Which headlamp for garden chores?

My father usually cleans up his small garden (picking up slugs & dog poo) after sundown and he uses an unbelievably shoddy cheapo multi-LED headlamp in the process. It does function but my flash-o-pride tells me I should get him a more quality piece for Christmas.


Here is what I need:


* floody; effective range of 20-30 feet should be plenty enough

* rugged and reliable

* easy operation, push rather than twist UI (he is 71 y.o.), no strobe, just high and low, but single output level is also acceptable

* reliable

* should run on AA or AAA eneloops, no Lithium Ions

* did I say it needs to be reliable?

* preferably under $45

Try the Princeton Tec Remix. I am using mine a lot lately. Really light (as in not heavy) and easy to use. Try to find a local REI store and your set.

thanks Gaffle,
that one seems to get nice reviews
how sturdy is the battery compartment door? I see there is no latch to close it just laps over a lip?

Sveg... it's pretty much right at the price point you're looking for, have you looked into the Petzl Tikka XP? It's a compact headlamp, 3 settings & has a push button switch, and an easy flip down lens to swap from flood light to ambient lighting. They are virtually bullet proof. Petzl also makes a line called Pixa, which are designed for dirty & tough work conditions. There are 3 different models & by what it sounds like you're looking for, the Petzl Pixa 1 would suit your needs. Those are typically in the 25-$40 range but I just scored 2 of them on ebay brand new for $38 shipped.

And I promise, I don't work for petzl, I just happen to have stumbled onto them 20 years ago & became a huge fan! And the one I started with then, still works like new today & I abuse them for work & play!

Not sure if it's allowed in the forum here since I"m new, but I'm actually selling a few out of my collection currently if you were interested in taking a look. None of the models I suggested above are up for sale, but this might also fit the bill:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230871923433?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

The door is tough. Snaps shut very securely. Sometimes I use objects to pry open the door cause it is a tight snap.

For garden, I would definitely want High-CRI. Makes a big difference outdoors.

Don't know of any sub-$45 CRI headlamps, sorry.

(The Irix Icon II is a low cost leader for 1AA semi-floody, sometimes as low as $20. Easy battery replacement. Dial infinite adjust. Foolproof. I own two and neither has failed yet.)

get him a zebralight h502c or h502d. it costs a little more, but its for your dad, so itll be worth it.

it uses 1xAA, has a wide flood beam, great for close up tasks. lightweight, versatile, and a fairly easy to use UI.

Another vote for a H502d

The high CRI will make it easier to find those pesky slugs and snails (I do a slug and snail run in our vegie patch every time it rains, I hate the way they eat what we are trying to grow for human use)

thank you all for these great suggestions I'll
if money permitted I'd get him a ZL without the slightest hesitation but I can't (even though I cannot really fight your argument that it is "for my Dad")
also I don't know about the 502 but my 501 has really mediocre runtime on high

a neutral floody ZebraLight would leave him speechless no doubt

hm maybe I should skip the SC52 I wanted to get myself for xmas and buy him a H502D instead? that is food for thought ... darn it you guys

I agree with those recommending the Zebralight H502D. As for brightness and runtime, Zebralight advertises the H2 setting as putting 110 lumen out the front for 1.9 hours on an eneloop. That sounds about right based on my experience, and should be plenty bright enough and long-lasting enough for a garden tidy-up after dark.

One other consideration: I suspect your Dad may find changing batteries in the Zebralight considerably easier than doing so on a headlamp with a door and latch battery compartment configuration.

Good hunting!

This thing seems to have been put on a hold. I cunningly asked and he said he doesn't have slugs in his garden any more so he has no need for a headlamp. He is also planning to move house and has no idea what sort / size of garden he'll have. Luckily all this information has good shelf life and will be very useful in due time. Thank you for your input good people