a nice clean light when the corners of the room are shadowing... and many more uses.

The last thing: The last thing would be to fix our dryer the other day. And just prior to that, to work on a customer's electrical panel, adding a few new circuits. And just prior to that, to build a couple new computers. And on and on.

There is NO comparison with a handheld when working with your hands while you need the light. Unless you are completely idle, and don't do ANY physical work, it seems most logical to me, that everyone would have a need for a headlight, even if they are not real active outdoors (camping, etc.).

Once you get one and use it, you will likely want to keep upgrading. I started out, years ago, with just a cheap one from Walmart. Then, after a few more of these cheap bulky models, went to a Petzl Tikka, then a Princeton Tec Aurora, then a Nuwai, and then a Streamlight Argo. Then, just a few weeks back, I bought a Zebralight H501 and now I think I have the ultimate headlight for working with my hands.

Jonny

I was disassembling and troubleshooting the back door lock assembly this afternoon. The area was somewhat dark and I had tried to use a 2AAA flashlight with one hand while manipulating the lock with my other hand. I finally ditched the flashlight and used the Princeton Tec EOS headlamp instead which freed up both hands.

Later tonight, I used the EOS headlamp while taking my nightly walk around the neighborhood.

Putting on the tire chains in the dark and swirling snow. A headlamp is so much better than a cold chunk of aluminum in your mouth. I've learned the hard way to keep a headlamp for floood and a handheld for throw that use the same battery size in each car for convenience and redundancy.

Night fishing. Its much easier with a headlamp

Love headlamps, and use mine frequently. To me, the only down sides are: weight, heat and glare considerations mean that some compromises must be made vs a handheld. The other major downer - Bugs. Hanging a "swarm here" or "free dinner" sign on one's face in the warm months is extremely uncool.

jbrett14 said:

There is NO comparison with a handheld when working with your hands while you need the light.

Click to expand...

couldn't agree more.

last used mine to carry trash to the curb the night before pickup. mine gets the most use doing yard work during fall and winter evenings.

Cleaning my guns, helps to see into trigger assembles, strikers, slides etc. Overhead lighting can't get into those areas due to shadows.

I actually bought my first headlamp 10 years ago when working in attics installing/repairing central vacuum systems. I tried dozens of lights that cliped or hung, held in mouth etc so I could see what I was doing, push a caddy of tools and parts along and crawl through insulation at the same time. Once I discoved my first headlamp, I was hooked.

recent uses: changing a tire at night, on a ladder in my shed looking for camping gear in the loft, caving, night snowshoeing with poles, wintercamping, setting up tent and cooking after dark, cutting firewood after getting to camp at night, siding my shed (if you use stationary work lights you have to keep moving them as you work whereas the headlamp is always pointed where you are looking. I live near the canadian border and this far north anything you do outside after 4pm in the winter needs lighting.

Hope this helps.

My wife uses hers every night to read in bed so as not to keep me up with a bright table lamp.
I dinghies mine that often but the last time I used it would have been for gathering wood and bringing it into the cabin. Try that with a and held light. Lol

Furious rain storm here in So. California. Headlamp necessary to seal up the sliding glass door from the outside...wet job! Needed both hands and a waterproof headlamp.

When the electricity went off in Greece on Holiday.. ok, here's the more interesting bit..

I realised that the light was buried somewhere deep in the luggage but I had my Panasonic TZ7 camera to hand. I photo'd the white wall using the flash and switched to picture preview, tremendous amount of short term light from that to find the head torch

Home maintenance, had to replace the ceiling light fixture. It's way easier to wear a headlamp for a small job than to drag out the big halogen lights on the tripod. I don't know how I went so many years without headlamps.

You have to have more than one, I keep one by the back door, in my workroom and of course 1 in the truck and in my BOB. I've used mine lately to take out the dogs, bring in the turtle (yes Turtle!), put on snow chains, check the oil, working on small parts with magnifier on and so on. They are just so handy! I have a couple nice ones and a couple cheapies.

I've got 2 energizer cheapies.

Last few things I used my newly acquired Saint Minimus for was to clean my mother in laws stove. She had poor lighting in her house, and the minimus gave me the little bit of extra light I needed to clean the fuels ports. Just the other night, I used it out back to finish planting some flowers at night. Granted, I bought this for caving, along with a new Black Diamond Helmet, but have yet to go since getting it.

one thing I "learned" from the minimus, is that variable brightness is a God-send for a headlamp...and the flood is the perfect mix on these units!