anyone seen the new BlackDiamond "Helion"?

anyone seen the new BlackDiamond \"Helion\"?

BD has a new AAA headlamp out called the "Helion". From the info on their webpage, its seems to be nothing more than a slight refinement of their "Gemini" headlamp: AAA powered, incandescent main bulb, 3 "low beam" LEDs. No regulation is mentioned. Any opinions?

Re: anyone seen the new BlackDiamond \"Helion\"?

Shhweeeet!!!! I like these lamps. I've seen them go from one LED to 2, and now 3. I love these (more than I used to love my Petzls) but I'm waiting until they come up with a LED+Lux combo. Then I'm buyin' one... wait, make that 2!

EDIT: Holy....!! Did you see the Soliras? Uses a Li-on battery. Looks like they're trying to market it as a searchlight...

Re: anyone seen the new BlackDiamond \"Helion\"?

The Helion?
Add another "l" to that and you end up with a dirty word. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif :toliet: /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

But yeah, it is very similar to the Gemini.
Wonder what makes the Helion different. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

New BlackDiamond headlamps

Craig, the Gemini has 2, 5mm LED's, while the Helion has 3 LEDs.

BTW, I have one of the original Geminis (green housing and all), and it has only 1 LED.

EDIT: Black Diamond *does* make a Lux&2 LED combo headlamp: Zenix IQ (the original model was just the Zenix). There's also the Nightray.

I have neither of these but remember playing with a Zenix at REI a while back. Not very impressed with it. Seemed very flimsy and cheaply made. From their description it seems like the "IQ" denomination is for some kind of regulation.

Re: New BlackDiamond headlamps

The consensus has been that the Zenix is an underwhelming performer and there's not very much difference in brightness between the Lux and the 5mm's. I remember that someone took one apart and found a less than top notch low dome LED in it, which is probably to blame. I hope the IQ version is noticeably better because I generally like BD's products. The Nightray definitely looks like something I'd be interested in since it should be brighter than the Moonlight which I'm already pretty happy with.

Re: New BlackDiamond headlamps

Agreed about the Zenix- I returned it to REI. Check out the Vectra IQ- I'm planning to use it as one of my main lights for Search and Rescue. I say a few things about it in a post I put up last night.