head torchs

[tariadamar]

so who likes them and who hates them. personally i kinda hate them like around the camp fire and that but going for bush walk at night and caving and stuff they are good. but around a campfire or at a set up camp their is no need.

[oldcourier]

Around the camp fire I wouldn't normally use it. Mine has a swivel down Front, just set it at the angle and you don't have to try and move your head on an uncomfortable angle. It only takes 2 AAA batteries and they survived a 6 week bush trip and are still going bright! has also come in very handy when fixing car at night time, you almost always need 2 hands and the light is always where you want it! :D

[utedriver]

what brands do you blokes think are the best? most user friendly? energy efficent?

[oldcourier]

Mine is an Energizer brand headlamp. As I mentioned it lasted weeks out field and it was used pretty much everynight, and it is still way to bright to look into the light! :D

[oldcourier]

A for user friendly, push the switch one way and you get white light, back the other way and you get red light! In the middle is off! Couldn't get more simple!

[mrbishi]

Headtorches are very useful in general around camp (finding the dunny paper in the middle of the night and trying not to fall down that wombat hole :).

I personally don't use one around the campfire - its nice to sit there with just the glow of the fire.

Cheers,
Jon

[crawla]

I use cats eyes....awesome light. It clips onto your cap and throws out more than enough light for camp cooking etc. Bought it from mitre 10. It runs on 4 3 watt batteries. Its actually cheaper to buy a new one than to buy 4 new batteries. The batteries last for ages though....handy piece of gear...cheers

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i320/crawla/catseyes.jpg

[beej]

what brands do you blokes think are the best? most user friendly? energy efficent?

Petzal, type with multiple LED's that you can turn one, three or five of the LED's on, plus a regular lamp. Overall weighs more than a normal one (having a separate battery pack). Last's ages, is waterproof, and makes for a good hike light or work under the car in low light.

[Marc 1]

Got three of the buggers (don't ask) one a Petzl Zipka good for close range stuff and batts last forever, a LED Lenser which was a give away with a subsciption to 4x4 monthly (awesome light) and a Photon Fusion (reall vesatile and well made). After faffing around holding torches in your teeth for years, the headtorches are excellent - wouldn't be without them.

In a group of people, yes I do direct the light downward or turn them off as shining a bright light in anyone's eyes is going to piss them off, but you don't shine a handheld torch into a mate's eyes, so why would you do it with a headlight?

Therefore, no problem all good for me! :D

[tariadamar]

i use petzel as i get my sisters old ones and she gets top quility crap for caving and hicking and stuff but i think she gets hers bought through work.

[atari4x4]

i have a led head lamp that i use when doing stuff around the camp also run a maglite for anything that needs serious light

[dazzah]

hi all
I have 2 headlights, both petzl brand (because i got them cheap through work) the first one (called the zoom) has a standard globe which gives you about a 30 mtr beam and the batteries last about10-15hrs and you can get a halogen globe that gives you 100 mtr beam but batteries only last a couple of hours, both these globes have a filament that can blow...

The 2nd head torch is the petzl tikka, it uses LED globes which are (cant remember word, but they are like an electric globe or something) basically they have no filament and will not blow (the cheap brands will usually die but the good quality ones should last like 1000's of hours) and the big plus with LED's is they use minimal power so batteries last anywhere between 50 - 200 hrs the downside is they don't have a huge beam, it more like a white glow, good for close up work like cooking, setting up camp, walking (prob not running).

i hope that made sense...

[Peter @ Aawen4x4]

I've got a little collection, Petzl Tikka's, Zoom's, Zipka's and a couple of the Energizer cheapies. The Energizer jobbies work pretty well, but the batteries don't last so long as the Alkaline Ultra's in the Petzl's, or even the Energizer batteries in the Petzl's. They do last well, just not so good as the Petzl units.

