which headlamp?
February 9, 2006 4:36 PM Subscribe
which headlamp? any suggestions? seems like having a few of these could come in handy.
which is best for the price?
I second the Petzl Tikka. It sheds tons of light, weighs very little, and the batteries last for-freakin'-ever.
posted by dersins at 5:22 PM on February 9, 2006
posted by dersins at 5:22 PM on February 9, 2006
i like the zipka, its got a nice retractable cord for the "headband" type part. super small. i belive it still is the smallest/lightest in the petzl line.
if not the zipka, i back the petzl line overall as well.
posted by teishu at 5:26 PM on February 9, 2006
if not the zipka, i back the petzl line overall as well.
posted by teishu at 5:26 PM on February 9, 2006
I have a LED Petzl with a normal strap. Not sure which model. It is awesome for hiking and camping and the strap is really comfortable.
posted by smackfu at 5:29 PM on February 9, 2006
posted by smackfu at 5:29 PM on February 9, 2006
Which is better? The one you don't mind carrying, that does what you want when you need it. Maybe one of the ones sold here. If you really want to research the subject, these people have lots of real-life experience with all kinds of headlamps.
If the headlamp is going to be stored a long time between uses, load it with lithium batteries. They have a 7-year shelf life, and AA lithiums can be bought anywhere (and they're much lighter than other batteries). If it's going to be used frequently, use NiMH rechargeables.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 6:10 PM on February 9, 2006
If the headlamp is going to be stored a long time between uses, load it with lithium batteries. They have a 7-year shelf life, and AA lithiums can be bought anywhere (and they're much lighter than other batteries). If it's going to be used frequently, use NiMH rechargeables.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 6:10 PM on February 9, 2006
i really like the black diamond nightray. the extra strap across the top seems to hold it in place better than the single band.
posted by kooop at 7:19 PM on February 9, 2006
posted by kooop at 7:19 PM on February 9, 2006
I've got 10 different headlamps, and I'd say it really depends on what you are using it for. Since the only criteria you listed is price, you probably want an led model, since it will save you bucks on batteries in the long run. In general, I prefer the 4 led models to the 3 as the extra light can be just enough to really navigate rough terrain on a dark night.
I would recommend the Black Diamond Moonlight for all around use. 4-leds, extremely light, and as koop mentioned the extra strap is great for stability. It is an older model, so you can find it occasionally for cheap (I paid $20).
The Petzl Tikka is an excellent choice for just "being handy" since the strap retracts for easy storage, and I think it has a 4 led model. It is fairly unstable on the head for active use however. The price is average ~$30.
The Black Diamond Ion is the ultimate emergency light since it is the smallest and lightest headlight you will find. It's cheaper than the Tikka (~$20), but the 6v batteries will cost you more in the long run if you use it a lot. It is even more unstable than the Tikka. I also find I have to tape a dime over the button to prevent it from being inadvertently turned on and drained.
Black Diamond and Petzl are both excellent choices for the higher end models, though I would go with Black Diamond for the top end. Newer models of mid-range lights are more powerful and feature superior reflectors than the earlier models such as the zipka. They also seem to have shorter battery lives.
Cheapest of all would be the firefly, which are the clip-on single-led headlamps my buddy was building before the mass market versions came out.
posted by Manjusri at 11:19 PM on February 9, 2006
I would recommend the Black Diamond Moonlight for all around use. 4-leds, extremely light, and as koop mentioned the extra strap is great for stability. It is an older model, so you can find it occasionally for cheap (I paid $20).
The Petzl Tikka is an excellent choice for just "being handy" since the strap retracts for easy storage, and I think it has a 4 led model. It is fairly unstable on the head for active use however. The price is average ~$30.
The Black Diamond Ion is the ultimate emergency light since it is the smallest and lightest headlight you will find. It's cheaper than the Tikka (~$20), but the 6v batteries will cost you more in the long run if you use it a lot. It is even more unstable than the Tikka. I also find I have to tape a dime over the button to prevent it from being inadvertently turned on and drained.
