UKC

Can anyone recommend an alternative to the Alpkit Gamma? I've lost mine and can't buy another one because they're out of stock.

Here are the features of the gamma that I'm having trouble finding elsewhere and ideally want to replicate:
1. Separate battery pack on back of head and strap over the top - which seems to make the whole thing much more stable
2. Red light - I like just using my night vision to as great an extent as I can get away with and hate losing it if I briefly need to use the light
3. Light on rear battery pack - a nice safety feature when I occasionally use it for cycling or walking on the road

Can anyone think of a light that has those features? Particularly the first two, I'm less bothered about the rear light.

I'm getting frustrated by the thought of paying a lot more money for a light that does less than the Gamma!

In reply to Luke90:

Decathlon have a couple of torches that look identical to the gamma, I imagine they are both based on the same cheap circuitry. More expensive than the gamma though, 200 odd pound, and have never looked in detail to see if they have the same functions as the gamma.

Maybe worth checking out though?

In reply to Luke90: http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-gb/shop/mountain/lighting/sprinter-...

Does everything you want, but is much more expensive than the Alpkit Gamma...

BR

In reply to jbrom:

Oops, typo, should read 20 odd pound!

In reply to jbrom:

I guessed about the typo! Thanks for the suggestion, I checked out the decathlon site and I think I've found the ones you were referring to. Unfortunately I can't actually find out much about them. The website is very vague and because they're specifically a decathlon product there's nowhere else to look. I'm miles from a decathlon so I can't check it out in person. The information they do have suggests it's slightly underpowered compared to the Gamma. Definitely an option though, cheers!

Despite the vague information they do helpfully let me know that the product has been designed with the concepts of "me, my environment, my community". Useful!

In reply to blackreaver:

Ouch! I'd made my peace with paying more than the Gamma but seven times more is a little out of my budget! Do appreciate the suggestion though, thanks.

In reply to blackreaver:

Except for item 2.

Never mind.

In reply to blackreaver:

It also doesn't output red light from the front (only the rear safety light) and the rechargeable battery pack isn't ideal because you can't just carry spare batteries.

In reply to Luke90: I wouldn't reccomend the Black Diamond headtorches, I find them to be outdated, 90s style headtorches. They are low on features and awkward to use. Petzl Tikka XP is a good one, in my view.

In reply to Luke90:

Luke, if you want I can Pop in to Decathlon tomorrow and check out the specs.

Can pick you one up and send it to you if want?

I know what you mean about the website, worst thing is once you have eventuality found what you want and go into store and its impossible to find!

In reply to jbrom:
Thanks man, I appreciate the offer. Don't bother just yet because I'm still hoping that I'll find my lost Gamma. I'm also still looking at what else is available. (Don't tell anyone but I'm also, to my shame, a bit of a gear snob and the one thing I can find out from the Decathlon website is that they're ugly and cheap looking!)

In reply to Cathcart_Alpinist:

I am tempted by the Tikka XP but I'm put off by the weight all being at the front and the lack of an over-the-top strap which both seem like a recipe for instability. I'd like to be able to run with it on. Anyone got any experience on that front, good or bad?

In reply to Luke90:
No problem at all running with a Tikka XP. I was out for about an hour on Wednesday evening, and it was very stable.

In reply to Luke90: I second the petzl xp 2. I use mine for walking, running & anything else needing light! Very comfortable, stable, good features & core compatible.

If you really want a separate battery pack then the myo xp/rxp is worth a shout.

Cameron

In reply to Luke90: Btw it's cross country running I do not road running if that has any bearing on it.

In reply to Luke90: The Tikka XP is a lot lighter than my other headtorches and so I haven't had instability issues, just because it's very light.

In reply to Luke90:

Silva Ninox. The whole thing only weighs 80g inc batteries and it's good for running. Red light too (steady or flash). Doesn't have the same beam strength as a BD Icon, but the light for running is far better. The flash setting is of nuclear brightness.

In reply to nniff:
kathmandu sell the gamma repackaged, for £28! Identical in every respect.

In reply to Luke90:

If you would like to think out of the box and have the most powerful torch on the block, and I mean more powerful than any suggested on here, how about a hand held torch?

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=frogman+torch&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&am...

All you have to do is get one of those head strap thingies to put it on your head.

I use one for working nights. A few weeks ago I was on the beach searching for somebody and my little torch knocked spots of the Police torches and lit up the end of our pier from 200 meters away in pitch darkness.

Just think what you can do coming off the hill with baby.

In reply to Max factor: Except they claim that all the front LEDs are white, odd as it is clearly the same unit.

In reply to Luke90:


i have a spare brand new unused (batteries never insteretd)
alpkit gamma i'll sell you if you want ?

12.5 plus whatever postage is

Cheers

In reply to All:

Many, many thanks for so many useful contributions!

I'm now mulling over various different options:
1. The actual Gamma that lithos offered for sale (I appreciate the offer, thank you, I'm seriously considering it)
2. The Kathmandu Gamma clone - unlikely as it doesn't have red light and appears to be out of stock
3. The Petzl Tikka XP2 - I still have my doubts about stability but various people's recommendations are beginning to sway me
4. The Lifesystems Intensity 80 - I discovered this by searching for Gamma on outdoorsmagic.com and it seems to be a Gamma clone from the same factory with the addition of a motion-controlled switch that you wave your hand at to turn it off or on. It sounds nifty but I'm wary of it being a potential source of malfunctions or irritation when moving my hands past my face to climb.
5. Climbing Technology Lumex Pro - Yet another Gamma clone with a more powerful main LED and adjustable lens. It's tempting but it no longer seems to be available at the only shop I could previously find it at (which is very frustrating because I was leaning towards this option and it still appeared to be available as recently as yesterday!)

I'm sure you're not too interested in my obsessive list-making but I thought I'd pop my thoughts up here in case anyone else has a similar dilemma in the future and wonders what I concluded.

(Option 6. Taking The Lemming's suggestion to the obvious 18,000 lumen extreme: youtube.com/watch?v=_rZ2FQ-7iLg& )

In reply to Luke90: Ah sorry, I read that as a red light on the rear battery pack.

Otherwise, I would recommend the Petzl Tikka XP2. Reliable, has good adjustment features, and has survived a month being used almost every night in Africa.

BR