Headtorches for running.

Last few years I have used an Alpkit, which while not super bright has been ok enough to stop me breaking my ankle on any hidden tree roots while running in the woods. Thing is I see a lot of cheap as chips headtorches with 5w LEDs for about a tenner, and wondered if anyone had any experience running with them?

…and if so what is the weight/fit like?

Cheers

do you do night riding on a bike?

Personally I’d get somethign like an Exposure Joystick or Lupine Piko plus headband. Light and Motion are advertising stuff with headbands now too.

im in the same position, i think im going to order the 5w from ebay. if its crap ive only wasted 7 quid.

I was in the same conundrum until last winter. I bought one of the DX Magicshine bike lights.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ha-iii-ssc-p7-c-sxo-3-mode-900-lumen-led-bike-light-set-25149

One of the kits comes as standard with a running headband. You will also need to buy the 1m extension cable (£3) to run the battery into a back pocket.

I used to run with battery in the backpocket of my cycling top without too much ‘jiggling’ for want of a better term !

It’s an awesome light on low for running and is actually way too bright for most activities. Running over Lakes fells at night was just too easy last winter.

If you want to do serious running, I’d go for this. It’s very lightweight on the head too.

Don’t go for that DX light its old technology now and expensive. They do brighter cheaper ones. Bit OTT for running too IMO

I might look at the eBay headtorch as finding my Alpkit only just bright enough.

at about £35 might be way over budget but i use a
Led Lenser H7 well made and light with battery pack at back so no bob
tech details on amazon

As I like my Alpkit so much I emailed them to see if there was any updates on the horizon. As an Alpkit with a 5w in it for about £20 would be awesome.

Anyway, got this reply…..I think the guy is a bit mixed up between mm and watts.

Hey Jamie,

The Gamma has had an update in the last few years to increase the main bulbs strength from 59 – around 89 lumens, the three small LED’s above the main bulb are all 5W LED’s.

Hope this helps, to get more info go to – http://www.alpkit.com/gamma

Cheers

Jay

😀

I use a fennix HP10, which is nice and bright at ~200 lumens, but I think outside your price band.

A magic one?

i use a Led Lenser H7 well made and light

Funnily enough, I went running in a new H7 the other day. The light is awesome, just perfect with all the adjustable settings, but I found that the hinge wasn’t firm enough to hold the lamp in place. Every few minutes I’d to reposition the beam as it moved due to vibration from my footfalls. Does yours not do this?

the three small LED’s above the main bulb are all 5W LED’s.

The main LED is 1W and the three supporting LEDs are all 5W? I think perhaps Jay is mistaken. 5mW maybe. Or, as per the web page there, 5mm.

A magic one?

That took me a moment. Sweet.

I use a petzl Tikka, mainly because it’s the one that I use in just about every situation anyway, but the new E-Light thing that Petzl make looks to be smaller and lighter than it, so when this one breaks, I might give it a try.

Depends on how much light you’re after! I run (at night) with my Joystick in a USE manufactured specific headband. It’s all the light you could ever need, small and reasonably comfortable. I’ve tried the little LED lights but found them wanting when I was orienteering and needed to see a little further to find checkpoints.

Depends on how much light you’re after!

1.5/2x the Alpkit would be perfect. Getting something that fits tight and doesn’t bobble is vert important though.

A magic one?

Instant nostalgia!

Cougar – Member

Funnily enough, I went running in a new H7 the other day. The light is awesome, just perfect with all the adjustable settings, but I found that the hinge wasn’t firm enough to hold the lamp in place. Every few minutes I’d to reposition the beam as it moved due to vibration from my footfalls. Does yours not do this?

whoops some bum advice there good point I’d forgotten that – what i’ve done is put a small zip tie behind the light fold out and over the cable that runs into the light and round the back of the bracket – stops light dropping to an unacceptable angle but you lose some of the adjustment range – a bit of a bodge but works for me as i’d forgetten done it

probably not a good light to suggest – sorry

http://www.hopetech.com/page.aspx?itemID=SPG65

Thing is I see a lot of cheap as chips headtorches with 5w LEDs for about a tenner, and wondered if anyone had any experience running with them?

i’ve got one of those, and an alpkit gamma which is my regular night walking/camping/running choice. fancied the ebay one for night running off road where the alpkit one struggles a with providing enough light/spread. the ebay one a lot brighter and can be focussed with the bezel to give you spot/flood etc. it’s not as well made and appears a bit rough and ready too. the LED unit doesn’t have a very secure/lockable hinge and looks like it will flop about when you’re running. i was going to use zip ties/tape/other bodge materials to hold it in place securely before i take it out with me (not dark enough when i go out running at the moment so having used it properly yet). also the plastic is not very well finished on the back of the head unit – i was going to make a padded cover so i don’t end up with a rectangle engraved on my forehead… 😯 tbh may be more hassle than what its worth for some people, but i think i’ll get use out of it

Sold my Hope Vision Adventure as it was a bit too ‘spotty’ and not ‘floody’ enough.

As I like my Alpkit so much I emailed them to see if there was any updates on the horizon. As an Alpkit with a 5w in it for about £20 would be awesome.

I had to buy a new one recently as my children broke it, and the new ‘big’ LED is noticeably brighter, more than good enough for running (at my speed anyway). Still only £12.50 too.

I’d go for a MagicShine headstrap if I used it often enough though, just for the rechargeable element. Some of those EBay 5w look internesting though.

As I like my Alpkit so much I emailed them to see if there was any updates on the horizon. As an Alpkit with a 5w in it for about £20 would be awesome.

Anyway, got this reply…..I think the guy is a bit mixed up between mm and watts.

Hey Jamie,

The Gamma has had an update in the last few years to increase the main bulbs strength from 59 – around 89 lumens, the three small LED’s above the main bulb are all 5W LED’s.

Hope this helps, to get more info go to – http://www.alpkit.com/gamma

Cheers

Jay

Erm, is that right, the 3 LED’s are 5mm @ 1.8 Lumens each, thats not 5W or am i missing something ?

I use a petzl myo xp for running throughout the winter, plenty bright enough and not heavy, I know a few people who have the fennix and its bloody bright.

I had to buy a new one recently as my children broke it, and the new ‘big’ LED is noticeably brighter, more than good enough for running (at my speed anyway). Still only £12.50 too.

Now here is the thing, I bought my Alpkit about 2 years ago, and as they have no markings on them, mk1 or 2 etc, I do not know if it is the older or newer ones.

No idea either, and they look no different at all as far as I can see :-/

I’m not terribly observant though.

Well, just spoke to the guy at Alpkit, and he said if bought more than 6 months ago it will be the older 59 lumen version. Since then it should be 89 lumens.

…but then this was the guy who said the 3 small LEDs were 5w.

If they are better though, I reckon I will take a punt for a bit more light, proven build quality and support a UK company.

@Brassneck

When did you order yours? Within last 6 months?

Sorry to ressurect an old thread, but the answer is within the last 3 months, so I’d be happy it’s the 89 lumen version. I have a variety of bike lights from 5w 6v to 1200 lumen LED stadium fillers, so as a rough guess around 100 would seem about right.

why not just run on lit pavements?

I use one of these, only $19 posted!

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/flood-to-throw-cree-q3-wc-convex-lens-led-headlamp-with-brightness-control-3-aaa-44500

why not just run on lit pavements?

There aren’t any where I live.

A magic one?

It was worth dragging up the thread for that. 2 weeks to get it, but it sunk in eventually.

I use one of these, only $19 posted!

Wow, that’s a bit cheeky. This is mine, spot the difference,

(… other than, mine cost four times what yours did…)