Hey PrepHole I'm looking for a nice headlamp model to gift for Christmas. I'd prefer something that's not too pricey because I'd like to buy a pair. Needs to have a good battery life and USB-C if possible.
Feel free to discuss everything related to light outdoors! (headlamps/NVG/lanterns, etc.).
If it matters, I'm in the EU and my budget is between 25-50€.
check the euro stores and buy one from a proper mainstream brand (Black Diamond, Petzl etc) that's on offer.
When using them, even for casual stuff I have never thought 'oh I wish I had bought the cheaper model', rather the opposite. Get the best you can afford,
X2 for Black Diamond
Petzl user. Can confirm.
Petzl, Petzl all the way.
Reliable and simple.
One advice though, as with many devices don't let the batteries inside if you are not using it for extended periods of time.
Petzl battery doesn't exist in usb-c tho, right?
only morons use USB charging devices innawoods
If you have to ask why...
Light is critical, carry two. USB is useful if you have a solar panel or heat-based recharging situation.
You can have both replaceable battery so you can carry a spare, usb recharge if you have a battery bank or a car adapter. It's probably not the best for extremely wet environment but in this case it's better to have something that's IPX8 instead of 6-7.
what are you talking about
the most popular setup for long distance backpackers right now, by FAR is nitecore nu25 + battery bank
if unreliability is your concern its literally 25 grams to throw an extra lamp and cord in your bag.
>Just take another headlamp bro
>Just listen to youtube influencers bro
you're moronic at every level
AAA is king of the back country and anyone telling you otherwise is a fricktard that lives in a city trying to sell you chink trash.
>youtube influencers
anon i stopped using AAA's back when youtube looked like picrel. social media influencers didn't exist yet.
i thought you were sperging about moisture getting in the socket or something to do with having your charging port break out in the woods.
what store sells AAA's in the backcountry? i've never even seen a building let alone a store out there. who sells a AAA battery bank i can charge other electronics like my phone or my beacon with?
Move them goalpoasts, moron.
Now I guess which city you live in--clearly something east coast.
>hurr de durr I have a usb C charger inna back woods and a battery pack because i cant buy AAA in the woods
lol, lamo even
I'd like to specify that the price range I indicated here was for two headlamps so you can double the value for a single unit.
Had a coupon for REI, bought the Cosmo 350 for $30. It's cheap, waterproof, and simple to use. It can be hella bright but chews through batteries fast, better to use it a low power and pack spares.
Most importantly it has a red light lol
I've used it on many a night hike, no complaints at all. I don't know why I would spend more on another headlamp unless I needed more battery.
Just north of your budget, but when I was researching headlamps the other week the Skilhunt H04 RC was recommended repeatedly
After doing some research I've come to the point where I'm split between the following models:
Led Lenser - PRO H5R WORK 500
Black Diamond - Icon 700
PETZL - Aria 2 RGB or SWIFT RL
All these brand seems reputable and the build quality of these models seems good. The person I'm gifting it to does a lot of outdoor activity so I want to prioritize sturdiness but also make it convenient for daily usage.
I don't feel like I need to invest into one of these specialized headlamp used by divers or spelunkers.
To the list I'm also adding NU50 - 1400Lm a bit more pricey than the other models but seems to have most of the features I'm looking for.
...And it's competitor: Fenix HM65R
(Same price range as the Nitecore one.)
the petzl and black diamond are basically the same and are solid--led lenser is trash.
brighter isn't always better--battery life is a much bigger deal in most cases unless you're using it for biking.
yeah in the end I got the HM50R V2, seems like it's most versatile, most attractive price and good sturdiness.
nitecore, petzl, black diamond makes the best hiking headlamps by far
if you're just doing typical backpacking short or long distance and not doing anything specialized the best headlamps on the market are:
nitecore nu25
petzl bindi
>but once I was wearing it bounced around on every step when I was scrambling across rocks) and that if I left the battery in it would slowly drain, forcing me to store the battery outside the headlamp.
this.
nobody tells newbies you don't need to strap the headlamp's entire fricking battery to your head.
the modern way of doing things is to just slap a ultralight headlamp on your head and plug it into a battery bank stuffed away in a pocket somewhere. just run the usb cord through your jacket or sweater.
they all have battery pass-through so when you're running it plugged in its taking power directly from your battery bank, there's no inefficiency and no degredation to the non replaceable internal batteries. the actual battery inside the lamp itself is really just for short hikes and so it doesn't shut off if your cable wiggles out.
cont.
the single most important thing to consider when buying headlamps also is not obvious or often spoken by non flashlight nerds:
the modes are the most important part of your headlamp.
