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UER Forum > Private Boards Index > Flashlights, Torches and Light Painting > Headlamps Only (Viewed 23596 times)
bonnie&clyde 


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Headlamps Only
< on 3/24/2010 1:59 AM >
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This thread is for the review of headlamps & anything that attaches to ur head & makes light. I know threads take off & go their own direction, but try to stick with head gear. Tell us what you have, likes, dislikes, whats shit, and whats choice. Commence.




The question is not when are we gonna stop, It's who's gonna stop us?

metawaffle 

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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 1 on 3/24/2010 2:47 AM >
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I've had a few cheapie headlamps over the years, particularly those AAA-powered LED ones you'll find in the supermarket, but these days I use one of these two:

1. Fenix Headband



This thing is great - slot in one of my torches (usually the Fenix LD20) and I have nice bright headlamp. The downside is that it's not as well balanced as a proper front-mounted lamp. This is what I usually use draining, which is about the only time I actually use a headlamp.


2. ZebraLight H50



My first good headlamp, it's not as bright as a proper torch in a headband as per the above, but it has a unique broad smooth beam, which makes it superb for close-range work - much nicer than a torch with a bright middle spot.

The ZebraLight is also very compact - I took it with me last night in case I ended up draining. I only had limited room for gear, and the Fenix Headband was too large. The ZebraLight is nice and small.




http://www.longexposure.net
bonnie&clyde 


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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 2 on 3/24/2010 2:57 AM >
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A few months back I got myself a Petzl TacTikka XP.




I was torn between this and the Tikka Plus 2. I always get Bonnie what I have so she can't accuse me of giving her my rejects. Also I get a second opinion on its abilities. So I got her the plus, give a review on it a bit later.

I want to start out by stating I am not a fan of headlamps in general. So the fact that I love this thing even surprised me. I have owned a few over the years, they always felt heavy & kind of clumsy. I had a rayovac one on my hard hat that was decent & a must as I often work nights. But for exploring I always stuck with the hand held. We have recently been spending more time in underground bunkers & drains and a headlamp makes ladder climbs and other activities much better.

This thing is sweet. Very comfortable and stable on my noggin. It stays put with out giving me a headache. Also no glare back onto my face. It is tilt-able. It has 3+ settings. Maximum(60h run time)Optimum(80h)Economic(120h) Flashing & Boost. I find this to be a great light in general. The beam is a wide spot(no dark spot) with a slide over diffuser to go to flood. It has 4 interchangeable colored flood filters. Red,Green,blue and clear. On the head band there is a holder for one extra filter. On high it puts out 40 Lumen. Boost puts out 20-30%(guess) more. Boost can be used in any mode inc. when it is off. It is water resistant & has a 3 year warranty. Runs on 3 AAA's and has a battery meter. I also got the cool lil belt pouch for it. This is also available with the adapt setup.




Now for the bad. I find the buttons a bit small. Maybe a bit difficult to use with gloves on. I also think they could change the settings a bit. Bright is fine, Med is OK and low is OK. I think low should be the mid setting and low should drop way down to a book light,5 Lumen max.

Overall I love this light. Provided I don't break it, I don't see myself needing another unless I get into some serious draining or spelunking.



[last edit 3/24/2010 6:50 AM by bonnie&clyde - edited 2 times]

The question is not when are we gonna stop, It's who's gonna stop us?

Air 


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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 3 on 3/25/2010 11:17 PM >
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I was turned off by the lower petzl for that very reason, small buttons. I believe the MYO was the one got recalled for randomly exploding on people's heads, so I got a Princeton tec fuel...I believe there is a new one out now called the fuel 4..

Great $20, waterproof (ideal for draining) headlamp. Not too bright but doesn't suck batteries either. Its just right for seeing what's infront of you, and its a nice beam.



http://www.princetontec.com/?q=node/60

LOL ---> Petzl Ultra Belt Headlamp with Accu 4 @ $510 !! WTF!?!?!





"The extraordinary beauty of things that fail." - Heinrich von Kleist
Therrin 

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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 4 on 3/26/2010 12:45 AM >
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Dammit Meta!

