[at-l] Headlamps

[Carla & Dave Hicks]

This is another YMMV question.  IMHO, with lights, as with many things, there 
are tradeoffs.  What is important to you might be unimportant to others.

Do you plan to hike at night, or are you looking for a light to use in/around 
the tent/shelter?  A number of good headlamps are not "spot lights."  They are 
great close in.  However, using them to look for a blaze, a treadway, etc at 
some distance can be very tricky w/o a light that focuses at some distance. 
[BTW -- that can include finding the privy, or the way back to the shelter.]

Are you planning to use them a few minutes a night, or for extended hiking, 
reading, etc.?  Sometime this is a factor of when you plan to use them -- lots 
less daylight this time of year requires more use/battery life, than mid 
summer.  In mid summer light weight might trump long battery life, OTOH in 
mid winter battery life might win over increased weight.

How important is waterproof to you?

How important is ease of field maintance?  With some of them, replacing a 
bulb, or battery, can be a bear.  BTW -- I carry a proton type light if for no 
other reason than to have light to fix my headlamp.

If you are using it for real cold weather outings, you might want the extra 
weight of AAs and/or a battery pack/wire rig that allow the battery to be worn 
under your hat or inside your coat -- as cold really reduces power.

Suggest you consider how you plan to use it and what is important to you.

Chainsaw

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary Ticknor" <garyticknor at starpower.net>
To: <AT-L at BACKCOUNTRY.NET>
Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 9:00 PM
Subject: [at-l] Headlamps


I need advice. Christmas is coming. I am being given a headlamp for
Christmas, and I would like the lists advice on what to ask for. I
looked at REI and the Petzl Tikka (sp) looked good, but so did a variety
of others. Any advice? What holds up, battery consumption, light
intensity, headband comfort, adjustabillity, etc. I would mostly be
using it around camp, reading, not night hiking, although I was
impressed by how well they would work for night hiking (full moon
tonight is beautiful!).

Any advice would be appreciated.

- Greenbriar
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