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Headlamp: Suitable for vehicle repair, as well as hiking, camping, canoes

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by cyberpriusII, Jul 10, 2017.

  1. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

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    Long ago, my father gave me an old U.S. Forest Service headlamp that he used when he was a Forest Service firefighter decades ago.I think it was supposed to stay with the Forest Service, but, Oh, well.

    It looks pretty much like this one below. The battery case attaches to the belt at the waistline of fire pants and a wire leads from pants/case up to the hardhat on the head. Pretty nifty for the 1970s, I guess.

    [​IMG]

    Problem is...

    My more modern PrincetonTec has died and I need a new light. When I bought the Princeton light, about 10 years ago, I used it for backcountry hiking, running, biking. In later years, it was pressed into service to repair cars, etc.

    Anyone use one that they like? While cash is always a consideration, I will do what I can to purchase a quality headlamp. Been looking at Streamlight and Black Diamond at the moment, with nods to PrincetonTec and Petzl, although I think Petzl are pretty overpriced.

    Water resistant is a must. Durable and at least 250 lumens. Thinking, actually a lot more than 250 would be nice.
    Kris
     
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I've been happy for several years with a Petzl ... I no longer remember exactly why I chose it over those other competitors (all those names are familiar, I'm sure I was checking them out), but I'm ordinarily a bit of a skinflint, so if it was priced higher there must have been some reason I thought it was worth it.

    Of course the tech has probably changed so much since I bought mine that all the comparisons could be different now.

    -Chap
     
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  3. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Would suggest REI source, but you'd pay a lot for 250 lumens there. How about ?



    If you want brighter, look at those with LiIon 18650 rechargeable

    Amazon.com: headlight 18650

    ...they all look pretty weird to me
     
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  4. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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  5. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

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    Sorry, have not been able to get back on this site, with all the outages.

    I have decided to go the heavy-duty route. I have a cheap Energizer light that I think I either posted on here awhile back or someone else did, but it serves pretty well for some of my needs.

    The light below is a clone of my current light -- heavy, bulky, but super waterproof and 350 lumens. Plus it uses AA, which I have a lot of (Duracell ProCell).

    Princeton Tec Apex Industrial Headlamp - 5 x LEDs - 350 Lumens - Class I Div 2 - Includes 4 x AAs - Black or Orange

    The real deciding factor is that I can get it basically for free, thanks to some internet mumbo jumbo. And, no I cannot reveal the secret.

    Thanks to all for the responses.
    Kris
     
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  6. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Free is good.

    Four of those AA cells mentioned have a similar amount of 'juice' as a current, good 18650 rechargeable LiIon. Which I didn't know until working it out.
     
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  7. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Free is good.

    Four of those AA cells mentioned have a similar amount of 'juice' as a current, good 18650 rechargeable LiIon. Which I didn't know until working it out.
     
  8. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Holy Carp....
    That's one expensive lamp (for us mere mortals who don't know the secret handshake.)

    I was going to climb onto this thread in search of an led light set for a bicycle that I just bought......but it's only a $500 bike and these lamps are a little too rich for my blood.
    No.
    I'm not ABOUT to buy anything made out of Lycra!!!!
    I just got the bike for aux transportation, and a desire to get in a little exercise.

    Entertaining the neighborhood will be just be a beneficial side effect.
     
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  9. milkman44

    milkman44 Active Member

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    I had one a grade below this one, broke the battery case and Lenser replaced it free with this H7R2. They are in Oregon and same warranty as Leatherman tools. I use mine a lot.

     
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  10. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Pics or it didn't happen! :D
    You are going to model it for us, right?
     
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  11. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

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    Guess it did not happen. I don't have a smart phone and I lost my camera in a snow storm a few years ago!

    Actually have not received the lamp yet. It was supposed to have shipped and been here today, but as far as I can tell, it is taking a weekend in Reno.

    Kris, who actually LOVES not poking at a phone all day.
     
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  12. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Please at least post a review of your experiences.
     
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  13. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    At those sort of prices I expect you'd have paid at least 3X the cost price and they could afford to replace it at no cost to you. Thereafter, their good reputation is their cheapest advert.
     
