Headlamps; worth dishing out a decent dollar for or nah? I was

Wait till the new models come out and pick up last year's when they hit the clearance bin.

I'm personally fond of my Black Diamond Storm and got it for half off ($25) by waiting for the clearance sale.

The big thing to check is the lumen output.
In the last year the cheap ones have gotten really really good.
I bought a walmart one that puts out 150 lumens on high and has the red light for night and it was only 12 buck.
INCLUDING DURACELL BATTS!

The gap is now pretty narrow between the good and bad when there used to be no comparison.

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Get a fenix E12 + Headband, love mine (/out/ told me to get them).

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>>630592
big output numbers aren't everything, unless you're a kamikaze downhill mountain biker or a spelunker.

Things to also take into account: build quality / robustness / availability of several brightness modes or colors / well thought out switching mimics to reach the most often used modes.

So to answer OP's question: yes!

>>630604
Yes but just walking along a trail, build quality means fuck all.
Not to mention, when techmology is changing as fast as it is, longevity also loses its importance.
Lets face it, LED tech has become disposable.

>$100

How's that communism working out?

>>630606
>but just walking along a trail, build quality means fuck all

Until your headlamp stops working because of shitty wiring or cheap components and you're stuck in the dark.

By no means does the average hiker have to buy all top of the line pro grade gear, but often just because something is CHEAP doesn't mean it's good VALUE. An extra $10-$20 smartly shopped dollars can save you a lot of headaches /out/ there.

>>630611
The wiring in these things is so simple and the chips are all the same.
Really, this is a great place to cheap out. I know many other places are not but this is one for sure.
Go have a look at whats on offer at walmart.
Things have changed drastically in the last year.
I have used my 12 dollar headlamp through three sets of batteries in the last six months because I use it so much. I have taken a year off and and traveling by hippie van. I use this thing nearly every night and also for hours on end while doing work on the van(engine compartment is very dark).
This is the best one I have owned. A few years ago you could not have found this quality at 150 dollars.

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>>630596
i one of the people always shilling for fenix haha
atm i would love a HL 50
but i have a good light already :(

>>630577
Same thing I did. Works great. You don't have to spend more than this to find a nice headlamp.

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My [won't disclose mfg name] came at ~40 dubloons. It's worth every cent of that and does everything i asked for.

I also know the ~10 dubloon class. Yes, they will throw photons around as well. No, they most often don't have different modes, they will chew thru batteries. Yes, build quality depends on weekday, temperature and moon phase, combined. I had two of those. I gave one away because the hinge mechanism plainly sucked. I had to fix wiring before giving it away. The other just lives in a tool box as backup, which i only needed yet because lamp #1 could not walk to me by itself (which was not a buying criterium).

>>630646
>No, they most often don't have different modes

This is no longer true.
Your information is outdated.

>IPX7
>high lumen output
>regulated
>quality, efficient LEDs
>durable as fuck
>warranty

Versus
>not waterproof
>high lumens... for a while
>poorly regulated
>cheap inefficient LEDs that eat batteries
>not durable
>warranty? Top Kek you paid 20 dollars at Wal-Mart for it

The money you spend on batteries will outweigh the cost of buying a better lamp. Never mind that you'll have to replace the lamp several times over if you use it in heavy rain or it gets knocked about, meanwhile mister "gearfag" will likely have his still running when he decides to buy a better model years later.

>>630667
Now you are making shit up.
There are no inefficient LEDS putting out 150 lumens.
You are either mistaken or lying.

>>630574
I've been using a old discounted Surefire saint for a few years now and I really like. You can find them on ebay for around $150. Runs off of both AA and CR123. Can also go from the battery pack to no pack turning it from the Saint to the saint minimalist.

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Totally worth it.

Zebralight ftw.

aa for flexibility / dec

18650 for outdoors use.

Honestly my no1 used tool when camping, more than my knife, stove, axe, etc.

