Lets talk lights

[ConPilot1]

Specifically, headlamps. Not bike, or car, but for your friggin forehead.

Summer's creeping in fast. Time to get the tents + camping gear together.

A very, very, VERY key piece of gear for me is a headlamp. Adjustable direction, adjustable intensity, flood/spot hands-free lighting is a must for me.

My headlamp is within reach  from sundown 'till sunrise. Great for getting yourself to the bathroom at night without slamming your bare toes into a corner
of a solid ash piece of furniture, turning on main lights in my apartment, or tripping over a cat stretched out on the floor.  

I own two or three headlamps right now, gave one to a good friend (which was a mistake, I don't think he's ever used it ONCE in 5 years).

As my old workhorse headlamp is starting to show signs of wear/intermittent failure after 6 years of fairly heavy use (by my standards)
and with very dated LED technology, I'm thinking about purchasing a new headlamp soon. There are LOTS of options out there on the market.

I've been through two Black Diamond units and also a Primus Primelight which has been a great all purpose headlamp.
However these things suck through batteries and they are 3 battery units. Now where I'm from, they sell AA's in packs of two or four most commonly.
No more need be said there.

I'm looking at these Zebralight unit's, which appear to be a popular and highly rated headlamp/flashlight system for general purpose use without spending a small fortune.
They are also very versatile in the fact that you can remove the unit from the headband and use it as an angled flashlight, operate in several
different light intensity modes, small, durable, waterproof and operating on a single AA battery also giving you the ability to use rechargeable and
lithium batteries as well. There's some slick features like a glow-in the dark headband mount which would be great for tent use or locating the unit in the dark.

There are several different models of the Zebralight. I may have to mosey over to Candlepower Forums and ask a few questions there regarding the specifics on the different ones.

Does anyone else have one of these or if not what do you have/use? I've found that once you start using one, you'll never be without one again.

[coho]

Petzl Tikka.

[Reddog*]

Energizer® 3 LED Headlight

Does everything I have needed. And when I run it over or lose it, it is cheap to replace.  

I have had other higher end ones and they all sound the same when crunched.

[Mr.Black]

Petzl Tikka.

Petzl Tikka Plus.

Picking up a second soon.

[ConPilot1]

Petzl Tikka Plus.

Picking up a second soon.

Tikka has very good reviews. Might look at one of those also. Kind of hellbent and very curious about these Zebralight systems though.

[Mr.Black]

Tikka has very good reviews. Might look at one of those also. Kind of hellbent and very curious about these Zebralight systems though.

It is very simple and reliable. Kathy used to use it when walking before sunrise. Now that she goes to the gym and no longer walks, I will be using it for my pre-dawn raids in the kayak.

[ConPilot1]

It is very simple and reliable. Kathy used to use it when walking before sunrise. Now that she goes to the gym and no longer walks, I will be using it for my pre-dawn raids in the kayak.

One of the most peaceful times I've ever experienced.
Nighttime on the water in a kayak. On the Susquehanna River to be specific.

[Mr.Black]

One of the most peaceful times I've ever experienced.
Nighttime on the water in a kayak. On the Susquehanna River to be specific.

This was this morning on Brooks pond in my area (well after sunrise)

It would have been quiet if it weren't for those damn geese.

[Major 662]

I just picked up a Petzl Tikka XP2 and a Petzl Core rechargeable battery. The latter recharges via USB and you can program it with different profiles from your PC. It let's you decide whether to run regulated (max output until it drops to zero) or unregulated (fades over time but lasts longer) for both high and low settings.  You can also adjust max brightness vs battery life.

[ConPilot1]

That sounds pretty cool.  

[dietDrThunder]

NOTE: this is only for people who haven't ever bothered with a head lamp at all...not suggesting that this is an answer to your 'which high-end lamp' question...

If you haven't ever used any sort of head lamp, bet one of THESE (link is hat light at Harbor Freight). You can find them on Ebay for like $2 shipped. I guarantee you this will be the best $2 you ever spent. They're plenty bright for almost any emergency need, they take up no space, the light is always where you need it, and they are impossibly cheap.

Side note...I keep one of THESE (link is small LED flashlight at HF) in my tank bag. It's $7 and it's _really_ bright.

[malbojah]

Great for getting yourself to the bathroom at night without slamming your bare toes into a corner
of a solid ash piece of furniture

I get enough ambient light from all the LEDs on my equipment to barely light my room at night.

(Now that time I tripped over a shoe and took a header into my old closet is a whole different story )

[HipGnosis]

Side note...I keep one of THESE (link is small LED flashlight at HF) in my tank bag. It's $7 and it's _really_ bright.

Thanks.  I've got at least half a dozen small LED flashlites - all but one is to dim and/or has a flaky switch.  And I can't remember where I bought the one I like.  I'll add HF LED flashlite to my 'while I'm out riding' list.

[kurtw]

Petzl Tikka Plus.

I see you Tikka Plus and raise you a Tikka XP.

That and a few Petzl E-lites stashed in my camera bag and riding gear.
http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor/headlamps/signal-and-elite/elite

[Major 662]

I see you Tikka Plus and raise you a Tikka XP.

You need to geek out with a Petzl Core

[RBEmerson]

Princeton Tec Quad LED headlamp link - own the night with this rascal!  

[Fourstring]

Energizer® 3 LED Headlight

Does everything I have needed. And when I run it over or lose it, it is cheap to replace.  

I have had other higher end ones and they all sound the same when crunched.

Yeah, this.  Whatever the Home Depot one is with the green strap.  I've gone through like five of them and love 'em.

[ConPilot1]

Just got my Zebralight H51w Neutral tint headlamp/90° flashlight in the mail today.

This thing kicks all kinds of ass. I've never seen anything so small so bright.
80° beam angle spread with NO major "hotspot" as long as it's not running on HIGH.
And I'm running it just on a standard Duracell instead of the Eneloop rechargables that it's optimized for.

It is quite impressive and very, very well made of satin finish machined anodized aluminum and is highly compact, maybe more so than the Petzl Tikka even.

The threading for the battery chamber/cap feels like silk, and the button-click switch has a nice positive feel to it.

It's so bright on the HI-High mode, 2 of these duct-taped to a fairing would make excellent temporary emergency headlights on a bike if your headlight ever took a crap, or hell
even 1 for that matter. It's easy to pack a spare bike headlight bulb. What's not easy is installing one in the dark, on the road.



Now I just have to figure out all the different modes and click sequences and sublevels. That gets a little complicated.


The unit comes with a headstrap, 2 silicone lamp holders (one of which is glow in the dark) a pocket clip, and two extra O-rings.

This thing is indeed the most awesome headlamp system I've ever seen!!!!! This thing beats the ever living shit out of anything I've had previously
and can see that this is going to be my go-to EDC light.

I got 2 folks here at work who want one after seeing this for a few minutes. Everybody's reaction sofar: HOLY SHIT!

We took this into a totally darkened room and put it into the "Moon-mode". It's bright enough to read by and will make an excellent tent light.
The unit will run for 16 days straight in the "Moon mode" on a single AA battery.

The "medium" setting is probably bright enough for most everyday applications.

HIGH is really bright. You don't want to look into this light with it on high. It will temporarily blind you and probably not good for the eyes.

This is a really, really neat torch and I am totally tickled to death with the unit.

check it out. Well worth the clams IMO.


http://www.illuminationgear.com/14301/273282.html

[Squidbuzz]

Princeton Tec Quad LED headlamp link - own the night with this rascal!  

Yup, these kick massive butt.