I got my Fenix headband a week or so ago in the mail, and the clamps on it don't fit any of my current hand held light battery tubes. FAIL

I'm going to have to modify it either with a new hinge pin that's extended a bit to allow the clamping mechanism to grab a slightly larger radius, or a new screw down piece, possibly slightly bent. Screw it into the headband side clamp first, then slide the other hinged piece over it, and thread on a knob.

How well has yours fit most of your lights???

With one light on each side of the head it would actually balance very well. And besides, the weight of the battery compartment plus batteries in it tends to balance out what a light on one side would weight anyway.

HAVE YOU EVEN WORN ONE??? I COULDA SWORN I SHOWED YOU THAT LINK LIKE A WEEK AGO!




Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
Therrin 

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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 5 on 3/26/2010 1:06 AM >
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As far as actual headlamps go;

I have a Petzl Tikka Plus, 4LED. It's several years old now. About 40lm.

And a Petzl Tikkina 2LED. Almost brand new, also about 40lm.

And Petzl Duo, an older model that I have taken apart right now and I'm re-wiring. It's 3LED w/ halogen bulb.

I've lost or broken several others over the years from regular use.


Right now I'm looking at the Fenix HP10 (225lm), with a CREE MC-E Four-Core LED.
Supposedly has good throw, but also has a snap on flip up diffuser for flood setting.

Or, the Surefire Saint, (100lm). Which you can dial in to anything between 0 and 100lm, and is dual-fuel capable—it can run on one, two, or three 123A lithium batteries, or two AA alkaline batteries. It has a "smooth wide beam" set up for your field of view.




Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
metawaffle 

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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 6 on 3/26/2010 1:28 AM >
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Posted by Therrin
Dammit Meta!

I got my Fenix headband a week or so ago in the mail, and the clamps on it don't fit any of my current hand held light battery tubes. FAIL

I'm going to have to modify it either with a new hinge pin that's extended a bit to allow the clamping mechanism to grab a slightly larger radius, or a new screw down piece, possibly slightly bent. Screw it into the headband side clamp first, then slide the other hinged piece over it, and thread on a knob.

How well has yours fit most of your lights???

With one light on each side of the head it would actually balance very well. And besides, the weight of the battery compartment plus batteries in it tends to balance out what a light on one side would weight anyway.

HAVE YOU EVEN WORN ONE??? I COULDA SWORN I SHOWED YOU THAT LINK LIKE A WEEK AGO!


Ah, I usually use it with a narrow-tubed light, like the Fenix LD20 or my Quark with the 2xAA body tube. I can get it to fit a JetBeam Jet III Pro ST, which runs 18650, but beyond that, yeah, I think you'd be modding it a little.

I did think about just using cable ties to hold in a larger light, actually...




http://www.longexposure.net
bonnie&clyde 


Location: 510 & 415
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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 7 on 3/26/2010 1:48 AM >
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This review is for Bonnies Petzl Tikka Plus 2, and my FREE Tikka 2. Did I say free? Darn Toot'n I did. When I ordered her light, they sent me the wrong one. They told me to keep it & next day aired the correct light to me.

Petzl Tikka Plus 2




This is a very nice lamp and at $30 shipped to me, I and Bonnie are very happy. It uses the same bulb as the TacTikka but is set in a flood pattern. High(50 lumen)55 hour run time, Low(20 Lumen)140 hour run time, Flash and the red led is on or flash. This has a great broad beam that is plenty of flood for any activity. Nice large button, tilt-able head, very comfortable. Water resistant, lithium compatible, battery meter, 3AAA. Nice and light. Can be used with the adapt system. We love it.

Petzl Tikka 2




This was the freebie. I think it is an OK light. This is a 4 LED flood model. Maximum(40 Lumen)90 hour run time Economic(20 Lumen guess)120 hour run time and flash(300 HRT). Water resistant, tilt-able head, large button & runs on 3AAA. The only flaw I find, but its a big one. I lights up my face. Not a problem if you wear it with a hat. So I am making this my new hardhat light. Gonna order the adapt holder so it can easily be removed when not in need.




