Best Headlight(to wear on head)

[Joelk]

As I get older it seems that I need a LOT more light to see well.

I recently bought a headlight that is nice and bright, but it has the battery pack on the back of the headband. This works fine when I'm standing up, but if I am on the ground, working off of my back, it can get in the way.

Any suggestions on lights that work well for doing auto repairs, etc.?

OK to recommend ones that have the battery pack in the back as I usually do most of my work standing up, but I would also like to have one without battery pack in the back for use when I do have to lay on my back.

 

[BirdMobile]

I like AA battery Zebralights... a bit pricy though.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00H4...200_QL40&qid=1411864585&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

 

[Sage55]

Take a look at the Fenix headlamps.

I use one of their AA models and have been very happy with them. Much better than those cheaper Home Depot models that I have laying around too.

 

[CJM8515]

Petzl

 

[Ruger_556]

Zebralight hands down. I have an 18650 version as well as an AA.

 

[SantaAna12]

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?6-Headlamps

 

[SASORacing]

Petzyl zipka for me, it has a retractable dyneema cord that can go on your head like a head band, wrist, anywhere convenient really. I like it a lot and it runs about $45. Made for climbing and backpacking mostly.

 

[sac02]

I'm a big flashaholic (yes, that is the cheesy, uninspired, and unimaginative name we call ourselves), and I give another vote to Zebralight.

If you are willing to have another battery charger around, the 18650 battery format is an excellent combo of small size, big power, and long runtimes. For reference, the 18650 cell is the basis of pretty much every Li-Ion pack out of there - cordless tools, laptops, etc - so there is consistently a lot of research going into improving the format.

If you can't talk yourself into the 18650 version (I really recommend it), they have AA versions and CR123 as well.

 

[CoryZ]

I'm brand loyal to Petzl. Mine have seen heavy use over the past decade and are still going strong.

 

[Sage55]

I'm a big flashaholic (yes, that is the cheesy, uninspired, and unimaginative name we call ourselves), and I give another vote to Zebralight.

If you are willing to have another battery charger around, the 18650 battery format is an excellent combo of small size, big power, and long runtimes. For reference, the 18650 cell is the basis of pretty much every Li-Ion pack out of there - cordless tools, laptops, etc - so there is consistently a lot of research going into improving the format.

If you can't talk yourself into the 18650 version (I really recommend it), they have AA versions and CR123 as well.

Love the 18650 LED flashlights. I have a Solar Force LED flash light at my bed that's stupid bright and lasts a long time.

 

[malibu101]

My BIL just got a Streamlight ProTacHL and I played with it last night.
It has high, medium, and low brightness settings and takes a CR123 battery. The battery may be a bit of a downside.
But on the upside, high beam is unbelivabley bright especially from this small headlight!! I mean stupid bright, you could spot deer with it. I don't even know why it has such a bright high.
Medium and low are very nice "normal" light levels for tasks that require a headlight.

http://www.streamlight.com/en-us/product/product.html?pid=294

 

[scratchedup]

I like my FOURSEVENS a lot.

http://www.foursevens.com/products/HAL-HE

 

[Tejaas]

Petzl!
Great products, lightweight and low profile, and they have a really good elastic headband that doesn't stretch out after heavy use.

also, plenty of "cheaper" battery options... such as AAA.
i get CR123's for free, and still appreciate it when a flashlight is "good" with common and cheaper batts.

 

[n8n]

Another vote for Zebralight here. Mine's old but I would get whatever the current version is that runs on an 18650 and has a "warm" tint LED.

 

[Verg]

I have two headlamps:
Coast Led H7 196 Luman. Its a great all around headlamp has held up extremely well at the shop. In fact we all have Coast Led headlamps. i think this one was around $36 on amazon. tons of reviews for this light online.

Led Lenser h7 Just about the same thing as the Coast but slightly easier to use. Power button and light focus are more convenient. Unfortunately they (as in more then a few) have not held up. The lights seem to have issues with the wires wearing out around the battery pack. We replaced all of them under warranty, eventually upgraded to the coast led.

If you have ever used a Stinger or high powered LED flashlight, thats what these lights are like on your forehead. If it was not for the dimming they would be too bright in some situations. Both lights use standard AAA batteries. Some of the higher end ones use very expensive to replace photo batteries.

