Welcome to the AppalachianTrailCafe.net!
Take a moment and register and then join the conversation

Best headlamp

    This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.

    • one of my xmas gifts this year was a gift card to EMS, I really dodn't need anything else at this point, it only means I have to carry it...then I though, my head lamp sucks...So I got the BD Spot, it's awesome, I love it having a beam of light to find trail markers is imo invaluable, saves a lot of time walkin' around aimlessly.

    • Another Black Diamond Spot here. Have used it many time leaving out in the early AM hours. I like it. It works for me. But, the only thing I have to compare it to is my first trail light which consisted of 2 whale oil lamps hung from an oxen yoke. It has a considerable weight savings.
      Changes Daily→ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ ♪♫♪♫♪♫ ← Don't blame me. It's That Lonesome Guitar.

    • milkman wrote:

      Another Black Diamond Spot here. Have used it many time leaving out in the early AM hours. I like it. It works for me. But, the only thing I have to compare it to is my first trail light which consisted of 2 whale oil lamps hung from an oxen yoke. It has a considerable weight savings.

      Not if you take the oxen.....
      Resident Australian, proving being a grumpy old man is not just an American trait.

    • OzJacko wrote:

      milkman wrote:

      Another Black Diamond Spot here. Have used it many time leaving out in the early AM hours. I like it. It works for me. But, the only thing I have to compare it to is my first trail light which consisted of 2 whale oil lamps hung from an oxen yoke. It has a considerable weight savings.

      Not if you take the oxen.....


      And with the oxen you could have enough steaks for all your friends around the camp fire.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference

    • I take a very different approach and use a streamlight led pen light. They come in several colors, but I prefer green. Clip it to the bill of your hat and it lights up a lot of trail ahead of you. Also, should you ever want to found you can point the light directly at something/someone and I guarantee you they will see it. It casts a nice flood of light to see by, but when you look directly into it you will know it. Can be seen for miles.

      [IMG:http://d2pbmlo3fglvvr.cloudfront.net/product/full/2RVN1_AS01.JPG]

      Comes in at 1.1 oz with battery for those weight conscious folks.
      If your Doctor is a tree, you're on acid.

    • CoachLou wrote:

      I have 3.......various Petzl upgrades...........each one purchased the day prior to the next upgrade :cursing:


      My wife Ov, has 5 or 6, walmart...Ocean state job lot.......Benny's....goodwill varieties. She only takes 2, and extra batteries



      Which is why we call her Overload :thumbsup:


      I've always wondered what she carried to earn that name but didn't want to be nosy. :)
      Lost in the right direction.

    • Foresight wrote:

      I take a very different approach and use a streamlight led pen light. They come in several colors, but I prefer green. Clip it to the bill of your hat and it lights up a lot of trail ahead of you. Also, should you ever want to found you can point the light directly at something/someone and I guarantee you they will see it. It casts a nice flood of light to see by, but when you look directly into it you will know it. Can be seen for miles.

      [IMG:http://d2pbmlo3fglvvr.cloudfront.net/product/full/2RVN1_AS01.JPG]

      Comes in at 1.1 oz with battery for those weight conscious folks.


      not bad for $14!
      Its always great when someone mentions a item that is outside the box thinking. They say it gets a 6 hour burn time. I prefer a deep reflector and the manufacture has that for $22 Good post!

      I just figured out why this is familliar - I own the Police/Fire Streamlight rechargeable Stinger!
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Wise Old Owl ().

    • I use an old Energizer headlamp while biking at night. I zip tied it to the bike helmet and it stays with me when the bike is locked. Had an expensive recharable bike light walk away. I have a newer but similar model I use when hiking at night. I also use it for hunting as the red LEDs are good for getting to the tree stand.

      Both were inexpensive to purchase and to use as rechargeable AAs are used for power.

      Lest we forget.....


      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC

    • Yesterday I went to the local REI to pick up a new headlamp. Since so many here mentioned the Black Diamond Spot I figured that's what I'd get. When I got to see it I didn't like the way the battery compartment snaps open. I prefer a back panel that's got a real hinge and is held closed by a small, captured, screw. That took my choice to a BD Storm or the Princeton Tec Vizz, both at $49.99.
      I chose the Vizz as it's a few grams lighter and a few lumens brighter (whatever a lumen is)

      This all came about because the headlamp I use at work was destroyed by neglect and the one I use for hiking, a Princeton Tec Quad, stopped working. I'll be contacting Princeton Tec to exercise the life time warranty on the Quad.

