MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Father has asked for a head torch for christmas.
It will be used (i'd imagine) for a mixture of looking into tight spaces on his boat/ house, walking to the pub through the woods at night and potentially some moored night time activities on the boat. Unlikely to be night sailing so just having a look at mooring lines etc.
A rechargeable one would be good, as he can keep it on the boat and plug it in when required. Splashproof would be a bonus. Red light also a bonus.
Pretzl seem to be the boys for this sort of thing, but only a couple of their higher end ones are rechargeable and come with light sensing technology, which im a little dubious of.
The Exposure RAW is perfect, but at £119 its a bit out of budget.
Any ideas?
Cheers!
I have a couple of Petzl E+lites.
They aren't rechargeable, but they are pretty small and bright.
£14 in blacks at the moment.
Pretzl
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From my experience I would avoid LEDlenser. They just seem a bit heavy on the gimmicks and light on the reliability and performance.
Petzl's always struck me as solid, no-nonsense kit but that's only going by what people I know have said.
Check out the candle power forums. A scary place but they have some good info and reviews.
I use this all the time. Ticks all your boxes. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00FYVF62C
I have a petzl acktic, it is phenomenal. Cost me 35 nicker from facewest. It is normal battery but they do a rechargeable one called aktic core.
Cannot believe how bright it is, and adjustable for low light sitches. Red too is very useful
Been happy with Alpkit lights, see here www.alpkit.com/lighting
Oh I will add that rechargeable makes less sense in use than in theory. I'd rather have some AAA's in my pocket than be left without light.
I had a Clulite rechargeable head torch with three LEDs as a power meter. The green one stayed on for 15 minutes. The amber one stayed on until you had about a minute left, so once you saw the red one you were stuffed.
I use this all the time
I'm a huge fan of LED Lenser. Customer service is second to none also.
From my experience I would avoid LEDlenser. They just seem a bit heavy on the gimmicks and light on the reliability and performance.
Opposite here, only use mine for sea fishing at night. I get 2 sessions from a charge & often hear the words, 'PUT THAT BLOODY LIGHT OUT'!
Dunno what gimmicks you mean, mines got variable power saving settings & It's rechargeable.
I'm a huge fan of LED Lenser. Customer service is second to none also.
Agree, used a few of their products and they've all be well designed and lasted in some pretty tough environments.
I've got a non rechargable version of the one mudhead84 linked to.
No issues in 5 years or so. Used on many trips (camping, climbing, mountaineering etc).
Petzl are also good (had one with a dodgy switch once but had others that were ace).
Alpit get good reviews from friends who have them.
Wouldn't bother with rechargable, as above just have a spare set of batteries to hand.
Si
Decathlon do a great selection. Bought one for running. £20 can’t fault it
Wouldn't bother with rechargable, as above just have a spare set of batteries to hand.
Or be dead clever & have a rechargeable that takes batteries, like mine!
I've got one of these. Can't fault it. Rechargable battery pack but you can also swap for normal batteries. This replaces an older Petzl headtorch I had for many years and was faultless. I gave it away to someone starting out and building up their hillwalking kit hence the replacement.
https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/ACTIVE-headlamps/ACTIK-CORE
Petzyl have a system where you can buy a little USB rechargeable battery that fits into the same space as 3xaaa in their lights
Win-win really as I would always carry spares as well
Think is works with a lot of their headtorches now. Called hybrid system or the such like
Edit:beaten to it by Rene but the hybrid core works with several different headtorches
Alpkit do torches that perform way above their price. Seem to survive my clumsy ownership very well.
I've got a slightly older version of the [url= https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en/headlamps-and-lanterns/revolt-BD620631DENMALL1.html ]Black Diamond ReVolt[/url]. Has spot or flood options, with a dimmer (essentially infinite power levels between min and max) for white light, plus a simple red light option. USB chargeable with the three rechargeable AAAs it comes with, so can be swapped with other AAAs if you need a backup etc.
