first impressions cheap headlamp

S

siguy

Joined
Aug 26, 2006
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i just picked up this cheap headlamp (energizer brand) in walmart today while i was there as i have been needing one for a while and it just jumped out at me as a good deal.

i paid about $16 for it, so its not a bank breaker, but of course you get what you pay for. let's start with the negatives.

-construction doesn't look too too strong, i can imagine it failing if i was rough with it
-not waterproof
-a tad on the heavy/bulky side

the good things that pop out at me right away;
-takes AAA batteries-easy to get almost anywhere
-3 light settings
-swivels down, so you can read etc without craning your neck
-comfy strap/pad on the back of the light-good fit
-i'm not too afraid to take this with me and use it hard because its fairly cheap


this light has three light settings, a large LED with an advertised battery life of 12 hours, two small LEDs for a flood effect rated at something like 25 hours, and two small red LEDs for "preserving night vision" and for general walking when not too much light is needed, rated at around 75 hours i think.

playing around in the daytime, it seems pretty bright and it is easy to wear and forget about on your head. i really like the tilt feature, it lets me tilt it and not have to crane my neck to see if i am reading or working something in my hands at stomach/waist level instead of right in my face.

i like the different light levels/battery lives, very handy for if you don't need all that light or if you are running low on batteries and need to stretch them out.

i'm going to play with it some once it gets dark, and probably some tomorrow too.

the photos;
in hand:
DSCN6711.jpg


my dorky pose to show how it fits on the head:
DSCN6721.jpg


the battery compartment/tilt function:
DSCN6716.jpg


my cat posing with it:
DSCN6720.jpg
 
cool review simon..:D nice pics too...:thumbup: my older son has a similar headlamp, his has a little switch that lets you change the color of the light, to red or green....
 
the color change could be handy...i think i've heard of that when looking for blood trails at night etc...but i'm not sure how much i would use it.

i had one of those big army lights with the different color filters that screwed into the lens cap, and i always had trouble with the different colors. they always started to bother my eyes after a while. i ended up making my own filter to just soften the light out of a milk jug, so that it wouldn't mess with my eyes...

this will also come in handy if i ever go caving again...it was a pain to try to climb in and out of an icy cave with a light in one hand...
 
I've been reading this forum for a while, but never posted here before 'cause I don't know diddly about wilderness & survival skills. Been reading to try and learn stuff. :)

siguy,
I got that same headlamp for my sister after using the smaller version of it (just two white leds and a red one) for over a year every night in my backyard (hangin' out with stray cats, possums, raccoons and all the bugs--great for spotting spiders & their webs). It's been rained on more times than I can count--including some downpours--and still works. So even though it's technically not waterproof, if it's like the smaller one, it should hold up just fine if it gets wet. :thumbup:

Never had to do anything special to it once I've gotten it back inside. Maybe wipe it down with a paper towel, but that's it. Exactly how water resistant it is, I couldn't say. I've never submerged it.

Just wanted to add: I'm still using my small energizer headlamp over a year and a half after I bought it. It's still going strong, though it's showing signs of wear.
 
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moondrop, good to hear that i have something that should hold up.

looking it over, it all looks sealed up pretty well, so i'm not too too worried about it getting wet.

i don't plan on taking it scuba diving or anything, but i can see it getting wet at some point. good to know it will take it.
 
just reporting back-
putzed around in the backyard last night playing with the different settings, and the spot throws light pretty far, especially in the close-in woods around here. the white flood worked pretty well for general purpose/lighting my hands while making some fuzz sticks. the red floods worked pretty well too as long as i was within arms reach, so it was fine for making fuzz sticks too.

used it tonight while biking home after dark, found the spotlight function to work best. when i tipped the light forward one click (the different degrees of tippage are measured in audible clicks as the light rotates) to keep the zone of light in just the right spot for me. the floodlights were fine for decently lit roads or those without alot of tree cover. the red floods didn't do anything except show me my watch.

overall, i'm glad i finally got myself a headlamp, and i'm pleased with the way this one is performing so far. i can see this making some things much easier for me...
 
Congrats ;) usually they are rated for submersion (in/under the water!) rather than light moisture (simple drops) so hopefully it will take rain drops or sweat. Good user pictures, I like the cat!

Just for comparison, this is one of the best headlights out there (the other side of the rainbow :D ), very popular and they say well worth it; http://www.zebralight.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=183

but like you said the one you have isn't a bank buster and it should do the job for you ;) good luck and keep us posted on how it works for you.
 
Dantor said:
Congrats ;) usually they are rated for submersion (in/under the water!) rather than light moisture (simple drops) so hopefully it will take rain drops or sweat. Good user pictures, I like the cat!

Just for comparison, this is one of the best headlights out there (the other side of the rainbow :D ), very popular and they say well worth it; http://www.zebralight.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=183

but like you said the one you have isn't a bank buster and it should do the job for you ;) good luck and keep us posted on how it works for you.
Click to expand...
+1

Zebralights are fantastic.
 
Headlamps are a lifesaver for camping and fishing. When I first got mine, I wished I had one years ago.

Nice review on a reasonably priced lamp.
 
I bought a cheaper energizer head lamp a couple months back, takes 3 aaa's, its just has a switch for red or white light, think is was around $10-$12 I've used it a good bit so far so good..might fail but I never rely on one light source anyway :)
 
just a few years ago their weren't a lot of options, at least good ones and now, from the inexpensive to the "omg!" their are so many good lights out there, it's a really good time for bright, long lasting, sweet featured flashlight technology!
 
it is really great that technology has come along and that people have thought to put it towards the outdoors scene too.

thanks for the comments guys,

that zebra light looks pretty impressive...and i like teh side-of-the-head attachment going on...
 
+2 for the Zebralight. I've had my H30-Q5 for a few weeks now. It's not a thrower, but it's got a very useful wide spill, awesome regulated runtime and you don't even feel the weight.

Jeff
 
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