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bustinmins
Dec 17, 2003, 1:51 PM
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I'm considering purchasing the Petzl Myo 5 with the battery pack on the belt. Just curious if you know anything about this headlamp or its variants.
What do you use for those post sunset raps and pre-sunrise hikes to the base of the crag etc?
I want to make a good decision any opinions you can offer would be very appreciated.
Happy Holidays,
JD
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bustinmins
Dec 17, 2003, 2:25 PM
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I see lots of views and very few replies....I guess you all have the same question and no comments. :)
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mother_sheep
Dec 17, 2003, 2:33 PM
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I'm assuming the battery pack on the belt is a reserve?
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bustinmins
Dec 17, 2003, 4:03 PM
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In reply to: I'm assuming the battery pack on the belt is a reserve?
Tracy, the battery pack comes in two variants. One that sits on the back side of the headlamp strap and one that comes with a battery pack that goes on a belt/pack/pocket etc for more cold weather protection. For hiking - obviously this isn't too much of a concern except for weight. For climbing the bulkiness and weight may be an issue. If I start a climb that I may rap in the dark - I'd like to have a great light. However - i don't think that will happen often. What is more likely to occur is the hike out from a crag in the dark or the approach hike to a 14'er this summer. The early morning hikes in would be nice with a brighter light that this headlamp provides.
I'm just trying to make an informed decision. I may look at the little petzl with only four led lights. The Petzl Myo5 has five led lights for extended burns and a focusing beam for special situations like rappelling. If I go on multi-day hikes this would be useful as well. So I guess I'm trying to find a light that will work well in most of my intended situations. The dark rappel isn't exactly on my list of things to do often. However - if I ever do some extended hiking into a crag and we finish at dusk - it would be nice to have this light on the way out. I don't think the LED only lights would provide enough forward light for me. Just not sure. :)
Thanks for your reply,
JD
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solo
Dec 17, 2003, 4:24 PM
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I do not like the belt battery pack if I'm not expecting sub zero temperatures. The cable gets in the way and it can't be packed neatly. On the other hand, it's much easier to carry the weght of the batteries on your belt than on your helmet.
For dark walk outs I only carry a three-led Zipka. It's tiny and light. It does not provide much forward light, but on the known track it does not matter. The new Petzl lamps with four-led lights are much brighter and you should have no problem hiking securely with that.
If you expect lot of routefinding consider some dual light lamp (e.g. Petzl Duo - Halogen and 5 leds)
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johnnywel
Dec 17, 2003, 4:38 PM
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I had the myo 5 with the battery pack belt. I got this because I was concerned about the batteries in the cold conditions and found that everyone else didn't have cold issues with the standard battery on head models. The myo5 accomodates large c batteries and I found it heavier than what I would normally prefer to lug around. However, this headlamp has extraordinary battery life and the headlamp is strong. I found that the headlamp is great but I definately prefer to have the batteries mounted on the headlamp. I found it to be a bit overkill and heavy, but it is a great product. I was bummed to have to lug this around when I could have carried a tika for the most part.
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atg200
Dec 17, 2003, 4:49 PM
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i use the 4 LED tikka plus. plenty of light for nearly everything, and it is small and light enough that it is much less painful to carry. it is fine for hiking out and nighttime raps - just a little dim for leading in the dark if there are a lot of route finding difficulties.
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sspssp
Dec 17, 2003, 5:33 PM
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In reply to: I had the myo 5 with the battery pack belt....I found it to be a bit overkill and heavy, but it is a great product. I was bummed to have to lug this around when I could have carried a tika for the most part.
I have both the tika and myo 5 (battery pack on the headstrap). If I'm not expecting to use a headlamp, I'll carry the tika for the weight savings. However, if I'm expecting to be climbing at night or using the headlamp for very long, I would much prefer the myo5. You can flick the halogen on for route finding or use the leds for long battery life. The leds can be set very dim. Good for belays and saving batteries. I also prefer headlamps that use AA bateries (as does the myo 5) because you can get AAs in lithium, which are substantially lighter and longer lasting than akaline. Unfortunately, lithium batteries are not marketed in many sizes outside of the AA.
