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Headlamp review


layton

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quote:

Originally posted by michael_layton:

Just read climbing headlamp review. I just also lost my tikka.

What should I buy. I want something w/an led that are bright enough for approaches. Should I get another tikka or the B.D. one or the princeton tech one?

Here goes. A few points that aren't in the link that Jman listed.

 

Princeton Tec is waterproof. So what. Tikka runs under water according to Putzl rep, just dry it out sometime.

 

I've seen 2 out of about 15 PT's come back ("dead bulbs", read bad connection), and 1 out of 100+ Tikka that sold at our store. He didn't dry his out...

 

AAAs suck, they are twice the price for half the battery, and they don't come in lithium.

 

PT has adjustable angle. Screw comes loose and nice bright headlamps flops down and blinds you. Tikka - just push it up and down on your head.

 

PT has push button switch, easy to turn on in pack maybe? At least you'll have some light left.

 

BD? How to take a simple concept (Battery+bulb=light) and screw it up in my opinion. Why so complex? I admit to just not liking their whole headlamp line.

 

Obviously I'm biased to the Tikka. But if you need Halogen, then get Halogen. Carry a tikka instead of a spare brick for the Zoom, and use the big gun only when you need it.

 

Maybe put a 4.5V brick on the back of your Tikka, good for multi day routes in the Arctic winter. [Wink]

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Black Diamond make a even smaller headlamp now called the Ion. Saw a guy on rainier with it on. One ounce. With two LED bulbs, kinda looks like a little demon on your forehead. Bad thing (maybe not) is that it runs on a 6 volt small round battery. How easy is it to find these? Supposed to run for 14 hours on this battery.

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quote:

Originally posted by genepires:

Black Diamond make a even smaller headlamp now called the Ion. Saw a guy on rainier with it on. One ounce. With two LED bulbs, kinda looks like a little demon on your forehead. Bad thing (maybe not) is that it runs on a 6 volt small round battery. How easy is it to find these? Supposed to run for 14 hours on this battery.

Let's see, you're not sure how hard it is to find these batteries? Doesn't that tell you something??? [Roll Eyes]

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BD - Moonlight

 

I have used this headlamp for a few months and like it alot. Very comfortable, lightweight, long lasting battery, no maintenence problems as of yet, simple, directional aiming of the beam (unlike Tikka), etc.

 

It has four LEDs so you seem to get a bit more light than the Tikka. I have used the Tikka and also like it.

 

I have never used the P-Tec but would bve concerned with maintanence.

 

Let us know what you go with and why.

 

Good luck... [big Drink]

 

[ 09-30-2002, 09:49 AM: Message edited by: Rodchester ]

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Here is a family poll:

Wife= tikka

Daughter= tikka

son= tikka

family friend= tikka

another family friend= tikka

sisu= BD moonlight(reason to go agains the flow in the family...I think it is a more versatile head lamp than the tikka)

Do I get shit? constantly [Wazzup]

 

[ 09-30-2002, 10:43 AM: Message edited by: sisu suomi ]

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quote:

Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman:

I have both of em. When I think I am going to actually climb in the dark then I ditch the Tikka.

Funny you should say that. Most of my friends who carry the Tikka's bristle when I suggest they are not bright enough. But then they follow me because they can't see where to go when we're on some approach hike or ski trail in the dark. In my view, the Tikka is good around camp, it is sufficient for following a trail, and it is light enough that people bring it along when they don't expet to be out in the dark. But if you have to find a route through the bush or navigate anything but the most straight-forward terrain, it is not bright enough.

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quote:

Originally posted by Fence Sitter:

i agree as well i think it has todo with the fact that although it is bright, it just seems to not have any range...sometimes it just doens't even seem to get all the way to my feet....
[Confused]

I've noticed that too. I was in a cave the other day and I couldn't see 3 feet in front of me, [Wazzup] with that?

 

I agree that the tikka isn't super bright. Like I said before, "If you need halogen, get halogen." I just think it is the best of the little lights.

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quote:

Originally posted by dbconlin:

Does anyone have firsthand experience with the BD lamp that has a LED bulb and a halogen. I think it won the Backpacker magazine editors choice award. My friend owns it and hates it. Any opinions?

I also lost my Tika, kind of a funny thing...it droped down into a deep crack in a boulder while I was pulling out a cliff bar.

 

Anyway, I got one of the new BD ones(gemini). I forget the name, but it is the cheaper one with two bulbs. So far I like it. It's just a bit smaller and lighter than a Zoom, but way lighter than the Petzl Duo.

 

We also got one of those tiny BD two led bulb deals (Ion) up in Canada. Works good for on the trail, just as good as a Tikka and about half the weight and size.

 

The only thing I don't like about my BD Gemeni lamp is that you have to push the button twice to get to the halogen bulb. No big deal really...

 

[ 10-01-2002, 09:41 PM: Message edited by: Lambone ]

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quote:

Originally posted by dbconlin:

Does anyone have firsthand experience with the BD lamp that has a LED bulb and a halogen. I think it won the Backpacker magazine editors choice award. My friend owns it and hates it. Any opinions?

I have one and like it. The single LED seems brighter than some friends Tikkas. Halogen works great for route finding/bush wacking in the dark too. It's nice to just have one headlamp that does everthing.

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Maybe I'll check out the moonlight. My personal favorite remains the old Easter Seals headlamp that was branded as MSR and Black Diamond and maybe a couple of other companies -- the red plastic thing with the rubber headband and the $20.00 batteries. The switch sucked -- turning on in your pack and draining the batteries when you weren't using it and failing to make the connection when you realy needed it -- but the beam was bright and it was the lightest headlamp of its day. Although the batteries were expensive and were toxic waste, I thought they were worth the cost because they performed at full strength, no matter how cold it was, until they ran out. And I'm sure that mine never ended up in any improper landfill site.

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Matt,

 

It sounds like you want something brighter than the LED lamp such as the Moonlight or Tikka (about the same in my opinion). If so I'd go with the new BD Gemeni for the price. The LED bulb saves your batteries, and the Halogen Bulb kicks out the ultra beam when you need it. A bit heavier...but well still better than any Petzl with a halogen bulb.

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Thanks. I have a general mistrust of BD products (though I sure like those Camelots) but again --maybe I'll check it out. I have a collection of those Easter seals headlamps (they used to sell for $13.00 and lots of people dumped them for cheap because the switch was so poor), but even still I am kind of tired of never knowing if my damn headlamp will even turn on or not when I really need it. But when I want light, I want LIGHT. For some trips, I used to carry a 6 volt battery like the size we used to run electric trains when we were kids and that thing supported a beam almost as bright as Larry the Tool's searchlight. That thing was the ticket!

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