 

[Squankum]

I've been a Petzl guy for about 8 years now. Wear mine all over the woods and in the shop. Mine takes three AAA's and for shop use, I use nicads. Can't imagine life without a headlamp. Little plastic bits have worn in mine, after lots and lots of use, and I recently bought the same exact model, recently obsolete. (I have a special red lense need and this-now obsolete model is perfect for me.)

I've not tried any other good ones, and there are a million good choices nowadays. But my Petzl has been good.

See reviews at REI.com for an idea of what's available, and what average nerds think. (Candlepowerforums for what flashlight nerds think!)

$15 Wal Mart LED headlamps did not work out for me. I loan those out to others.

 

[wagzilla]

My BIL just got a Streamlight ProTacHL and I played with it last night.
It has high, medium, and low brightness settings and takes a CR123 battery. The battery may be a bit of a downside.
But on the upside, high beam is unbelivabley bright especially from this small headlight!! I mean stupid bright, you could spot deer with it. I don't even know why it has such a bright high.
Medium and low are very nice "normal" light levels for tasks that require a headlight.

http://www.streamlight.com/en-us/product/product.html?pid=294

I have this same light 600 lumen works well

 

[Mohawk Dave]

Petzl tikka

 

[bigdave39355]

Armytek wizard. Worth the money.

 

[mrborohachi]

Streamlight TRIDENT. I just got a new one from Streamlight Warranty exchange, no hassle at all from them.

Trident specs:
Winner of Outdoor Life’s prestigious 2013 Editor’s Choice Award
Meets lighting needs for both close-up and distance work
Features center C4® LED and three ultra-bright white 5mm LEDs
C4 LED for super-bright light with useable range: 4,000 candela peak beam intensity; 80 lumens; 126m beam distance; 5 hour run time
3 ultra-bright white 5mm LEDs for bright light and longer run time: 385 candela peak beam intensity; 35 lumens; 39m beam distance; 10 hour run time
One safety green LED: 55 candela peak beam intensity; 6 lumens; 15m beam distance; 63 hours run time
Push-button switch is easy to use when wearing gloves and is recessed to protect it from inadvertent activation

If you don't need the Green light option their new Trident® HAZ-LO Headlamp has better run times on it's hi and low powers.
3 ultra-bright white 5mm LEDs for intense brightness and longer run time: 30 lumens; 300 candela peak beam intensity; 35m beam distance; runs 24 hours
C4 LED for super-bright light with strong beam distance: 85 lumens; 2,600 candela peak beam intensity; 102m beam distance; runs 8 hours

 

[RBailey]

Ledlenser H14

I love the difused light on flood beam.

I liked it so much I have just bought the second generation. Gone re-chargeable this time though as they are power hungry.

 

[rob0781]

I just use the energizer ones work supplies them as well as batteries. They work well for me. Also have a more rugged energizer i use at home with no complaints.

 

[JonnyMac]

Petzl.
Starter using them for fishing in the early 90's and ive had several models all of which are very well made.

 

[kiatech]

Zebralight hw600

 

[Monte]

Lago
www.lagolight.com
Made in France

 

[tarbellb]

Can anybody find the link to a very robust GJ thread where one of members had done a ton of research? There is a lot of good info in that thread.

 

[BirdMobile]

I'm amazed at the brand loyalty toward Petzl here... I've owned 3 of their headlamps in the last 15 years, all 3 of them either stopped functioning, or the cheap-*** battery holder case part broke.

I'm through with Petzl... never again.

 

[byoungblood]

I bought an inexpensive Coleman branded one this past weekend for $10. Runs on 3 AAA batteries, uses a CREE LED, and has about 78 lumen output on high. For the few things I've used it for thus far, it works pretty well. It was originally priced at $30-35 IIRC.

 

[cagullett1]

Not sure how this compares to the ones others have mentioned, but I use this thing ALL the time and love it.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Alaskan-Guide-Series174-QUL-Headlamps-by-Princeton-Tecreg/714625.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3DCabela%2527s%2BAlaskan%2BGuide%2BSeries%25AE%2BQUL%2BHeadlamps%2Bby%2BPrinceton%2BTec%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=Cabela%27s+Alaskan+Guide+Series%EE%A0%91UL+Headlamps+by+Princeton+Tec&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

 

[TJJP77]

I'm amazed at the brand loyalty toward Petzl here... I've owned 3 of their headlamps in the last 15 years, all 3 of them either stopped functioning, or the cheap-*** battery holder case part broke.

