Petzl lamp

Supposedly available in USofA in November, but in limited quantities – some Petzl dealers may not get many or none at all, according to my source (a Petzl dealer).

Possibly(???) some new BD Headlamps (plus some current models discontinued???).

Possibly a 3W LED BD headlamp in the works?

Came across this accidentally when clicking on the BD Spot’s WebPage “Compare” link. The comparison matrix was loaded into a spawned browser window. In case the following link doesn’t work, the comparison matrix is normally loaded from any of the individual headlamps webpage when the “Compare” link on that webpage is clicked.

Checkout this link to the BD Compare Headlamps webpage.

Scan the comparison matrix for the names of some new headlamps and a brief tabular summary of their specs. Notice also that the Soliras seems to be missing from the matrix and the NightRay specs are blanked out.

Note that BD has adopted a similar scheme to Petzl for rating throw at various time intervals (viz. t-zero, t-30min, and t-10hr).

Note also, that unless the Spot’s design is changing, that the matrix erroneously(???) lists 1x5mm LED for its secondary lighting, vs. the 3x5mm LEDs that is in the Spot that i have (ordered the first week that they became available). Similarly, if memory serves (always a BIG “IF” with me), since i don’t own one, the Cosmo has 4x5mm LEDs and not just 3x5mm LEDs (again, unless the design has changed).

I’ve been a bit out of touch for a few months, so i don’t know if this info has been posted already. My apologies to all if it this is a “re-run”.

Good eye on the 3 watt light!

BD is scooped by one of their own retailers on this one:

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=48093591&parent_category_rn=4500596

Closest direct competition might be the Petzl MYO XP. I also note what appears to be a reflector, rather than a collimater. If it really is regulated as noted (although it doesn’t carry an IQ designation) it’ll be a definite player in the market segment.

Rick,

Also saw the REI webpage. Should have mentioned it, but didn’t b/c you can’t get delivery of the BD Icon yet. You can order it (yeah…you know me, i did), but it’s BO’d and will ship from REI’s warehouse when they get it in from BD.

[Note: REI is one of those honest merchants who doesn’t charge one’s CC until the item ships. So, no worries on my end ordering an item not yet in stock.]

BTW, Rick, when are we going to see a test of the PT Apex? Did i just miss it? I’m very interested in your #’s and opinion of its performance.

Also, PTec has a new Apex PRO model. It uses 2xCR123 Li Batts vs. 4xAA alkaline (or Li) batts. Saves two oz. in wt. (so a tad over 6oz). Offers a slight advantage in regulated “burn” time b/f dropping out of regulation, resulting in addition post-regulation unregulated “burn” time (e.g., according to PTec Cust. Srv. who i called yesterday afternoon, the PRO 3W hi offers 1.5h regulated o.p. vs. 1hr regulated o.p. for the original 4xAA incarnation of the Apex)

Here’s all the numbers PT gave me for the PRO:

1.5+13.5 3W hi
7+13 3W lo
5.5+6.5 4x5mm hi
12+23 4x5mmlo

[Please note, all above “burn” time numbers in HOURS and represent regulated time+unregulated time; the 2nd # after the plus sign is NOT the total burn time, it’s the unregulated time which produces gradually decreasing light output.]

I don’t have the 4xAA Apex “burn” time #’s in front of me (only remember the 1h regulated 3W hi o.p. regulated burn time with alkaline batts). Since i don’t have the 4xAA Apex “burn” time #’s in front of me, i’m guessing, but could be wrong, that overall reg+unreg “burn” time for the PRO will be less than the original 4xAA Apex due to less stored energy in 2xCR123 vs. 4xAA (each CR123 has ~1/2 the stored energy of a single high-quality alk. or Li AA batt).

My guess also is that lower current draws in other operating modes would bring the regulated “burn” times of both Apex models much closer together due to the characteristic discharge curves of the batteries at lower current draws (same general shape regardless of current draw, but lower slope) – need to look at the 4xAA Apex #’s just to be sure though (anyone correct me if i’m wrong here).

PT Apex PRO is already available at REI & BrightGuy.com – though BG doesn’t have the product webpage up yet, but will soon. REI does have it for shipment, but BG, if they follow their usual modus operandi, will offer the PRO at a much lower price than std. retail (REI=$89.95, IIRC; BG sells the Apex for ~$65 at BG, even when first introduced, so maybe the PRO will be ~$70??? – REI sells PRO for $5 more than 4xAA Apex, IIRC).

PTec Apex, PTec Apex Pro, BD Icon, Petzl Myo XP, Silva (now Brunton, mine is older and is “branded” Silva) L3

3w headlamps compared QUALITATIVELY side x side x side x side x side in my basement (~40′ long).

only interested in highest output levels as any of these headlamps will do just fine on lower output levels.

obviously, these are only compared using my personal units.
Ques: is there any diff. from one unit to the next within the same headlamp model?
Ans: don’t know about Mfring variability.

also, all batts were “fresh” though i didn’t measure no-load voltage on them before doing the comparison testing.