I think my model is only 110 lumens, which is just about enough for me (pottering about at night in the non-street-lit, low light pollution garden, camping etc.) but the current one is billed as 300 lumens so should be pretty good.
I've had a number of headtorches including Petzl and Alpkit. The Alpkit packed up after a year but customer service was good.
This Maplin one has lasted me the longest and have found the most useful features and runtime. I use rechargeable batteries or take a few fresh sets camping. Lasts ages on low power. It has a red light option and you can fine-tune the width of the beam (spot to flood). The power goes from high to low in smooth increments so you can adjust exactly how bright you want it. 80 (claimed) hrs on low. Seems about right because I hardly ever seem to need to change the batteries. Low is useful for reading and most close duties. Motion sensor is just the icing on the cake if operating with wet hands or gloves etc.
Would buy again, this one is still going after 5 years of heavy use. Can't comment on how splashproof it is but never had a problem in light rain and it is specced as 'water resistant'. It has 'SOS' mode also.
https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/sensor-head-torch-a78kf
I bought a headtorch identical to the £20 from Alpkit for £1.52 from eBay, delivered from China.
Surprisingly good for Double Cheeseburger level outlay.
Aldi are doing a Cree headtorch for £8 at the moment, just got one for my dad for Xmas.
In really like my alpkit qark. Usb recharge, red rear light, very very bright on high, multiple brightness settings including just running the two very low power little LEDs - surprisingly useful for 'just a bit of light' - like a baby night light....
Nitecore hc30.
Light weight, nice beam, 1000 real lumens and £35 from eBay.
Or you could buy a shitty lump of plastic from alpkit.
My collection now extends to 6 head torches
The Petzl E+lite is excellent as a back up or basic use torch. My 'main' headtorch is a Black Diamond ReVolt 130. As per above, it's a great blend of AAAs or USB rechargeable
Most of the time I use an E+lite as I'm bikepacking with an exposure helmet light already, so it's just for use around camp
Contact Mark at [url= https://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk ]mtb batteries[/url] and see if there's something they can do. Thesy might be able to make something bespoke which would be nice and MTB would always be able to fix it.
If your budget is £120 I would look at the Petzl Nao.
Amazing bit of kit ! Yes the light sensing tech is amazing and works really well
However it may be too good for messing around on a boat ie I use it for night running in the middle of open moors etc
i also love the Nao, but overkill for what you describe.
The Actik Core sounds exactly what you're after. 300lumens, rechargeable, quality build. and all for about £35 ish
I'd even use it for light running work when the Nao is just way too much.
another vote for lenser, not cheap but well made and reliable
I can't really see past (excuse the pun) an Exposure Joytsick.
£99 for a MK12 on CRC. 1000 lumens on full power and it's last overnight on low power.
I've got a MK2 (only 240 lumens) that's still good for night orienteering / running etc. Just by the optional headband.
It has the advantage of being a great torch to have in your pocket, mount on your bike helmet or it's even good enough to ride with on your bars...
Been happy with Alpkit lights, see here http://www.alpkit.com/lighting
Yep, same here, got about half a dozen now.
Nicely made and work well.
Thanks all, I shall have a look through all the options listed, seems like some good ones available for £40 - 60 which is ideal.
I'm a heavy headtorch user not least because I must be three miles from the nearest street lamp - have a look at the Black Diamond Icon.
Any headtorch can have rechargeable batteries if you, erm, put rechargeable batteries in it.
We get these [url= http://www.uktoolcentre.co.uk/products/led-lenser-h7r2-head-torch-in-test-it-pack.html?SID=776674&gclid=CjwKCAiAr_TQBRB5EiwAC_QCq7qG0fJS4xkHb2FRrxsHRH7G17nERu3zmYXwRwDBr0ADRqBYt7I0OBoCz44QAvD_BwE ]LED Lenser[/url] issued at work and they're brilliant, stand up to all sorts of conditions and are really bright on the top setting.
That's the one I've got Steve.
Yep, same here, got about half a dozen now.
