Head lamps

[erugs]

I just skimmed all of the above messages and can't begin to keep up with the stats, et. al. Something I didn't see mentioned (pun intended ) is that people have a variety of visual ability. My friend, Brian, for example, wears sunglasses most of the day and doesn't need a bright light for reading. I rarely wear sunglasses but need a bright light to read by. Same when hiking at night -- I'm the first to put my headlamp on; he reluctantly follows. I heard it has something to do with "rods" but haven't had time to do any research on the line of thinking.

I carry two headlamps in my pack. One has a red lens that lifts up for easy use. I also carry a hand flashlight for rougher trails.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Those of us like Pete and I who bike to work! Doesn't get as cold down here as Pete does, but it does get windy, (like today!)

Jay

I have ridden 50+ miles per month for the last 166 months. 2/2010 will close 14 consecutive years. Mostly I ride to work in the winter, but there have been days when I've XC skied in the AM, and then ridden in the PM. More than a couple times at that.

Tim

 

[Kevin Rooney]

...I also carry a hand flashlight for rougher trails.

That's a good point, Ellen. I now hike with a couple of people who do the same. I just ordered one of those 21 LED small flashlights from Amazon with the idea of experimenting with it as well.

 

[KRobi]

Just as hiking in the winter with the trails smoothed out from the snow is very enjoyable so is mtn biking. Snowmobile trails are great to ride on. Almost never see snowmobiles (mostly nocturnal) during the day. Using the lights at night without having to worry about the rocks, logs etc. make for fun, fast riding, though you may see more snowmobiles. Add studded tires and you can go anywhere your legs are strong enough to take you. Earlier post about using your bike light for a headlamp. When I got my nite rider light there was an optional headlamp harness you could purchase. It has the same attachment as the bike mount. Mine works great. Not sure if they still make it.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

After reading this thread, I opted to buy the DiNotte 400L. I put in a review, but it hasn't appeared yet, or they are filtering it to only 5-star praises. I gave it 4 stars.

The negatives:
1. Hard to know exactly how much juice is left - the light blinks rapidly 3 times at 20% remaining. It could be missed.
2. Battery run-time is well-below advertised 2.5 hours when it is cold (20-25 degrees) unless you keep the battery in your pocket in which case it lasts as advertised.
3. Switch is tricky to operate with gloves/mittens and requires putting your hand over the light - could be a problem with helmet mounts while riding in winter. Luckily you don't have to access the switch except for on...ride...off, and you could stop, adjust it, continue while hiking.
4. Do not leave the engine connected to the battery when not in use as the soft start / electronic switch draws power all the time waiting for the 'on' sequence.

The positives:
1. It's light - adds 8.3 ounces to my helmet
2. It's small
3. Lots of mounting and adjustment options, includes an extension cord to put the battery in your pocket
4. IT IS BRIGHT... almost like a car headlight bright. It has 3 settings - 100%, 50% and 10%.
5. You get lots of extra lenses. I'm happy riding with the default lenses.

After 5 trips and some learning/experimenting, I'm pretty pleased - it's vastly better than the NiteRider system it replaced (which to be fair was 5+ years old.)

I may order the headband mount and bring it along for night hiking - either as the primary or as a backup. I would want to try it locally with the different lens kits. I don't want to keep swapping lenses between hiking and cycling. 400L would be way too bright, except possibly above treeline while searching for a trail, person or gear. It would definitely annoy companions.

Tim