Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting High Performance Headlamp

Hey fellows,

I'm looking for information to help me choose the best headlamp for backpack hunting.

My main requirements are a lightweight and high performance light that uses replaceable batteries and offers a range of brightness level adjustments and a red light option.

I don't mind spending a little cash on a good one. I want the best all around light I can find.

Thanks for your input!
Jeff

You can pretty well point and shoot to meet your requirements... go to www.rei.com and peruse their wares and read the reviews.

I generally buy Black Diamond headlamps, and usually get the previous year's model on around 50% off.

There's really no need to pay retail for a headlamp... for whatever reason they're "upgraded" as frequently as Detroit auto's...

Though I don't have one yet, I'm thinking my next one will be a Zebralight.

I was impressed with the performance of Carl's zebralight the last couple of falls, but it seemed to smoke through batteries. For that reason I intend to stick with Mammut/BD/Petzl, at least for the short term.

Do your research at REI but buy elsewhere unless you want your money to go to anti-hunting causes.

You have facts to back this up?

They're at the top of the list. http://oregonoutdoorcouncil.org/top-5-shocking-companies-hurting-you/

Petzl Taktikka.



Travis

VERY short on any details at all. That site doesn't list amounts, dates, or anything else. They make some claims, but do nothing to back it up.

Come on, #6 is a LOCAL fundraiser for HSUS raising $2k? $2k, really? Hell, HSUS runs a bunch of local animal shelters and there's nothing saying that the promotion wasn't for that.

The lack of detail for the "supported" organizations was even more specious. Yes, Cabela's put $1M into the CSC. Great. When? What else has Cabela's supported (and I think they do a good job, but come on, give me some details). Don't you think maybe detailing Cabela's support of RMEF or DU or NWTF or anything else might help?

NO details about Bass Pro or BiMart; don't they put any funding toward anything at all? If so, tell me what and how much. To then to tout those three and then your local shops? The biggest threats to your local shops are Cabela's, Bass Pro, and BiMart.

Sorry, but I need a lot more than whatever that blog passes itself off as to make an informed decision about what to buy and where.

I have a few Black Diamond Spot lamps that are very versatile but they are plastic, take 3 batteries and I've had them break. I bought a Zebralight because it's all metal and uses one AA battery. I like it, but it just does one thing at different levels. The high setting goes away too fast, no red lamp and no flood. That Petzl looks pretty nice.

4ager, HSUS is not the same organization that runs local animal shelters and its headed by Wayne Pacelle.

I understand that very well.

I also, in about 10 seconds, found out that the OOC site was wrong on where the Muck Boot donation went. Fact checking goes a long way.

http://www.muckboots.com/blog/the-muck-boot-company-donation-to-a-local-humane-society/

I'm with you 100% on this one. Remember how anti Starbucks was? And then they supported guns in their stores until the idiots on our side screwed it up.

Local brewery Sierra Nevada supposedly supported the Sierra Club and all the Jeep guys make a stink about it if they see you drinking their beer. Problem is, nobody can show any proof. WTF? So they will blindly hate a company and raise issue with others to "spread the word" with zero facts to back it up. They operate on the same principals as the liberals. But calling them on their BS makes you an anti because you don't support the cause. No, I do support the cause, but I'd like facts to back up the claims please.

Blah, blah, fugging blah.




Travis

Exactly.

No, REI is no an ardent supporter of hunting. However, they were one of many companies that pushed like Hell to get the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) through Congress. They have partnered with a lot of groups to advance getting kids outside and they have done very good work through funding in the Conservation Alliance (with other companies like Filson and many others). Are they "perfect"? Hell no. Are they a full bore hunting supporter. No. Are they "the enemy"? Not that I've seen and certainly not that's presented in anything approaching fact. They fund the Izaak Walton League, too, and they are definitely not "anti-hunting".

Patagonia is no pro-hunting/fishing, but they aren't anti, either. They've funded and continue to fund Trout Unlimited. Yes, Patagonia is left leaning. They are a very high end clothing and gear retailer that caters primarily to the mountain climbing and backpacking crowd. That's their business.

