# Best Headlamp I've Found



## mackguyver (Dec 3, 2013)

I don't know about the rest of you CR posters, but I love headlamps when I go shooting. I've used them for over 20 years since my caving and mountain rescue days. For many years I've used Petzl headlamps, like the Duo, and then various LED models from LED Lenser and others. Last week, I snagged a Coast HL8 (Mfr Site Link) in an Amazon Lightning Deal and thing is amazing. It's fairly lightweight, and puts out 344 lumens as spotlight or a large circle for 19 hours and has a low power mode that lasts 79 hours. Even full retail at around $70-80, the lamp is a great deal.

Just thought I'd pass it along now that we in the US are having our long nights...


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## takesome1 (Dec 3, 2013)

This would be useful at night for taking wildlife photos of deer.
It would create the glowing eye trail cam effect.


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## mackguyver (Dec 3, 2013)

takesome1 said:


> This would be useful at night for taking wildlife photos of deer.
> It would create the glowing eye trail cam effect.


It's definitely bright enough to illuminate a deer at 100yds, but I will use it to avoid alligators, snakes, bears and other nasty critters as I walk to or from my favorite photo spots here in Florida. I might try a long exposure eye shine shot of a bunch of alligators out in the water, too.


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## emag (Dec 3, 2013)

I'll second Coast lamps. Went through a number of other brands, from no name to known name, until I went with the HL4. I need the red light option for what I do.


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## mackguyver (Dec 3, 2013)

emag said:


> I'll second Coast lamps. Went through a number of other brands, from no name to known name, until I went with the HL4. I need the red light option for what I do.


Yep, definitely miss the red lamp I have on one of my other lamps, but it's a small one I can keep in my pocket to use more as a task lamp. The HL8 is going to be my hiking lamp.


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## drmikeinpdx (Dec 6, 2013)

Thanks for posting the heads up about the new headlamp. I was in the market for a new one, so I checked it out. It is made by a company called Coast Portland, which I had never heard of. Since I live very close to Portland Oregon, I looked them up on the net and found their headquarters was near the Portland Airport (PDX) about a block from where my motorcycle riding buddy works.

I dropped in at the place today and discovered that Coast Portland used to be known as LED Lenser before they sold that brand name to the Leatherman Tool company about two years ago. They are now distributing all sorts of cool LED, knife and multi-tool products under the name Coast Products. The also have a website under a different name. (see link below)

I checked out the new headlamp and was impressed enough to buy two, one for me and one as a gift for a young person who works as a locator of underground utilities. The front desk ladies at Coast Products matched the extremely low price I had found on the net and in Oregon there is no sales tax. What a country!

I tried out the new headlamp this evening. It is amazingly bright - the brightest LED of any kind that I've ever owned. The claimed run time on high power is so long that I'm skeptical. 

If you've been waiting for a big step up in headlamp performance you might want to check this out.


http://www.lightsandknives.com/HL8-Focusing-LED-Headlamp.html


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## mackguyver (Dec 6, 2013)

drmikeinpdx said:


> Thanks for posting the heads up about the new headlamp. I was in the market for a new one, so I checked it out. It is made by a company called Coast Portland, which I had never heard of. Since I live very close to Portland Oregon, I looked them up on the net and found their headquarters was near the Portland Airport (PDX) about a block from where my motorcycle riding buddy works.
> 
> I dropped in at the place today and discovered that Coast Portland used to be known as LED Lenser before they sold that brand name to the Leatherman Tool company about two years ago. They are now distributing all sorts of cool LED, knife and multi-tool products under the name Coast Products. The also have a website under a different name. (see link below)
> 
> ...


That's really interesting and I didn't realize that LED Lenser had been sold but I had noticed that their designs seemed very similar to Coast. I'm glad my post ended up being so helpful and it's great to hear that you were similarly impressed. It sounds like they're a great company, too, and how nice to have them be so close to your location. I see that Amazon is having another lightning deal on their 3-D cell 615 lumen (!) Coast HP17TAC at 8am PST, so I might have to snag one of those, too!