Beam color:
Apex – nice white
Apex Pro – rechrg Li – white, and brighter than when using non-rechrg Li batts.
Apex Pro – non-rechrg Li – white, but not as bright as Apex
Icon – nice white
Myo XP – yellowish (all modes), but NOT objectionable; in fact, some may prefer this slighlty more subdued (not to be understood as “dull” – the MyoXP is certainly quite powerful, to say the least) color of light
Silva L3 – very bright white

Perceived brightness of central “spot” in desc. order;
Silva L3
Icon
Apex
Apex Pro – rechrg Li (just a tad less than the Apex)
Apex Pro – non-rechrg Li
MyoXP (boost mode)

3W (hi) Beam Pattern:
Apex – excellent field of view and overall more uniform brightness
Apex Pro – excellent field of view and overall more uniform brightness with both non-rechrg. & rechrg. Li batts.
MyoXP – good field of view, but smaller than the Apex and not as uniform as the Apex
Icon – fair field of view, but smaller than the Apex (and still not quite as bright overall to the eye as the Apex) and smaller than the MyoXP. The brightest “spot” in the center is very bright but too small for my tastes. Brightness drops off markedly outside of the tight central spot.
Silva L3 – much too tight a beam pattern (i.e. central spot) with brightness dropping off VERY markedly outside of the tight/small central spot; it’s only saving graces are (a) the extreme brightness of the central spot, (b) it’s enviable current regulation (best of any regulated headlamp i’ve ever used), and (c) the option of using the 4xAA batts (in two separate 2xAA batt. boxes on headband), or the included 4xC remote batt. box for very long “burn” times at the expense of some weight.

Operation/Controls:
Apex AND Apex Pro with two buttons rules – no one else is close for ease of operation. Very well thought out controls – PT obviously had the user in mind (though i would prefer low modes to be accessed before bright modes).
MyoXP (since “boost” mode can be operated separately from main switch, but takes a hit for NOT latching in boost mode until either a)user removes it, or b)20sec time limit or thermal condition automagically removes headlamp from “boost” mode)
Silva L3 (one button cyclical/sequential operation; very easy to use)
Icon – personal “crab” – with two sets of light sources (3W & 4x5mm) too much button pressing in many cases (on-of-on-off sequential operation), e.g. when don’t want IQ circuitry to “remember” my last mode since i want a diff. mode this time, i.e. 3W vs. 4x5mm or vice versa. Also, since i’m a klutz, on a rare occasion i accidentally press the single button too far, when trying to select a different intensity of light (accessed via half-depressions of the On-Off button), and so turn the light off, necessitating another, sometimes tedious, round of getting to the right mode and intensity i want.

Did NOT test operation with gloves. This might exacerbate getting the “feel” of the half button presses required to change the Icon’s output intensity in whatever “On” mode the headlamp happens to be in (just guessing here as i didn’t test any of these headlamps while wearing gloves).

Changing Batteries:
1. MyoXP – easiest, IMHO, to access the batteries
2. Silva L3 – similar to MyoXP, but two batt. boxes to deal with; the 4xC box is also very easy to access
3. Icon – similar to other of the latest generation of BD headlamps (e.g. VectraIQ, and ZenixIQ)
4. Apex – can be difficult to open unless a coin or the headband’s adjustment buckle is used. Do-able with warm fingers, but must exert a bit of strenght/force to do so.
5. Apex Pro – read comments above “4. Apex” as they apply here. [Note: what a cute little batt. box on the “Pro”! it houses only 2xCR123 3v Li batts. It’s so small and cute, i expected it to have “OshKosh B’Gosh” silk-screened on it somewhere!]

Did not perform side x side battery life testing. I hope that the BD Icon does NOT suffer from the rather poor batt. life exhibited by other BD headlamps i’ve used.

Suitability for use as a Proximity/Task light:
1. MyoXp – on low output level with beam diffuser in place/deployed. personally, i feel that this is too bright for some tasks and too bright for long term reading, but my eyes are quite light sensitive.
2. Icon – on low output (still too bright in some cases & too bright to read by).
3-4. Apex and Apex Pro – 4x5mm low output – too bright for some tasks; definitely too bright to read by
5. Silva L3 – low output is 25% brightness of the full 3W output – do the math!!!

[Note: Personally, i don’t feel any of these headlamps is appropriate as a task/proximity light. Save the batts in these primary lights and bring a “microlite” of sorts for task purposes and reading. The Myo XP because of its diffuser comes the closest however.]

My personal prefs in desc. order:
1. Apex
2. Apex Pro
3. Myo XP
4. Icon (IMHO, best BD headlamp to date, i’ve owned nearly all of them going back to the single LED version of the Gemini)
5. Silva L3

ok. ‘Nuff said. A bit more than my two shekels.

[Post count not increasing, perhaps it only updates periodically and not dynamically? Bet i missed something on this in a BPL Staff post somewhere, right?]