Silva L1, U2, Streamlight Argo Beam shots.

Well, my Silva arrived today and besides the tight headband it is very nice. I especially like the tiltable head. I really hit the luxeon lottery with this one too, it must by a TYA or TYO. It has a brilliant blueish white tint, no green. My U2 looks a little yellow in the pics but it is actually a bit purpleish blue, just not as much as the Silva.

SILVA VS. U2 ON LOW
SILVA VS. U2 ON HIGH
SILVA VS. ARGO ON LOW
SILVA VS. ARGO ON HIGH

Thanks for the beamshots.

I'm interested to find out your opinion on the Silva L1 please

Al /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Very nice! Thank you, Gessner17. Looks like Silva improved on the wiring connection between light and battery packs. The picture in IMO's site shows what looks like an earphone type plug going into the battery pack. Yours looks to be a screw-together junction.

Would you, could you take the L1 on a night run without the need for a top strap?

I have the L1, I ordered it awile back from Trig instruments. The wiring from the headunit to battery packs and between the battery packs can use some work. If you are not careful with the batterypacks being close enough to each other while putting on the headlight, the grommets will seperate. This connection is not very good both as a strain relief and watertight seal. As for the beam quality, I too have struck the luxeon lottery. The beam is great. I just can't stand how tight the headband is (gonna do some re-working to remedy this). I just can't stand the connection between battery packs. This is my only major gripe and has prevented me from using it for work so far.

Size15's, I have used a lot of other headlamps and this one certainly takes the cake for performance. I took it on a short hike, for a 3 watt it has very good spill and throw. Medium is plenty of light for most applications and high is very nice. The beam is more like a giant spot, on throw, the beam is somehwere in betweeen the Lionheart with the beam difuser and the U2, just not quite as much light as the U2. I plugged the 4C pack in last night and let it run for an hour or so it got fairly warm, the heatsinking seemed to do a good job. It actually has fins on the sink hidden by plastic. Again, the headband is tight and a bit uncomfortable with the AA packs but with the 4C pack on your waist the light is almost weighltess. I am going to take the plastic tensioner off, that should give enough extra band to fit.

grnamin-- The plugs are I believe the same as headphone, maybe a bit small but there is a lip that snaps on, they feel pretty sturdy to me. I don't think you would have any problem jogging with it, especially if you used the 4C pack. I was thinking of making a small battery pack for it with 2 18650 batteries in parallel for my waist, that would be very nice and light.
I haven't found any issues with the connecting battery packs, mine has guides on the band to keep the wires in place.

I heard the Silva L1 isn't exactly waterproof - any comments on this "rumour"?

I wouldn't trust it for diving but for snorkeling maybe. I'm sure using it in the rain would be no problem, the conntectors feel tight, 4C pack I would not trust (no orings) but the 2 AA packs have seals and close faily tight, the headlamp appears it could handle it. I haven't decided if I want to do a water test, these are hard to get and I can see it being a bit hard to talk to tech support or RMA it since I don't speek swedish /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Hmm, thanks for this. I've been wanting to get rid of my trusty Duo with ModLED8. Perhaps the L1 is the answer.

David

For all interested, the only place that has in the US only had 10 in stock, I'm unsure if they will be getting more, he kinda said (not directly) he may not order anymore. Mine cost me $118 (includes shipping).

Thanks for the feedback, Gessner17. Much appreciated.

Where did you order from? I maybe interested in picking one of these up for use during this hurricane season. I am interested to see how this compares to the likes of the Petzl that everyone seems to be recently talking about with the diffusing lens etc.

Curtis

Can anyone tell me where to get one of these in the US?

Thanks

Curtis

Gessner17, thanks for th elink. There is no way that I can see on that page to place an order. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Curtis

Gessner17. Have you tried a "head to head" with the LUXIII Favourlight?

CUE003, sorry, try this http://www.caves.org/imo/frames1.htm
You have to call them to order, they seem really nice, sent me a personal email saying it was packaged, came really fast.

Sunspot, which light would you like me to try, I think the only ones I have that is a LUX III is the LION heart and a Tektite Excursion.

Here is the LUX-III headlamp I was referring to.
amondotech

I don't own one of those but it does look almost exactly the same the newer stream light 1 watt version, the indicator, only thing different is the battery holder. Unless it is all aluminum, I dont see how they would have it heat sinked. Do you own one?

I'm going to order one tonight.

Ok, so I found a couple annoyances, well, kinda. If you are working in one area, this thing is so bright, it atracts mega bugs, I wonder if they could add a mini bug zapper to it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif . Also the battery case for the belt has a weird lip on it and it is so hard to get off your belt, I nearly broke it. There is no way it could fall off while jogging or biking.