  14. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    You can get bar mounts for smaller 18650-powered flashlights, and then you'll have a decent flashlight too.

    As someone who does the lycra-and-pointy-helmet thing, let me try and convince you that a nice evaporative jersey is so much nicer to wear than a cotton t-shirt when it's not cold. If you're not comfortable with the shorts, you can always do mountain bike ones since they look more normal but retain the chamois.
     
  15. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Great recommendations, especially on the evap duds.
    Anybody with a three digit IQ knows that cotton will kill you in a heat stress environment!
    However (comma!) most of my riding will be in tactical cargo shorts until I get the bike (Raleigh Cadent 2) kitted out for commuting and knocking down the occasional weekend country road excursion.
    At the risk of swerving back on topic Aux lighting will definitely be one of the recharge wonders on Amazon, but it's going to be more in the $20-30 range rather than one of the Blasto-900s out there. I still have to get another helmet....tire kit...speedometer/odometer...and a few special tools--for example both of my motorcycles are belt driven - so I guess a chain washer is in my future as well.
     
  16. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

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    Sorry

    Work has had me pretty much seven days a week, including July 4.

    Add on the forum outages and I have not had much of a chance to respond.

    Sort of unsure of some comments. The retail price of the lamp I choose is not all that expensive for top-line lights.

    Of course, I would have opted for cheaper, except I was able to score it for 3.xx USD,

    Had something to do with repeating the word Danny at midnight three times at a crossroads near Hannibal, Mo.

    Anyway, the places I go, I need a rock-solid light. It is life/death sort of thing.

    I carry a cheapo Energizer brand as a backup, but the main light needs to be solid. If I were just hiking, I could get by with something a bit cheaper, probably, but the canoe bit makes me more worried/excited.

    Again, for $3.xx, I am happy. If it ever gets here.

    I just got a notice from the shipper that they cannot find my address. Of course, my address is pretty much a backroad, upon a backroad, upon a backroad in the Oregon Coast Range. But the actual shipping address I used is City Hall in a nearby town, where a friend works.

    If they cannot find City Hall in a town of 4,000....well. It must be USPS>
    KRIS -- who is getting too old for this stuff.
     
    #16 cyberpriusII, Jul 24, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2017
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  17. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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  18. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    I have this one, works well for $24: Aliexpress.com : Buy Clear Convoy C8 with XPL HI LED,copper DTP board and ar coated inside,new firmware. from Reliable convoy c8 suppliers on Convoy flashlight Store

    Some of the 18650s drain pretty quickly on the higher settings and I wouldn't trust them to last longer than an hour. Could be an issue if it leaves you light-less on a ride one day (I have a low-power clip on for a backup). Not sure about the condition of your bike, but a portable multitool like a Topeak Alien would probably suit you if you're going to go touring (maybe a bit much for my short interval training rides though). I'm also a big fan of the pointy helmets because they flow so much air onto your head - a lot of them are kind of pricey though.
     
  19. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Thanks for the advice.
    Always appreciated.

    I have a pointy helmet that I'm going to have to replace soon because It's already been down once (long story but I inherited it and a bike when I was in GTMO for a year) but I'm going to hold that in abeyance for the time being.
    My temp light is a

    I'm going to use it temporarily while I see if me and the bike are going to get along.
    No.
    I do not think that it's the 'best light on the 'Zon' but the fact that it's AAA powered for me will be a plus, since I can stuff it into the tool bag as a backup.....


    Mirrors finish out my initial kitting out:


    I'll get a rigid mount as soon as I see whether or not I'm going to stick with the flat bar and whether or not I have to modify the grips, etc.
    For right now, a 'strap-on' is good enough.....

    I was going to pull the trigger on a 'puter that was very highly rated by the bike sites (can't remember the brand) and not very much $$ BUT.....they had a 1 month lead time if I didn't pay half the value of the unit for shipping so I told them to pound sand.

    So.....
    Helmet...
    Lights...
    Tool/Tyre kit....
    Mirrors....

    Film at 11.
    (sorry for the hijack Kris....)
     
  20. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    in GTMO for a year@19. Much depends on what "in" means here.
     
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