Reliable Headlamps

I see lots of problems with the reliability of head lamps, this is an issue for me and was wondering if people could point me towards a cheap reliable headlamp capable of running on AA or AAA batteries for <$20.

The light must have the strap that goes over the top of your head.

Brightness not a huge issue, but certainly something usable, flood to throw is okay.

this one from Manafont isn't bad. the best thing it's got going for it is it's got a good tilter. a lot of cheap CREE eBay headlamps seem to fail at the tilter. this one has a good tilter. did i say tilter enough times? tilter.

i took mine apart and the insides looked very simple. not a lot to fail. and easy to repair if something does. plus it's got some decent heatsinking.

the straps are flimsy and the battery cable is a bit short and the plastic isn't exactly Petzl tough, but it's not bad for 12 bucks.

Step 1:

Acquire the most reliable, cheap AA / AAA flashlight

Step 2:

get this: http://www.kaidomain.com/product/details.S009709

edit: sorry, strap does not go over the head... Just around it.

This reminded me a friend today asked me to find a 3 x AA headlamp.

Are there any other 3 x AA ones on about under 30$?

Headstrap only - I'm tempted to get me one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nitecore-HB02-Flashlight-Headlight-Headband-Strap-2nd-Generation-D11-EX11-/190597621618?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item2c6080e772

-Garry

That looks nice, it's going to be used for running so needs to be secure...

what would you use in it?

I'm thinking something cheap, possibly put one in both sides?

USA customers battery junction has it on sale for 7.50 plus shipping ,thanks for showing me this I wanted a headband for my lights I have alread z1 and i1 olight this seems like it will be perfect and I don’t have to wait for cny;)

Seems like two P60 type lights would fit well. Seems like you’d have a lot of options with that headband.
-Garry

Not perfect, but... the alpkit gamma is 12 quid, shipped with good AAA batteries.

+ light and balanced front/back for running

+ variable levels

+ blink or solid red light on rear battery pack

+ seems to have a good reputation for reliability

- too throwy for my liking with the luxeon led

- 5mm led floods into my glasses if I'm not wearing a baseball cap

- out of stock at the moment, apparently

- not regulated

- slightly annoying interface has long pause between luxeon and 5mm led change

I'm sure I've forgotten something or another, but in general, this level of light is decent for dim but level pavements at night. In my opinion, it doesn't put out enough for trail running in the dark. I mostly don't use it for running any more. (Petzl MYO RXP is my fave for running, but different category entirely.)

Ive been drooling over Gamma and only thing that keeps me from buying is its out of stock status.

I wish someone could make video of outdoor beamshots of it, that would be awesome, there are only couple of Gamma videos on youtube and none of them deal with outdoor beamshots!

Unless I find some cheap Varta/Rayovac Indestructible series headlights that ship to my country for cheap or some new cheap quality lights surface in market, I might be buying 3 of Alpkit ones as soon as they become available again :D

Im really looking for good and cheap sub 25$(thats with shipping included tho) headlamp, cant wait for it, the day I find one and purchase will be awesome day for sure :D!

Unfortunately the only headlamps I'd recommend are well over $25. I paid $50 for a Zebralight H50 several years ago (around the time they were launched) and have never regretted it.

It is probably the best light (for my needs) I've ever bought. It is probably also the only one I'd be absolutely guaranteed to replace if i were to lose all my lights. It isn't hugely bright - but for what I want a headlamp to do it doesn't need to be. The only other slightly budget ones I'd recommend are the Ultrafire UF-H* ones. But they are over your budget.

I want pure flood from a headlamp - others want throw. I actually don't want throw in a headlamp - pure flood designs work better for me.

Though I'd like to confirm my opinion with one of the high-lumen Spark headlamps which aren't even close to budget lights.

I know that Mr. Admin has a Zebralight - hopefully he'll chime in with his opinions - he's the runtime above all else king.

Now thats odd, I wrote that post last week and today I stumbled upon it and changed some text regarding Alpkit Gamma and my intentions on getting one unless I find some better headlamps out there, and voila, now that edited post apparently was saved as new post and given new time stamp :D

Anyway, what Im looking in a headlamp is something like Fenix HP11, good runtimes in all modes=high efficiency, lots of modes, great throw(you can always add diffuser if there is no dedicated throw flood-LED built in) and running on common AAA/AA(this ones preferable) batteries in separate pack, unless its something special and cheap I dont like to have 3xAAA inside the light itself.

Multi color LED's would be nice too, green and red ones and some lo style nichia for extra long runtimes.

I like the looks and modes as well as efficiency in ZebraLights, but I dont like their floodiness, they are, for most part, flood only+add their price to it and its out of my radar, I want to have universal quality headlamp and the only one that comes close to ZebraLights style and to acceptable price level for me is UltraFire UF-H2, but it has too much flood tho it can be had for cheap during group buys/sale.

1AA is great, dont get me wrong, but for dedicated headlamp Id like to have something more powerfull and with longer runtimes, thus 3-4AA is a must.

Universal single AA cheapie/budget light is on my list as well, but that must come with reflector for some throw and good battery life, again, H2 would be nice, but its pure flood and no throw.

Then again, is this the right moment to pay $10+ for any flashlight given that new CREE leds are around the corner, XB-D anyone? How long could it take for new LED's get into flashlights anyway? I have no information regarding how often and in which cases are LED flashlights being updated with new models and new drivers/diodes. Its easier to have some forecasts with computers, but LED's is alien world for me ATM :)

Thanks for reading folks :)

That's a good point, it'll take a while though...especially in a headlamp....realistically though you could easily fit 3 of the xb d led's around the top like the 5mm led's have been used..heatsink them...run them at 350ma and you'd get 300 lumens of flood.

I'd throw in an xml running at around 2amps in a little reflector and you could end up with the perfect headlamp....run it on 3/4 AA's on on external pack.

Budget light makers, are you listening? with the cost of the XB-D being so low...you could probably bring this is in at under $40.

or even stuff the xm-l...at the cost of it....4 of the xb-d's would be cheaper...arrange 2 in reflector's, 2 for flood. Have a high, and low for each....and high, medium, low for both running together.

4x 350ma high = 1.4a total

1.4amps for 456lumens...that would give around 200 flood and 200 through the reflectors that don't need to be any bigger than current ones due to the tiny die size.

I rock a princeton tec eos 70 lumen. It's well regulated and it's floody with a nice tint. Also, I have a fenix headband, in which I usually mount my nitecore e11v2. I use the princeton tec eos for work and it remains to be a well oiled rugged headlamp.

I think the fenix headband is often overlooked. It's really a great system, it has quality mounts, and tilting.