UKC

I had BD Spot (?) headtorch. The springs in the battery compartment wore out and whenever you open the compartment, the batteries just fall out. Combined with the awkward closing mechanism, I decided to replace it with Petzl Tikka XP. Around year later, the battery contacts are all corroded and I am feeling like I should replace it with a new one and keep this as a spare.

Are the Alpkit ones any good? Looking at the Viper II just now, cheap enough so I don't get upset if it breaks within a year.

I appreciate that keeping in the rucksack lid all the time makes the headtorch soaked for some days, but it's a bit ridiculous...

In reply to PPP:

Are all headtorches crap? No.

Are all cheap headtorches crap? Yes.

My caving one, for example, is brilliant. 800+ lumens, completely watertight and fully programmable. Downside is it cost over 700 quid.

Look at some of the MTB sets and they're about the same price.

In reply to PPP:

The Alpkit ones are cheap, but for the money they are very good. I use the gamma and yes there is the battery compartment issue...but my last one lasted for about 6 years before it bust. Alpkit then gave me a new compartment foc. Mine got very hard use inc many winter wild camps at it always did what I needed it to do.

I have bought another now. There are much better ones around, but they are much much dearer.

In reply to PPP:

I always keep mine in a plastic zippy wallet in my bag to keep it dry and take the batteries out if I'm not gonna use it for a while.

In reply to PPP:

I have a black diamond storm, its excellent, we did 6 hours night nav on my ML course with it

In reply to PPP:

Tikka XP has a decent amount of waterproofing, mine has taken everything I threw at it for many years. When you took the batteries out, what condition were they in? Were they cheap batteries or decent ones? In my experience, corroded contacts is usually down to a problem with the batteries leaking rather than a problem with the torch itself. Always take the batteries out before prolonged storage.

In reply to Oceanrower:

Thanks folk, I might just go for an Alpkit Viper II. Will probably get a small drybag for such essentials to keep them alive a bit longer, too.

I got a Petzl E+Lite somewhere in the first aid/emergency kit stored in a drybag, so at least that will survive for a wee while.



But would you ever want 700 quid headtorch for climbing/mountaineering? Probably not.

That's something I should do as well, but I generally hate faffing around.

The batteries (Eneloop/Duracell only) were always fine AFAIK. I tend to leave the batteries in (reverse the middle one so it stays turned off in the sack), though.

In reply to PPP:

I'm pretty sure that reversing one battery is a really bad idea and may be the root of your problem.

In reply to PPP:
To paraphrase the words of Harry Brown (Michael Caine) "You've failed to maintain your equipment, son."

May sound condescending but we've all got to learn this lesson our own way. I destroyed an Olympus OM10 slr by leaving it in my rucsac for a couple of days after it got covered in snow when I slid right the way down Red Tarn Face on Helvellyn on a plastic bag. An expensive stunt!

You cannot expect electrical and electronic equipment to survive long unless you are pretty scrupulous about keeping it maintained and dried out after it has been in the damp. I had this drilled into me in a survey department in the oil industry with the theodolites and levels.

BTW my Petzl zoom still works perfectly, bought late 1987. I have a BD torch now but it's really flimsy by comparison and I treat it like my camera, always dry out after use. Corrosion will almost always happen with dissimilar metals in contact and damp and dirt getting in as an electrolyte, this is just the normal physical process.

In reply to PPP:

I have a cheap and very bright alternative for you...

This £8 torch off amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bright-Zoomable-Waterproof-Flashlight-Camping/dp/B...

Combined with this £5 "universal torch head band"

http://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/Nitecore-Hb02-5060300751021-Elastic-Head...

Which actually takes 3 torches simultaneously if you wanted something outrageously bright.

My friend bought that torch and when I saw it I immediately bought one and couldn't believe it was £8, then my dad saw mine when we were in some woods (recovering his broken bike!) and he then went on to immediately buy one and a bike mount for it.

It has 3 brightness settings a flashing mode.

The headband is great for walking or working but perhaps wouldn't be ideal for running cos the torch would bounce a bit. I can't imagine anything brighter for the price, or even quadruple the price.

In reply to PPP:

Another vote for Alpkit head torches - I've used the Viper for night time activity and it does the job at a great price. No problems so far. They are spot on with their customer service too.

In reply to PPP:
I use a Zebralight, it takes 18650 batteries and pushes out 700 lumens. I've had it for a few years, it sees regular use and cost £64 I think, the rechargeable batteries are about £10 each though.

They've come on a bit sine I got mine though...

http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/Shop/Other-Brands/Zebralight/12628-Zebralight-H...

