Headlamp Recommendations?

I love my zebralight powered by an 18650 battery. Long run times, plenty of brightness modes and very light for what it is. There are also some very good options with 18650 batteries from Fenix. I like the energy density of the 18650 and personally use 3500mAh Sanyo/Panasonic batteries  that seem to do very well.

I suggest going for a quick wander through GearBest and BangGood. There must be a million inexpensive options out there, all quite functional, and sometimes the same as the expensive Western versions.

Cheers

BD Storm with lithium batteries.

……..

(I don’t know why BPL has started double posting for me lately… whatever…)

Princeton Tec Vizz mostly because I really like the UI, which IMO is the downfall of most every other brand (except maybe Petzl) I have tried.

oh yeah, with lithiums of course.

The UI … Ah, OK.
Yeah – I have one headlight which turns on at a really low setting which is often adequate in the dark in the tent. Nice. I have another headlight which turns on at FULL power. I do not take the latter walking! Stupid UI!

Cheers

Interesting that there are some mentions of Lithium batteries. How do they fare in extreme cold versus traditional alkaline batteries?

Also, what are people’s thoughts on going the USB rechargeable route? I’ve read that that’s the future. I’m not sure what battery type those use?!? The guy at my local REI tried to sell me a USB rechargeable one and a triple charger the size of a deck of cards. He said if I went out with a full charge on the lamp plus the triple charger, I’d basically have 4 full charges worth which should be enough for a week. I can’t remember which light he recommended (perhaps Petzl?), but it had the ability to use traditional alkaline or the USB rechargeable type batteries.

I have one headlight which turns on at a really low setting which is often adequate in the dark in the tent. Nice. I have another headlight which turns on at FULL power. I do not take the latter walking! Stupid UI!

The Vizz has adjustable brightness for all modes and always comes on at the last setting you selected for each mode.  I HATE headlamps that always turn on at the highest setting…that is stupid and backwards.  I’ve also seen too many lights where the odd, unintuitive combinations of button pushes and pauses/holds to get the mode you are after make the darn thing practically unusable. Combine both those things and you quickly have a headlamp that has been hammered into tiny pieces.

Black Diamond ReVolt is a powerful, versatile, rechargeable headlamp for climbing, hiking, camping or any other time you may find yourself out after dark. With 130 lumens of power, the ReVolt easily spots anchors while you rappel in the dark, proximity lighting gives you a large area of light for hiking down the trail and a dimming feature lets you choose just the right amount of light for the task at hand. A three-level power meter keeps you from ever being surprised by dead batteries, and the ReVolt can run on standard AAA batteries in addition to the included rechargeable batteries.

• One TriplePower LED, two SinglePower white LEDs and two SinglePower red LEDs emit up to 130 lumens (max setting with alkaline batteries)
• Red night-vision mode has proximity and strobe settings, and activates without cycling through the white mode
• Sleek, low-profile design uses three Black Diamond AAA Rechargeable Batteries or standard alkaline or lithium batteries
• Settings include full strength in proximity and distance modes, dimming, strobe, red night-vision and lock mode
• Three-level power meter shows remaining battery life for three seconds after switching on headlamp
• Protected against splashing or sprayed water from any angle (IPX 4)

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Headlamp-Reviews/Black-Diamond-ReVolt

I don’t know the current models, but I VASTLY prefer my Petzl Tikka2 with a usb battery pack.  Before each hike you juice it up (even in the car) and know you’re topped off.  I guess its the same with rechargeable batteries, but with disposable I never knew how good those batts were.  On a longer hike it can take 3xAAA, and/or you can juice it from a lipstick battery or a solar panel (lots of people carry these things anyway, before the scoffs).

I have no idea what the run time is, but on medium lots of lights run 20-30 hours.

Tikka2 has High Medium Flash Off — no low.  I would prefer a very low setting somewhere in there.  I don’t mind click click to get to medium, which I do every time, unless I am spotting a nosy critter.