Not something I would skimp on.

You CAN get cheap decent lights, but if you're a gear queen like most of /out/ its worth learning and investing in a decent torch.

For free time reading I recommend checking out candlepowerforums

>>630667
>>630670
The point in question can be translated to 'absence of a proper current regulation'. All other points in >>630667 are very true nonetheless.

>>630693
Oh I'm sure someone could use a high output led and concoct a slightly inefficient unit. No one is doing this.
There is no reason to.
there is no high output led headlamp that is wasting any appreciable amount of power.
not one.

>>630577
I was pretty pleased with the bargain I got until I realized I got a 2014 model and it was only about ten bucks less than I could find the 2015 model.

>>630574
I have that exact model. I got it for 10 bucks at an REI used gear sale like 3 years ago. The inside of the battery pack is starting to corrode. Other than that, it's a great headlamp.

>>630727
> inside of the battery pack is starting to corrode
I also had this problem. Warranty it, problem solved.

>>630604
>ig output numbers aren't everything, unless you're a kamikaze downhill mountain biker or a spelunker.
>Things to also take into account: build quality / robustness / availability of several brightness modes or colors / well thought out switching mimics to reach the most often used modes.

Pretty much spot on. I got the smallest Petzel headlamp, and it just works great for what I need it, food prep at night, reading inna tent and other stuff, red-light stealth mode for taking a dump at night. it is really small, light, rides good in the pocket,I have it for 4 years with frequent use and no problems and the dial switch is genius. minus points for non rechargeable flat cell batteries.
I also got a Tikka+2, this one I use for snowshoeing, trail illumination and range is better and it is still light and comfy.

tl;dr usability>>>>lumen

>>630574
If you're /out/ in above zero temps, just get a simple one like the BD Spot that has a high beam, a wide beam, and a red-light mode. That will allow you to move through the dark without falling over shit constantly and will make a great utility headlamp in a variety of situations.

If you're /out/ in freezing temps, then something like the BD Polar Icon makes sense, primarily for the external battery pack that you can keep warm.

Also, IMO lumen output is not THAT important. Most headlamps only put out their max lumens for something like 3-4 hours, even if they are rated for like 100h of battery life on "high". This make the max lumens far less useful than it initially appears. More important is to pay attention to total battery capacity (2xAAA vs 3xAAA vs 3xAA etc.) and other features such as red-light mode, strobing, water resistance, usb recharging, or external battery pack.

Having some kind of light is part of an essential safety kit when /out/.

>>631260
Op here, i agree with what your saying

Im not after a crazy high output i just have a few features that i want
>separate battery
>a couple light dimming modes plus a red light
>some sort of waterproofing
>replacable batteries

I think all in all though im gonna end up spending te extra dough to get a good one, that way i have a decent warranty to go alone with it.

>>631260
For my purposes at least, it's best to have a higher lumen output. When I'm bivying overnight on a bigwall, you want to have the best visibility possible.

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>>631340
>feature list
Are you me?
I solved this with a Fenix HP-01, happy ever since, pic related.

>>631351
It doesnt seem to be realistic for me to have a kitten strapped to my head while /out/ but ill try it i guess

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>>631362
I know it sounds weird, but once you get used to it you really forget it is there, safe for the supreme night vision of course.

>>630607
What is this even supposed to mean...

>>630667
>mister "gearfag" will likely have his still running when he decides to buy a better model years later.

Mister gearfag is going to rack up more of his consumer debt with next year's model regardless of whether his light is broken or not.

What do we think about the black diamond revolt?
I was considering the icon but after doing some research i think the revolt would do adequately at 2/3 the price

>>632449
Personally I'd skip it and just get the BD Spot.

The USB recharge is a neat gimmick, but you probably won't use it that much unless you're using your headlamp nearly every day.

