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robbo
Mar 14, 2003, 6:54 PM
Post #26 of 40
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Registered: Sep 19, 2002
Posts: 32
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Fitz,
All I asked about was what experience people have had with headlamps. As with any piece of equip, I want to get something that is worth the money. Lights or other devices, it's nice to hear from the others what their experiences have been and what the pluses or minuses of a particular piece are. The same way any light is good to have in the dark, so any rappel device is good to have if you have to descend. But if you have to spend money why not ask if a Reverso is better than an 8?
Nuff said.
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mother_sheep
Mar 14, 2003, 6:56 PM
Post #27 of 40
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Registered: Jul 18, 2002
Posts: 3984
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WHAT EVER YOU DO, DO NOT GET A BLACK DIAMOND ION. They Suck. It was fine for night climbing, illuminating what was just in front of me but as far as using it on the hike at night, its miserable. I'm not sure how far out it illuminates but I can attest, it's not far enough. The light isn't bright, the illuminating distance is minimal and it illuminates a narrow range.
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fitz
Mar 15, 2003, 8:17 AM
Post #28 of 40
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Registered: Jul 15, 2002
Posts: 363
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In reply to: Fitz, All I asked about was what experience people have had with headlamps. As with any piece of equip, I want to get something that is worth the money. Lights or other devices, it's nice to hear from the others what their experiences have been and what the pluses or minuses of a particular piece are. The same way any light is good to have in the dark, so any rappel device is good to have if you have to descend. But if you have to spend money why not ask if a Reverso is better than an 8? Nuff said.
Then I suggest the following - read first, then bag. My comment was not directed at this thread, but Wldrdude's URL reference to an entire discussion board dedicated to nothing but lights.
If you ask people to take time to write stuff down for you, you could at least do the courtesy of reading it. If you bother to look, you will see that I answered the original post early on - by indicating that, unlike some other posters, I had been quite happy with the Tikka.
Later I snickered at Wldrdude's reference to a whole message board. He responded that it wasn't personal, and I told him not to worry about it, I just thought that a whole forum dedicated to what is, on this board, a thread, seemed silly.
You then graced me with a personal assessment of my 'obvious' experience shortcomings, and, of course, a hurt pout that you were just 'asking for some help and opinions' (which, in case the proceeding paragraph went over your head, I already gave you).
-jjf
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daisuke
Mar 19, 2003, 8:13 PM
Post #29 of 40
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Registered: Aug 28, 2001
Posts: 904
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take the arguement into PMs please
I must say on topic that the BD moonlight is probably the best I´ve seen. the tikka and the zipka are campground material only. I haven´t seen the princeton tech things but I´m pretty sure that they´re also good
the moonlight has enough light to hike at night, to fiddle with ropes and even to climb with when it´s batteries are somewhere above half empty. I bought it after having used a duo and having owned a duo imitiation. the other thing the moonlight has going for it is that it´s better balanced with the batteries at the rear and has the overhead strap. I´ve been in situations where I´ve grazed the light housing and if I had had the regular strap like the tikka or some other led units it would have ended up around my neck, something hard to fix with one hand.
going on to address some issues talked about here as well...
the upshot of these things is that not only can you use them climbing but you can also use them around the house, take on a road trip just in case you need to crawl under the car, change the tire... and sure... any regular one will work but you´ll probably have to change the batteries every time to be safe.
I have my duo imitation and my moonlight, I have so far never been in the situation where I´ve required the duo and no longer take it anywhere relying on my moonlight completely.
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galt
Sep 25, 2003, 2:49 AM
Post #30 of 40
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Registered: Jan 3, 2002
Posts: 267
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Although I truly love my Aurora it lacks one thing that both the Zippka and Tikka have... NO COLOR FILTERS! I have 2 Aurora's and love both of em', but I'm going to buy the Super Tikka (I don't know what it's really called, but it is adjustable and has mutiple light settings) and a red filter for it.
Hope this helps.
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sixter
Sep 25, 2003, 4:30 AM
Post #31 of 40
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Registered: May 25, 2003
Posts: 262
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In reply to: Although I truly love my Aurora it lacks one thing that both the Zippka and Tikka have... NO COLOR FILTERS! I have 2 Aurora's and love both of em', but I'm going to buy the Super Tikka (I don't know what it's really called, but it is adjustable and has mutiple light settings) and a red filter for it.
The Tikka Plus. I just picked one up with the filters. The 4 leds seem to have enough light for my purposes, plus the ability to adjust the angle is a benefit. I personally bought it for early morning, and late afternoons on the trail. So far it appears to be good enough for that. It will be tested in the field next week.
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manacubus
Sep 25, 2003, 4:49 AM
Post #32 of 40
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Registered: Jul 15, 2002
Posts: 141
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I bought the Princeton Tec Matrix (3 LED). It's heavy (two AA batteries), but has a regulator so you have equal brightness light for 40 hours. Then it just stops. In stark contrast to the Petzl lights which start bright, and get dimmer, even with alkaline batteries. Of course, it's also fully waterproof to 2000 feet (anyone tested this? :roll: ). It also squivels up and down.
It also comes with a incandescent bulb, so you can switch it over if you need more range. This has never been handy for me, but might be for some people.
I went to their site and I couldn't find it on their product list, so perhaps they're not making them anymore. Not sure.
If you want to read more, a review is available here:
http://www.backpacker.com/gear/article/0,1023,2401,00.html
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tenn_dawg
Sep 25, 2003, 4:59 AM
Post #33 of 40
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Registered: Mar 14, 2002
Posts: 3045
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Look I feel dumber for having read this entire thread, but I have one thing to add.