Petzl e-Lite is more of a summertime light, I wouldn’t want to find a campsite in pitch dark with it.  Cheap and light, spare batts CR2032 are tiny.  This one has tons of modes, all on a dial.  I decide to take this when I am pinching grams and when days are longer.  This might be a good backup (though you said you have a few already).  A week-long, solo, when light is necessary daily to accomplish the trip, I would consider a 2nd light.  If not all of those are true you can get by with 1

“Interesting that there are some mentions of Lithium batteries. How do they fare in extreme cold versus traditional alkaline batteries?”

Lithium are far better at low temps.  And lighter per battery.  A lot lighter per energy.  They cost much more per cell than bulk AA or AAA alkaline batteries but only slightly more for the energy they contain.  At least they’re getting easier to find at Walmart, etc, now.

Alkalines are rated to 0F (edited to add: by the manufacturer but at vastly diminished voltage, amperage and energy), but I’ve found the voltage drop to be a problem with high loads below freezing.  Lithium-ion rechargeables suffer from some voltage drop below 0F which is more of problem at high light settings than at low.

Lithium primary (non-rechargeable) batteries like the Energizer AA go down to -40F/C.  That’s what I’ve got in the flashlights in all our cars here in Alaska, because when you’re rooting around for your jumper cables at -40F, you really want your flashlight to work without having to insert it in some body cavity first.  They are about $2/cell at Walmart, Target, etc – lighter than alkaline, best temperature rating, higher energy density:

6-8 hours a day?

Get a 18650 headlamp … Nothing will give u the REGULATED run time

for example the fenix HL60R will give u 10 hrs at 150 lumen, 30 hrs at 50 lumen REGULATED …. Off the included 2600 mAh bat (a 3500 mAh bat will last longer)

it also has a simple UI usable with gloves, built un usb charging, red light, and a simple click tilt

Buy it from an AUTHORIZED retailer with free return shipping for the warranty, not from a chinese online site as youll then need to ship it back to china for any issues

Also get a 18650 charger/powerbank so you can use the same bats in the headlamp/charger

and get protected 18650 bats of a reputable brand

nothing rechargeable contains the energy of 18650 bats for the weight … Theres a reason why tesla uses them

;)

Zebralights are great, but I’ve only sprung for the AA version (H52w).  You can use a Lithium rechargeable 14500, Lithium AA or any old alkaline AA if you are shopping at a gas station and need a replacement battery.

I may get their 18650 version (H600w) eventually, but in the meantime, I have a ThruNite TH10.  Here’s a video from one of my favorite Minnesotan Youtubers:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD-0d3WWnwo

Both of these options have low lite settings, which I find are better than red light for in the tent.

I suspect David has got degrees F and C mixed up. Alkaline batteries have a water-based electrolyte, and this freezes around 0 C (32 F). So alkalines die, badly, at freezing point. They are not too good just above freezing either. Lithium batteries do not contain water, and can work down -(well, close to) -40 C (-40 F). This is well-known to winter walkers, skiers and climbers.

Lithium batteries last about four times longer than alkalines. Yes, they are more expensive per battery, but they are cheaper per hour of use. Remember that: they work out cheaper! In addition, lithium batteries are lighter than alkalines, while lasting 4x longer.

In short, I cannot see any reason to buy alkaline batteries ever again (except for battery-powered toys you are going to give away to someone else’s kids).

Cheers

Footnote: But do not use lithium batteries in a Petzl torch which still has incandescent globes. Those globes cannot take the lithium voltage and they die. For the technically minded – the internal impedance of the alkalines is much higher than for the lithiums, and the Petzl globes rely on the consequent voltage drop you get with alkalines. Obsolete things.

Roger’s suggestion to look at banggood is smart if you’re on a budget. I have the XTAR H3 Warboy headlamp as a loaner for friends and it’s very nice quality. It’s basically a copy of a zebralight.

If you join budgetlightforum and use  M4D M4X’s deals spreadsheet (or PM him) you can find the XTAR HD Warboy and a coupon code for it. Pretty sure it’s $30 shipped. Even without the coupon it’s $46 and worth every penny.