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verticallaw
Dec 17, 2003, 6:17 PM
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petzel moon lamp (4 led). I love it, light, bright, self contined. I have used it in sub temperatures and insulated it by wraping my touque over it. I have never had any problems with this light
Cheers
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sbclimber
Dec 17, 2003, 6:46 PM
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I have the myo 3 and it works great, The 5 probably just that much better.
There is a way to rig it so you can put 2 D batteries on a belt-holder instead of on the headlamp , as opposed to the four AA batteries(myo 3 at least) and it will brighten your lamp, in R & I issue with 4 best ridge traverses, I believe. Not that you would need it, it is very bright.
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climbaholic
Dec 17, 2003, 7:19 PM
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I use a Zipka for those emergency raps after the sun has disappeared...and I've used them more times than I like to admit.
Small enough to leave in a chalkbag pocket so you always have it when the emergency hits.
Like others have said....not the greatest amount of light though.
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capn_morgan
Dec 17, 2003, 8:16 PM
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couple things to keep in mind.
Batteries seem to be much better than they used to in the cold, especially while running LEDs.
You will probably be using the LEDs most of the time, around camp etc.
The MYO 5 is a going to be brighter but its also has a bunch of brightness settings, which to me means its a pain inthe arse to turn on/off.
Seperate batery packs are wonderfull and all...until you have to try and put it on in a hurry at night so you can leave the tent and get rid of all taht tea you had with dinner. :P
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pico23
Dec 18, 2003, 4:42 AM
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In reply to: You will probably be using the LEDs most of the time, around camp etc. The MYO 5 is a going to be brighter but its also has a bunch of brightness settings, which to me means its a pain inthe arse to turn on/off. P
i own the Duo (with 5 LED) and find it to be a great headlamp for most activities. The myo 3 is just a new version of the duo. I borrowed a Myo 3 for a trip and here is what I thought of it vs. my trusty Duo.
Pro's
Smaller than the Duo
Plenty of light for camp or climbing with the two light options
Cons
Turn bezel to turn on seems like it might open in the pack, the Duo has a fool proof switch with a lock on it.
Other points to note. The Duo came in a 8 LED version that had intermediate settings on the LED to conserve power. I had considered this along with the Myo 5 as a upgrade when I though I lost my trusty DUO but as Cap_Morgan mentioned I thought the intermediate setting would get annoying if I frequently turned the light on and off. I prefer simple on and off settings.
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diodesanddihedrals
Dec 18, 2003, 7:21 AM
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For crag or full day climbing, I like to use the Petzl Tikka. It's the small headlamp with three LEDs. It's small enough to keep on my helmet or in a ruck pocket without being too heavy or awkward. I just bring it in case I spend more time outside than I thought and get stuck out in the dark...which is usually the case. It's really good for lighting up the immediate area around you, but not so good for looking way down trail.
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traddad
Dec 18, 2003, 1:04 PM
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Do NOT buy a Black Diamond Ion. Even as an emergency back up. I had one in my emergency (read: mini epic) kit and had to hike a couple of miles on a roughish trail during the last lunar eclipse. Crackaddict had to lead me along like a blind man. Even when I held it in my hand, pointing at the ground at my feet it only provided an ugly little puddle of almost nonusable light.
I now carry a BD Zenix. Very bright and a great amount of usable light.
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asterix
Dec 18, 2003, 2:37 PM
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Headlamp: Black Diamond Moonlight, its got 4 LEDs. There's also the one with LED and halogen combination, I forget the name.
Also, the batteries in these will be at the back side of your head so in cold you can wear your cap on top of the lamp to keep batteries warm.
The Energizer E2 batteries last a lot longer in cold compared to others and are lighter and obviously expensive.