I find that we all tend to use the Petzl's around the camp, switching them off once it's sit around the campfire time. But if we are doing things that need light while we are driving, or working under the car at night, the Energizers get the nod. The red light on the Energizers is great! You can get red covers for the Petzl's too, but they are a touch fiddly to fit!

Wouldn't be without them! But I do have a couple of the Lightforce handhelds too, with 'in the handle' batteries, and plug in curly cord, or a belt carried (maybe lugged is a better word) battery. They have a monster beam, adjustable just like the driving lights for your car, and 3 LED's around it, so that at the flick of a switch you can change between eye burning spot to easy to use LED work light.

[Bazza_rips]

i have a 12 volt fluro for around teh camp and a dolphin torch for everythign else, those things are unbreakable. last for ages too

[sudso]

Got some cheapies that use krypton globes or something.
The light output is good enough for looking for that long drop you dug in the morning but didnt need it til midnight:rolleyes:
Good too for when you need 2 free hands like untangling the fishing line but they start to give me a headache after a while so I dont leave em strapped on my head all night like a lot of fishermen do.

[Jeeps]

I bought some off ledshoponline.com.au and they're great but my mates make fun of me when i wear them ;)

[Aerenandmel]

I tried a head torch when i used to hunt, I thought it would be great until I swarmed by 1323984324 bugs atracted by the light. havent tried one since!

[Jeeps]

Was it an LED headtorch? Apparently LED's don't attract bugs as much.

[Big Boots]

LED's don't tend to attract many bugs. Love myne for working on cars when your not supposed to be ie night time

[dwaynes]

where can i get the energizer ones from?

[bushbloke]

I am yet to buy one, but from seeing mates use them, they are good for two handed jobs that require specific light, like repairs, cooking etc

[Luxster]

I just purchased a set of the cats eyes on ebay for $16.50. They are great!!!

[dwaynes]

I just purchased a set of the cats eyes on ebay for $16.50. They are great!!!

do you have the link handy

[Patrolman Pat]

I love mine. Can't remember the brand but I use it at work clinbing around in roof spaces where I need both hands free for carrying tools and hanging on to beams and stuff. It can be a pain when two people are wearing them and trying to have a conversation, every time you look at the other person you dazzle each other.

[Lynchie]

I've been using Cats Eyes as well. Fantastic light. I have been using mine on and off for over a year now and haven't had to change the batteries yet.

Lynchie.

[Will21]

I've got a princeton tec headlamp, has 3 LEDs and a Xenon globe, giving you both options, you can also focus the lens when using the Xenon globe.I ts got a battery pack on the rear which I think is far better than the ones with the pack on the front, sits on your head alot better. I've uesd it a bit for going on night walks around Mt Wellington and it's fantastic having both hands free when you feel your feet slipping out from under you when you're walking down a near vertical hill.
http://static.backcountry.com/images/items/medium/PRT0015/YBLK.jpg

[Humvee]

I use a waterproof Petzel, had it for years.... Very realiable, but from memory it wasnt cheap ethier... But it hasnt failed yet.. cant complain.

Theyre great for setting up camp, cooking, etc. but thats about it for me..

[BIGADS]

i sell headtorchs hav done so for almost 10 years and my little princeton tec quad is by far one of the best headlamps ive owned and defientely reccomend it for $69.95 4 LED and gives agood range awesome and i use mine heaps even if working under the truck etc etc

[Baldy1]

I got a Led Lenser one for renewing my subscription to 4WDMonthly.:D
Absolutely fantastic. Has 2 leds. One is a close range spread the other a big powerful beam that'll fry seagulls at 70m. Really comfortable, you forget it's on. Can read with it without eye strain as it's a nice blue/white light and it makes fishing at night a cinch. Do whatever you need to do, turn off, cast out and enjoy the dark.
Runs on 3 x AAAs. I used it for 4 nights camping near Wedge Island plus riding to work on full beam and it's still going.