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## kkelis (Dec 6, 2013)

I have been using a zebralight H600 for a year now, couldn't be more satisfied. Super bright, very light, completely waterproof very robust. Could not be happier. Just make sure you get very good quality batteries.

http://www.zebralight.com/H600-Cree-XM-L-750Lm-Headlamp-18650-and-ZL631-Battery-not-included-Ship-to-US-Customers-only_p_72.html

And from what i have seen they have released a new version of it. It must be amazing


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## surapon (Jan 13, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> I don't know about the rest of you CR posters, but I love headlamps when I go shooting. I've used them for over 20 years since my caving and mountain rescue days. For many years I've used Petzl headlamps, like the Duo, and then various LED models from LED Lenser and others. Last week, I snagged a Coast HL8 (Mfr Site Link) in an Amazon Lightning Deal and thing is amazing. It's fairly lightweight, and puts out 344 lumens as spotlight or a large circle for 19 hours and has a low power mode that lasts 79 hours. Even full retail at around $70-80, the lamp is a great deal.
> 
> Just thought I'd pass it along now that we in the US are having our long nights...




Thank you, Sir, Dear Mr. mackguyver
Wow, That is a great IDEA for Head Lamp that can shoot the beam up to 207 meters, or 678 feet---Wow, Yes, I will need this one for shoot the deers in the night time, in my back yards.
Have a great week, Sir.
Surapon


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## mackguyver (Jan 14, 2014)

surapon said:


> mackguyver said:
> 
> 
> > I don't know about the rest of you CR posters, but I love headlamps when I go shooting. I've used them for over 20 years since my caving and mountain rescue days. For many years I've used Petzl headlamps, like the Duo, and then various LED models from LED Lenser and others. Last week, I snagged a Coast HL8 (Mfr Site Link) in an Amazon Lightning Deal and thing is amazing. It's fairly lightweight, and puts out 344 lumens as spotlight or a large circle for 19 hours and has a low power mode that lasts 79 hours. Even full retail at around $70-80, the lamp is a great deal.
> ...


Hi Surapon, it's definitely a great light and will be more than enough to light up, and probably scare the deer in your backyard! Have fun!


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## surapon (Jan 14, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> surapon said:
> 
> 
> > mackguyver said:
> ...



Dear mackguyver.
My Wife will love this Head Light "probably scare the deer in your backyard!"---That will keep them off her Vegetable/ Eatable Garden-------Ha, Ha, Ha, That she will buy for me 10 of them---Ha, Ha, Ha..
Have Fun , Sir.
Surapon


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## mackguyver (Jan 14, 2014)

Cool photos, and yes, they can be major pests for your garden. If you didn't have streets in your photos, I would think you lived way out in the woods! It's about the same for me - sometimes I think I would get better wildlife photos sitting on my deck than I do going out into the wilderness. I've seen barred owls, red-shouldered hawks, vultures, a family of racoons, foxes, armadillos, gray ratsnakes, bobcats, and many other creatures in my yard


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## joshmurrah (Jan 14, 2014)

I've always loved the Petzl Zipka line of lights, specifically their newer high-lumen one. 

I keep one in my pocket when I'm out at night taking photos (yes, it has a red light), and it's about the lightest thing out there for hiking as well.


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## xps (Jan 14, 2014)

My children use Mammut X-950 Sun headlamps when they go paragliding or basejumping. Very strong and it is rechargeable. We use the Petzl Ultra rush at the mountain-rescue. 
Both models are ultrastrong.


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## Lloyd (Jan 14, 2014)

I am a frequent headlamp user so decided to spend the big bucks and get the Petzl NAO headlamp which has a sensor that automatically adjusts the beam pattern and light output. If you look out in the distance the beam brightens. If you look at something close such as your camera or a map it dims. It is has a usb charger or you can insert batteries if run out of juice. It seems to keep its charge for an extended period of time, but I have not measured it.

http://www.rei.com/product/838486/petzl-nao-headlamp


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## Seanlucky (Jan 14, 2014)

So far I've been really happy with my Princeton Tec Apex headlamp (I have this version, but they make a few other ones of varying prices for different features)

http://www.princetontec.com/apex

I'm really picky about buying electronics that are as water resistant as possible (live on the west coast of Canada) and this headlamp has a rating of IPX7 which means it's good for 1 meter of submersion for up to 30 minutes.


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## RustyTheGeek (Feb 1, 2014)

Headlights are really cool. And useful. And they create a huge bulge in your pocket. That's great if you're around your wife or girlfriend, but otherwise it's just awkward.

Esp when I'm hiking, I try to save weight and bulk when possible. (So I can carry more unnecessary camera gear of course.)

Try this tiny little baby...

*Petzl e+lite*
http://www.amazon.com/Petzl-E02-P2-Headlamp-Integrated/dp/B001SARHV6

It only weighs about 3 oz. It has RED and WHITE lights, it's comfortable on your forehead, it swivels and the switch can lock when not in use. It's not going to be seen from the moon during the daytime, but what it lacks in blinding sheer paint peeling intensity, it makes up for in versatility and light weight.


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