Energizer’s temperature chart, if you’re into that.

Having a fair amount of experience with extreme cold, it’s an easy call—lithium every time. Barely fazed with extended use at -25°F.

Most rechargeable devices these days use lithium ion, still ok for cold. Loose rechargeable AA and AAA cells are usually NiMH and you can still find NiCd, neither of which is good for cold.

18650s are great although not as widely available and fewer headlamps use them. But if I were going the rechargeable route this is what I’d get, and I’d get 2 or 3 extras and carry them already charged into the field. The idea of recharging one battery off another “brick” battery is IMO not the way to go in extreme cold. Quickly swapping out the exhausted cell with a full-power cell is a beautiful thing.

Energizer’s temperature chart, if you’re into that.

I didn’t think I’d be into that…but darned if I’m not.  That chart should be required reading for anyone asking a question of the “What light should I get” ilk.

As a note many good 18650 lamps can also take 2 CR123a lithium bats

theyre were built with such a contigency (cold weather, long term storage or not being able to find 18650 bats) in mind

the fenix can, but the zebralight i dont believe has that ability

only use MATCHED pairs of CR123 with the same voltage… Dont use one new and one old cell for instance or you could get a KABOOM !!!

;)

Here is a potential option:

Nitecore NU20 – ~$30

http://www.nitecorestore.com/Nitecore-NU20-Headlamp-p/fl-nite-nu20.htm

• micro-usb rechargeable non-replaceable battery
• 1.66oz / 47g
• waterproof/submersible
• turbo – 360 lm – 0.5 hr
• high – 220 lm – 6 hr
• mid – 40 lm – 7.75 hr
• low – 1 lm – 100 hr
• throw 80 meters
• also available in a “CRI” model that renders true color, but the battery life and lumens are lower

I’m happy with my lights right now, but this is very intriguing.  If I were shopping, I would include this one in my search.

Roger: I was going to write, “Don’t use alkalines below freezing, they die in the upper 20sF.”  But actually, for a change, checked a reference and Energizer says their service (not storage) temperature range goes to 0F/-18C.  Surprised me.  After your comment, I dove deeper and they “work” at 0F if putting out half the voltage, having a huge internal resistance, and only 10% of their amp-hour capacity is “working”.  I certainly have experiencing them crapping out in the 20sF for years with a high-ish load (e.g. big Maglite with an incandescent bulb).  It will full brightness for 1-2 seconds then quickly go to a very dim light.  I’m a little vaguer on the following: I think I’ve had low-output LEDs work okay on them below freezing.

Anyway, we’re agreed on backpacking: for reasons of weight (very significantly so), cold-weather performance, and because they are very close on cost, I only use lithiums while backpacking.  I we agree that despite what Energizer claims, you can’t trust alkalines below 273K (or, as I like to think of it, 460R).

I do however keep a brick of alkaline AAA and AAs around the house.  They are still a little cheaper, for me, per watt-hour:
AA Alkalines, locally: $0.30 each, $0.24 online (free shipping)
AA Lithiums, locally: $2/cell, online $1.50 (free shipping).
So lithium are still a little more per watt-hour, but the other reasons I used them (in summer) are: if the device is lost or gifted or more commonly, the kids or I leave the device on, I’ve only wasted $1 between four batteries, not $6-8.

Hi David

It will full brightness for 1-2 seconds then quickly go to a very dim light.
Just so, and me too. Putting alkalines in a camera in winter was also a problem. Very hard to take photos first thing in the morning in the snow.

Cost – I have not explored the web pricing for alkalines recently. I can easily imagine that the competition from lithiums may have pushed the price of alkalines way down. Good point.

However, another BIG advantage of lithiums over alkalines is that the alkies rot after a while and leak corrosive goo over the insides of any device; the lithiums don’t. BIG advantage! Mind you, any batteries can induce electrolytic corrosion in the contacts if there is much moisture around, given enough time, so I like to use ‘isolators’ at all times.

Cheers