I am buying a LED headlamp to replace my old halogen/LED combination Petzl MYO headlamp. I just ordered an Petzl MYO RXP from Valhalla Pure. But I am having second thoughts and strongly considering the Coast LED Lenser H7 instead.
So which headlamp is best? I am interested in high powered (3 watts or more) LED headlamp. No oldies but goodies or anything. Halogen blows for trail running, and I have a decent 1 watt LED. So I am looking for a high powered LED for fast technical night running. Decent battery life at a high power is somewhat important. I am hoping to spend in the $100 price range but would be willing to shell out if it was worth it for something more premium. Weight is an issue.
The options I have considered are:
1. Petzl MYO RXP. 3 watt programmable regulated LED. $110, Vancouver. Next to the Princeton Tec the most widely available in Vancouver, I have one due to arrive next week. Although I don't think they'd be choked if I called and canceled - they can't keep them in stock.
2. Coast LED Lenser H7. 3 watt focusable LED. $80 US + shipping, online, may have found a wicked deal. Seems like it might be the best choice for me at this point. As far as I can tell from the technical data it has very good battery life on max output and has a beam that can be adjusted for dispersion like an old halogen lamp.
3. Brunton K2. 5 watt Luxeon LED. $155 US + shipping online. Pricey (this price is an excellent deal I found), sounds heavy, sounds like 5 watt LED doesn't offer much increase in performance from a good 3 watt.
4. Princeton Tec Apex, 3 watt LED. $80, Vancouver. Easily available, a bit heavy and bulky compared to the RXP and H7.
5. Coast LED Lenser H14R. 3 watt regulated LED. Prototype. $???. Seems very powerful, although a bit heavy, not sure when or where available.
Comments, opinions, experiences welcomed. Doubt I'll find anyone who has tried them all, I know they're probably all quite good but I want the most bang for my buck.
Comments
I've been pretty surprised at
I've been pretty surprised at the prices some people are willing to pay for some of these. Black Diamond is a good brand. This site has the Black Diamond Cosmo for $29.95---led headlamps. I can't comment on the comfort, as I've only actually worn black diamonds on a hard hat for working at night. But I can attest to the durability and longevity of the light. I don't know about the comfort of the band, but it's still worth a look. Maybe it's just me, but does anyone else think it's a bit much to shell out $100 for a headlamp??
Headlamp Choice
I prefer the less weight to 'better' power. I mean it is not worth (in my view) to carry the load just to see a bit better. The extra weight drags you down when you need 'those' extra accelration boosts.
Very useful & timely, Ryan
I have just ordered a Fenix. They should pay you & Gilles a commission.
Had same problem
Went through similar process early in summer as I prepared for Cascade Crest. OK, less detail, didn' t log thoughts, results. After looking at the big battery units for most of the high powered headlamps I decided they were too much weight on my head for a whole night. I figured the remote battery models would be just one more thing to deal with everytime I pulled my pack off to refill the water bladder. This led to keeping my older but very small Petz on my head for general light and looking for a small but pwerful handheld. Looked at the Coast Lensers but wanted to "see" what I was getting before buying. Found the Leatherman Serac S3 avaible at MEC for around $80 http://www.leatherman.com/lights/serac/default.aspx About the size of my thumb, 3 light levels and even a strong clip to attach to a hat brim if you want. It has a lanyard to wrap around your wrist so it doesn't fly into the bush when you stumble ( which you shouldn't with the illumination you get from this light) Battery is small enough carrying a spare is no problem. The high beam is great for seeing what is WAY ahead on trail or lighting up those gnarly sections. Just don't ask how I got lost for an extra 1.5 hours worth of running during night at CC100 :-)
check Fenix
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?products_id=1774
The best money can buy. I've been using their handheld for some time and there's just nothing like it. Expensive though.
I am looking as well, but
I am looking as well, but hoped to keep the price a bit lower. Looking forward to the feedback.
JP
We have a winner!!!
I ended up getting a Fenix HP 10. It cost me $76.95 including tax. It has a maximum output of 225 lumens for 3 minutes at a time (to prevent overheating) and can run for 2.5 hours at that setting. It runs for 7.5 hours regulated at 120 lumens (which means it will hold its full output for that time). Most of the other ones such as the Petzl and Princeton Tec only get 1-2 hours at that setting. And it ships from Canada so there are no border concerns. If I like it I'll pick up one of their 235 lumen handhelds as well.
So here is my ranking of the lights I checked out, along with that the best place I found to get them.
1. Fenix HP10, $76.95 Can (including shipping), online direct from Fenix, http://www.fenixtactical.com/fenix-hp10.html
2. Coast LED Lenser H7, $41.95 US (plus shipping to Canada - includes shipping to US), http://www.batteryjunction.com/led-lenser-h7.html
3. Petzl Myo RXP, $110 + HST, Valhalla Pure, Broadway in Vancouver has 5 on the way.
4. Princeton Tec Apex, readily available, MEC is one place, $88.
5. Petzl Ultra, $389 US on Ebay (plus shipping to Canada - includes shipping to US) or (for more money) at MEC. If price was not a factor this one might move to first, however it is also very heavy. Definitely the brightest one, maybe not the best for running due to weight.
6. Surefire Saint, $185 US. This one is realy cool actually, not quite as much light as the others but it can be used without the battery pack by inserting a single lithium battery into the head for reduced weight. Still 100 lumens and seems extremely high quality. http://www.surefire.com/SaintHS1-A-BK
7. Brunton L5, $178.95 US. http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Brunton-L5-Headlamp/BRU0140M.html
That would be my top 7 modern high powered LED headlamps anyway. The first 2 I would recommend to most people if you don't mind puchasing online, the Petzl and Princeton Tec if you want something available locally, and the last 3 if you are not concerned about price (or weight in the case of the Ultra).
Zombie Runner special
Fenix HP10 also available at Zombie Runner for $64.95 plus shipping ($5 for snail mail) right now. http://www.zombierunner.com/store/categories/new_products/product2517.html
Fantastic info!
Wow, great detail! Thanks for the beta. Drop a short note after your first run with it so we can hear about the actual performance from the user side. Enjoy the trails.
Fenix HP10
This headlamp rocks.
The battery pack is a bit heavy but it balances well and it doens't bother me or anything.
The great thing about it is there is very strong light at the centre of the beam which allows you to pick up markers and trails from a distance. Around that there is a glow of ambient light to see things close up.
I know the Petzl seems a bit more diffused so there is more ambient light and less of a focused beam in the centre.
I highly recommend this light for fast running on technical trails at night. Might be overkill for some uses though. But even in the second highest mode there is plenty of light.
Russian flashlight comparison (includes Fenix HP10)
Seems to stand up to all but the most powerful (and heavy often 8 AA's or large li-ion battery packs) flashlights. This is an excellent comparison. Unfortunately not too many headlamps but it gives a good idea of how the light is. I'll post a review once I get to try it.
http://fonarevka.lux-rc.com/