In reply to PPP:

I'd suggest you also look into the Silva Ranger Pro head torch. It's IP7X (i.e. submersible in water).

Might sound a bit silly, but I put a bit of cling film over the end of the battery when it's not in use. Stops it from coming on in the bag by accident and going flat.

They're also not too expensive, as I recall. I also like that it does a faint red light as well as a strong white one, so it doesn't ruin your natural night vision if you just want to get a good look at a map quickly or whatever.

In reply to elliot.baker:

Everyone above you has said 'don't buy shit torches' and you're linking to a £8 torch which doesn't even list its lumen output in the product's tech specs :/

In reply to PPP:

Modern head torches (I've got a Petzl Tikka or Tikkina, not sure which) with LEDs are just so vastly superior to any that we had in the past.

In reply to danm:


You sound informed on the matter Danm. What's the reason it's a bad idea? I ask because I've done it for years and years and as far as I know never to the detriment of the headtorches I have. (Petzl, BD and Alpkit). Keen to know if I should desist from the practice.

In reply to Removed User:

Yeah... it's not swanky. It is very bright and very cheap though, and I thought that head band thing was cool because you can put whatever 3 torches you want in there. So you could have a really small and light one or 3 bigger brighter ones, or a mix. For the total cost I think it's a versatile and useful system.

Or you could put three red laser pointers in there and pretend to be Predator.

Just putting an alternative out there.

In reply to Tigger:

I have a fenix hand torch, seems a very solid bit of kit, but not cheap. A decent 18650 rechargeable battery isn't cheap either, but lasts very well. I'd certainly consider the fenix headtorchs.

In reply to BlueTotem:


MIght sound a pit pedantic but didn't you mean to say IPx7?

In reply to PPP:

I have an LED Lenser which works well. Paid £35 for it so not dirt cheap but not excessive either.

In reply to Martin Bennett:

Well, this is a best guess as a (ex)astrophysicist (so outside of my area of expertise)...

Reversing one of the batteries changes the overall voltage from 4.5V to 1.5V (if you have three batteries). If you then close the circuit some how (say the light gets turned on) then it won't work properly because there isn't enough voltage BUT a current may still flow. This will slowly discharge the two correct batteries but shouldn't damage them, but the reversed battery is now getting a current backwards - you are thus trying to charge the battery but not in a controlled way. This is likely to be bad for a non-rechargeable and possibly bad (although quite possibly not) for a rechargeable.

If there are only two batteries then in theory the overall voltage should be zero so no current; however, if one battery is slightly more/less full than the other then there could be a small current. Unlikely, I would guess, to matter, but I bet it isn't recommended by the manufacturer.

In reply to PPP:

I have an LED Lenser SEO7-R which has been very good. I tend to keep it in the car although it usually ends up with me wherever I am. It recharges off a normal USB and the battery goes on for ages - takes a battery pack or AAAs.

Brilliant light output (200-odd lumens?) and focuses very well. There's an auto-dim function which works well for reading in the tent, and also an option to use a tiny red LED instead of the normal light. It's also IPx6. It's not hideously expensive at about £40... I'd recommend it as a non-crap headtorch.

In reply to PPP:

Had a tikka xp for about 5 years, been a great torch and no problems with corrosion. It's been soaked many times but obviously dried out after use. Those torches can take a complete pounding and still work. Also got a myo rxp which has been fantastic. Great bit of kit and compared to what head torches used to be like with replaceable bulbs and big battery packs etc. we're spoiled for choice. I'd say almost all head torches are great, some are really great.

The alpkit ones are fine and as others have said great value. Quality wise of course the more you spend the better torch you'll get so if you've not been happy with BD or petzl then you might not like the alpkit ones either but at least you can replace it every year or so if it gets damaged. Silva, BD, petzl and led lenser all have their advocates but they're all of a similar standard imo. Petzl do a work torch (pixa) - it's basically like a tikka xp but more robust. Might be worth looking at that.

In reply to Martin Bennett:


Yes, that's the one. It's the water ingress it got the 7 for. Thank you.

In reply to PPP:

I've had no problem with petzl torches - Myo RXP is my go to for climbing / mountaineering and the Tikka RXP for running / general camp and bothy use. Neither have had any corrosion problems despite repeated soakings and some quite hard use! Petzl are more transparent about their lighting standards / times as well so win points from me for that!

If you are looking at other brands - some Fenix torches are fully waterproof (friends who sea kayak use them for that purpose and a local MRT to me uses them as well - though the models that they have are no longer made and the replacements are not nearly as good!).