Tell you what. Go grab the 12 dollar 150 lumen headlamp at walmart on the way home from work.
Test it out inna backyard.
If it sucks, take it back in the morning onna way to work.
You will be pleasantly surprised anon.
Oh and the whole "cheap headlamps use more batteries" argument is totally bogus.

>>631724
Most gearfags actually have money and do not rely on their mother's credit card like you, anon.

>>632466
Hmm, i missed that model when i was looking and its one of the top on outdoorgearlab. Ill definetly consider it, more brightness and not having rechargeables is pretty decent for $ 20 less
>>632486
Normally id be all for this but im after a headlamp with red leds and a few dim modes, which most wally world brands dont have unless you get around the same price range as the ones ive been talking about anyway. I like to stick to reputable brands just for the sake of their (usually) superior warranties sometimea too cause i can be pretty reckless with alot of my stuff

>>632489
Yeah, the spot is pretty much the anchor of the BD headlamp line. It's like the Merrell Moab of headlamps.

>>632489
>, which most wally world brands dont have
But anon, you are not correct because you have not checked.

The 12 dollar wallmart headlamp (ozark?) has 150 lumen mode
20 lumen mode and the red as well.
I have had mine 6 months and have used it every single day sometimes for hours at a time on high doing mechanical work.

>>632492
Is it regulated and what are the hours per mode?

>>632492
Now that you say it i found one on the walmart website with similar features as the spot for 20, but it lacks a few of the things i was keen on, like a waterproof rating. Definitely worth considering, but im not sure ill go that route

Alot of the appeal for me comes from the fact that its so well reviewed by so many people, with walmart and canadian tire stuff its often hit and miss. I guess all in all its just a headlamp though

I like the Nitecore HC30, i keep it on the 210 lumens mode for longer life. I wouldn't mess with anything less then a 18650 powered light. Anything less and your looking at like an 1 tops of usable light in the cold.

>>632517
>Nitecore HC30

Can you even into english?

>>632519
>core HC30
Hmm?

>>632517
Is 18650 the type of battery? Im a complete noob when it comes to electronics

>>632521
Yeah, rechargeable cells. Anything AA based or CR123a just don't last as long in the cold unless you are packing like 4 of them. I think the single 18650 is a great trade of weight/life plus rechargeable are all over the place. The HC30 is a treat head light and IMO is better then any of the other options. Granted your gonna pay 50 burger bucks for it but if you look on Ebay you'll find a package deal that comes with a charger and what not. Also the HC30 has a wide angle lens. So many of the pocket rocket flashlights are so focused on beam when in a headlight for hiking down a trail at night or working at camp a flood light is better.

>>632524
Can those be bought separately though? Intentions being just to throw 18650 batts in the bd spot

>>632529
yup, fairly cheaply as well. Maybe check on em yearly to put a fresh charge on them. I have about 20 18650 cells and all my lights take it now. Well almost, I still keep an Fenix TK41 that takes 8 AAs, worth to much just to toss so I keep with with some rechargeable AAs in my basement.

>>630592
Eye sight works on a logarithmic scale, no linear; you get diminishing returns beyond 200-300 lumens. Yes more lumens is 'brighter' but human eyes will not see that much of an increase, but more lumens generally means more power consumption too.

>>632530
Cool beans. Thanks for the advice

>>632547
No problem dude, I blew a lot of money on flashlights/Headlamps. Just wanted to share what I thought was best from my experiences.

>>632491
They just released the new version of it as well, which apparently implemented fixes for most of the major issues people had with it and made it brighter to boot

>>630574
I went from a cheap $15 lamp to this exact headlamp and love it, Average 120hrs of use before having to change batteries and the main beam is brighter than the average torch, great for fishing and no doubt hiking. They are a little bit on the heavy side to wear all day for some though.

>>630574
I got a really nice one for 5$.
It works just fine. Don't become too autistic with your gear or you'll miss the point.

>>630636
I saw this and went to get one on Amazon and the Fenix HP12 was just a little more so I got it.

