StreamLight Enduro 2.75oz Luxeon Headlamp

[paul johnson]

If someone generally doesn’t need the light output of the Eos or TikkaXP, but still wants to be able to put out more light than a typical array of 5mm LEDs, then the Streamlight Enduro headlamp might be what you’re looking for.

Features:
It weighs about the same as a TikkaPlus; so, less than an Eos or TikkaXP. It’s only 2.75oz (less if you remove the unecessary top bucket strap). Since it’s so light and small, the top bucket strap is really unnecessary, IMHO.

It utilizes a Luxeon LED. I figure a 1W driven to a max of 50% of the typical 1W Luxeon hi output, based upon the claimed light output measured in Lumens. The estimated 50% value I’m guessing is to 1) increase battery life, and 2) physically, it’s a very small and light unit and so not much mass to function as a heatsink, nor surface area for heat transfer to take place to cool the internal air around the LED.

It uses 2AAA batts and a boost converter to increase the voltage in order to forward bias the LED. So, in this respect it’s powered in a fashion similar to the BD Zenix IQ, but uses AAA batts instead of AA batts.

It’s regulated. 6hr on hi (~50% light output of a typical 1W Luxeon), and 24hr on lo, using alkaline batts.

Racheted hinge.

A very basic 3-position purely mechanical sequential switch: Lo-Hi-Off. No “timing”, so must switch through Hi mode to get to Off regardless of how long the headlamp has been running on Lo.

Puts out a decent amount of non-diminishing regulated light. However, my unit has a small dark artifact/spot in the very center, reminiscent of halogen and incandescent bulbs. It’s fairly small and not too objectionable, but it’s there and it shouldn’t be. Rotating the bezel (which is NOT really intended to be rotated for focus purposes) did not change the dark spot perceptibly.

The color of the light output is white rather than bluish or yellowish as some Luxeon LEDs output. IMHO, it’s the right color for LED light.

There is no flashing emergency output mode.

Brightguy.com is selling them for $15.

Here’s a link to the Streamlight Enduro headlamp

[Michael Demchak]

wow nice find, never have seen one of these before, just a question is the low option, low enough to read with? or is it still to bright? im tired of stubbing my toes trying to hike with my BD ion, but dont see the need for an artificial sun 1 watt luxeon led. the price is hard to beat aswell!
thanks!
mike!

http://www.dealerease.net/catalog/product.asp?ret_id=139995&pid=56883

they have the lights for $11.31 and apparently run for an hour longer on high ;)

[paul johnson]

First, before I answer your question, three things need to be made clear:
1) Published wts differ from the wts I measured on my old analog gram scale (yeah…i know it’s a digital world…). On my scale the Enduro is lighter than the TikkaPlus if I remove the top/bucket strap on the Enduro (TikkaPlus doesn’t have one).
2) While the lux numbers contradict a statement in my earlier post, keep in mind the properties of lux and lumen ratings are very different and a direct conversion in numbers only do not tell the whole story. This has to do with how these numbers are measured as the tests are very different in terms of what aspect of light output they are measuring.
3) The Enduro has more “throw” than the ZipkaPlus. It is more of a narrower “spot” beam (it’s a Luxeon LED) and the Zipka/ZipkaPlus more of a wider “flood” beam (typical 5mm LEDs). Hence, even though the lux numbers are not as expected, the Enduro illuminated objects better at 40′ last evening in my basement than the Zipka/ZipkaPlus. Don’t get me wrong the Eos on “hi” was noticeably brighter than the Enduro on “hi”.

Now, Let me try to answer that in two ways: one, subjective, and two, a bit more objective.

1. Subjective: IMHO, it is too bright for reading. That said, I like somewhat subdued light for reading, especially extended reading. Extended here, being defined as, for me personally, more than five to ten seconds. The main reason is the beam concentration. Though the lux numbers may indicate otherwise, the SL Enduro has more of a spot beam than the 5mm LED headlamps and so the concentrated light/beam is brighter to the eye and reflects back off the page with a higher intensity. As far as reading, I carry a separate Photon Freedom Microlight for reading in the bivy. The Freedom is nice for this since its lightoutput is adjustable from very dim up to its max. o.p. Very-dim-to-dim is sufficient for me to read by without having to squint due to too much reflected light off of a close at hand white page.

2. Objective: Mfr specs:
Hi = 14.5 Lumens/850 peak beam candlepower
Lo = 6 Lumens

I believe 6 Lumens is roughly equivalent to ~65 lux, and 14.5 Lumens to ~156 lux. [Anyone, please help here, if you can, and confirm or correct my conversions.]

A while back BPL published lux figures for a number of headlamps popular at that time (obviously, newer ones are missing from the older article).

Here are some numbers from that article that will allow you to compare the Enduro to Tikka/Zipka, TikkaPlus/ZipkaPlus (not the newest XP versions), Aurora, Scout, and Ion.

[All numbers are at 68 deg F with start-of-life fresh batts.]
Highest Output Setting:
Zipka = 165
TikkaPlus = 259
Aurora = 203
Ion = 118
Scout = 111

[All numbers are at 38 deg F with start-of-life fresh batts.]
Medium Output Setting:
Zipka = 152 (only one setting; it’s diff. b/c the test temp is 30deg F lower)
TikkaPlus = 110
Aurora = 88
Ion = 42
Scout = 51

Sorry, BPL did not give figures for “lo” o.p. modes.

