zespectre
Flashlight Enthusiast
Real World Review – GSX 85 Lumen Angle-Head Tactical LED Headlamp
1/24/2014
=========================================
A brief note about the "Real World Reviews"
The industry and my fellow "flashaholics" have developed very sophisticated and detailed methods for measuring nearly every conceivable technical aspect of the illumination products on the market. In the "Real World Reviews" I acknowledge the existence of that information, and I will link to it if I can, but will not re-hash all of the tech data. Instead the focus of the "Real World Reviews" is to take the actual equipment out of the laboratory and into real world conditions where I will to try and give the reader some idea of how the technical data and specifications translate into use under actual conditions.
=========================================
GSX 85 Lumen Angle-Head Tactical LED Headlamp
1xAA, LED
Review(s);
None found
What you get:
Small anodized aluminum "Angle-Head" light [XP-E Cree Emitter], AA Battery, Headband and clip.
Initial Impression(s)
In a lot of ways this light is like a larger Fenix HL10. The same concept of an angle head light that clips into a headband for hands free use, but the comparison pretty much ends right there. The Fenix light is an "all flood" type and does the job very well whereas the GSX85 has a relatively deep Light Orange Peel (LOP) reflector producing a fairly nice central hotspot and a good amount of usable side-spill. The manufacturing quality seems good overall with a high level of fit and finish. The anodizing feels good and was blemish free and the Pocket clip is strong and well shaped. Internally there is a good sized "O" ring and a rubber cap that covers the electronically controlled top-switch which has 4 modes (Hi/Low/Strobe/SOS). Beam color of the CREE emitter is on the blue-white side but well within my acceptable parameters.
The headband/clip is a fairly firm material that could be a bit larger (I have a large head and it's a little snug at it's largest adjustment). The clip itself is all plastic and feels a little cheap, but seems to hold the light securely. The forehead pad is only lightly padded, but is so wide that it is still comfortable to wear. The light can be rotated up/dn in the carrier, and the carrier itself has an ability to adjust down. In use the combination of good beam control and adjustment range means that this light can be easily adjusted to avoid blinding your fellow campers while still being useful for the wearer.
=====================================================================================
The "Standard Evening Walk" starts out with the targets set up in my backyard and then takes place over either a 1.5 or a 2.5 mile loop on an unlit and mostly open grassy area with a couple of short, steep, uphill/downhill gravel trails which I call the "confidence course". The typical constant runtime is roughly 45-60 minutes.
I have placed a series of five white plastic squares measuring 5"x5" to trees in my back yard. Target testing includes being able to see the target and the neutral brown trees (or the grey fence) to which the targets are affixed. Because some of the new lights are so powerful, I recently I added target 6 which is a stand of trees at the far side of a golf course.
1) 20ft (6 yards / 6 meters):
2) 50ft ( 16 yards / 15 meters):
3) 100ft ( 33 yards / 30 meters):
4) 200ft Fence ( 66 yards / 61 meters):
5) 350ft ( 116 yards / 106 meters):
6) 915ft (approx 305 yards/278 meters) [NEW TARGET]
Capable of fully illuminating out to target #4, This light was consistent with most 85ish lumen lights which are biased towards throw. Target #5 was -visible- but not really lit up. The light was very usable with the exception of severe PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) flicker on the low setting which was very distracting and annoying to me.
=====================================================================================
On the whole this light was very easy to use and showed some solid potential. It's construction seems to be very sturdy and I seriously doubt dropping it would do more than mar the finish unless a rock hit the lens directly. The user interface was simple and effective (given that I HATE strobe modes). Overall the light seems fairly well sealed and I would rate it at "dunkable" though not waterproof. The top button projects slightly and is thus exposed but a slight twist of battery end cap will "lockout" the light without compromising "O" ring seal so you can avoid accidental activation and battery drain. The overall design and ergonomics were fairly solid and well implemented.
UNFORTUNATELY, Having said all of that there are a few problems with this light.
1) The package material may be misleading, showing a ANSI FL1 grid with specs, but the light does not actually have any ANSI approval ratings, stamps, or markings so I can't determine if the light was -actually- tested or not.
2) The low setting has some of the worst PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) flicker that I have encountered in a long time. I am sensitive to this anyway but especially when something is mounted "headlamp" style and it can actually make me feel dizzy/sick over time. As a "pocket mount" I could work with it, as a headlamp the PWM flicker rendered the light unusable for me when set to "low".
3) When used on HIGH the head heats up FAST. While this is actually a good thing and seems to indicate good heat sink design, there doesn't seem to be any thermal protection for the emitter as the light never stepped down or anything even though it was pretty damned hot. This may not be an actual flaw, but it made me nervous about the longevity of the emitter if used on HIGH a lot.
4) The "+" terminal is recessed too far. The practical upshot of this is that some (many) rechargeable batteries will not function with this light because they have a shorter "+" terminal nub and don't reach far enough up inside to make contact. I used some dielectric glue to install a tiny metal disc on the top of mine and now I can use any "AA" cell I want, but this is a serious design flaw for the average user.
Summary:
A potentially solid light with a low price tag but marred by a few serious design flaws. Ultimately there are better lights out there and even though I really wanted to like this light in the final crunch I have to give it a rating of...
One Photons - Flawed design, a toy, or a specialty item unsuited for general use in the real world.
(0 to 5 Photons)
Zero Photons - Not recommended for purchase at all.
One Photons - Flawed design, a toy, or a specialty item unsuited for general use in the real world.
Two Photons - Suitable for light duty/indoor work in the Real World.
Three Photons - Approved for general use in the Real World.
Four Photons - Superior tool for use in the Real World.