>>630592

Bought an ozark trail, 210 lumens, spotlight mode, area mode, red mode.

And they each had 2 brightness levels, and it had a tilt option.

20 denars

>>631555
Just a typical /out/ shitposter.

>Completely blind to anything but neo-con/libertarian dogma (because gunz).

>Equates your new progressive government with communism (a classic argument).

>Does not understand what exchange rates are.

>>632847
I thought he meant that MEC is supposed to be a non profit co-op with low prices, but lately it still charges between 90 and 110% of other retail stores on most things.

>>633025
So does costco though fpr alot of stuff. I always thought the purpose fro co-ops was convenience not prices nessesarily

>>633025
Oh right, maybe.
I'm Australian so have no idea what a MEC is anyway.
Everything here is 9000% more expensive than anywhere else in the world. Stupid Australia. You North Americans have no idea how good you've got it.

>>630574

Get one of the Thrunite ones. I been a huge fan of head lamps (flash lights too) spent prob close to a grand on dif lights in the last yr. That one has been the most sturdy one so far.

It is also all in one house, no wires that will get lose over time. It is also all steel too.

Black Diamond spot, little heavy but the battery life is impressive.
Amazing when compared to some shitty energizer headlamp i had from walmart

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How many of you fell for these memelamps? Cheap mass produced shit seems to be everywhere masquerading under multiple brand names.

1st one the button decided to stop working after a few days of use, 2nd would turn on but the shitty wiring made the light cut out from the shock of a simple footstep. Kinda ashamed to admit i bought 2 of these before realizing I should invest in a decent headlamp.

>>631230
I bought it used from REI though.

>>633456
I'm using my cheap on for years now, no problems and great battery life. only con is that its powered by 4 LEDs so not very bright.

>>633456
got one for a few quid when i filled up with petrol about 5-10 years ago, it lasted a while but ultimately was a bit shit and died.

a couple years ago my great auntie and uncle got me one for christmas, it arrived without the screw on lens ring and reflector. I have no fucking idea why. It lives in the bottom of my tool box and is probably broken by now.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/cabela-s-xpg-trade-rgb-ii-headlamp/1716920.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch%2F%3FN%3D1000002949%26Ne%3D1000002949%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dhead%252Blamp%26Ntx%3Dmode%252Bmatchallpartial%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%252BProducts%26WTz_st%3DSearchRefinements%26form_state%3DsearchForm%26search%3Dhead%252Blamp%26searchTypeByFilter%3DTopRated%26x%3D10%26y%3D6&Ntt=head%2Blamp

i have this its awesome batteries last forever has red blue green lights white light has high and low setting and is super bright only 40$

>>633456
Got one for $6
Still works fine, just with the red leds weren't only a strobe mode

>>634377
Looks like poo poo cachoo

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Wel i went for the new black diamond spot after much consideration

Glad i did, not bad of a price for such a bright lamp, its got a bunch of dim settings and a red light and the best ipx rating. Its also pretty fancy lookin

Cant wait to test it out

Which has the best balance between light and battery life? Most of the ones I've looked at seem to have like 2hr life or like 200hrs if its at like 0.1 lumen

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>>632753
Finally showed up. Didn't come with batteries though.

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>>630574

I've always liked Petzls. Everyone and their dog had one in the Army; they got abused, banged around, wet/frozen/dusty/etc, but they always worked.

Haven't bought a new headlamp in years, so there may be better options out there, but my Petzl is still going strong.

>>630574
What I would do is order a cheap one off amazon, try it out for a week, and if it doesn't work out, return it for a refund and order a nice expensive one.

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>>637406
I took my headlamp out today and it was raining. Sucked bad. It lit up the rain drops on all but the lowest setting and was pretty useless. I had better results just carrying it. I wish I took a pic. This pic is a google image but that's what it was like.

>>638988
Damn, that's some rain there. Looks intense.