Cheers

[Muckinhell]

I have a LED lenser from subscription renewal as well and its way better that the other i have with the 3 leds and single regular bulb, thats now the miss's head torch hehehehe. but ther awsome for cooking, one hand for beer and the other with cooking tool.....

[Thirsty2454]

I got 2. Bloody good things for fishing.

[camshan]

i like the head torches. anything that frees up your hands when your in the bush at night time is got to be good.

[AJC]

I use cats eyes....awesome light. It clips onto your cap and throws out more than enough light for camp cooking etc. Bought it from mitre 10. It runs on 4 3 watt batteries. Its actually cheaper to buy a new one than to buy 4 new batteries. The batteries last for ages though....handy piece of gear...cheers

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i320/crawla/catseyes.jpg
We have these at work. Dont throw out alot of light but they are better than nothing. dont weigh down your hard hat either.

[LUXNUT]

I use the Petzl Tikka. Its bloody great. Its a single LED with a little flip down lens so it can go from spot to flood. its also got a boost button for an extra kick. Gives you about 30-40m, not bad for one LED.

[crawla]

At work we use the Petzl on our hard hats.....runs 3 LEDs similar to he cats eyes. I know what your saying there AJC, some of the crews at another mine using the Petzl (3 LEDs) complain they are not bright enough. The reason is because there is a light glow from the yellow mine lights around the place drowning out the Petzl and are trialing a bigger light at the moment. Where we are it's pitch black and the lights that they don't like work an absolute treat for us.

[utedriver]

Saw head torches for sale on the weekend for $9.95 up at Jamieson. Not sure what they were like but they were cheap. You do usually get what you pay for though. If only using them a few times a year I guess they might have been worth it!!

[KUSTOM V840]

LED lenser, awsome light as it has 2 in one. The big one is brighter than my hand torch! The little one doesnt piss people off around the camp.

Troy.

[window]

i have a Petzl head lamp with only one LED, but it has 4 brighness modes, and a sliding coloured cover that you can change for different colours. Good bright, and easy to use. I paid around $90, but you get what you paid for. I tend to abuse my gear, and find the more expensive stuff lasts.

[4bdan]

I love mine, it was a $9 cheapie with 1,3 and 7 led's from a discount shop. Hasn't let me down yet, especially when i'm trying to pee in the bush while i'm slightly intoxicated.

[A-U-2]

:waycool: LED's are the only lights we choose to use. Two females, one male who only camp in the bush where, so far, we have never been able to light a fire in the last 12 months. I like having the head lamp because it shines at face height and I don't walk into any large spiders on my way to the toot-you see their eyes long before you see the rest of them. The first time I used my head lamp, I was amazed to see beautiful blue diamonds in the grass-thought I'd found the motherlode of sapphires. Finally bent down to pick one up and (insert scream here) it moved. The LED's blue light reflects off their eyes and returns two blue lights. Bush bugs/moths are not attracted to them.
After getting a new 3G phone with camera, no flash, I find that a LED torch makes an excellent 'flash' for night time photography. I am now taking photo's of my cat and dog in the dark without evil eyes looking back at me. Using the headlamp enables me to focus on the subject while waiting for the best shot. I can focus the light from any direction to get different highlights on the face, too.
Ozesheila.

[torque steer]

I use the cats eyes there great, I don't usually use light around the campfire but they are handy to peer into the the camp oven

[saltyqld]

Great!

[SteveMac01]

I use the Led Lenser, the one from the subscription giveaway. I have always used hand helds in the past and this was my first headlamp, which I think is better than sliced bread. :) Around the camp fire it doesn't get used, unless it's to do things, but otherwise not used.

[Disco_Alex]

WE used then in a comp just the other day (night) there winchester leds 3 for white light and 2 for red. If we didnt have them in the comp then we would have been stuffed, because of looking for things on trees and on the ground and reading maps and GPS. I think there a useful tool to have:thumb: