How to spot good headlamp

D

damib

Joined
Jul 7, 2021
Messages
119
Hello,
I wanted to explore some freely accessible caves near place where I live, so I turned my headlamp on (Petzl Tikkina) on max and I literally didn't even see a wall. Nothing happened and as soon as I got home, I figured out that it was just caused by batteries. Even though I can now come back and explore these caves without too much problem, I am decided to buy new headlamp.
I've been looking for new headlamps on internet stores for like 3 days and it just made me more confused. It seems like some of the headlamps on the market are not really better in terms of brightness or run time from Petzl Tikkina, but they are still two or more times more expensive. And then there are headlamps that are twice as expensive but the values of brightness and run times are two or three times bigger. Why? What to look for when comparing headlamps so I don't get scammed? I don't really want to buy something twice as expensive but twice as bad.
 
Just get new batteries for the Petzl.. You can always carry and swap in spare batteries.

And next time you go caving check your gear before you leave.
 
Danke42 said:
Just get new batteries for the Petzl.. You can always carry and swap in spare batteries.

And next time you go caving check your gear before you leave.
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It was kinda stupid from me to go in unprepared but I really would like to leave the Petzl for night running or night walking and buy something that's more powerful and also has more run time. I tried to measure the distance my Petzl can light up tonight and with brand new batteries in, I can fairly say that the manufacturer says absolute BS about the distance. It's not 90 m. It's more like 20 m and that's on max.
 
The petzl tikkina is rated for 250 lumens for 2 hours. By comparison the rechargeable Wisdom 4a headlamp (which i currently use for caving) is rated for 265 lumens for 13 hours (or 533 lumens for 5 hours, although running it on high for extended periods is not recommended due to heat buildup). It got a great and very detailed review by cavers much more experienced than me in the National Speleological Society News about a year ago. However it costs about $180, which is a lot less than some caving lamps but a lot more than the Petzl tikkina, for sure. I don't know what area you are from but 265 lumens is plenty for most caves you might encounter. The Wisdom lamp also comes with a great pop-on diffuser lens for ambient lighting, or use without the lens for spot lighting.

From the June 2021 NSS News review:

"This is the final part of my review
where I will give the pros and cons of this
light as far as its use for cave exploration.
No light I have yet to see has no cons. The
pros certainly outweigh the cons and I also
take into consideration this is a multi sport
lamp made by a company that makes mining
lights. This light produces a more intense
spot than any cave worthy headlamp I have
yet to see and I have seen and reviewed
many.The tilt feature on the flat blade is
something new to me. The water resistance
rating is greater than any other non dive
rated headlamp I am aware of, much greater
in fact. The spot intensity is due in part to
the large and very polished reflector. Larger
and deeper than reflectors on any other cave
worthy headlamp I have yet to see. This is a
smart design as it is better to get your output
from the reflector than by simply pumping
more lumens. This will allow the light to run
longer, not draining the battery as soon or
getting near as hot and having to step down
on its high setting not long after turning on
the highest output setting. This to me is a
huge plus. The accessories and diffusers give
a wide variety of optic options. A very well
thought out design in many ways. The price
is reasonable considering what all you get.
This outperformed many more expensive
lights. The weight to me feels fine mounted
to the front of a climbing helmet. "

"The cons
are few, one is that you cannot remove the
batteries, I understand why this is done to
make it more waterproof. This may be an
issue for some cavers depending on the
nature of their trips. Expedition cavers are
used to being able to replace batteries and
have unlimited run times for multi day expeditions.
Most cavers are recreational and trips
typically last 4 to 6 hours maybe. Run times
will be more than sufficient for those trips.
I will say here you can get the low setting
of 50 lumens that gives sufficient light to
traverse many caves for 60 hours. I ran mine
on the mid setting and only turning the high
setting up to spot tall domes or look at larger
trunk passage. Another con is it produces a
magnetic field as the charge cord connects
connects via a magnet. Magnets can throw
off survey devices cavers use to maps caves.
This will only be an issue to those who map
caves. Again the majority of cavers are
recreational cavers. Another very slight con
is the light has a somewhat sensitive switch.
The batteries can not be removed so it may
be possible for this light to get turned on
accidentally while in transit or storage. I am
told there is a switch cover but my sample did
not include one. The only cavers out there
that may have an issue with this light are the
few multi day expedition cavers and those
who survey. "

"Overall, I have a very positive
impression of this light and do not think it
can be touched in spot distance output and
the value for what it cost is very nice.This will
be my “ go to” headlamp for now."
 
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I don’t explore caves but I do work nights part of the year and have plenty other times where a good headlamp is necessary. Last year I bought a Fenix HM65R and by all accounts I love it.
I believe it was about a hundred dollars.
 
damib said:
It was kinda stupid from me to go in unprepared but I really would like to leave the Petzl for night running or night walking and buy something that's more powerful and also has more run time. I tried to measure the distance my Petzl can light up tonight and with brand new batteries in, I can fairly say that the manufacturer says absolute BS about the distance. It's not 90 m. It's more like 20 m and that's on max.
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I think I'd like a lamp with more throw for running since I'd be going faster.

There's a lumen app you can get for your phone. Download that and test what sort of output you're getting. Go from there.
 
I would recommend going to outdoorgearlab.com and reading their article on selecting headlamps. It's from 2018, so some of the models will be updated by now, but it's worth understanding how the ratings get made, and what sort of conditions you can expect. It's a very good article at explaining what you are actually paying for with certain lights. Brightness and runtime are not the only story.

Manufactures might not be "Lying" but they might be telling a very specific truth that doesn't apply to your situation. Testing on your own only works if you have a way to do it with some level of scientific rigor. Once you have a good handle on how the manufacturers arrive at their numbers, you can then find a light that has the features you need. At the end of the day, there is only so much energy in a battery, and no amount of wishes or dreams can get a brighter light for longer once that maximum is hit, though some makers might market such things.
 
barleywino said:
The petzl tikkina is rated for 250 lumens for 2 hours. By comparison the rechargeable Wisdom 4a headlamp (which i currently use for caving) is rated for 265 lumens for 13 hours (or 533 lumens for 5 hours, although running it on high for extended periods is not recommended due to heat buildup). It got a great and very detailed review by cavers much more experienced than me in the National Speleological Society News about a year ago. However it costs about $180, which is a lot less than some caving lamps but a lot more than the Petzl tikkina, for sure. I don't know what area you are from but 265 lumens is plenty for most caves you might encounter. The Wisdom lamp also comes with a great pop-on diffuser lens for ambient lighting, or use without the lens for spot lighting.
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That's interesting to know, thanks. I don't know, but it may be that man made tunnels require more light for some reason? I mean those man made tunnels big enough so that train would go in. Maybe it's just construction, because I don't really remember any cave or any place in my life that you would literally go in and quite literally saw nothing after walking only 2 m. It's like black hole with danger of junkies and homeless people because it's near a city.
 
There are a lot of reasons why an area can seem darker, or a light can seem like it's giving more/less output. Even a slight amount of dust, barely enough to notice can cause enough flaring for some people's eyes to not adjust as much to the darkness, just one explanation of many. I've not used a tikkina, but I don't think they are much of a thrower light, more middle distance. A little light can go a long way if it's focused well.
 
When it's darker, a dimmer light will seem brighter. That has nothing to do with the light, but instead it's how your eyes work.

If your light is old, it's never a bad idea to get a new one. LED technology advances so rapidly that every so often an older light that "still works just fine" can be worth replacing simply because of how much brighter the new ones are. Or, more practically, a new light used at an adequate brightness can last 2-4 times longer (or more). For example, the Fenix HM50R V2.0 headlamp lasts 8 hours at 120 lumens on a rechargeable 16340 (123A size) battery. It wasn't that long ago that such a thing would have been ludicrously fanciful to think of. These days lumens are coming so "cheaply" that many people are preferring to sacrifice maximum output (brightnesses that aren't always practical) for high CRI.

I'm less versed on headlamps than I am on regular pocket flashlights.

Having at least one backup light is good advice if you're exploring caves. Hell, I have backups on me, and I live in a city and rarely deviate from lit roads at night.
 
I've been thinking about it and it seems like the darkness could be caused by what gadgetgeek is talking about. Lots of people in those man made tunnels reported "ghosts" on photos. While I am not afraid of ghost, it could be caused by dust or similar particles in the air reflecting light.

I've read some reviews and Petzls seem very good for the price. I will buy Tactikka+ and use Tikkina as a backup light because it may just have been caused by the batteries and particles in the air. Not that it wouldn't be beneficial for me to have brighter lamp, but in the end, I am often trying to stay unnoticed at night, so I may not really have use for it.
 
I have used a lot of different brands but my favorites have all been Black Diamonds. I currently have the Storm and the Spot (not sure on the second model). My only two knocks against them is the way they shift from low power to high power instantly and it is too easy to disengage the light lock for if the button gets pressed accidentally in a bag. Instant high is useful when you want it, but often I don't. I want to try a BioLite... but haven't yet. I have a buddy who loves his.
 
For caving, is throw or spill more important? Or do you need both at different times?
 
rhino said:
For caving, is throw or spill more important? Or do you need both at different times?
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Occasionally you need throw (for deep pits or large rooms) but most of the time, spill is sufficient. I would even say that spill is more important, because you need to see not just straight ahead but also down at your feet and side to side, since you’re constantly trying to find the path of least resistance as you encounter obstacles, etc. A diffuse wide-angle beam with no hot spots, that you can adjust the angle and intensity of, is ideal. For small passages or for waiting around, it’s nice to be able to turn the intensity down to save batteries. Ps. I see you’re posting from Indiana, which is blessed with tons of caves and several very active caving clubs (Central Indiana Grotto in Indy, Bloomington Indiana Grotto in Bloomington, etc)
 
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