Gerber gives product donations to f'kin' everyone. They probably donate as much or more to hunting and fishing organizations as any other blade manufacturer out there. I'm a lot more concerned about their cheap ass products than I am about whether they donate stuff across the board. They are in the business to sell knives, and (perish the though) people other than hunters buy knives.

InterMedia Outdoors is in the business to market companies and organizations. They are PAID to promote people, and promote people that pay them. Come on, this one really isn't that hard to figure out, is it? Opposing hatchery fisheries and supporting the restoration of native fish stock is now BAD for sportsmen? WTF?

Ninkasi Brewing is a tiny microbrew. If they are one of our "5 biggest enemies", we're in really, really good shape.

That OOC site is very, very short on any details and very long on finding a way to promote itself. Doing just a little research would go a long, long way.

I shop there, just got off their website. I need a good cooler for AK this summer, thinking about a Yeti. The dividend plus 20% off coupon goes a long way on big ticket stuff like that.

I know a few people who work there that are hunters.

I just think people should know that the HSUS is not what many think it is.

I've always been a Petzl guy, never had a problem with the Tikkas.

PS, "blah" is not a proper noun and should always be lower case.

This list is just about companies headquartered in Oregon. This has been discussed at length here before. A little web searching will turn up lots of info on REI's anti-hunting connections. It's not a secret.

Fenix HL30 AA

Meets your requirements and also has easy to manage buttons with bulky gloves on.
Great battery life, probably because it works so well on Low.
You can ditch the over the top strap.

Hi Jeff, I have been using Petzl headlamps for work and pleasure for more than 30 years w/out complaint. The REI site gives good info on many lights and will help you make an informed choice no matter where you choose to buy it.

I consider a headlamp to be an essential piece of gear and usually carry 2.

mike r

I started reading this thread with great interest until all the blabber about who's donating to whom.

The OP asked about headlamps.

Yup - and good places to buy them.

Jeff, not quite sure what you mean by "high performance". I used Princeton tech headlamps when I surfcasted. That headlamp was constantly exposed to salt water plus getting dropped on rocks.
Cant really think of a rougher environment to put a headlamp thru. So if you mean a light that you can beat the crap out of as "high performance" then I would Princeton tech fills that description.

Princeton Tec Remix pro. Made in the USA.
http://www.princetontec.com/remix-pro
1 cr123 battery which is the same as my surefire. AAA batteries exploded more than once in my tikka and maglight.
Has hi/lo red light settings and hi/lo white light setting. So far so good!

Were those lithium batteries that you had the problem with?

No Rayovac alkaline. BTW battery companies will cover cost of your equipment if their batteries explode in your electronic device. When I called maglight to inform them what happened they told me to contact battery mfg. They did cover the cost. This was a flashlight for my toolbox and it experienced temperature extremes.

Just curious, I've never heard of batteries exploding in a headlamp.

Its comforting to know that Rayovac will replace a battery that explodes while strapped to my head.

An iditarod musher friend of mine had a headlamp battery box explode under her parka one night on a long training run. It was a battery box that held 4 D cells and she had put one of the batteries in backwards. She said she was confused because she knew the batts were fresh, but the headlamp was pretty dim. She ended up with pretty painful acid burns on her chest and a long painful run home in sub zero temps.

It might not be common, but it can happen.....

Some thoughts:



Energizer will replace the device if a battery leaks.

HSUS is vehemently anti and should nor be confused with the American Humane Society.

Any mention of REI will turn into a sshitstorm.

This won't be the first time that I have chosen to go with a suggestion by Travis. After some research, the Petzl is on it's way to my house.

I actually have a few lights that I have always managed to get by on,



but in about a week I will travel to the mountains of eastern Turkey for Bezoar Ibex and I want a new light for this and future trips.

thanks for all... well, thanks for most of the shared information!

Jeff

Wtf is that dead critter?