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eduardo
Dec 18, 2003, 8:33 PM
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My favorite has been the petzl tika. Light and small. especialy good for thouse of us who tend to stay out a bit too late climbing and have to rap, or hike in the dark. The only down side is the light is a bit weak beyond 10 feet. Unfortuantly mine was stolen by some cops in Miami :(
May repalce it with one of thouse fancy new petzl's with the halogen and led. Although it is nice to have a head lamp that dosnt have a battery pack on the back. Just makes things lighter, but some times you need to bring extra batteries.
t
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petsfed
Dec 18, 2003, 9:12 PM
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The BD Gemini seems like a pretty good lamp. A friend of mine has it and she loves it. I have to used the caveman equivalent: BD lunar and BD moonlight, depending on the situation. What our trio usually ends up doing is this: Jason and I wear our moonlights while Nicole wears the gemini. One distance lamp for routefinding, but three LED lamps for belays and such. Its a good system.
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froggy
Dec 18, 2003, 9:26 PM
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The tikka is o.k. ...Umm let me re-phrase that, BARELY o.k. I have done a few late nights with one and you can barely see where you are going. It's only bonus is the weight. (For Alpine and stuff)
I would go with one of the new combo's if possible... (one with the LED's and the regular light). That way if it is technical you don't mis-judge your footsteps, which I have done countless times with the Tikka.
Also, when night climbing with the Tikka everything looks like it is chalked :shock: which could be a bit frightening on lead....
The other option is don't walk out in the dark, I guess :oops:
The Tikka is great as an emergency head lamp though!
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no_limit
Dec 19, 2003, 3:35 AM
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BD Moonlight
Because it's the one I have and saying anything bad about it would definetely be bad luck. Plus it works great.
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brutusofwyde
Dec 21, 2003, 9:48 AM
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Interesting comments regarding the LED lights.
I have found that the Zipka provides plenty of light for my needs, and at 64 grams it's wicked light. Used to carry one in my chalkbag.
I now carry the BD Ion in the chalkbag, and have found that it too provides plenty of light, at less than half the weight.
Two things I do that may make a difference with these ultralight lamps: Whenever I start a trip, I put completely fresh batteries in the light if it has been used at all. And I always carry a spare set of batteries.
For extremely cold temperatures (alpine starts ice climbing in canada for example) I revert to my Petzl Micro, using lithium batteries (which are far lighter, last longer, and are far more resistant to deep cold than regular alkaline batteries)
Tech tip:
When using any headlamp, depth perception can be a difficult issue due to the fact that the light source is near your eyes, so shadows are invisible. So, when following faint trails in the dark, I carry my headlamp in my hand, providing far better depth perception and resolution, as the light casts shadows, highlighting irregularities such as boot tracks and unstable footing.
Brutus
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jagungal
Dec 21, 2003, 11:46 AM
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I've got both variants of the Myo5, the head-mounted and the belt mounted battery packs. They're both good torches but are better for different things. They're exactly the same except, of course, for the battery pack. The 5 LEDs give good light for most night nav and the halogen gives a good beam for route finding in complex terrain. Useful if you're going at speed. The LEDs are voltage regulated with three levels of brightness.
The belt mounted torch is preferred by a many rogainers who need a lots of light for long periods (12+ hours). The belt pack is probably overkill for most climbing and with 4 C cells it weighs a ton. In most circumstances most folks probably don't need the halogen often enough to justify the extra weight of the battery pack.
How do they compare against other torches? Apart from older torches I've also got a tikka and a gemini. The gemini is a pile of shite. The single (dull) LED is actually brighter than the halogen. The tikka is an old standby that gets thrown in the pack for those 'just in case' occasions or when lightness is more important than lighting
After seeing a lot of different head torches used, if I was going to have just one of the current crop, it would be a standard myo5.
just my 2c.
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rrrADAM
Dec 22, 2003, 2:18 AM
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I use the Zipka, and have domne plenty of Tradding at night out at JTree during the Summers.
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timstich
Dec 22, 2003, 4:37 AM
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In reply to: Do NOT buy a Black Diamond Ion. Even as an emergency back up. I had one in my emergency (read: mini epic) kit and had to hike a couple of miles on a roughish trail during the last lunar eclipse. Crackaddict had to lead me along like a blind man. Even when I held it in my hand, pointing at the ground at my feet it only provided an ugly little puddle of almost nonusable light. I now carry a BD Zenix. Very bright and a great amount of usable light.
