# Head Lamps



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

OK, lets talk headlamps. 

I know that they are rated in lumens but that doesn't do me any good, I want to know if they light up the dark when you are hiking through the woods with no moon. The one that I am using now is older than dirt and I think that the caveman used it. It is the style that takes 4 D cells with a case that hooks to your belt with a cord running to the lamp on your head, a lot like what the coal miners used and in my old age I would like to get something a little lighter for my upcoming hunts. 

I don't mind the extra expense of the larger C123 or whatever battery if it provides longer life than either AA or AAA's along with a brighter light. I have looked at some Streamlights since I have one of their flashlights but know nothing about their headlamps. 

So what do you use and will it light up a 747 that is flying overhead?


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

All of the AAA models are completely useless and most are AAA; just no battery life there. I finally found one that is AA and I love them then Cabelas discontinued them so I bought like 8 of them on clearance. I cant justify the lithium batteries, just makes them too ridiclously expensive especially when kids are teh main reason the batteries dont last by them leaving them on. it was most similar to this one for the most part, but only about $25. http://www.cabelas.com/product/camp...adlamps/_/N-1100701/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104379480


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

Huge29 said:


> All of the AAA models are completely useless and most are AAA; just no battery life there. I finally found one that is AA and I love them then Cabelas discontinued them so I bought like 8 of them on clearance. I cant justify the lithium batteries, just makes them too ridiclously expensive especially when kids are teh main reason the batteries dont last by them leaving them on. it was most similar to this one for the most part, but only about $25. http://www.cabelas.com/product/camp...adlamps/_/N-1100701/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104379480


You can't justify not buying lithiums. I've done the math, you come out way ahead, not only in dollars per hour, but especially in shelf life. Shelf life is something to keep in mind in something that may get hauled around more than it gets used, the shelf life of lithiums is unmatched.

I only use lithiums in my trail cams and have had them last in the field for 2 years in some cases. Another plus is wintertime use, lithiums outperform alkalines in cold temps. The colder it is, the better the lithiums perform in comparison to alkalines. Alkalines have water based electrolytes, which do not work well in the cold, they just can't move current as their electrolytes chill. At some temps they will simply freeze, and burst.

The light you posted is a good one. I have one of these: http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/prod...adlamps/_/N-1100701/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104379480 and it is my "bigger" head lamp. It is half the lumens of the light you posted, but will run for 146 hours verses 90, and that is with alkaline batteries. The lithiums will at least double that. AAA lithiums can be difficult to find, but they are available: http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-Ultimate-Lithium-Batteries-High-Tech/dp/B0002DUQDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457340835&sr=8-1&keywords=aaa+lithium+batteries
The other thing about this light is that it has multiple brightness settings.

The light I use most of the time, unless I am really moving and it is really dark is a single LED head lamp that is really tiny, takes 2 CR2030 lithium batteries, and runs for 20 hours. It is again half the lumens of my "bigger" lamp. Spare batteries weigh nothing and take up almost no space. This light gets used for around camp, bed time, bathroom breaks etc. It is always nice to have a spare, I loan this one out all the time when someone forgot theirs, or there are battery failures.


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

I have employees that work at night so they all use head lamps everyday. 
They like the fenix head lamps. Batteries seem to last longer and they are very bright. 
The biggest thing for them is water proof. Most lights that make that claim really fall short.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I have no problems buying lithium batteries. If you purchase them on line you can find some great deals on them. I just want a light that will light up a good area and is bright. Most headlamps that I have seen light up a smaller area and are fairly dim as far as lighting up the area that you are standing in not to mention where you are putting your feet.


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

A word about cheaper headlamps....check the run time for continuous light. I got one of those stupid Bushnell headlamps from Walmart and kept getting annoyed with it turning off after being used for a bit, turned out it had a stated continuous run time of only 45 minutes. Turning it off for an hour would give you almost 45 minutes again, but that's a pretty annoying lesson to learn when you're a mile in to a hike at 4:00 AM to set up for some bucks.