Five Photons - STRONGLY RECOMMENDED for most conditions in the Real World.
1/24/2014
=========================================
A brief note about the "Real World Reviews"
The industry and my fellow "flashaholics" have developed very sophisticated and detailed methods for measuring nearly every conceivable technical aspect of the illumination products on the market. In the "Real World Reviews" I acknowledge the existence of that information, and I will link to it if I can, but will not re-hash all of the tech data. Instead the focus of the "Real World Reviews" is to take the actual equipment out of the laboratory and into real world conditions where I will to try and give the reader some idea of how the technical data and specifications translate into use under actual conditions.
=========================================
GSX 85 Lumen Angle-Head Tactical LED Headlamp
1xAA, LED
Review(s);
None found
What you get:
Small anodized aluminum "Angle-Head" light [XP-E Cree Emitter], AA Battery, Headband and clip.
Initial Impression(s)
In a lot of ways this light is like a larger Fenix HL10. The same concept of an angle head light that clips into a headband for hands free use, but the comparison pretty much ends right there. The Fenix light is an "all flood" type and does the job very well whereas the GSX85 has a relatively deep Light Orange Peel (LOP) reflector producing a fairly nice central hotspot and a good amount of usable side-spill. The manufacturing quality seems good overall with a high level of fit and finish. The anodizing feels good and was blemish free and the Pocket clip is strong and well shaped. Internally there is a good sized "O" ring and a rubber cap that covers the electronically controlled top-switch which has 4 modes (Hi/Low/Strobe/SOS). Beam color of the CREE emitter is on the blue-white side but well within my acceptable parameters.
The headband/clip is a fairly firm material that could be a bit larger (I have a large head and it's a little snug at it's largest adjustment). The clip itself is all plastic and feels a little cheap, but seems to hold the light securely. The forehead pad is only lightly padded, but is so wide that it is still comfortable to wear. The light can be rotated up/dn in the carrier, and the carrier itself has an ability to adjust down. In use the combination of good beam control and adjustment range means that this light can be easily adjusted to avoid blinding your fellow campers while still being useful for the wearer.
=====================================================================================
The "Standard Evening Walk" starts out with the targets set up in my backyard and then takes place over either a 1.5 or a 2.5 mile loop on an unlit and mostly open grassy area with a couple of short, steep, uphill/downhill gravel trails which I call the "confidence course". The typical constant runtime is roughly 45-60 minutes.
I have placed a series of five white plastic squares measuring 5"x5" to trees in my back yard. Target testing includes being able to see the target and the neutral brown trees (or the grey fence) to which the targets are affixed. Because some of the new lights are so powerful, I recently I added target 6 which is a stand of trees at the far side of a golf course.
1) 20ft (6 yards / 6 meters):
2) 50ft ( 16 yards / 15 meters):
3) 100ft ( 33 yards / 30 meters):
4) 200ft Fence ( 66 yards / 61 meters):
5) 350ft ( 116 yards / 106 meters):
6) 915ft (approx 305 yards/278 meters) [NEW TARGET]
Capable of fully illuminating out to target #4, This light was consistent with most 85ish lumen lights which are biased towards throw. Target #5 was -visible- but not really lit up. The light was very usable with the exception of severe PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) flicker on the low setting which was very distracting and annoying to me.
=====================================================================================
On the whole this light was very easy to use and showed some solid potential. It's construction seems to be very sturdy and I seriously doubt dropping it would do more than mar the finish unless a rock hit the lens directly. The user interface was simple and effective (given that I HATE strobe modes). Overall the light seems fairly well sealed and I would rate it at "dunkable" though not waterproof. The top button projects slightly and is thus exposed but a slight twist of battery end cap will "lockout" the light without compromising "O" ring seal so you can avoid accidental activation and battery drain. The overall design and ergonomics were fairly solid and well implemented.
UNFORTUNATELY, Having said all of that there are a few problems with this light.
1) The package material may be misleading, showing a ANSI FL1 grid with specs, but the light does not actually have any ANSI approval ratings, stamps, or markings so I can't determine if the light was -actually- tested or not.
2) The low setting has some of the worst PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) flicker that I have encountered in a long time. I am sensitive to this anyway but especially when something is mounted "headlamp" style and it can actually make me feel dizzy/sick over time. As a "pocket mount" I could work with it, as a headlamp the PWM flicker rendered the light unusable for me when set to "low".
3) When used on HIGH the head heats up FAST. While this is actually a good thing and seems to indicate good heat sink design, there doesn't seem to be any thermal protection for the emitter as the light never stepped down or anything even though it was pretty damned hot. This may not be an actual flaw, but it made me nervous about the longevity of the emitter if used on HIGH a lot.
4) The "+" terminal is recessed too far. The practical upshot of this is that some (many) rechargeable batteries will not function with this light because they have a shorter "+" terminal nub and don't reach far enough up inside to make contact. I used some dielectric glue to install a tiny metal disc on the top of mine and now I can use any "AA" cell I want, but this is a serious design flaw for the average user.
Summary:
A potentially solid light with a low price tag but marred by a few serious design flaws. Ultimately there are better lights out there and even though I really wanted to like this light in the final crunch I have to give it a rating of...
One Photons - Flawed design, a toy, or a specialty item unsuited for general use in the real world.
(0 to 5 Photons)
Zero Photons - Not recommended for purchase at all.
One Photons - Flawed design, a toy, or a specialty item unsuited for general use in the real world.
Two Photons - Suitable for light duty/indoor work in the Real World.
Three Photons - Approved for general use in the Real World.
Four Photons - Superior tool for use in the Real World.
Five Photons - STRONGLY RECOMMENDED for most conditions in the Real World.
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