I'm through with Petzl... never again.

Funny,

My experience has been just the opposite. I have a Petzl Tikka XP (I think that's the model) with the sliding diffuser lens that I've had for over a decade that's been flawless. I also got a Tac-Tikka XP a few years back that has been great as well.

 

[anodyne33]

Petzyl zipka for me

x2

far and away my favorite small light. I thought I'd lost mine and they stopped making them (I hadn't seen one in stores for years) and I was elated when the better half dug mine out of a pile of ****.

 

[flying eyeball]

I've got a couple of the 2000 lumen ebay jobbers that take 18650's and they have worked great.

similar to this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Newest-CREE...0463376?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item19f4284990

 

[mooman]

Not sure how this compares to the ones others have mentioned, but I use this thing ALL the time and love it.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Alaskan-Guide-Series174-QUL-Headlamps-by-Princeton-Tecreg/714625.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3DCabela%2527s%2BAlaskan%2BGuide%2BSeries%25AE%2BQUL%2BHeadlamps%2Bby%2BPrinceton%2BTec%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=Cabela%27s+Alaskan+Guide+Series%EE%A0%91UL+Headlamps+by+Princeton+Tec&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

I have a few of that same light and love it!!

 

[nicholasbailey1993]

I bought a Princeton Tec a few years ago. I think it is the Remix model. I haven't had any problems with it. The main reason that I went with the Princeton Tec was that they were U.S. made at the time, I'm not sure if they still are or not.

 

[Joelk]

Thanks for all of the replies!

Has anyone tried any of the Energizer Headlamps?

If so, what model and how do you like it?

 

[Joelk]

I bought an inexpensive headlamp at Walmart that seems to work very well for the price.

It is a 150 Lumen Ozark Trail model that cost $12.97

It is fairly bright, with a fairly broad beam, very light and comfortable, the switch is easy to operate, the angle(up/down) adjusts easily and it uses 3 AAA batteries.

I still plan to get others that are brighter, but IMO it is a great little headlamp for the price.

 

[kctyphoon]

Not a mechanic, but I'm a lineman and do sometimes have to work at night.. I have two lights, both coast.. Coast and LED lenser (leatherman) are basically the same. I have the top of the line non rechargeable coast light that is amazingly bright. I forgot the lumens, but it has 3 settings and will light up an entire work area. Takes 4aa , but you can wear the battery pack on your belt so it's not on your head. Comes with hard hat clips too, or the light and battery can detach and be free standing. The run time is amazing too. Light 19 hrs on low I think... For smaller stuff is a small 3aaa coast I got from Lowes.. Also great, light is very small and lightweight, runtime is about 3 hours..

Just a suggestion, but make sure you weight in the Lumens vs run times. And don't fall for the multi led headlamps.. The LEDs are cheap and don't put out much light, which is why there are 7 instead of just one..

Coast hl8 is my big one.. 344 lumens on high, focusing beam, 3 settings, @$80
Coast hl5 is my small one. 175 lumens, only one setting @$20

 

[Steinmetz]

I'm not a big fan of Petzl, although I own about four or five of them. The battery compartment is generally difficult to close, and comes open sometimes when adjusting the light angle while wearing. I've kept this in mind when I'm in the woods at night, since one or more batteries may be lost in total darkness.

 

[Joelk]

Thanks for the replies.

I have read reviews on the Coast HL7 & HL8 and may buy one of them at some point.

I bought a couple headlights from Harbor Freight. They were on sale, so they did not cost much, but they are worthless!

 

[garboui]

Another vouch for Petzl. I have a tikka 2 and its a winner for me cause its compact profile does not get on the way. gets decent battery life and is plenty bright. the brightness modes are selectable through quick successive pushes. a single click will always turn it on/off from the last light mode used; this is a litle detail that makes a big difference for me.

i also have a pelican light. its a little farther shooting than the petzl but sticks off the head a little further. the whole front bezel/reflector assembly thats triangular in shape twists for on/off only operation. This works great when wearing bulky gloves and even arctic gear. The light comes with a normal elastic fabric strap and a heavy rubber strap. the rubber strap is great for hard hart use as its tight and grips well.

bottom line, if i could only have one it would be a petzl!