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

Critter said:


> I have no problems buying lithium batteries. If you purchase them on line you can find some great deals on them. I just want a light that will light up a good area and is bright. Most headlamps that I have seen light up a smaller area and are fairly dim as far as lighting up the area that you are standing in not to mention where you are putting your feet.


In this day and age you want LED, LED does not always stack up in the "brightness" department. In other words they cast light differently, and tend to be more diffuse. What helps them in a huge way is focusing lenses, and reflectors. Anything that is 4 AAs or bigger, which is where you start to see some really good light, should also have at least a reflector, so look for that as well.


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

Critter said:


> I have no problems buying lithium batteries. If you purchase them on line you can find some great deals on them. I just want a light that will light up a good area and is bright. Most headlamps that I have seen light up a smaller area and are fairly dim as far as lighting up the area that you are standing in not to mention where you are putting your feet.


I have one fenix that I use for hunting. It shines better than my led lights on my boat. 
I think it is 900lumen on high


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

The rechargeable cells on some of those Fenix lights look a really nice way to go.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I don't like rechargeable anything. Just as you need it the battery usually dies, and then a couple of years down the road you need to replace the battery but the battery alone cost more than the light did brand new. Not to mention that a lot of the batteries on some lights is in a sealed compartment where you can't get to it without cutting the light in half. 

I may just have to go down to a store that will allow me to take a light into a dark room and see if I want to purchase it.


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## twall13 (Aug 2, 2015)

Take a look at the Zebralights. I personally prefer the rechargeable 18650 batteries because they give some serious output but if you want to avoid the rechargeables they make some really nice AA powered lights too. Light weight, water tight and durable.

Fenix also makes a solid light but after having both I prefer the zebralight personally. I have a fenix hp25 I'd sell if you are interested. It has two separate bulbs, one for throw and one for flood. They can be operated independently or together. It's a bit on the heavy/bulky side for my backpacking trips but it's a solid light. It runs on 4 AA's.


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

Critter said:


> I don't like rechargeable anything. Just as you need it the battery usually dies, and then a couple of years down the road you need to replace the battery but the battery alone cost more than the light did brand new. Not to mention that a lot of the batteries on some lights is in a sealed compartment where you can't get to it without cutting the light in half.
> 
> I may just have to go down to a store that will allow me to take a light into a dark room and see if I want to purchase it.


Apparently some of the upper end head lamps go both ways, WRT to rechargeable batteries. My brother was telling me his Black Diamond head lamp has a rechargeable L-ion battery pack, but it will accept AAs as well as a European format that is globally more available. He worked with allot of guys that went back and forth from Europe for work, and they swore by them.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Fenix HL30 is my favorite lamp and I've tried dozens. It is not the brightest lamp out there, but the cost is about $50 and it takes 2 AA so it is lightweight. I use it on the brightest setting when boating in for waterfowl as my main light, but I almost never have it on full brightness for hiking because it is too bright. On the brightest setting, it will suck the battery dry in about 1.5-2 hours, but I will typically get about 6 or 7 hours out of my batteries. Link to the light on amazon is below.

http://www.amazon.com/HL30-Headlamp-Gold-EdisonBright-Alkaline-batteries/dp/B008R87NOI/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&qid=1457452263&sr=8-22&keywords=fenix+headlamp


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## hondodawg (Mar 13, 2013)

I use a black diamond storm.
I like being able to lower the intensity and prolong battery life. 

I think with the new goal zero solar chargers you could have plenty of power on a back country trip.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

The new Petzl with "Reactive Lighting" looks interesting. I like the USB rechargeable option...as stated above....easy to recharge with my Nomad 7 solar panel.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

I use the black Diamond revolt. Doesn't need to be recharged often. Can raise and lower the intensity. Also it has a lock function on it so you don't accidentally bump it in your pack and drain the battery. It's been a nice piece of equipment after about 5 cheap headlamps over the past few years.

Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

I just saw this on KSL Deals

http://deals.ksl.com/deal/all-deals/cree-xml-3t6-5000lm-4mode-single-led-headlamp-black-deal


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