Go to Headlamp??
Equipment
May purchase a new headlamp soon. What's ur favorites??
I started a post on this a few weeks ago and a lot of folks really liked the Zebra and the Fenix . I have not purchased one yet and one reason I’m not sure which model to choose, I know you need a little flood for close up work but how much I don’t know. I wish I could help but I will follow the post for more info.Good luck Lewis
Zebra light, one AA battery, nuff said !
Petzl makes great affordable unit. Get a spare.
I have an Aennon my wife bought on Amazon. It is rechargeable. It is plenty bright and holds a charge long enough to get me in and out of the woods safely in a long weekend hunt. It is quite bright. She never would have given it up if she had read the directions.
fenix
it's unbelievable how much spot light it can put off...
Ned, $13 for 2 pack. They are rechargeable. Used it all year and it’s exceeded my expectations. I don’t know how they stack up with the fancy headlamps but when I lose it I basically don’t give a Sh$t. Plenty bright and holds a charge for about a week using them an hour or two a day?
They are essential in cornfields.
I'm with Pat. Mine disappear too often so I use cheap ones.
For cheap ones I’ve been pretty impressed with this one from Amazon. About $35 for 2.
But as I stated above Zebra is really good and reliable. I just can’t get myself to do the rechargeable thing on backcountry hunts.
—Jim
Ive been using a Petzl Actik for several years. Very pleased with it.
Princeton tec and coastal.
In wet climates like western Oregon I really liked the black diamond storm. Was water proof and provides great light. Is still my go to lamp. A little heavy but very nice lamp
Fenix high-end rechargeable models with a spare battery, I love BRIGHT. Also Petzl Nao I originally got for running, but it's awesome for hunting too. It has reactive brightness adjustment, so if you're butchering and working close it's one level, but if you glance up to see what that noise is farther off in the night woods it gets brighter.
You can do well with the Energizer brand headlights available at Walmart and Home Depot
My favorite is the Zebra light. I just ordered a new one because somehow I lost my last one when I moved.
I've had the cheapos that take 3 AAAs. I've got an expensive Surefire that takes the Lithium 123s. My favorite is still the Zebra light that takes an AA battery. I can use regular batteries at home, and take the Lithium AA for backcountry trips. And then the AA battery will also work for other things I might take as well, like my GPS.
I have fenix which is great but you can’t beat the Lux cheapos from Lowes!
I have fenix which is great but you can’t beat the Lux cheapos from Lowes!
A lot depends on the details. I've used a Petzel for years, but I've found that if they are dropped on a hard surface they don't work anymore. Pretty pricey at $45 for that low level of durability. I have a Black diamond for size a portability that I use to and from stand and some limited nighttime blood trails. For maximum light, I have a Coast brand that is brighter than anything else I've seen. It used (4) AA batteries which are pretty heavy, but it comes with both a band and over the top head strap that helps with the weight. When you need that kind of bright light it's the brightest headlamp I've seen.
Energizer headlamp from Home Depot or Walmart. And you can pick the lumens you want. Never had an issue with them.
Currently using a full-size Petzl. Formerly used a Black Diamond but it had a habit of turning on in my pack so the batteries were dead when I needed it. Always carry a spare just in case, even if only to use to change batteries in your main light. Or lend to a friend. Petzl makes a couple of tiny ones.
I use the lux pro 300 pictured above. Love it. Real bright for a 300 light. I picked up a bunch of em because the flat out work and last. I have 5-6 on my bench downstairs as backups for when this one dies. Also got my kids and father and brother one for their bags
X 3 on the energizers found at Walmart. Work great, provide plenty of light, and no big deal if you lose or break one. I keep 3 on my boat as well for night fishing.
have you guys that used the less expensive ones, used the higher end brands?
i agree the energizers are "o.k." and i have a few of them laying around. but there is nothing that i have found like the fenix, it's like the sun....
Pyrannah, I have used both and there’s not a huge advantage but I would trust the more expensive models especially for remote adventures.
I have an older Fenix and it far outshines the cheapo's I have even though they do the job. The Fenix's batteries also last most of the season. They also have a mechanism that prevents them from turning on in your pack and draining the battery.
I must have bought 5 or 6 of those cheap Energizer headlamps over the years looking for one that was bright enough. And when I finally found one it went thru batteries like crazy! : (
That’s when I discovered the COAST 530 Lumin RECHARGABLE headlamp. Best headlamp made in my opinion! Has 3 power modes AND has a focused beam you can adjust from full FLOOD to full SPOTlight and anything in between. Also has a lower power red beam for sneaking into stand in the morning.
I figure it paid for itself($50) in one year just on battery savings alone. And the quality is far superior to the cheap headlamps! Much better elastic headband- the cheap energizers would stretch out after a year or 2.
I now have 2 of these COAST headlamps- 1 I keep in my vehicle and one in my hunting Fanny Pack or backpack. Another great feature is you can recharge from a power bank! I’ll probably pick up another one to have as backup or in case they discontinue this model.
I've had several expensive ones. They are great but when you use them all year working, camping, fishing, later season waterfowl, etc. They disappear. I've tried saving one in my pack but always end up digging it out to for other stuff. I also hunt with my teenage son who loses one a year.
Pyrannah I love fenix and have several of their lights as well as their headlamp. The lux pro in picture is unbeatable for the price. Fwiw
https://www.armytek.com/flashlights/models/elf/armytek-elf-c1-micro-usb/ From deer season through duck season,this light can't be beat for weight,beam throw,dispersion,brightness,battery life (rechargeable)and versatility (comes with detachable headband and a clip to be used on ball cap (favorite)
I use the Eveready's. Good quality, affordable and light. I'll buy a new 1 every other year and have 2 in my pack at all times.
Speaking of losing headlamps - one thing that works for me is having a dedicated place in my pack where I put my headlamp. When I take the headlamp off, it always goes right back there. I have a medium Kifaru pull-out that contains all my kill. first aid, and survival stuff. The headlamps goes just under the zipper pull in the closed position so it is the first thing available when the zipper is opened. The pull-out always goes in the lid so I have to do the least amount of diffing to access it.
It takes a but of discipline to make sure the HL is always where it is supposed to be (*in the pull-put or on your head), but given how important light can be for safety it is worth the few extra seconds it takes.
I also put one of the tiny Petzls in a pocket on my bino harness after having to back out from a herd of deer in the dark a couple of years ago. It was dodgy working through rock piles under tree cover.
I have and like a small Fenix headlamp, but have had that brand flashlight fail on me. If I might be out after dark I carry two lights. One of them might be 'cheap' but any back-up is better than none.
