LED HEADLAMPS (EG PETZL / BLACK DIAMOND)

[MR GUS]

should've thought about this whilst I was away really!
I bought a few while in canada the other week, and am off again next year (march) they're quite a bit cheaper..

eg $31 cdn  for a petzl tikka plus  ,,then 5% provincial tax

 eg $75 cdn for the new petzl myo XP (2008 MODEL) THEN $3 something tax.. (the one with the boost button)

theres a great shop I visit which is as cheap as the city (calgery) so if anyone wants one please let me know nearer the time & i'll get a price & availability for you! ..I'm sure they'll go in my snowboard bag!
Anyone else use em, got an  opinion as to their quality, (i've got 3 so must be enamoured)

[plumbskill]

Mr Gus, please excuse my ignorence, what are these lights you are talking about

[pogster]

I always go for the cheap Luxeon/CREE torches on EBAY. They are extremley extremley bright - not found anything in the UK to match them. Go for the CREE Q5 or R2 or the Luxeon Rebel types as these are by far the brightest.

[MR GUS]

Mr Gus, please excuse my ignorence, what are these lights you are talking about

if you google Petzl or black diamond  LED (which are commonly used as head-torches by hikers, outside workers, fisherman, the army etc you'll get a good idea, they can be prohibitively expensive in the uk even on ebay, & come with a 3 yr warranty). SET UP & APPROVED FOR USE BETWEEN 1.2V (RECHARGEABLES) THRU 1.5V (DURACELLS) ...I tend to use AAA & AA rechargeables from 7dayshop in jersey as they last years & are incredibly cheap!

 Very handy quality lights when the main lights go out!, in the loft, dark corners of the airing cupboard etc!
 I use mine when I machete kindling etc in the dark of winter.
good & reliable, as long as the batteries are too!

Pogster... you've had better luck than me then! my ebay bought led headlamps or torches all went faulty from new!! ..so now I stick with my cheap petzls whilst I upgrade my numerous maglites to led too!

[wookey]

Princeton tech apex also worth looking at - nice design with both beam and diffuse options, although take the 'waterproof' bit with a pinch of salt. Similar level of robust to the Myo, but probably not quite as good (doesn't last long as a caving light for example, but a brilliant DIY light).
I've been a headtorch user for some 25 years now - I have no idea how some people manage without them. I have 3 zooms of various vintages in the cupboard as well as a couple of chinese tikka/zipka knockoffs. And now this apex.

[MR GUS]

Wookie, I've looked at princeton whilst away but was slightly un-nerved as I havent seen em (don't get out much) in the uk!
 ..haven't done a full on test of my Myo XP yet but all looks good so far, always have a Zipka plus as back up anyway (or for others stumbling in the dark)
Princeton are also available where I tend to shop when abroad...
funnily enough the old style (slightly damaged packaging as been sitting around) larger caving filament petzls were only about $15-20 canadian as I recall. ..seeing as led is where it is.

Whilst I'm on about led's in torches 7dayshop are doing 3 watt d cell led torches for £29.95 or 3 watt AAAx3 led maglites for around £19.95 currently, just thought I'd mention it

 (hands free is the way to go though) ..anyone know what sort of led's petzl use nowadays?

[northern installer]

hmmmn,headtorch? C P C  12 led,£2.19 or cheaper 5+

[MR GUS]

Just a heads up..
I've recently been gifted the latest petzl zipka+2 which far outstrips the zipka+ & retails at £39.95 (though can be found for around £30-32 if you are lucky.

However the other day, in the blacks (outdoor group) sale it's at £25.00.

http://www.blacks.co.uk/product.html?code=119785&item=119785330....&awc=1520_1319032960_10cd5e508f7d9a8627b9cf445377665d

online & instore sale price

This is my most used always to hand general use headtorch (with no headstrap) ..it operates on a pull out reel for a good fit strap instead, which fits me wearing hats, toques, bare-head etc, the nipper,  ..really accomadating & comfy.

