PrincetonTech Byte Failures?

2010 version of Byte – only ran 4 hours on low before the switch quit working so you have to remove batteries to turn it off

2011 version – 52 hours on a set of alkaline batteries which is pretty good for 2 AAA light. But, after sitting for 3 months with Lithium batteries, they're dead, so there's a parasitic drain. Of course, you could reverse battery when storing it…

I don't know if more recent versions are better.

I always flip the battery in mine when in the pack so I'm unaware of a parasitic drain, at least not one that I'd notice during a hike. I think its performance on low is exaggerated by the company. I haven't had any other failures with the two I own.

There was a place for a 2xAAA headlamp with a modern LED. Years back one of my favs was the Rock River sold by Target (later sold as the Enduro by Streamlight). But Streamlight was too lazy to upgrade it to a better LED and that slowly killed it.

Unfortunately I bought one of the "parasitic drain" PT Bytes. And that pretty much turned me off from them – especially since there are other choices in that price range. I'm not sure I would buy one again even if they've fixed the problems (battery life, switch, water intrusion).

I had one byte that stopped working completely after about 5 hrs use. 2012 version.

Much lower burn time than stated.
Strobe effect when used for more than half an hour that cannot be shut off. Must remove batteries.
I wanted it to work out. But it did not.