Help need a hiking headlamp?????

I want a good headlamp for hiking, I already have a surefire G-2, so I thought should be ok for throw and was looking at the PT series and can't really decide between the EOS, Corona, and Youkon HL.. weight really doesn't matter. I would just like some input do I really need the eight leds on the corona? do i want a 1Watt led in the EOS when I have a G-2? Do i want a combo in the youkon hl?????
I DON'T KNOW?????? Any input would be appreciated...Thanks

I have the EOS and the Yukon HL, but not the Corona... The EOS is nice & compact, and the 3 brightness modes are great, but it really doesn't have much of a flood beam. I use it for night hiking, but it's not perfect. The HL is good, but not great. The 5mm LEDs are good for hiking at night, but IMHO the HL isn't worth the price (poor beam quality, poor heatsinking). If you don't mind the bluish tint that 5mm LEDs have, I'd say go with the Corona.

(Of course, the PT Apex will have a LuxIII w/optic for killer throw, and 4 5mm LEDs for flood beam. That may be the best of all worlds /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

edit: Welcome to CPF! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif

Duddy,

First, need to know some thangs:

Are you > 6' tall?
How's your night vision?
YOu like tons o' light, more than adequate, or just enough?

Welcome to CPF duddy78

You'll find a wealth of opinions here and also lots of useful info as well as meet lots of great folks here on the forum.

Hiking headlamp? I'm not a true headlamp person, but when I'm roaming the in-law's fields/woods (and the ol' cemetary from the mid-late 1800's), my hiking light is a ballcap with either an E2o or QIII clipped to the visor. Extra batts in the pockets of course.

For me, I find it more versatile than a headlamp light.

Greg

If the EOS and the Corona don't do for you, you may want to consider the Zippka+. I think this light is overlooked often. It is very compact and bright enough for most tasks. With 3 light settings and 3x AAA batteries it has a good runtime even on rechargables. Best of all it is compact. The headband retracts into the light when not in use. It can get a little pressure buildup on your head from only 2 contact points but since the light is not all that heavy, it works great. Comparing it to the other lights is something I suggest. After having 3 headlamps and dealing with the headbands, the compact light is really convenient. It does not have lots of throw, but you stated that the G-2 is for that.

Find something that is comfortable for you.

I prefer having a battery pack on the back of my head and a top strap. Any brick on the front of my head that isn't balalnced on the back is a problem.

If you hike steep terrain or plan to run with it, steer clear of the one strap models which will bounce around.

It sounds like you want a compact LED headlamp, right? I like having my thrower and close up light in one unit, so the BD Gemini and SuperNova are my favorites.
You probably want a small AAA battery lamp. The Moonlight, also by Black Diamond seems like a pretty good choice (but I don't own one myself). The PT Yukon seems like a pretty nice light, but I don't have one.

If you want to stay PrincetonTec, the Aurora might fit the bill. A bright, tightly focused light is not all that great for general hiking as it creates severe tunnel vision.

As for how much light you will need for hiking, one LED will usually sufice if you have a decent light in your group for occasional route finding. I would not want the weight and bulk of the Corona for hiking.

If the hiking is pretty simple and staight forward, all I bring along is a PT Scout. It is 1.8 grams, super small and sufficent for basic night tasks. Otherwise, I bring one of my incan&LED Black Diamond lights.

Pelican 2630 is pretty nice. It's regulated with 3 light levels and a battery drain indicator. I did a 1.5 hour night mountain hike with one and then left it on all night- it went on low for about 12 hours steady till the 3AAs were dead.

The low setting is enough for about everything. The medium is good for rougher hiking as on a downhill. The high beam will light up the mountainside very well.
Stu

Re: Try the ARGO HP!

I would go with the ARGO HP (www.brightguy.com)...it has 1 watt LED with 2 levels....and it runs on the same batteries as your surefire G2....so you will only need to carry one kind of battery with you. I've tried several headlamps (EOS, yukon HL, matrix, and many others)and my favorite to date is the PT Corona. But I plan to buy the ARGO HP...it seems to be simple, bright, and it runs on 3v 123's. I also have an order in for the HDS actionlightIII but its expensive and unavailable for a few more months but I expect it to the best-italso runs on 3v 123's.

Good luck.

The PT EOS

duddy78,

i have not used the Princeton Tec EOS for myself,but after all reviews and feed back i have read about it,i think it´s an extremly good allround LED head lamp.When looking at it´s lightweight and it´s price i belive it´s a realy good choice. Here is a review of the EOS: http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/princetontec_eos.htm .
If this light has been on the market at the time when i baught my Petzl Tikka Plus,i would have go for the EOS instead. I don´t think that you can´t go wrong with this light.

Re: The PT EOS

while having a battery pack on thge back of your head is nice because its more balanced it may have a problem. I owned a BD moonlight and after a couple years the wiring connecting the light to the batteries went bad because of me throwing it in my bag every time i went camping, maybe its just me or i got a bad one but i try to stay away from external bettery packs now. thats why i have the eos. just my input

Re: The PT EOS

I havent yet bought what I consider an excellent headlamp.

I think the ideal headlamp will have to be:

1. a hybrid with leds and a incadescent or 3 watt led, with variable levels of output.

2. or a 3 watt with variable levels of output.

Taking 4 AA batteries for longer life and brightness, and cost effectiveness. Or even 123A batteries. The variable levels of output will help to conserve batteries. I think this would provide the best combination of flood and throw. The 4 I'm now considering now are the Pelican and Silva 3 watt 4AA. Then Myo 5 and the Princetontech Apex. I've recently looked at the Electra, but thought it was lacking in the throw department. For now I mostly using a 4AA incadescent and the EOS. With a rayovac 3 in 1 for backup.

Re: The PT EOS

Well, its here. Try the Black Diamond Vectra IQ.

http://www.bdel.com/gear/vectra_iq.php

I have one and it is the best headlamp that I own. Regulated ican and LED output, multiple levels on both.

Great light, highly recommended.

J.

Re: The PT EOS

Yes, I meant to say Vectra not Electra. The reason I took it off my wish list is because per Quickbeam's throw chart it only rated at 23.71. Less than a Mimimag, Blast and Everyready 2D.

JohnJ80,

I was only able to test it in a well lit store. In real life is it actually brighter? I would have thought so being a 4AA light.

Re: The PT EOS

What was rated at 23.71 - the LEDs or the Incan?

Mine strikes me as pretty bright. I have a Petzl Myo3, a BD Gemini, a P-tec Aurora. Of these, the incan is brightest longest because of the regulation. The LEDs are plenty bright for reading or walking around (plus there are two levels). I think that the lowest level would be fine for walking around - it certainly is for reading.

There are two levels of incan too.

The other thing I *really* like is that the regulation circuitry will also flash the indicator LED on top of the lamp to orange and red when the batteries need to be replaced.

This is a great light, IMO.

Any differences we may have over it in terms of brightness would be subjective beyond that. I think this warrants a trip home to check it out. This is the light I was waiting for.

J

Re: The PT EOS

Thanks John J80 I double checked it is ican,

Level Throw Overall Output Runtime hrs.
Incandescent High 562 (23.71) 2350 (23.50) 3

I only had a chance to check it in a lit store (EMS). And I did think it was at least as bright as a tech 40 with a good bulb. I also thought this could be the lamp that had it all. I think I need a second look. This time I'll have ask them to allow me check it in a dark room.