UKC

Hi
I was lucky enough to win a £50 voucher in one of the Ellis-Brigham competitions, to spend in their shops.
I was on a lookout for a good head torch, so it couldn't come in better time.

I already have Petzl Tikka, and it is great, but not for walking. The light is too weak. I need something with would be suitable for hill walking during the night time both in winter and summer. Can you recommend any of Black Diamond / Petzl from their stock, up to £50? If I can have it for less then great.

Thank you

In reply to Pietrach:

I recently bought a BD Spot, after using a Petzl Tikka for a long time. Haven't really had the chance to test it properly yet but it is really well made and seems very bright in comparison to the Tikka I have.

In reply to Pietrach:

I use a BD Storm, which I think has been replaced by the Spot. I've found it to be excellent so far and have used it for alpine starts, certainly bright enough for walking at night. Never really tested it's battery life or the rate at which brightness drops off though, other than the numerous occasions it's turned on inside my bag (it has a lock function to prevent this, I just keep forgetting to use it!).

In reply to Pietrach:

BD storm or revolt (basically the same but with rechargeable batteries) are both good. Light plenty powerful enough imho (used it for skiing and mountaineering). I like that there is a red light option useful for huts and sailing too.

In reply to Pietrach:

Pick up the New Bd Storm 2016/17 Model 250 Lumens a wee cracker its £50
Seen one few weeks ago in The Fort Bill Ellis Brigham's

In reply to Pietrach:

Black Diamond Storm is excellent! Very bright, waterproof, great value for money.

In reply to Pietrach:

Yet another vote for the BD Storm. Mine received a proper workout thoughout last winter in Scotland and it never skipped a beat.

With 5 recommendations out of 5 for the same torch this must be the point where a bunch of UKCers start throwing in leftfield options when the kind thing to do would be to leave the OP in no doubt as to the best choice.

In reply to Pietrach: Picked up a Petzl Tikka RXP earlier this year after finding a Zipka a bit underpowered for walking off the hill in the dark this Winter.
I've been surprisingly impressed with the reactive lighting system despite being rather cynical beforehand. Not sure whether it is worth a massive premium but it certainly works pretty seemlessly and effectively when following lowland footpaths to and from the pub.
However I haven't actually had to climb with it, and hopefully don't plan on finding out if I can avoid it...

In reply to Pietrach:

I've had a Tikka XP for about 12 months and never had a problem with it. 3 "White" light settings, plus red....£49.99 as well !

https://www.ellis-brigham.com/products/petzl-tikka-xp-head-torch/655091?ite...

In reply to alexwolf47:

I really advise against a BD spot, mostly because it is over-designed and under thought-out.

The tap technology never works, either with or without gloves, while starting at maximum brightness is not clever at all. It has far too many modes to be useful, especially when it is too easy to get stuck in one of the obscure ones and find that it is very hard to get out of - the transition mechanisms and the ways you are supposed to switch each mode on or off are absurd, you have no chance of remembering them when you need to. Also, you never have a realistic chance of setting the brightness level at what you want. If you try to adjust the brightness while moving, you have a very good chance of casting yourself into total darkness.

The worst problem however is that the on/off switch is FAR to sensitive, so the chance of it coming on when you don't want it is huge, so that it will come on in your sack and drain itself so it does not work when you need it. Yes, I know about the 6 second lock to prevent it going on inadvertently, but that is a retrofit to deal with a problem that no-one else has. The 6 second press also relies on you remembering to do it each time, every time or you find yourself back in the original pickle. Other manufacturers make much more chunky switches that need to really be turned on or off and don't do it themselves. The latest Petzls I recall need a 2 second press to come on, so are protected against going on in your sack of their own accord.

BD (who used to make good robust, reliable head torches), have forgotten the basic KISS rule - a head torch must above all work, and work reliably, every time you need it. If it can be pretty bright, excellent, but working first time, every time, is the key. Red light so you don't dazzle everyone else who is trying to sleep in a hut is useful but most of the other modes are just useless - complications for the sake of complications. Also getting to the batteries without a Swiss army knife is nigh on impossible, previous torches it was straightforward.

Over-fussy, over-fragile, too many "features" for its own good.

In reply to Pietrach:
I've got a BD spot, it eats batteries (mainly because it gets turned on in pocket or daysack very easily-even when locked) Very good otherwise.