Im thinking its a wolverine

This, is the Honey Badger...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg&feature=kp

Dude. You out-bad-assed a honey badger? That's uber!

Good luck on the Ibex. Sounds fun.



Travis

Thanks Travis,

I have waited until I am on the verge of 54 years old to tackle my toughest mountain hunt ever. I'm certain to have my ass handed to me by this beautiful rugged and steep country that just beat down some young mountain goat friends of mine but I'm gonna go give it my best and see what happens. It will certainly be an adventure!

Are you from the department of redundancy department?

I'm not looking to REI to be pro or anti-hunting. I could really care less. I look to REI to provide me with quality gear for whatever I do in the backcountry, be it hunting or contemplating God.

Good Grief...

That's funny, right there.

You'll make it your bitch!

I like reading about guys your age going on hunts like this because it tells me I can keep procrastinating...



Travis

Anything worth doing is worth procrastinating.

I'll elaborate on the concept later.


mike r

Back to the headlamp thing, I've owned Petzl and Black Diamond headlamps and looked at lamps by Princeton and Fenix. I think you'd have a hard time beating Black Diamond for your stated purposes. The new Icon is 320 lumens and is compact. It uses AA batteries and has adjustable outputs for both high and low power. I carry one in my pack all hunting season and they're tough. I've used them from very cold to summer temps and never had any battery issues using energizer and Duracell. I also have a BD Storm compact lamp and like it better than theTikka I owned though I've not used the newest Tikka versions.

Frank

Jeff,

Here's a pic of me using the TakTikka while hunting on the 4th of July. As you can see, it is working.

For lightweight, compact, indestructible, common batteries, two levels of bright, red led setting, and a lamp that throws a beam out there instead of up close, the Princeton Tec Byte pretty much fits the bill.

I typically use a headlamp for hours a day from Oct-March and I really love the Byte. I've used a bunch of different high powered expensive headlamps as a musher, and a bunch of general use headlamps and as long as you dont need to see more than say 100 feet, the Byte is the best combination of variables that I've used. We run rechargeable AAA batteries, unless I'm camping out and need longer run times.

Of course, a Budweiser, Copenhagen and sparkler combination works pretty good too.. hell, it looks like the trifecta for holding a girls adoration

If you want a true high performance light look at the armytech wizard. It runs on a 18650 battery and on its highest level puts out 1100 lumans. And on its lowest setting puts out .5 luman. Battery life on high is about 2 hours and on its lowest about a year.There are many setting inbetween to help you find the perfect light setting. It also has a strobe if you need to signal. I have used mine alot for night work and the headband is comforable and you can remove it and use the clip to hang it from your pack. It also has a removeable magnet in the base so it will stick to any metal at any angle.

A friend of mine gave me a Fenix HP15 headlamp for my bday yesterday and holy hell is that thing nice. 4 regular settings and a burst and SOS mode. 583 foot beam distance with tilting lamp and Cree led's. Looks like I can finally retire my old Black Diamond headlamp.

http://www.fenixoutfitters.com/fenix-hp15-ultimate-edt-expedition-headlamp-iron-grey/

This. After a bunch of research I pulled the trigger and couldn't be happier. Low setting will last for hours. Brightest setting will shine a 100 yards or so. Red light works well too. I'd buy another in a heart beat.

Who is the babe admiring the big ugly feller?

He's not that big.

Still.....

Yep, that scene was obviously not well-lit until the flash went off.

I work in total darkness out in the cold for at least 4 months of the year. the ONLY light that I have came across that will not chew through batteries and produce a good useable beam is the pelican 2960. I can run it for 2 weeks without issues where my princeton tec/petzal/etc have more bells and whitsles.....but I need to pack batteries . it has no red light, no fluff.....best light I have used though as far as always works and last for a long time.

I am brutal on chitt. I ruin everything. Including my body. I'll carry an extra battery or two any day and a Zebra Light, before I'd grab the plastic stuff.

REI is a favorite store! Hot skinny hiker babes and employees that bend over backwards to help especially after I tell them I'm a hunter hauling heavy loads...