Discussion
After putting up with cheap crappy head torches for years I've decided to buy something decent.
I live in darkest Aberdeenshire so it gets used several times a day over the winter months for everything from getting firewood to walking the dogs. Will also be used for occasional winter hillwalking and mountain biking if I get caught out.
Durability and light output more important than weight. Budget pretty flexible for the right one.
Any recommendations?
I live in darkest Aberdeenshire so it gets used several times a day over the winter months for everything from getting firewood to walking the dogs. Will also be used for occasional winter hillwalking and mountain biking if I get caught out.
Durability and light output more important than weight. Budget pretty flexible for the right one.
Any recommendations?
Most common one I see in my mountaineering club's walking groups are Petzl Atik Core. I use it for walking and climbing, plus all the winter trips to the log store, any DIY task where I need more light.
It's got three levels of brightness. Dimmest is good for group walking. Medium is good for solo activity and I haven't had it conk out, so it must be good for "a lot of hours". I don't know how long it would last in full blast mode, but it's too bright for what I'm doing, so I have never put it to the test.
If you were cycling, you might want to keep it in full blast mode, and then longevity might be an issue. You could always carry some spare AAAs to swap for its rechargeable battery. The way it swaps between AAAs and its rechargeable unit is a very simple and neat bit of design.
It's got three levels of brightness. Dimmest is good for group walking. Medium is good for solo activity and I haven't had it conk out, so it must be good for "a lot of hours". I don't know how long it would last in full blast mode, but it's too bright for what I'm doing, so I have never put it to the test.
If you were cycling, you might want to keep it in full blast mode, and then longevity might be an issue. You could always carry some spare AAAs to swap for its rechargeable battery. The way it swaps between AAAs and its rechargeable unit is a very simple and neat bit of design.
This is excellent - https://www.petzl.com/GB/en/Sport/Headlamps/SWIFT-... beam auto adjusts and actually works.
Wouldn't be enough for mtbing by itself - I think anything that covers both mtbing (say 2000lumens) and walking / normal life will be a big compromise (i'd run a bar and a head light otherwise you don't get any shadows and it's hard to react to the terrain).
Wouldn't be enough for mtbing by itself - I think anything that covers both mtbing (say 2000lumens) and walking / normal life will be a big compromise (i'd run a bar and a head light otherwise you don't get any shadows and it's hard to react to the terrain).
I used to use this Fenix hm60r, scrambling about in lofts and under floors it held up well, still working. It uses bog standard 18650 li-on batteries so no oddball proprietary types.
I have had a bunch of Peztal ones and they have always been good. But recently I have been using the Olight Perun2 Mini on the head strap and it is really good. I have the Perun 2, full size, but that is literally strapping a 5" torch to your head and it is a bit heavy, and overkill.
I have Petzl, great lights, and easy to swap in AAA batteries if caught short.
I'm a fan of Exposure lights, I have them on my bicycles, UK brand, and they do repairs. The headtorches are also very good. https://www.exposurelights.com/collections/all-hea...
I'm a fan of Exposure lights, I have them on my bicycles, UK brand, and they do repairs. The headtorches are also very good. https://www.exposurelights.com/collections/all-hea...
Another vote for Petzl. Can't remember which one I've got now, possibly the Actik Core, plenty of light, doesn't weight much, and the battery lasts well. Something I didn't realise before chatting to the guy at the Petzl stand at a show, the Core versions are the exact same head torch, but with a rechargeable battery pack, and run at a slightly higher voltage so are brighter. The battery pack has a USB port for charging, but you can run them on 3xAAA if you need to.
Another one for Petzl here.
My brother purchased me a Petzl PIXA 3 as a Christmas present back in 2015.
Its been the most useful gift I have ever had!
It went to work in my unit straight away and been used I would say 4 hours per week on average, its still going strong after almost 10 years.
Light output is more than enough - typically use it on the low setting, its been dropped plenty of times, got loads of welding burns and is as grubby as anything, but wont give up. The elastic on the headband has gone quite slack now with no adjustment left, but that was easily resolved by bunching up abit of it with a cable tie.
Lasts for weeks on end on a pair of decent rechargeable NiMh batteries.
A few friends have had non-branded headtorches that use 18650 batteries that have been and gone since I've had mine, surprisingly they dont last that long as you would think on a big lithium cell.
My brother purchased me a Petzl PIXA 3 as a Christmas present back in 2015.
Its been the most useful gift I have ever had!
It went to work in my unit straight away and been used I would say 4 hours per week on average, its still going strong after almost 10 years.
Light output is more than enough - typically use it on the low setting, its been dropped plenty of times, got loads of welding burns and is as grubby as anything, but wont give up. The elastic on the headband has gone quite slack now with no adjustment left, but that was easily resolved by bunching up abit of it with a cable tie.
Lasts for weeks on end on a pair of decent rechargeable NiMh batteries.
A few friends have had non-branded headtorches that use 18650 batteries that have been and gone since I've had mine, surprisingly they dont last that long as you would think on a big lithium cell.
Belle427 said:
I have just taken a punt on one of the cheap Blukar ones on Amazon, seems to do what most others do.
I have a couple of these cheap Blukars. Much better than my old Petzls, and for basic garden pottering (a low bar, to be fair), just as good as my fancier Nitecore and Fenix models.ATG said:
Most common one I see in my mountaineering club's walking groups are Petzl Atik Core. I use it for walking and climbing, plus all the winter trips to the log store, any DIY task where I need more light.
It's got three levels of brightness. Dimmest is good for group walking. Medium is good for solo activity and I haven't had it conk out, so it must be good for "a lot of hours". I don't know how long it would last in full blast mode, but it's too bright for what I'm doing, so I have never put it to the test.
If you were cycling, you might want to keep it in full blast mode, and then longevity might be an issue. You could always carry some spare AAAs to swap for its rechargeable battery. The way it swaps between AAAs and its rechargeable unit is a very simple and neat bit of design.
I bought one a couple of weeks ago £42 from amazon. Very impressed, much better than my old tikka.It's got three levels of brightness. Dimmest is good for group walking. Medium is good for solo activity and I haven't had it conk out, so it must be good for "a lot of hours". I don't know how long it would last in full blast mode, but it's too bright for what I'm doing, so I have never put it to the test.
If you were cycling, you might want to keep it in full blast mode, and then longevity might be an issue. You could always carry some spare AAAs to swap for its rechargeable battery. The way it swaps between AAAs and its rechargeable unit is a very simple and neat bit of design.
Now £46
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09X9PHB9W?ref=ppx_yo2...
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