Head torch advice.

RonanP77

I'm looking to get a head torch for my winter walks/cycles/runs. I don't really want to spend more than €50. Can anybody recommend one for me please?

pconn062

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viperlogic

Petzel are the leaders in this area. Think mine is the tikka. Was only about 20e

Oryx

I was out with a friend yesterday, they had a petzl, but the light from it was very poor. I'm in the market for a headtorch, but not whatever model they have!

Rechargeable is supposed to be the way to go but they're expensive.

viperlogic

Use lumens to compare, the bigger the better

mloc123

Silva Trail Runner 2, bought one recently and find it great.

I run at night in the woods with no natural light and it is enough.

mossym

mloc123 wrote: »

Silva Trail Runner 2, bought one recently and find it great.

I run at night in the woods with no natural light and it is enough.

are you still stuck out there or did you manage to get home? did sean's help arrive yet?

Cabaal

got this two years back, still going strong

nice and bright on pitch dark country roads http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenser-Rechargeable-Head-Lamp-Black/dp/B001PMP340/

ronn

I got the led lenser seo 3, find it good

boydkev

viperlogic wrote: »

Petzel are the leaders in this area. Think mine is the tikka. Was only about 20e

I use the Petzl Tikka 2, I find it great for running on the road, Bright enough and light enough that it does not bounce. Batteries seem to last but you will notice the light difference when they are getting low. Cant remember how much i spent but not more than €25.

RonanP77

I'll have to look it up, it sounds ideal.

brownian

Alpkit.com do surprisingly great ones. I've got the 15-sterling Mamba, IIRC, and it's a savage thing. Decathlon also have a serious range of 80-lumen and 120-lumen head-torches, for about 30 euro. If there's one technology that's really changed in the last three years, it's LEDs.

aero2k

I'm having trouble posting links, but if you do a search for "CREE head torch on ebay" there's some serious stuff on there. I bought a 2000 lumens model with a single beam last winter. It died pretty quick but I bought a set of rechargeable batteries and a charger from tmart for a few quid and I was up and running again. It turned out the original charger was faulty - I'm sure I could have got a refund for it but it was so cheap it was hardly worth the effort. Now I have a spare set of batteries which is handy.

I see there's a 5000 lumen model for £12.50 + £7 postage to Ireland - it looks amazing.

sconhome

A super bright lamp is not worth a damn if it burns through batteries in an hour or so. Too bright a lamp is going to dazzle yourself if running in rain or foggy nights. You need to look at the type of beam and a bright yet softer light that is functional without causing night blindness.

Any of those LED lensers, Petzl or Silva lamps are designed with a runner in mind and the light is far superior IMHO than a super bright cone of light that can be seen miles away.

BeepBeep67

I've had a Tikka XP Pro for about 5yrs now, gives just enough light for running where there's little / no light, batteries get changed once per year, think it cost about €50.
I've also attached a small flashing red light to the strap to improve me been seen from behind.

DubOnHoliday

I picked up a new Led Lenser h7r for 27stg (plus 5stg post) yesterday from eBay. The seller was cjcer. He seems to have lots of headlamps!

b.harte

DubOnHoliday wrote: »

I picked up a new Led Lenser h7r for 27stg (plus 5stg post) yesterday from eBay. The seller was cjcer. He seems to have lots of headlamps!

When it gets to you check that it is genuine. Then, if (ahem) it is a good fake ask the seller for a refund or you will report the item as fake. Most sellers will give a refund and you should get to keep the very bright lamp. The lenser lamps are great and well worth
the normal rrp. Most of the cheap ones on ebay are fake and the battery time is well less than the genuine. The ledlenser site has a guide on how to spot fakes. But on the other hand it may be genuine.

Mycroft H

Zebralights and or Armyteks. Puts the led lensers to shame with excellent build quality and sheer light output

aero2k

AKW wrote: »

A super bright lamp is not worth a damn if it burns through batteries in an hour or so. Too bright a lamp is going to dazzle yourself if running in rain or foggy nights. You need to look at the type of beam and a bright yet softer light that is functional without causing night blindness.

Any of those LED lensers, Petzl or Silva lamps are designed with a runner in mind and the light is far superior IMHO than a super bright cone of light that can be seen miles away.

It might be a matter of personal preference. I haven't tried any of the big brand names, so I can't comment on them. My running head torch doubles up as a worklight when I need short-term specific task lighting, so output is important.

On battery life, I have two sets of batteries - one gives about 3 hrs life on the lower setting (I only use the high setting for short off road sections of my runs), and the other set is fairly poor, about 1 hr. Most of my night runs are less than 1 hr duration so not a problem for me.

Can you define "functional" for me? Can you see tree roots etc?

I might give beepbeep's model a try...

Cona

For what its worth, my friend purchased this one from Argos and is quite happy with it. he wouldnt be depending on it to go up mountains or off-trail but still seems a decent price:
http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/9349865/Trail/searchtext%3EHEAD+TORCH.htm

sconhome

aero2k wrote: »

It might be a matter of personal preference. I haven't tried any of the big brand names, so I can't comment on them. My running head torch doubles up as a worklight when I need short-term specific task lighting, so output is important.

On battery life, I have two sets of batteries - one gives about 3 hrs life on the lower setting (I only use the high setting for short off road sections of my runs), and the other set is fairly poor, about 1 hr. Most of my night runs are less than 1 hr duration so not a problem for me.

Can you define "functional" for me? Can you see tree roots etc?

I might give beepbeep's model a try...

Give you a breakdowm on lamps I use(d):

Silva Siju - grand little light, fine as a work lamp or city running where surfaces are flat
Silva Jogger - great for city running, grand for country roads, ok for trails.
Silva Trail Runner II - great for country roads and solid on the trails. Light emits as an oval with a focus beam in the centre. Light levels bleed together so not mad bright cone in front and blindness to periphery.
Silva Cross Trail II - class bit of kit for all types of night stuff. Light auto adjusts to account for ambient light, multiple light settings including a map beam so no dazzle. Strong enough light to be seen a long way away which is good to mark ditches and warn approaching cars but not so bright to cause night blindness to drivers either.

I also have several of the cheapo lamps which are super bright to the point that you see nothing outside of the cone of light in front of you, major dazzle and blindness running in the rain, too strong a light will cast shadows on rough ground giving no depth perception.

This is what I light about the Silva Intelligent Light you have enough light to see everything in relief, no blind spots either. I would run country roads and forests regularly and only the Trail Runner II or Cross Trail II give me enough light to see properly and make out the lie of the land. Proper balanced light.

If I remember correctly the lux of the lamp combined with the lumen is what is important. A warm colour light that is not blindingly bright is best IMHO.

Just to further, the LED & Petzl are also brands that do watches suitable for running, I have looked at them but never used them so can't comment either way on them. I also buy my headlamps and gear so not a case of 'upping' a brand for the sake of it. Those lamps I have are damn good.

aero2k

AKW wrote: »

...

I also have several of the cheapo lamps which are super bright to the point that you see nothing outside of the cone of light in front of you, major dazzle and blindness running in the rain, too strong a light will cast shadows on rough ground giving no depth perception. .....

Just to further, the LED & Petzl are also brands that do watches suitable for running, I have looked at them but never used them so can't comment either way on them. I also buy my headlamps and gear so not a case of 'upping' a brand for the sake of it. Those lamps I have are damn good.

Cheers. I have had that dazzle problem in rain and fog - I didn't realise it was avoidable.

I've just had a look at some of the Petzl ones - the reactive lighting looks like a great idea (i.e. useful technology). Christmas is coming....

lgk

aero2k wrote: »

Cheers. I have had that dazzle problem in rain and fog - I didn't realise it was avoidable.

I've just had a look at some of the Petzl ones - the reactive lighting looks like a great idea (i.e. useful technology). Christmas is coming....

Yeah, I've the Petzl Nao and the reactive technology works really well, only exception is when running alongside people wearing a lot of reflective material, the sensor picks up loads of reflected light and dims the output right down. But that's easily avoided by angling the lamp downwards.

The reactive light is great when orienteering, look at the map, it auto-dims so you're not getting glare, look off into the distance and it focuses to a bright narrow beam so you can spot controls, etc.

If the dazzle in clouds/ fog is too bad, take the light off your head and hold it in your hand. That way the bright haze is just in front of the lamp, and not your eyes and you get a better view of what's on the ground in front of you.

RonanP77

I bought a light in Argos for €5, I just brought it out on the roads for a short walk (1.7k) to test it. I live in the middle of nowhere so it's really dark out here. It worked perfectly. I can flick it over to red when I see a car coming.