Alpkit I'm slightly wary of - cheap and cheerful, but I've had 2 fail on me, and friends have had similar. Great service from Alpkit - instant replacement, no argument from them, but it's the risk you take with a cheaply made torch. In fairness another mate has had a gamma for 3-4 years now with no issues at all. Mine is now the car / DIY torch.

LED lensers are good and feel very robust as well as putting out a good quality light - probably worth a look. Though it's only the H7 and H14 that I've tried.

Magic shine do cheap head torches, but be wary of their ratings - very much the bad practice end of advertising (i.e. the ratings are max output from the LEDs rather than the actual light in the setup advertised, and represent the peak output with fresh batteries, with run time being until the torch dies rather than any the ANSI standard that many use or petzl's own lighting guarantee).

Sounds a bit like you need to take better care of your kit if your finding that it keeps wearing / breaking across all the brands you try too though.

Good practice to remove batteries from your torch if it's going to sit for a long time not being used - helps avoid corrosion problems in the battery compartment (same as removing them from an avalanche transceiver when it goes away at the end of the season). Also definitely get the torch out and dried off (inc battery compartment) if it's got wet! Like everything, the better you look after it, the longer it'll last.

Cheers!

Stu

In reply to andrewmcleod:

That's a far better explanation than I was going to come up with!

In reply to andrewmcleod:



Thanks Andrew - a most comprehensive (and understandable) explanation. As a (current) ignoramus, at least on matters electrical, I'm going to take your word as gospel and cease with the battery reversal system forthwith. Pun in parentheses totally unintentional by the way.

In reply to PPP:

When you need a head torch you need a head torch: I just can't see why you would buy cheap. I appreciate that need for a caver is of a different level of need, but not all their torches cost 700! My back-ups are Fenix, £40, £60 and are totally solid. Main light cost me £150. All are waterproof enough that if that fails you no longer need any kind of light anyway.

I use the back ups for winter climbing, can't recall the models off the top of my head, but any Fenix will do the job.

And yes, there are loads of crap head torches out there!

In reply to Martin Bennett:


I take a piece of PVC sticky tape and fold it over so it sticks to itself, then cut it into a rectangle (something like 7mmx20mm and put that between a contact and the positive pip on one of the batteries, I use this system in my head-torch and walkie talkies. It's a bit fiddly to place but very easy to remove when the equipment is needed, I just leave it in the battery compartment for when I want it next, although they do occasionally fall out or blow away if I don't open the compartment carefully enough.

In reply to PPP:

I'll try to respect the theme of this thread and make some sweeping generalisations...

In my experience all 'climbing brand' headtorches are crap. Usually they seem to give off a faint, sort of yellowish light from somewhere within their fat, brightly coloured housings. In most cases they just about manage to illuminate the users hand in front of his/ her face or in exceptional circumstances project a barely discernible orange patch on to the nearby snow as if someone pissed in it.

My LED lenser, which was a cheap Christmas present, can light up whole sections of cliff like a searchlight, immediately causing any other nearby headtorches to effectively cease to exist and transforming all the other nearby climbers into terrified morlocks.

It has worked perfectly for me for ages but I've noticed some on here suggest doubts about the reliability so having a backup is probably an especially good idea.

In reply to PPP:

I ended up buying an Alpkit Viper, in preference to a nice Mammut one simply cos money was tight at the time. I use it every day and its been great - no issues after over 12 months. I'm thinking of getting the new version too which has a bit more power.

The only thing I dislike about these things are trying to turn the things off without going through the light cycle.

In reply to PPP:

The main reason that ALL HEADTORCHES ARE CRAP, is that most people are still trying to run 2016 lumens from 1995 batteries.

2 aaa batteries will not last very long pushing 200 lumens.

Pony up and start using 18650's, or use a torch with more adjustable burn and dont keep it up so high all the time.

In reply to PPP:


Just got a Viper II, it comes with a small dry bag with room for 2 headtorches and spare batteries. Haven't tried it at night yet, one niggle is the 2 buttons are close together, one cycles through white & red at various brightness and the other is for burst mode which is 280 lumens and drains batteries quickly. Would be easy to activate burst mode accidentally, it only works while the button is held down though.

In reply to PPP:

I have a Black Diamond Revolt. Don't need major lumens, just enough for general walking and camp use. Spent a lot of time researching, I really like this headlight
- rechargeable from a micro USB lead
- takes AAA batteries
- spot beam
- flood beam
- RED led
- battery indicator
- LOCK OUT - then doesn't come on by accident

In reply to PPP:
I started this thread and had one of two brands recommended which haven't been mentioned (yet). Surefire gets a mention...

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=630179