In reply to ChrisH89:

+1 for the Storm, used it a few times walking into bothys and off hills at night and it's superb.

In reply to Simon4:

The red light is not only to 'not dazzle' others, but it doesn't attract bugs and flies either. Dunno if you knew that.

In reply to zimpara:

I'd never thought of that. Agree it's more than a gimmick though, it's also great for map reading in low light conditions where you can see well enough to walk but not read as it preserves your night vision.

In reply to zimpara:
Can't say as I have noticed, there weren't many around on leaving the Schreckhorn hut this year. But as you and others have said, the on/off switch is FAR too sensitive and prone to self-switching on, that in itself should make purchasers very wary of it.

I don't know if the other new BD headtorches have a similar problem, but if so, they are best avoided. A pity, because BD kit is mostly good and their headtorches used to be.

In reply to Simon4:
Yeah the on/off switch is very sensitive, but the lock function works fine in my experience; you just have to remember to use it! Could be a problem if you forgot at a critical time and found yourself without battery I guess. The version of the Storm I have is very user friendly and doesn't have the huge range of modes you criticise (I know you were talking about the Spot, think they're pretty similar though), but the newer version might; would need to check.

In my experience it's excellent but I haven't used any recent Petzl ones other than a very basic cheapo one and a rechargeable one (which I didn't rate at all for various reasons) to compare. Certainly have no problem recommending it.

In reply to Pietrach:

Get a LED lensor

Brilliant torches - I have used mine for two consecutive nights without having to recharge. Also customer service is second to none

If you have any issues just send back and then send a new one

In reply to Anyone.. I have a BD Storm Headtorch in White for sale. Same as this
https://www.completeoutdoors.co.uk/images/products/9271/620590stormultwht.j...
Ive used it a couple of times only, and its in as new condition. Sell it for £25 - Delivered

In reply to iusedtoclimb:




I second that recommendation. I have the H7R and it's terrific - always impresses my running clubmates on our winter evening runs. And as you say, the customer service is outstanding.

In reply to ChrisH89:

I agree the lock function works (if as you say, you remember every time), but it is a quite un-necessary addition to solve a problem that they have themselves created. Which is why Petzl's solution of having a chunky switch that requires definite pressing and a 2 second press down to toggle seems much better and simpler.

Actually I climbed the Tasschhorn with an £8 headtorch from the local electrical shop that had 4 modes, and a chunky switch to go between them, in a pre-defined cycle, bright white, dull white, red, flashing red - nothing to remember except to press it 4 times. Quite bright too, although you COULD think you had turned it off by the time you got to flashing red, which you could hardly see, so think it was off when it wasn't. But basically it was simple and sure.

In reply to Pietrach:

https://www.ellis-brigham.com/products/black-diamond-storm-head-torch/22206...

I have this version of the BD storm and love it. Use it bouldering at night walking off the Ben and anywhere else in Scotland in winter in the dark. It will happily do a week in Scotland on one set of batteries tap function i really like and works with or without gloves.

I use the lock on it for travelling etc but have never used it in the lid of my rucksack and it has never turned on accidentally.

Proper bit of kit. Not tried or even looked at the new updated version.

In reply to Pietrach:


What i'd really like to know is efficacy/gram - the useful light output per power input divided by weight, *assuming* that we can trade time for intensity.

http://www.hi-led.eu/wp-content/themes/hiled/pdf/led_energy_efficiency.pdf

The current LED claims all appear to duck the issue by promoting either time or output.

None appears to tackle how much of output is useful (visible) or the change over time.

In reply to JJL:

I have used my LED Lensor HR7 for a couple of Ultras that have gone over 2 full nights. on low setting there has been no problem with battery life and no reduction in vision. There is still power left after two full nights. I find that on a lower setting my eyes accustume easily and it is more than sufficient to see at the pace I am moving. What impresses me the most is the customer service. I have only paid for 1 LED lensor and now on my third one, any issues send it back and they have sent me a brand new one.

Not sure how long it would last on full brightness.

In reply to iusedtoclimb:
Impresses!! Doesn't impress me at all ...

In reply to iusedtoclimb:

Do Ellis Brigham sell H7Rs? I like mine, but if you're on your third, it doesn't say much about the build quality...