The question is not when are we gonna stop, It's who's gonna stop us?

Therrin 

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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 8 on 3/26/2010 3:10 AM >
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Your Petzl Tikka 2 looks just like my Petzl Tikka plus. Or very similar anyway. Sounds exactly the same in functionality too.

To keep it from lighting up your face you can epoxy a small lip at the bottom.




I was seriously looking at the Petzl Ultra. 350lm at max output.

Rechargeable high-performance batteries:
- rechargeable 2000 mAh Lithium Ion battery offers large capacity and excellent performance at low temperatures, but remains as light as possible
- test button for rechargeable battery with battery level indicator
- burn time is doubled with the high-output, large capacity ACCU 4 ULTRA rechargeable battery pack (optional E55400)
- constant lighting level, automatically switches to reserve power mode when battery pack is almost discharged

I mean yeah, its like $400 - $500; but! I've a friend who works for a place that pro-deals with Petzl =) I just found out about that last night because he offered to get me a good deal on the Sequoia saddle by them, so I'm gonna email him and see what I can get it for through pro-deal.

Looks like an awesome headlamp.




Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
Air 


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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 9 on 3/26/2010 11:34 AM >
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Posted by Therrin
Your Petzl Tikka 2 looks just like my Petzl Tikka plus. Or very similar anyway. Sounds exactly the same in functionality too.

To keep it from lighting up your face you can epoxy a small lip at the bottom.




I was seriously looking at the Petzl Ultra. 350lm at max output.

Rechargeable high-performance batteries:
- rechargeable 2000 mAh Lithium Ion battery offers large capacity and excellent performance at low temperatures, but remains as light as possible
- test button for rechargeable battery with battery level indicator
- burn time is doubled with the high-output, large capacity ACCU 4 ULTRA rechargeable battery pack (optional E55400)
- constant lighting level, automatically switches to reserve power mode when battery pack is almost discharged

I mean yeah, its like $400 - $500; but! I've a friend who works for a place that pro-deals with Petzl =) I just found out about that last night because he offered to get me a good deal on the Sequoia saddle by them, so I'm gonna email him and see what I can get it for through pro-deal.

Looks like an awesome headlamp.


Don't get me wrong, i'd totally get it for $100-$150





"The extraordinary beauty of things that fail." - Heinrich von Kleist
tick 


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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 10 on 3/26/2010 11:41 AM >
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Posted by Therrin

Right now I'm looking at the Fenix HP10 (225lm), with a CREE MC-E Four-Core LED.
Supposedly has good throw, but also has a snap on flip up diffuser for flood setting.


The HP10 has a Cree XR-E LED, not the four core MC-E. There are several places that advertise it as having an MC-E, but from what I understand that's just a typo.




bonnie&clyde 


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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 11 on 3/26/2010 9:44 PM >
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Posted by Therrin
Your Petzl Tikka 2 looks just like my Petzl Tikka plus. Or very similar anyway. Sounds exactly the same in functionality too.

To keep it from lighting up your face you can epoxy a small lip at the bottom.



Probably just made minor changes & re-named it. I noticed many of their lights have the same housings with different guts.

Since I will be using this on my hard hat and it has a brim, it is not a problem. I just wanted to make it known for the review, for the folks that wear it right on their 4head. I figured even a small strip of electrical tape on the under belly would work as well.




The question is not when are we gonna stop, It's who's gonna stop us?

Uzi- 


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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 12 on 3/31/2010 7:57 PM >
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Yeah I really like my Fenix HP-10 now that I've got the issue's sorted out. Super bright and the low mode is great fro up close stuff.




Posted by Send4Help
Man... Not even the mods make it to this corner of UER
I feel like I am in ...well... the great plains ;) Posted by willskith Unfortunately, due to overuse of tonemapping, photography was gradually ruined and now stands with halos.
Therrin 

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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 13 on 3/31/2010 8:40 PM >
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It'd be nice if they ever start selling them again. they've been on back order forever. the date they say they'll be back on sale by keeps coming and going.




Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
hilite 


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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 14 on 4/7/2010 2:14 AM >
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I use Streamlight Trident, cheap and variable angle.
& 3 modes to choose from

2 white leds
1 green led
1 xenon bi-pin bulb

I like the xenon bulb when I need a little warmth in my lightpainting




And when you finally disappear, We'll just say you were never here.
Air 


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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 15 on 5/13/2010 3:00 PM >
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I used to have a Princeton tec fuel3...liked the small size and amount of light I got from it...but the battery compartment is held under pressure and it eventually snapped off. Pretty bad design.



So I picked this up with my refund...



http://www.petzl.c...-series/tikka-plus

Going to try it out this weekend somewhere dark and see how it lights up a space. If it doesn't work, I'm debating the MYO XP which hopefully won't blow up or anything.



http://www.petzl.c.../myo-series/myo-xp

Anyone using the new Myo's or the hybrids?







[last edit 5/13/2010 3:00 PM by Air - edited 1 times]

"The extraordinary beauty of things that fail." - Heinrich von Kleist
Therrin 

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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 16 on 5/14/2010 7:13 AM >
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I almost bought a myo a month or so ago. I ended up getting those two Coast handhelds instead and rigged the one to attatch to my helmet.

I'd still consider buying one though, i'll be checking back for reviews on it.



Okay so has anyone used the Sten light? It looks like a pretty bitchin system. Not super bright on output, but it looks very well made. Apparently it's designed for cavers. I thought it'd hold up good in the mines.

http://www.stenlight.com/




Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
tick 


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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 17 on 5/14/2010 12:41 PM >
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Posted by Therrin

Okay so has anyone used the Sten light? It looks like a pretty bitchin system. Not super bright on output, but it looks very well made. Apparently it's designed for cavers. I thought it'd hold up good in the mines.

http://www.stenlight.com/


I haven't used one, but I've caved with people who used Stenlights. It's a very nice light. Very compact, and definitely plenty bright. The newest version uses Luxeon Rebel LEDs, and is twice as bright as the original version (I'm not sure if the new version is on their website or not).

The only two problems I see to the Stenlight:

It can't be used for cave surveying, due to the magnetic switch interfering with compass readings.

The Li-ion battery pack needs to be better protected! It wouldn't take much damage for that battery pack to "vent with flame" on the back of your helmet.





Therrin 

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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 18 on 5/14/2010 1:13 PM >
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One of the detailed reviews of a caver who uses it, that I read...

He actually puts the battery pack inside his helmet. And he mentions, yeah, the space is there for a reason but apparently it works well for him.

About the surveying, they WERE surveying a cave system. He said he tested that and it only interferes with the compass if you hold it within 14 inches directly on horizontal plane with the switch mechanism, but held any lower than that and there is no deviation at all.

I'm severely tempted to try one at this point, it can operate off a wide range of battery systems and input ranges. You can have a battery as sturdy as you like considering all of the options you can use.


I really like that if just about anything malfunctions on it, like the switch breaking, it reverts to a constant output of low intensity light instead of just breaking and shutting off. The other thing is that since the switch IS magnetic, the case is well sealed instead of having a opening for the mechanism there. And there are several lenses you can use.

All in all the reviews all look pretty good about it, most of them are very praising, and the only negatives just point out some of the stuff like you mentioned.




Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
Colorblinded 


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Re: Headlamps Only
< Reply # 19 on 5/15/2010 6:23 AM >
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The StenLight's output ratings must be severely underrated if their site is to be believed.

Posted by Therrin
It'd be nice if they ever start selling them again. they've been on back order forever. the date they say they'll be back on sale by keeps coming and going.


Maybe it'll be back with a design refresh to address some of the complains about it? I would really like an HP10 but I don't need it and there are some things about it I don't love




The Colorblind Photographer
UER Forum > Private Boards Index > Flashlights, Torches and Light Painting > Headlamps Only (Viewed 23596 times)
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