I think you might have some night vision issues, traddad. My BD Ion has provided me with plenty of light for night descents and general fumbling in the pack. I agree that two LEDs is pretty meager, but it's the right size and rarely gets left in the pack for being too bulky. I would say it's the perfect cragging light to get you down from most stuff. But for adventure climbing with extended hiking in poor terrain, I would want a halogen bulb light. LEDs just aren't sufficient. Of course my wife and I hiked down the Fern Canyon trail in the Flatirons after nightfall with a single blue keychain LED and moonlight.
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traddad
Dec 22, 2003, 2:02 PM
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In reply to: I think you might have some night vision issues, traddad. My BD Ion has provided me with plenty of light for night descents and general fumbling in the pack. I agree that two LEDs is pretty meager, but it's the right size and rarely gets left in the pack for being too bulky. I would say it's the perfect cragging light to get you down from most stuff. But for adventure climbing with extended hiking in poor terrain, I would want a halogen bulb light. LEDs just aren't sufficient. Of course my wife and I hiked down the Fern Canyon trail in the Flatirons after nightfall with a single blue keychain LED and moonlight.
Actually, I have great night vision, I just think I may have gotten a bum Ion. Perhaps the battery was shot from the word go?????. Barely a puddle of light.
When I say eclipse of the moon, I mean with clouds and a lot of the trail shaded with trees. Really Dark, as in the absence of light. Crackaddict had a Tika and we both were holding our lights in our hands to get them closer to the ground.
Yes, It's nice to have a light that you won't "forget" because it's too heavy, but I'll second the halogen idea on rough ground. The Zinix is a good compromise, although they could have lightened the case a little.
PS. A friend who works for The Great Satan (REI) tells me that the BD Ion and Moonlight lead all others in returns by a wide margin and when I returned my Ion, the clerk rolled his eyes and said " I know why you're returning it...it's a P.O.S." I kid you not.
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smellyhippie
Dec 24, 2003, 4:04 AM
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I like the BD Gemini for alpine day stuff. Tikka is great for frontcountry/low commitment rock stuff, but I'd hate to be stuck in a snowstorm trying to do something productive.
Nate
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bustinmins
Dec 25, 2003, 5:34 PM
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I received a myo-belt 5 for Christmas. I think the four cells will be a bit too heavy for basic trad climbing and summer hikes up 14'ers. However I think it is perfect for mountaineering and long snowshoe adventures from hut to hut. Thus I am going to have to look at this more closely. I am leaning toward returning this one to get a standard myo5 while at the same time I'm considering the zipka-plus for trad climbing and backpacking. The adjustable LED's on the myo are great and if they have the same LED's to the zipka-plus then that would be the one I'd use more often.
I truly appreciate your assistance and replies. You all have enabled me to make a much more informed choice in this matter.
Happy Holidays to everyone.
James
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sglat
Dec 25, 2003, 8:41 PM
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BD moonlight, one time I was in AP Euro, and this teacher that I dont get along with was being a jerk, and I asked him to turn on one of the lights so that I could see the notes that I was taking, and he said "no"...and I had my bd moonlight in my schoolbag from a trip that weekend, and I turned it on, and used it throughout my notes, I must sound like a retard....I guess you had to be there when my whole side of the class lit up. I thought it was hilarious....hmmm...im wierd.....
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rckclimbergurl
Dec 27, 2003, 4:16 PM
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In reply to: BD moonlight, one time I was in AP Euro, and this teacher that I dont get along with was being a jerk, and I asked him to turn on one of the lights so that I could see the notes that I was taking, and he said "no"...and I had my bd moonlight in my schoolbag from a trip that weekend, and I turned it on, and used it throughout my notes, I must sound like a retard....I guess you had to be there when my whole side of the class lit up. I thought it was hilarious....hmmm...im wierd.....
Ummmmmmmmmm......okay...
:lol:
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skiclimb
Jan 11, 2004, 9:20 AM
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I fyou are talking cold temps.... the Petzel Arctic.