Here is a link to the BPL article

[paul johnson]

There is something else that I would like to pass on to all here in the Forums. Petzl’s website has been updated. They now have the Tikka, TikkaPlus, Zipka, ZipkaPlus, and TacTikkaPlus available with new UPGRADED higher output 5mm LEDs. Are these like the Photon Microlight MAXX upgraded LEDs??? I don’t know.

Petzl claims increased batt life and 80% more light output and significantly more “throw”. For example, IIRC, instead of just 17m with new batts on hi for the TikkaPlus, they are claiming 32m of “throw”. Obviously, we take all Mfr numbers dealing with “burn” time and “throw”/distance with a grain of salt, especially since people’s perception of light varies due to a number of factors.

I should have two or three of these headlamps in a couple of weeks when BrightGuy.com gets them in. Right now, Greg only has the new upgraded TikkaPlus (I had wanted the ZipkaPlus and TacTikkaPlus, and maybe the older 3-LED Zipka).

The answer to y’all’s question is “No”. They still are NOT regulated.

If y’all are interested, I’ll post back my qualitative impressions of these upgraded 5mm LED headlamps. I expect it to be a noticeable improvement though, based upon my experience with Photon Microlight and Photon Microlight MAXX. The MAXX is much brighter.

[paul johnson]

Dennis, I do nearly all of my lighting related purchases from BrightGuy. Greg, will generally match prices, IME. I ordered my Enduro tuesday and received it thursday with standard UPS ground shipping. He ships same day and I’m only a few states away. If you call him and tell him that I sent you, he may match the price. Just let him know that you found it for a lower price on the web. He is also special ordering for me the new upgraded Petzl headlamps I mentioned in another post in this Thread without charging me first – we’ve done a lot of business for approx. three years now so I guess he’s comfortable doing that. Please note that I get nothing special from BG if I send someone their way.

[paul johnson]

Here’s a link to the BPL webpage:

Lenser Revolution Headlamp – has a nice pic and brief write-up (not a review)

Nice tiny, tidy package. Looks sharp.
Weighed 4.2oz on my scale.
Came with 3AAA batts already installed.

Headlamp is very comfortable, even with the battery pack located on the back of the head. It’s very narrow and seems to fit well in the back of the skull without discomfort when laying down reading.

No top bucket strap, but it’s not really needed due to the fore-and-aft weight distribution, and the small “head”.

Power cord from batt pack to lighter generating “head” is a coiled cord, so it “dresses” nicely regardless of how extended the head strap is.

The “head” pivots approx 80deg in four racheted positions.

The typical Lenser on-off switch is very easy to operate requiring very little pressure to actuate. The switch is recessed slightly and does not appear easy to accidently actuate.

The on-off switch points skyward and I’m not sure of how water resistant it might be.

10h regulated output on high (1.25W).
Lever on batt pack allows adjustment of the light output. Level adjustment appears to be analog in nature with no discrete digital steps. Obviously, when wearing a hood, it will not be possible to use the output adjustment lever.

The output adjustment lever is also very easy to operate not requiring a lot of effort/force to do so. The level travels through ~120deg of arc from min to max output.

Beam has a very white color and a nice diameter spot, significantly larger than the Eos, but not so much that you’d no longer consider it to be a “spot”.

Very noticeably brighter on max output than the Eos on Hi output. At 10h of regulated output (Mfr. claimed) this exceeds the Eos Mfr claimed figures even though max. light output is higher. This leads me to raise an eyebrow at such a claim and question its validity (perhaps 10h of regulated+unregulated burn time measured down to a virtually unusable, but common, 1 or 2 lux output level???). Certainly superior electronics can help account for some of this, but this seems a little over much. I’ll have to see if it really does have 10h of regulated max output. I’m doubtful at this point.

Overall this seems like a very nice headlamp. It’s really quite impressive how much brighter it is than the Eos. It is perhaps the most comfortable rear batt compartment headlamp I’ve worn while laying down. This may just be a personal fit issue though and YMMV. Normally, I cut some closed cell foam off of a spare piece of GG 3/8″ Thinlight pad and sandwich it between a headlamp’s elastic circumferential (around-the-head) strap and the battery box, thus providing cushioning for extended wear and for lying down. I don’t think that this will be necessary with this headlamp.

[paul johnson]

Received a new Zipka (3x5mm LED) and a new ZipkaPlus (4x5mm LED). Both of these units have the new upgraded 5mm LEDs which Petzl claims are 80% brighter than last years 5mm LEDs.

Having tried these side-by-side with an ’05 ZipkaPlus, I have no doubts as to the validity of these claims.

The new ’06 Zipka (3LEDs) is significantly brighter than the ’05 ZipkaPlus (4LEDs). Actually, if someone told me it was twice as bright, I would easily accept that statement. The difference is quite amazing.

The ’06 ZipkaPlus (4LEDs) is even brighter than ’06 Zipka (3LEDs) as one would expect since it has an additional LED. There is simply no comparision with the ’05 ZipkaPlus.

The output of these new upgraded Petzl 5mm headlamps are not regulated. However, these still might be the ideal headlamp for anyone who really doesn’t need a 1W Luxeon headlamp like the Eos, but finds the typical three or four 5mm LED headlamp not quite bright enough.

I don’t quite buy the Mfr’s claim of 32m and 27m distance for the ’06 ZipkaPlus and ’06 Zipka, respectively, but they are sure to have more “throw” than any previous 3x5mm or 4x5mm LED headlamp.

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