99% of the time you be using the low or medium mode on your headlamp, its actually incredibly dumb to run them on high all night.
one of these modes, on some headlamps its low and on some its medium, is going to be around like 18-35 lumens somewhere around there.
the big deciding factor between something like say petzl bindi and a nitecore nu25 is:
nitecore's low mode isn't as bright and its more power efficient.
petzl's low mode is brighter and less power efficient.
personal preference how much light you need to travel at night safely. less is more battery life.
>'oh I wish I had bought the cheaper model', rather the opposite. Get the best you can afford
true for brands not for models.
if you just blindly buy the most expensive lamp these brands sell there's a good chance you'll buy the wrong one, read the product descriptions.
More expensive models have better LEDs and batteries, once one is doing more than running or waling at night one will easily need 150-200 Lumen for hours.
If it's cold the battery will last less and people don't have their headlight always 100% charged, which is bad for the battery as well.
Considering the modes: All mainstream headlights that are not cheap stuff have a low, medium and high setting. Red light is nice but imo usually not that needed, SOS mode is can be lifesaving in an emergency as long one knows how to activate it in case of an emergency. In case of flood light and diffuse/reading mode I have no experience with them.
High Lumen headlights are very nice for illuminating greater areas far away, trying to spot animals etc.
Anyway no one buys a Lupine Betty or an equivalent heavy high-end one on a whim.
no
the LED's are all made by the same manufacturers in the major brands--so you're wrong there.
>batteries
if it doesn't use AAA: DON'T BUY IT
Seriously, which chink lithium battery company do you work for? You cant seriously be this moronic.
Animals in the dark, moron, can hear you coming a mile away and will avoid you. The only shit you'll see at night with a flashlight is a racoon in your back yard.
AAA is shit boomer.
Rechargeable batteries have better output and capacity at the same weight. Imagine paying a $1 every time you want to use your light LMAo moron.
Imagine carrying ten extra batteries, when you could just carry two16340s, or a single18650 or 21700 battery, that can be topped off anytime with any wall charger or power bank.
AAA has shit output too, any light that runs on 16340s or AAA will have a ton more lumens and candela when using the 16340.
>tl:dr you talk like a moron and your shit is all moronic.
I have a Fenix HM50R Version 2
It's usb-c rechargeable, has a few modes from just bright enough to see in your tent, to enough to light up a lot forest around you.
Rather than getting two you could just get one like the Fenix, that uses standard rechargeable batteries. Carrying more batteries takes up less weight and space than two headlamps, and you can charge one battery while using the other. The batteries can be charged while in the light, or outside of the light.
The light is really solid overall and not too heavy. I've used it while riding dirtbikes down pitch black roads in Camboida. I never could have made it back to town safely without it.
I keep it clipped to my day bag, because it can be removed from the head strap and used as a right angel light. I own 5 flash lights, but the HM50R is by far the most useful one I have.
https://1lumen.com/review/fenix-hm50r-v2/
get a basic b***h petzl
never ever use USB charged anything--you want it to have batteries because lithium Ion will die for no reason at the worst possible time... especially if it's cold.
I have the NU25 UL. I recently used my other headlamp which I have had for a very long time and realized how unsuitable it is for hiking. It was some other nitecore model with a metal body construction and took one of those microusb rechargeable 18650s. My complaints were that it's too heavy (packed weight is no problem but once I was wearing it bounced around on every step when I was scrambling across rocks) and that if I left the battery in it would slowly drain, forcing me to store the battery outside the headlamp.
I was surprised at how comfortable the strap on the NU25 is, it looked like a pain at first.
Decathlon 120 lumen
I hate how all headlamps have a button that is too easy to push. I like to carry them in a pocket or outer backpack pouch, but the fricking buttons keep getting knocked against shit, turning the headlamp on in my pocket and running the battery dead.
Is there a headlamp that has a recessed switch or something instead of a button that's hard to activate by mistake? Other than that one feature I don't care if it's shit, I am using a Walmart headlamp now and I'm happy with it other than the fricking button.
Tape a bottle cap over the switch.
I don't have this problem with my petzl.
...so you're moronic.
Gave up on dedicated headlamps years ago because fricking suck. 18650 flashlight with brim clip, KISS.
Crazy. Hate not having two hands free.
I like the zebra lights, wouldn't want to bring anything else into a cave
I would like a lamp:
-Made of metal
-Waterproof
-On/off switch separate from mode selector
-Possibly only two modes, high/low
-Presence of red light
-Removable batteries
Recommendations?
Europe-available.
Why do you need metal? Just curious, it's gonna narrow down your choices a lot.
Durability, of course.