Black Diamond and Petzl are both excellent choices for the higher end models, though I would go with Black Diamond for the top end. Newer models of mid-range lights are more powerful and feature superior reflectors than the earlier models such as the zipka. They also seem to have shorter battery lives.
Cheapest of all would be the firefly, which are the clip-on single-led headlamps my buddy was building before the mass market versions came out.
posted by Manjusri at 11:19 PM on February 9, 2006
Manjusri nailed it -- it all depends on what you want it for.
The 3-LED lamp I keep in my hiking bag is light, durable, and great for tramping around the campsite at night, but probably wouldn't be the best choice for bike riding or bushwhacking. The guy who sold it to me uses a ridiculously bright incandescent one for rock climbing, but its battery and bulb life are insufficient for my purposes (and really, it's TOO bright if you need to preserve some night vision and not piss off the other campers.)
There is no one best lamp -- you need to get one that solves YOUR problem. Also try them on; some are more comfortable than others.
posted by Opposite George at 1:03 AM on February 10, 2006
The 3-LED lamp I keep in my hiking bag is light, durable, and great for tramping around the campsite at night, but probably wouldn't be the best choice for bike riding or bushwhacking. The guy who sold it to me uses a ridiculously bright incandescent one for rock climbing, but its battery and bulb life are insufficient for my purposes (and really, it's TOO bright if you need to preserve some night vision and not piss off the other campers.)
There is no one best lamp -- you need to get one that solves YOUR problem. Also try them on; some are more comfortable than others.
posted by Opposite George at 1:03 AM on February 10, 2006
And just to clarify the "bulb life" issue: incandescent bulbs are fragile and burn out, in some cases after only a few hours. If you're depending on that light, you need to carry spare bulbs.
posted by Opposite George at 1:06 AM on February 10, 2006
posted by Opposite George at 1:06 AM on February 10, 2006
i've had a petzl zipka for three years now and it's been wonderful. only on the second set of batteries and i use it fairly regularly. the retractable strap is great, and you can use it to attatch the headlamp to anything (a bicycle, a tent post, a steering wheel, a wrist).
of course, it depends what you want it for, but if you want a general, multi-purpose, handy, compact, durable, very very easy to use headlamp... this is it. never worry about adjusting straps again.
posted by twirlypen at 4:25 AM on February 10, 2006
of course, it depends what you want it for, but if you want a general, multi-purpose, handy, compact, durable, very very easy to use headlamp... this is it. never worry about adjusting straps again.
posted by twirlypen at 4:25 AM on February 10, 2006
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/ this site is the best flashlight review source on the web. They rate headlamps as well as all other types of flashlights. Sorry it's not in link format, couldn't quite figure out how to do so.
posted by lane73179 at 7:31 AM on February 10, 2006
posted by lane73179 at 7:31 AM on February 10, 2006
I have a petzl LED lamp and love it for around camp, reading and general mucking about in the dark.
The penetration of LED lamps isn't high however and I might prefer something else if I was hiking and wanted to survey the terrain any distance ahead. Some lamps come with both LED and incandescent bulbs and you can switch back and forth which I think would be handy. These are often bulkier/heavier than straight LED lamps of course. Although some come with separate incandescent attachments so you can pick which one to attach depending on activity.
I also have an HID biking headlamp which is awesome, so bright I can sprint through the woods in pitch black and not worry about outriding my beam.
posted by skinnydipp at 8:22 AM on February 10, 2006
The penetration of LED lamps isn't high however and I might prefer something else if I was hiking and wanted to survey the terrain any distance ahead. Some lamps come with both LED and incandescent bulbs and you can switch back and forth which I think would be handy. These are often bulkier/heavier than straight LED lamps of course. Although some come with separate incandescent attachments so you can pick which one to attach depending on activity.
I also have an HID biking headlamp which is awesome, so bright I can sprint through the woods in pitch black and not worry about outriding my beam.
posted by skinnydipp at 8:22 AM on February 10, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
I have the Petzl Tikka, which is cheaper than a lot of the LED-based headlamps, and which works just fine.
posted by mr_roboto at 4:43 PM on February 9, 2006