Daft Q but why do you need 6 headtorches?
Says me with 15 fishing rods.
Daft Q but why do you need 6 headtorches?
convenience.
I have two in my rucksack (saves carrying spare batteries), wife has the same in hers. Then one in the workshop with my electrical tool kit, one in the understairs cupboard in case we have a power cut.
Daft Q but why do you need 6 headtorches?
best place to store spare batteries for your headtorch is in another headtorch.
Plus Alpkit ones are pretty cheap (I normally buy in their sales), so you can get one for about £12.
I have two in my rucksack (saves carrying spare batteries)
Wait... what?
I have the [url= https://www.alpkit.com/products/prism-630 ]Alpkit Prism 630[/url]. Very powerful, rechargable, cost me about £30 I think. It's a bit front heavy (i.e. no rear battery pack, it's all on the front) but so long as you're not using it for running you get used to it. The beam is quite focussed rather than spread out. I'd struggle to justify spending any more unless you need something significantly more powerful or perhaps want a wider beam.
From my experience I would avoid LEDlenser. They just seem a bit heavy on the gimmicks and light on the reliability and performance.
From my experience I would say the opposite. I am am a bit of a head torch geek and have gone through dozens over the years. Haven't had reason to buy a new torch since getting an LEDLenser (other than to buy a second one as I like to have one fully charged in the rucksack ready to go, other one used daily for dog walking etc.)
Wouldn't bother with rechargable, as above just have a spare set of batteries to hand.
Things have moved on since the 80's
Good question re 6 headtorches. I have duplicates of many things, it's just how I roll. I have c. 20 backpacks, 4 North Face base camp duffels etc etc. I am a kit junky
Anyway, 6 headtorches are:
Old one that still works, not very powerful, used by the kids mainly
New one that's my main headtorch
Original Petzl E+lite (Mk1), left in the car for emergencies (also have a load of other useful bits in the car)
2 Petzl E+lite zips (Mk2) - one in my commuting bag, one with my bivvy kit
1 Petzl E+lite zip (Mk3) - in my MTB bag or taken on walking/hill trips
The Petzl e+lite is so small and handy I often take them on holiday and other places. Will often have a normal torch too but hands free light is useful, and it's a small weight/size penalty
We get these LED Lenser issued at work and they're brilliant, stand up to all sorts of conditions and are really bright on the top setting.
That is what I use and that link is selling them at £47. That is a cracking price.
Word of warning on LEDLenser, there are a lot of fakes around on eBay and Amazon. Definitely buyer beware territory.
Amazon have got olights 400lm recharchable running headtorch currently for £35 and there excellent hr1 nova headtorch for £28 non rechargeable and £41 rechargeable.
They may not stay at these prices for long.
I have two in my rucksack (saves carrying spare batteries)Wait... what?
The main weight of a headtorch is the batteries, so rather than faff trying to change three AAAs in the dark, just carry two head torches. I got the idea from a random UIAGM guide video on Youtube...
Not a fan of alpkit, pretty basic optics so a poor beam shape. They break too e.g. the gamma has a known design flaw where the battery case clip breaks but they keep on selling them (and remove the bad reviews on their website) - sure you can complain and they'll ship you a new part, but why not design something properly in the first place. Petzl or Silva offerings are far better though pricier.
They break too e.g. the gamma has a known design flaw where the battery case clip breaks but they keep on selling them (and remove the bad reviews on their website) - sure you can complain and they'll ship you a new part, but why not design something properly in the first place.
Pretty sure they don't make that model any more. They said at the time, it was too expensive to do a new injection mould (for the price they sold them at), and just warrantied it with replacements. Not that my original Gamma has ever broken.
Got my Mrs one of these which is very good apparently! Found it in Amazon, but then went into go toy doors the matched the price and then beat it by 10% so a big saving.
petzl headlamp reactik + [url= https://m.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/PERFORMANCE-headlamps/REACTIK-PLUS ]CLICK [/url]