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bustinmins
Feb 1, 2004, 2:24 AM
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I now have three headlamps for all uses. :)
I guess one piece of gear isn't enough! :)
I have both models of the Myo-5(belt and standard) and the Tikka Plus.
Thanks for your input.
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mrme
Feb 1, 2004, 4:16 AM
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i own a petzl zoom for climbs . just got one of those led lights can't wait to try it out.
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hosh
Feb 5, 2004, 11:52 PM
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I've got the Myo 3 and it's a pretty good lamp. I don't like the idea of the battery pack on your belt, too many wires. I DO like the double light source, though.
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amanda
Feb 13, 2004, 3:01 AM
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First, congrats on considering Petzl headlamps. I know three different BD models that consistently crap out when you need them most. And Princeton Tech's battery units explode with some regularity. I had an old Petzl Zoom and it died just as I was trying to get off Touchstone in Zion. Not fun. So I recently got the Myo 5 with the standard battery pack and I really like it. Unless you're going to be in consistent sub-zero temps or are deeply concerned with pack weight, I'd go for the standard battery pack. Maybe do one of the smaller myos, if you've got a burly cold weather lamp.
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jeffers_mz
Feb 15, 2004, 3:24 PM
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The BD Moonlight originally had a problem with the wire from the battery pack to the LED unit, and many were replaced or returned. BD was replacing them for free and had the problem fixed before they rolled out the new version with the 4 position switch.
I have an older one, no problems to date, and the kids fight over it when we go out. Good light.
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whatsupdoc
Feb 15, 2004, 4:09 PM
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I think there are 2 answers to your question.
If you're asking for the best headlamp for cragging, I'd go with something light. Cragging itself implies you shouldn't be too far from the car, out too late (hopefully), or too high up. Petzl Tikka is my vote. Light, compact, but more light than something like the bd ion. Fits in a pocket or chalk bag.
For mountaineering, you need something with a lot more power. You need to be able to routefind in the dark, so your headlamp is really important. I personally own a petzl zoom, but if I was buying new I wouldn't get this: too heavy and the damn battery is huge. I would ge for the bg gemini or the myo 3 or something like that with a spotlight as well as LEDs for cooking, reading, etc. If you plan on being out in the cold a lot, go with the belt pack. However, I think they can be inconvenient, so I wouldn't buy one unless you do lots of long routes in bitter cold. WHen I'm in the extreme cold, I just keep an extra battery or two in my inside chest pocket.
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emtclimber
Feb 17, 2004, 8:41 AM
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I've got the myo 3 belt,and I love it, if your gonna be out in the cold I'd suggest the belt version since batteries don't last near as long when their cold.
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timstich
Feb 17, 2004, 12:34 PM
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In reply to: ... For extremely cold temperatures (alpine starts ice climbing in canada for example) I revert to my Petzl Micro, using lithium batteries (which are far lighter, last longer, and are far more resistant to deep cold than regular alkaline batteries)
I've always thought about getting the Micro. I have a Mega and it's really just too big. I like the Ion as well. Got two of them. They are pesky to get the battery in and out of, but inexpensive enough to afford one for each pack to have in it all of the time.
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taualum23
Feb 17, 2004, 1:13 PM
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traddad: I find it a little disturbing to disagree with you on the ION (Because I almost always heartily agree with you )
I carry one as am emergency light, as part of my, "I will almost definetly be down before dark, but hey, it's really light and tiny" kit. It's not ideal, but I got plenty of light out of it for a 2.5 mile hike out. This was on a trail I knew decently, true, but I am suprised to hear how little light you got out of it. Have you only had the one experience with it? Maybe a bad unit or battery?
On topic, by the way, I own the Myo 3, and it is a great light. The leds are great around camp or at a belay, and the main bright light is enough for alpine route finding.
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bustinmins
Feb 17, 2004, 10:25 PM
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Well I finally got to use my head lamp! I was on a 12-mile snowshoe this weekend and got back to the trailhead a bit late. We hiked the last 2.0 miles in the black of night. I must say that I'm very happy with the Myo-5(standard) performance. The five-LED's provided adequate light for the hike out.
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