Have an other thread regarding this, but this is somewhat different.
My girlfriend needs a light when riding our horses in the dark. She wears a helmet so it needs to be fitted to the helmet by a headband. Bolting it to the helmet is not an option since the helmet would then be considered useless as protection.
The lights must not be bobbing up and down as she trots and gallops.
It needs to have a good throw but also a good spill. Horses tends to be nervous so the earlier they see things the less risk of them making unexpected moves.
Budget, well, I do not really know but max 100 USD I think. Preferably less.
Based on the other thread I have three different ways of doing this….or do I?
1. A Bike light with headband.
I guess a good option for power……
Pros and cons?
Suggestion what bikelight you would recommend
2. A headband with one or more regular lights Headband
Good from the perspective that the lights I get could be used for other purposes as well.
Pros and cons?
Suggestion what light/lights you would recommend
3. A headlamp such as a Zebralight.
Powerful enough. I’m not sure…….
Pros and cons?
No one with any idea?
I thought I would get quite a few suggestion on the second option since it involves regular lights and not a headlight/bikelights
Maybe that ebay headlamp that i think the used in some of beamshot pics he did a little bit ago. Think its an xml running on 2 18650’s and is around $20 with maybe aome velcro to put it on the helmet?
I would think a light mounted on her helmet would cast a shadow of the horse's head in front of the horse. How about mounting a light on each side of the saddle?
I would buy a Jeep Unimog and drive behind her. That way she could listen to the radio too.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Like Johnny said, I think anything mounted on your girlfriend’s head will cause shadows. Many cyclists , especially those that MTB, go with both a bar mounted and a head mounted light to increase depth perception and get rid of the shadows to the extent possible. How would the horse react to shadows, anyway?Also, do you two ride at night now? If so hat system do you use and what do you feel its shortcomings are?
Actuall I have driven behing her with a car once to light up the road so your not all out in the blue……
I think shadows would be ok actually but you can never tell with a horse until you have tried it.
The current solution is to ride during day light.
We just recently had a baby and now she can not ride until I get home from work and at this time of year it is already dark by then………
Mounting lights at the side of the saddle will be tricky since the legs of the rider or the horse it self will interfere with the light unless you build some sort of “jig”.
Why will a helmet mount create shadows? I do not get the reason :~
A single light is more likely to create shadows than multiples since it only has one light source and angle. Multiples are more likely to keep the area behind a rock or other shadow inducing obstruction better lit as you are moving.
Many helmets already have bolt holes in the form of snaps and other attachment points (e.g., chin straps). The key is no crack and not near any critical brain/stem areas. There is also epoxy and clamps. And for lighter items, velcro. However there is an element of risk with any chemical and pressure - so always check with the manufacturer.
But a replaceable visor, chin guard, or similar accessory would be my first place to consider as viable attachment point for a helmet mount for easy removal when not using the lights.
Try the headbands, but you’re still likely to need a way to anchor them and that creates a risk as mentioned above. The only way I could see one working without ejection potential is if the circumferential strap is able to stay under a visor and chin straps with some form of anchor at the rear.
Perhaps another option might be a form of shoulder and/or chest protector, possibly with angled lights if front mounted.
As for the saddle, perhaps forward on each side if the throw is relatively unobstructed. Not sure the low angle and movement would work for under stirrups. Scabbards for a saddle have been rigged for centuries, surely a flashlight holster isn’t impossible.
No movement on a trotting horse - you’ll need to find a way to rig a steadicam setup like Hollywood has used for handheld and rolling camera trolleys. :money_mouth_face:
No we we are talking. I’ll have to inspect her helmet, but I’m not to hopefull on attaching anything there that stays firly steady.
As for the saddle it is not a cowboy saddle, its a dressage and show jumping saddle and they are much smaller and has less possibility to any good attachment options I think.
Stirrups….might make a quick try to test the idea, but they move quite a lot….
Maybe the hadband in the link could be modified to attach to the helmet in some way (chin straps maybe….). For sure it would be the most fun option since I have to get regular lights. Maybe two would be the best but which ones. Any ideas?
I will borrow a Bikelight from a friend to try out how that works as well.
I don’t know a lot about headlamps, but this seems like the perfect situation for one of the headlamps with the corded battery pack. Not so much weightin the helmet
Sorry, I guess I didn’t explain that very well. The lower light (handlebar mounted on a bike, for instance) creates long shadows and the higher (helmet mounted) reduces the shadows. Plus the one one the handlebar only shines where the bar is pointed, whereas the head mounted on will shine wherever you are looking. Thus, they complement each other and provide a more “natural” look. I’m sure the same would apply on a horse.
Congratulations on the baby. Your first? I found, and I think it is pretty universal, that you never realize how much your parents worry/ied about you until you have little ones of your own. Enjoy every moment because they grow too fast.
Oh, thanks for taking my prior statement in the way it was intended… humorously. I always prefer that to a virtual punch in the face.
Tried a bikelight today with a headband. On one of the helmet which has a suede-like fabric on it it actually seems to work quite well. Seems as if would stay in place but with some extra velcro bands attached to the chin strap I think this is the option I will go for as a first try.
If it does not work out well I have a good bike light at least
I will start a separate thread on which bike light to get.