Please, no one buy a Petzl Duo-Belt. They are POS's. Mine has broken on me and it has really not seen that much use. They are not nearly as water reisitant at Petzi insinuates, and a about $70 you will be far better off buying 6 Reyovac lights at walmart.
Travis
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justuspr
Sep 25, 2003, 5:11 AM
Post #34 of 40
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Registered: Jun 4, 2003
Posts: 153
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In reply to: I say whimpy because I have discovered the Luxeon Star. It is the brightest LED in the world, by FAR! As far as I am aware, it is not comercially avalible in any headlamp, but that did not stop me from making my own. The light is so beatiful, I will likely stop using my halogen bulb for most things.
When are you going to start marketing your headlamp? If never when will you share your plans so I can make my own?
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epic_ed
Sep 25, 2003, 6:14 AM
Post #35 of 40
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Registered: Jun 17, 2002
Posts: 4724
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I'm diggin my Tikka Plus. Nice compact lamp with excellent features. It has all the stuff that people complained were missing from the Tikka. It only weighs a few oz more than the Tikka, and costs just a couple of extra dollars. Good overall value IMO.
Ed
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chalkbag
Sep 25, 2003, 9:09 AM
Post #36 of 40
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Registered: Jun 24, 2003
Posts: 73
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In reply to: My take on this subject is that people who don't actually CLIMB at night are all ga-ga about LEDs. My 2 cents (having spent alot of time climbing or skiing technical terrain in the dark) is that the Old School lights, like the PETZL ZOOM are far preferable if you hafta see more than 15 feet away. Granted, they don't last very many hours. But if you need to actually SEE, as in ROUTE finding, a bright light is needed.
WORD! LEDs are good for illuminating your toes; route finding at night with an LED? I might die laughing - and you might die looking for that route :evil:
In reply to: I bought the Princeton Tec Matrix (3 LED).
So did I. I used it when hiking down from Mt. Adams in the dark - the first and the last time I used it in fact. After about an hour I just turned it off - it was easier to have no light at all than to have 3 feet of light around me and pitch darkness any further. Petzl Zoom is what I use nowadays. One battery lasted throughout a 12-day trip to Peru last year - got somewhat dim the last two days though...
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sspssp
Sep 30, 2003, 4:35 PM
Post #37 of 40
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Registered: Jan 2, 2003
Posts: 1731
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I have found that many of the headlamps out there are pretty lame and I've owned (and/or borrowed) quite a few. I keep buying new ones in the hope they have finally figured it out (or maybe I just fall for the buy the new crap hype).
For what its worth. I always carry the BD Ion. It fits in the zipper pocket of my chalk bag and is always there. So if I get surprised by darkness, I've got a light. Yea, its not very bright. Better than darkness. Yea, the batteries are expensive. However, I rarely use this light (emergency only), so this isn't a big deal. In addition, I carry a small key-chain led ligth around my neck. Wouldn't do much for leading, but it is enough to set up a rap anchor. This is my backup, backup (don't take chalk bag, Ion dies, etc.).
If I'm expecting to use a headlamp, then I carry a "real" one. I've picked up the Petzl Mayo 5. So far, I really like it. The lowest led setting is very dim (read: long lasting). The brightest led setting is more than enough to hike by, or even lead with if there are no route finding issues. When need be, you can flick on the halogen to see which way to go and then go back to the led. I haven't used it long enough to have any feal for durability. The accidently turning on in the pack looks a little better as the headlamp can't twist on when you have it angled up, but it doesn't really "lock" into place. So it seems that this might still be possible, but obviously less likely.
As an aside, the very smallest led lights are so small and light, I really don't understand why anyone would ever do a multi-pitch climb without carry something.
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wlderdude
Oct 1, 2003, 3:49 PM
Post #38 of 40
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Registered: Aug 8, 2002
Posts: 1123
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Okay,
I just got a Luxeon Star in the mail yesterday and have it mounted in my BD Lunar. I will hook up wires this weekend.
It will be essentailly a Gemini that eats the Gemini for breakfast. It still has the holgen bulb, it will just have the added LED. The mother of all Geminis if you will.
The tools required will be a Rotary tool (i.e. Dremel tool), plasic and metal cutting blades, soldering iron and some good coordination.
If you live neas SLC, UT, Black Diamond will be having their fall sale in a couple of weeks. They typically have their headlamps and most other BD gear 20% off. This will be a good time to pick up a $16 Lunar.
A Luxeon Star LED runs about $15 shipped, add a couple extra bucks for resistros , solder and an optional switch and it will cost about the same or less than a Gemini, Myo, Yukon, Surefire or any other halogen/LED lamp of decent quality. This assumes you already have acess to the tools.
If it works out as a sound design, I may do up an article on the retrofit. I think it will as reliable as any other light.
If you think you would be interested, please post a reply on the thread
http://www.rockclimbing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=41058
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steepfish
Oct 1, 2003, 4:23 PM
Post #39 of 40
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Registered: Apr 28, 2002
Posts: 77
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zipka is rad and is light and compact you wont even notice it in your pack
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dynoguy
Oct 1, 2003, 5:22 PM
Post #40 of 40
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Registered: Sep 6, 2003
Posts: 730
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I have a Tikka and it seems to do the trick around the campsite and hiking, but it is the first head lamp I've bought so I don't have anything to compare it to. It is very bright and light though.
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