Hey everyone
Quick introduction about myself: I've been a member here for a while, but kind of stay in the background, choosing to appreciate the insane wealth of information this forum offers rather than pretend I know anything about anything. Big into outdoors activities (camping, climbing, etc.) Generally, I'm not a collector, so I try find one thing that suits my purposes perfectly before purchasing.
So, with that in mind, I'm looking for a headlamp.
Criteria:
Preferred single AA: due to availability of batteries practically anywhere, and compact form factor that a single AA would offer
Both white and red light: yes, I know, a low white light doesn't affect night vision much, but I would still like a workable red light for up close work.
Red light should be easily accessible: I don't want to have to rotate through white light modes to get to red light.
Floody beam essential, secondary focused beam would be an asset but not a requirement.
Beam tint is less important, but if a neutral tint is possible with my criteria, that would be a bonus.
A crazy amount of output is not a requirement either. That's what I would use maybe a handheld or other dedicated light for.
Durability: I'm not going to abuse it, but outdoor pursuits are somewhat "rough and tumble" so it has to be durable.
I've looked at a lot of companies: Fenix (some possibilities, but none are perfect), Surefire ($$$), Xtar H1 (concerned about quality), Armytek (no red and white lights together), Zebralight (same as Armytek), etc.
Currently, the closest to my requirements is the Nitecore HA20, but it uses 2 AA's.
Finally, my experience has been solely Petzl, Princeton Tec, and Black Diamond. They are all "ok", but all 3x AAA. I am trying to get away from that form factor, for battery power levels and to consolidate my equipment - my GPS uses AA, handheld lights use AA, and a lot of other stuff as well.
Thanks everyone! I appreciate the responses in advance, as well as all the other threads that I have read on this forum.
Quick introduction about myself: I've been a member here for a while, but kind of stay in the background, choosing to appreciate the insane wealth of information this forum offers rather than pretend I know anything about anything. Big into outdoors activities (camping, climbing, etc.) Generally, I'm not a collector, so I try find one thing that suits my purposes perfectly before purchasing.
So, with that in mind, I'm looking for a headlamp.
Criteria:
Preferred single AA: due to availability of batteries practically anywhere, and compact form factor that a single AA would offer
Both white and red light: yes, I know, a low white light doesn't affect night vision much, but I would still like a workable red light for up close work.
Red light should be easily accessible: I don't want to have to rotate through white light modes to get to red light.
Floody beam essential, secondary focused beam would be an asset but not a requirement.
Beam tint is less important, but if a neutral tint is possible with my criteria, that would be a bonus.
A crazy amount of output is not a requirement either. That's what I would use maybe a handheld or other dedicated light for.
Durability: I'm not going to abuse it, but outdoor pursuits are somewhat "rough and tumble" so it has to be durable.
I've looked at a lot of companies: Fenix (some possibilities, but none are perfect), Surefire ($$$), Xtar H1 (concerned about quality), Armytek (no red and white lights together), Zebralight (same as Armytek), etc.
Currently, the closest to my requirements is the Nitecore HA20, but it uses 2 AA's.
Finally, my experience has been solely Petzl, Princeton Tec, and Black Diamond. They are all "ok", but all 3x AAA. I am trying to get away from that form factor, for battery power levels and to consolidate my equipment - my GPS uses AA, handheld lights use AA, and a lot of other stuff as well.
Thanks everyone! I appreciate the responses in advance, as well as all the other threads that I have read on this forum.
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