Source
r/flashlight•
ipear

Wanted: Rugged Headlamp

After failing miserably at the last evaluation course for search and rescue, I've decided to retire my gimpy, weak petzl headlamp, and am in the market for a new light. (And by retire I mean carry in my pocket every day, just not to SAR stuff.)

So, I was thinking, what I'm looking for is probably the holy grail of headlamps, and probably standard issue for cavers. What I absolutely need is:

  • Good battery life
  • Two modes, at a minimum: low and dim, and long and BRIGHT.
  • Water-resistant: This headlamp will get damp, at the very least.

What I would really like, but am willing to sacrifice on:

  • Waterproof/mudproof: I live in the PNW, we've got rain like brits have tea.

  • Shockproof: I'm a clutz, branches are springy, and litter carrying takes two hands.

  • Preforms well in temperatures ranging from 25 to 90, F.

What I don't care about:

*Weight: A few extra grams builds character.

  • Style/design: battery pack in front, back, jacket, the moon, I don't care, so long as it works.

So, what are your suggestions?

Posted Feb 9, 2012, 6:19 AM UTC

612
DevastatorIIC•

Take a look at Zebralights H600. It does require 18650 batteries, but if you're that serious about it, they're amazing performers. 420 lumen for 2.3 hours, Waterproof to IPX8 (2 meters, 30 minutes)

3
raevnos•

PNW, training happening now... KCESAR by any chance?

I see mostly Petzl and Black Diamond headlamps, because that's what REI sells, and a healthy dose of cheap hardware store ones.

Personally, I use a Zebralight H51w complemented by a variety of hand held lights... mostly a Surefire LX2 and Crelant 7G2-N for wilderness, a 4sevens high cri Preon for patient assessment, with a Thrunite Catapult NW for urban and road searching.

2
ipearOP•

Yup! Just finished course 2, that went pretty well. My partner and I were kinda worried about the compass runs, but in the end, we had 57 feet of cumulative error. :D

1
raevnos•

Small reddit. I'm staff on course 2.

57 feet of error is amazing. Good job!

1
johnbentley•

Which petzl did you have?

Edit: I use a Petzl Tikka XP (old model) with Sony Eneloop Low self discharge NiMH rechargeable batteries (3 AAA). The Petzl pouch has a compartment for a spare set of batteries. I love it. I use it camping. I haven't got any hard data, from my own testing, on battery life for you. There is the new Petzl Tikka XP2 which has better specs. Neither are waterproof.

Edit2: The waterproof range: Petzl Hybrid DUO

2
ipearOP•

I haven't a clue what headlamp I have, it's a small, 3-led 3-AAA deal, older model, rather dim. :D

2
rebo2•

You might ask in r/caving . I know that without a doubt that the Black Diamond Icon is the most hardcore headlamp that I have ever owned, and that I have put it though more trials than you would believe. (They have updated it since the version I have though) I have worn this for many hundreds of hours underground, caked it with dirt, watery mud, soil, and literally shit inside - and out. I have slammed it and scraped it hard across sharp rocks forwards, backwards, and every other direction. I have swam with it on underwater, and I have 40 ft into water with it on. I have even trusted my life on it (in part) while rappeling down 700 foot pits. Petzls are good too, and I use them as backups, but this Black Diamond is proven as far as I am concerned.

2
henry82•
  • Zebralights (see sidebar, choose the ones that start with "h")
  • Black Diamond storm or tikka (small)

If you want something bulky, look at the stenlight or the princeton tex apex r/caving loves those.

1
sartirious•

Upboats! for the Black Diamond storm

2
elasto•

Mine is called a Streamlight Septor with 7 white LEDs. It uses 3AA batteries I believe. And it has 2 brightness levels. No red LED though. (Red LED's use REALLY low power.) I've had it about 7 years. No problems. And the switch is rubber which is also a gasket.

I also made a 9v light from an altoids tin which has 2 superbright white LEDs. One brightness setting. It's my emergency light, because the runtime is so long. There was no 9v LED light at a reasonable price on the market so I made one. Here is the Reddit link.

The other thing is I have converted several 3vdc flashlights to use a red LED bulb, which requires only 3vdc. Very easy to smush a light bulb, and replace it with a red LED. However there are now headlamps which have both white and red LEDs. So look around.

1
damnhenry•

I have a Surefire saint and love it. Only 100 lumens though. It's pretty much bombproof though. Can run on 1,2 or 3 cr123s or two AAs.

1
ipearOP•

In the end, it looks like I'm going to go with the zebra h51w, thanks to everyone for the suggestions!

1