At £25.00 I couldn't not mention it, apologies however I'm a big fan of these & they're worth every penny.

New version has 1 singular main led high, low, strobe
 Night vision led high, low, strobe.

50 lumens (maximum level)

The tough "cord" is superb as it wraps easily round wrist. bike bars etc,pretty much anywhere with a bit of thought, so is a good loft torch, sheds. up close with machinery etc, with such a small footprint it makes placement very easy in awkward places.

http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/tikka-zipka-series/zipka-plus

deal price is for mystic grey version, nice useful present for the upcoming season (foul weather or xmas, you decide)
dog walkers etc.. pretty much used every day by me, backed by a 3 year warranty.

The other day I strapped it round the chimney brush rods to look close up at mortar gaps. ...blooming useful.

[Barrie]

Ah, the soot!

That explains why your avatar turned black..... 

[solar_cambridge]

Pity that most of the UK lights still work off AA/AAA technology. I bought a cree lamp off ebay last year which uses 18650 3.7 volt batteries. Unfortunately the construction was not the greatest of quality and you get an occasional dodgy connection which causes a flicker. I think the actual module with the led on unscrews inside the body of the lamp.

That said I've just bought a couple of lamps off ebay to see if they've improved. These ones have zoom lense so I'm keen to see how they work on the bike.
ebay.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160637621388
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330622601000

and as a present to myself I got one of these. I have never seen an LED light throw a beam like it before. Bit Pricey though!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290613140799

Anyone found any other lightporn they wish to share?

[MR GUS]

http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/

Based on your ebay listings his blog reading & reviews seem pretty good, nice find!

powerful bike light for £90 ..now you can play audi xenons at their own game!

[solar_cambridge]

powerful bike light for £90 ..now you can play audi xenons at their own game!

Yes I know what you mean! I was all set to buy the magicshine 1200lm until I saw his review and saw the photos. The beam it projects is very impressive and has to be seen to be believed. Makes my cateye 3led look like a puny wimp. Comments that I've read suggest that other drivers think you are a motorbike!

I bought the smallest powerpack as I don't do heavy duty biking. Im going to mount it inside a crusty old front light so it will be disguised if I need to leave it on the bike. Also bought a couple of 1 metre leads from him so I install my own remote switch. I just have to find a suitably discreet waterproof switch. The frame is quite oversized so I'd like to drill and mount it in there.  

[cornishben]

I just have to find a suitably discreet waterproof switch. The frame is quite oversized so I'd like to drill and mount it in there.  

I'd be very careful drilling holes in your bike frame to mount switches!

[wookey]

Solar - why prefer 18650 cells over AA? For consumer use AA is great as it's such a widespread standard. Available verywhere - lots of chargers etc. And excellent value  - it astonishing how rechargeable AAs have gone from 500mA to 3000mA in 20 years in the same size case.

18650 is a great size for pack-building (I've made a lot over the years), but it's still not a popular size in non-tabbed cells.

I could go on about lightporn for hours. I've just upgraded my caving light to recent LEDs and molicell lithium ion 2x18650 which is about 1/4 the weight of my old NiMH 4x 18650 packs for nearly the same capacity.

Petzl make nice lights, but not worth the extortionate prices they charge IMHO. On theother hand it's  a pity the chinese copies (e.g the CPC one for £2.19, and lots on dealextreme) tend to be a bit shoddy. Something in between would be great. Not 2 quid and not 40 quid.  A tenner for a well-made tikka-type would be perfect.

If you want cheap-but bright there is all sorts on dealextreme, including some monster bike lights.

[Mike McMillan]

I received an led lenser p7 for Christmas last year, unbelievable torch. Shines a beam for a 100 meters. Only used 1 set of batteries since last year, with a fair bit of use. expensive, around £30 then.

http://www.zweibrueder.com/ENG/produkte/html_highperformance/html_Pserie/p7.php?id=p7


Mike McMillan