    • LIhikers wrote:

      Yesterday I went to the local REI to pick up a new headlamp. Since so many here mentioned the Black Diamond Spot I figured that's what I'd get. When I got to see it I didn't like the way the battery compartment snaps open. I prefer a back panel that's got a real hinge and is held closed by a small, captured, screw. That took my choice to a BD Storm or the Princeton Tec Vizz, both at $49.99.
      I chose the Vizz as it's a few grams lighter and a few lumens brighter (whatever a lumen is)

      This all came about because the headlamp I use at work was destroyed by neglect and the one I use for hiking, a Princeton Tec Quad, stopped working. I'll be contacting Princeton Tec to exercise the life time warranty on the Quad.


      well now ya got me curious.

      i bought my last headlamp because it was sale at rei. if its got that small screw then i guess ya need to carry a small screwdriver.

      edit: no screw which what i hoped i'd find. the plastic hinge thingy will fail eventually but thats ok.
      2,000 miler

      The post was edited 1 time, last by max.patch ().

    • max.patch wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      Yesterday I went to the local REI to pick up a new headlamp. Since so many here mentioned the Black Diamond Spot I figured that's what I'd get. When I got to see it I didn't like the way the battery compartment snaps open. I prefer a back panel that's got a real hinge and is held closed by a small, captured, screw. That took my choice to a BD Storm or the Princeton Tec Vizz, both at $49.99.
      I chose the Vizz as it's a few grams lighter and a few lumens brighter (whatever a lumen is)

      This all came about because the headlamp I use at work was destroyed by neglect and the one I use for hiking, a Princeton Tec Quad, stopped working. I'll be contacting Princeton Tec to exercise the life time warranty on the Quad.


      well now ya got me curious.

      i bought my last headlamp because it was sale at rei. if its got that small screw then i guess ya need to carry a small screwdriver.

      edit: no screw which what i hoped i'd find. the plastic hinge thingy will fail eventually but thats ok.


      No screwdriver required. It's got a small pastic tab on the headband.
      The hinge holds up better than the small tabs that hold on the snap-on covers.
      Everything fails eventually

    • LIhikers wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      Yesterday I went to the local REI to pick up a new headlamp. Since so many here mentioned the Black Diamond Spot I figured that's what I'd get. When I got to see it I didn't like the way the battery compartment snaps open. I prefer a back panel that's got a real hinge and is held closed by a small, captured, screw. That took my choice to a BD Storm or the Princeton Tec Vizz, both at $49.99.
      I chose the Vizz as it's a few grams lighter and a few lumens brighter (whatever a lumen is)

      This all came about because the headlamp I use at work was destroyed by neglect and the one I use for hiking, a Princeton Tec Quad, stopped working. I'll be contacting Princeton Tec to exercise the life time warranty on the Quad.


      well now ya got me curious.

      i bought my last headlamp because it was sale at rei. if its got that small screw then i guess ya need to carry a small screwdriver.

      edit: no screw which what i hoped i'd find. the plastic hinge thingy will fail eventually but thats ok.


      No screwdriver required. It's got a small pastic tab on the headband.
      The hinge holds up better than the small tabs that hold on the snap-on covers.
      Everything fails eventually


      well shoot, now i wish i had the screw. oh well.
      2,000 miler

    • LIhikers wrote:

      Yesterday I went to the local REI to pick up a new headlamp. Since so many here mentioned the Black Diamond Spot I figured that's what I'd get. When I got to see it I didn't like the way the battery compartment snaps open. I prefer a back panel that's got a real hinge and is held closed by a small, captured, screw. That took my choice to a BD Storm or the Princeton Tec Vizz, both at $49.99.
      I chose the Vizz as it's a few grams lighter and a few lumens brighter (whatever a lumen is)

      This all came about because the headlamp I use at work was destroyed by neglect and the one I use for hiking, a Princeton Tec Quad, stopped working. I'll be contacting Princeton Tec to exercise the life time warranty on the Quad.
      I'm here to sing the praises of the Princeton Tec life time warranty.
      I just got a brand new PT Quad in yesterdays mail, courtesy of the Princeton Tec warranty department.
      Thank You Princeton Tec :)

    • The Bushnell 125 lumen headlamp only uses 2 AAA batteries. The light is bright at the center, with less intensity spreading out to the sides. The low setting might be brighter than I need. It has two red LEDs and two blue LEDs, in addition to the main white LED.

      The low setting works well for night hiking, but is brighter than I want for an enclosed space (inside my car).
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does

      The post was edited 1 time, last by WanderingStovie ().

    • LIhikers wrote:

      Yesterday I went to the local REI to pick up a new headlamp. Since so many here mentioned the Black Diamond Spot I figured that's what I'd get. When I got to see it I didn't like the way the battery compartment snaps open. I prefer a back panel that's got a real hinge and is held closed by a small, captured, screw. That took my choice to a BD Storm or the Princeton Tec Vizz, both at $49.99.
      I chose the Vizz as it's a few grams lighter and a few lumens brighter (whatever a lumen is)

      This all came about because the headlamp I use at work was destroyed by neglect and the one I use for hiking, a Princeton Tec Quad, stopped working. I'll be contacting Princeton Tec to exercise the life time warranty on the Quad.
      I liked Princeton Tecs set up with the knurled/slotted screw as well, and that hook-up wire/ribbon is a pretty darn cheesy set-up just waiting to fail, your right, all good points.

    • Black Diamond Revolt

      So after using the "Black Diamond Spot" for a few months (which I really like) I've decided to give that one to my son and went with the "Black Diamond Revolt". The "Revolt" uses three Ni cad Rechargeable batteries or excepts three alkaline batteries, and basically has the same features as the "Spot" The "Revolt" can also be charged from my external battery pack with a USB connector. The main reason I switched up is I do more night walking these days than trail hiking, and the price of batteries was just getting to be to much and had me not wanting to use my very expensive hands free flash light...so whats the point of having one if I'm not gonna use it? Right?...So purely a financial decision of a dirt bag, penny pinchin' cheap ass Scotsman. The lamp just finished changing the first charge of the rechargeable it took 12 hours to charge the batteries.

      The post was edited 3 times, last by Socks: correction, 12 hours to first charge...don't ask. ().

    • Honest I cant - I found the source for our military who uses a solar panel below 8 ounces 2+amps and 20+ % efficiency I am reaching out to the person to fill the nitch of backpacking. After the conversation I realized this also encompasses the tech within the LED industry. We are on the verge of 1 LED and better than 30+ hours on a single Lithium with a focused beam. These are face to face conversations made in the USA.
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:

    • WiseOldOwl wrote:

      Honest I cant - I found the source for our military who uses a solar panel below 8 ounces 2+amps and 20+ % efficiency I am reaching out to the person to fill the nitch of backpacking. After the conversation I realized this also encompasses the tech within the LED industry. We are on the verge of 1 LED and better than 30+ hours on a single Lithium with a focused beam. These are face to face conversations made in the USA.
      By chance is the NSN available?

      Lest we forget.....


      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC

    • socks wrote:

      Black Diamond Revolt

      So after using the "Black Diamond Spot" for a few months (which I really like) I've decided to give that one to my son and went with the "Black Diamond Revolt". The "Revolt" uses three Ni cad Rechargeable batteries or excepts three alkaline batteries, and basically has the same features as the "Spot" The "Revolt" can also be charged from my external battery pack with a USB connector. The main reason I switched up is I do more night walking these days than trail hiking, and the price of batteries was just getting to be to much and had me not wanting to use my very expensive hands free flash light...so whats the point of having one if I'm not gonna use it? Right?...So purely a financial decision of a dirt bag, penny pinchin' cheap ass Scotsman. The lamp just finished changing the first charge of the rechargeable it took 12 hours to charge the batteries.
      So I've used the revolt for a week or two now, I like it just fine and can't really discern between the two the lumens while on spot...both shine a tight beam what seems to be effective out to about 25 yards. One difference between the spot and the revolt is the features. The spot I had has a "tap to change" brightness without using the main button, you can quickly toggle between dim and bright and back again just by touching the housing, a very convenient feature, the model revolt I got does not. It has s very easy action slider on the head band which can be tightened or loosened with the slight pressure of one finger, very nice for fine tuning the fit between hats and bare head, clean shaven bald or wooly mammoth. Nothing worse than a tight head band? Gives me a damn head ache. Anyhow, I like it...so much so, I buy another one for the house.

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Socks ().

    • Dan76 wrote:

      WiseOldOwl wrote:

      Honest I cant - I found the source for our military who uses a solar panel below 8 ounces 2+amps and 20+ % efficiency I am reaching out to the person to fill the nitch of backpacking. After the conversation I realized this also encompasses the tech within the LED industry. We are on the verge of 1 LED and better than 30+ hours on a single Lithium with a focused beam. These are face to face conversations made in the USA.
      By chance is the NSN available?
      Too early to tell - as soon as the military took notice it became a national secret - the website pages were yanked.
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:

    • Lemme see if I got this straight...

      The best head lamp you can't talk about.
      and it won't be ready for two years and we should all wait.
      Wait for a lamp the will burn 30 hours on a charge, and some solar panel that is lighter in weight but won't work in the green tunnel.

      Uh huh...oh brother! Talk about drama class.