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Any new lamps you like?

http://www.surefire.com/SaintMinimusHS2-A-BK
REI lists this one at $139. Any one have one that thinks its worth it? I was at the Bellingham Store but they don't carry that one to look at. Clerk didn't know much about it. I think I'll upgrade my night life this rebate time at REI, so...advice time.???

If you're curious check out

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/sho ... 696&page=5

for more information about the beam quality (color, spread, and uniformity). Several people were not impressed with that aspect...

Other similarly constructed lights (with lower price and higher output) include those made by zebralight, with an example below. But these do not have a tight beam, but rather a flood, so depending on the application you were looking for the surefire with its tight beam might be better.

http://www.zebralight.com/H60w-Headlamp ... _p_12.html

yeah surefire saint is da bomb and all that if your a keystone cop or in the FBI chasing a dood down some dark alley and need all that lumens but, for camping/hiking/climbing/mountaineering its a useless P.O.S. bling since it's a grip of moola just for the headlamp and to replace those CR batteries...where you gonna get them since they drain out hellz of quick on you or your on some expedition/trip outside the US...goodluck finding them unlike AAA bats where u can find selling from street vendors.

backpacker rag i believe the latest mar. '010 issue reviewed the latest and greatest and ranked the princeton tec remix http://www.ptsportlights.com/?q=node/161 as the best overall and the blk. diamond spot as #2...though i seen and heard of the cheapazz hinges on them bust on ya.

anyways, save your loot and don't kidd yo-self about buying just one headlamp for life!

peace.

As a caver I have a bunch of lights. About 6 months ago picked up one at WalMart for 15.00 bucks uses AAA's, as a backup light. Fired it up in a cave in a large breakdown area and that thing was incredible on flood mode. Could see in the crevices great detail and good illumination out front. Doesn't seem very durable but what the hell for 15 bucks!! Need to get a couple more. Took us a couple of hours to get out and seemed to last no problem. Made by Bayco.

I just picked up this Bayco on the above recommendation....

http://www.amazon.com/Bayco-NSP-2212-Ni ... B002FC45HK


It is very bright and seems to work very well..

For my next alpine adventure, I'm saving up for the Mammut X Zoom. I hear very good things about it.

I have the Mammut Lucido TX1

It is a terrific headlamp. Long battery life, durable, and the spot is really really bright.

(I own 10 headlamps, and this is my favorite by far.)

Black Diamond Icon is pretty sweet for the price as long as you don't mind an external battery pack. Takes AA batteries instead of AAAs, so it's heavier but it lasts quite a long time.

Edit: Icon instead of Spot

I personally wouldn't shell out the coin for it. My current favorites are the following:

Alpine outings - Mammut Lucido TX1

General BC - Petzl Tikka2

Emergency/first aid kit - Petzl e-Lite

What would be well suited for night climbing (mainly on snow) ? Let's say you start around 11pm-12am, so it needs a good battery because it will be on for many hours till sunrise. Should also handle cold well.

Any suggestions? I have a basic 3 LED Petzl that works well if you're sitting around camp or are only in the dark for a short amount of time but I don't think I want to use it on a long ass dark climb.

Black Diamond Spot is pretty sweet for the price as long as you don't mind an external battery pack. Takes AA batteries instead of AAAs, so it's heavier but it lasts quite a long time.

Maybe you actually have a BD Icon ?

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en ... hting/icon

I have a BD Spot -- it takes AAA's and has no external battery pack. I've used it for alpine starts & mountaineering with no issues. Got it when Sierra Trading Post was clearing them out last year.

Most of the 1 watt LED headlamps are pretty decent for that kind of thing. Much like with PC's the technology keeps evolving, so almost anything you buy is going to be "obsolete" within the next year or two. More efficient LED's keep coming out as time goes on.

My criteria for a mountaineering headlamp is: (a) costs $30 or less, (b) weighs less than 4 oz w/batteries. I also have a couple of Princeton Tec EOS -- a newer 50 lumen one and the older 25 ? lumen one -- I understand there is now a 70 lumen model.

If I was into caving or serious nighttime mountain-biking I'd probably want something expensive and really bright, but I just don't see the point otherwise.

For biking I use a Lights and Motion Vega. It's expensive but is 200 lumens, which is really the minimum you need in complete darkness.

rhyang wrote:

Black Diamond Spot is pretty sweet for the price as long as you don't mind an external battery pack. Takes AA batteries instead of AAAs, so it's heavier but it lasts quite a long time.

Maybe you actually have a BD Icon ?

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en ... hting/icon

My bad, you're totally right. I used to have the spot and like you said it worked well, but the overall power and battery life was nowhere near as good as the Icon.

Best headlamp ever. Cheap, bright and light weight.

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/lighting/gizmo