Head torches

Response to David Damerell

Quoted message said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?

Head torches are indeed worth using: it's not *that* uncommon for
drivers entering from a side road or approaching a roundabout to react
as if they've only seen me when I look in their direction - shining a
light straight at them really does seem to get their attention.
(Needless to say, also good for night-time repairs &c.)

The Petzl Zipka takes three AAAs and has a very thin elastic strap; but
I went for the Tikka, which has a full-width headband. Three LEDs:
they're very bright.

--
Mark, UK
"When you've told someone that you've left them a legacy the only decent
thing to do is to die at once."

Quoting Mark McNeill <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Head torches are indeed worth using:
(Needless to say, also good for night-time repairs &c.)

My main motivation is that it turns out it's hard to read a routesheet in
the dark. Who'd have known it?

Quoted message said:

The Petzl Zipka takes three AAAs and has a very thin elastic strap; but
I went for the Tikka, which has a full-width headband. Three LEDs:
they're very bright.

Thanks.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl?
Today is Chedday, January.

"Mark McNeill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Head torches are indeed worth using: it's not *that* uncommon for
drivers entering from a side road or approaching a roundabout to react
as if they've only seen me when I look in their direction - shining a
light straight at them really does seem to get their attention.
(Needless to say, also good for night-time repairs &c.)

I have a headtorch attached to my night-time lid. It works wonderfully for
lighting up signposts along unlit country lanes and for having oncoming
drivers *see* you sooner than without a lid-light. The difference in how
soon oncoming drivers dipped their vehicle headlights was noticeable.
Admittedly, wearing a headlight makes me look like a right dork, but at
least it does aid me being *seen*

David Damerell said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?

Petzl tikka.

Lightweight, LED light source, long battery life time (2 x AAA).

The tikka plus has adjustable light levels for a few quid more.

--

Tim

I understand very little of what's being discussed
but for some reason it's fascinating.

(Jon Thompson, urs)

David Damerell said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?

I use a head torch which I bought from UltraLeds 3 or 4 years ago.
Basically a couple of elasticated straps attach it firmly to the head.
Looking at their website they have updated the product - it now has 12
LEDs (mine has 8). The price is quite good at 8 quid as well.

--
Andy Leighton => [email hidden]
"The Lord is my shepherd, but we still lost the sheep dog trials"
- Robert Rankin, _They Came And Ate Us_

David Damerell said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?

I have one of these:
http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/eshop/Black-Diamond-Helion-Headtorch.html
Damn expensive, but it has halogen and led, each with three light
levels.

I've never used it for cycling, but it is certainly powerful enough
for night navigation in mountain regions.

David Damerell said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?

I agree. They're ideal for illuminating the area immediately in front
of and around the bike, as well as maps and non-backlit computers / GPS
receivers. They're also much more convenient for roadside repairs than
most front lights, which I always manage to drop and temporarily blind
myself with at exactly the wrong moment.

Dealextreme have an interesting assortment at 'disposable' prices:
<http://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.906>

I consider this an advantage, as even the better head torches have
trouble staying put on my head (I suspect my head, may be an odd shape -
I always seem to need headphones much tighter than anyone else), and if
it only cost a fiver I'm less paranoid about it coming off and ending up
under a wheel.

I prefer AA batteries for compatibility with the spares I already carry
for lights and GPS, and a battery compartment at the back of the head
gives better weight distribution with heavier batteries. I'm currently
waiting for <http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8400> to be
delivered, which should hopefully meet all these criteria. (I already
have a cheapo AAA-based one which refuses to stay put, and a much older
halogen head torch (not from Dealextreme) with a separate battery
compartment, which is excellent apart from its expensive 4.5V battery
habit).

Kim.

David Damerell said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?

I've got a Petzl Tikka XP, which is quite a bit brighter than the
standard Tikka or Tikka Plus, but costs a bit more. It has several light
levels, and a two mode lens (flood or spot).

Or for something cheaper, the the Alpkit Indigo for £5 looks good:
http://www.alpkit.com/indigo/
Or the Alpkit Gamma should be brighter, and is available from next week
apparently.

Mark McNeill said:

Response to David Damerell

Quoted message said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to
follow) that a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care
to
recommend a kind that attaches directly to the bonce rather
than to
a magic foam hat?

Head torches are indeed worth using: it's not *that* uncommon
for
drivers entering from a side road or approaching a roundabout
to react
as if they've only seen me when I look in their direction -
shining a
light straight at them really does seem to get their attention.
(Needless to say, also good for night-time repairs &c.)

The Petzl Zipka takes three AAAs and has a very thin elastic
strap;
but I went for the Tikka, which has a full-width headband.
Three
LEDs: they're very bright.

Seconded. I recommend the Tikka - it's a backup light I use when
caving.

--
MatSav

In article <[email hidden]>, David Damerell
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?

Depends what you want it for - I've got a little LED thing that cost a
couple of quid in Wilko or somewhere, that's fine for repairs, map
reading ...

Quoting Rob Morley <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?

Depends what you want it for

I think I'm settling on something bright enough to use as the only
headlight in an emergency, but not so bright (and hence expensive)
that you might use it as a matter of course for anything more than
mapreading. The Tikka is sounding about right.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl?
Today is Chedday, January.

David Damerell said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?

Head into any decent outdoor store and take your pick. Petzl are the
primary suspects, but not the only game in town. Note with the Myo XP
model that the new 2008 is considerably brighter than the one it's just
replacing: see http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/5113

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On 28 Jan, 16:41, David Damerell <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl?
Today is Chedday, January.

Another vote for the Petzl Tikka Plus. I took one on an expedition to
South America; using it for 2-3 hours a day and more some days, it
only reached its second set of AAAs after the end of the 8th week. I
use it as a backup cycling light; some little scunner stole my main
light yesterday and I was very glad of the Tikka in my bag: otherwise
a 5-mile walk home and a walk in to work this morning.

Henry Lockwood said:

Another vote for the Petzl Tikka Plus.

Quite a bit better than the plain Tikka, more light if you need it and a
strobe mode for saving battery and being seen. I have a Tikka, back
from when the Plus didn't exist, and Ross has a Plus, and comparing the
two I can't really see much reason you'd not want the Plus over the
vanilla one.

The Tikka XP is a more serious bit of kit and quite a bit more to pay,
but will actually give you something like a beam if you need it.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

and Ross has a Plus,

^
What a difference one letter makes.

--

Tim

I understand very little of what's being discussed
but for some reason it's fascinating.

(Jon Thompson, urs)

In article said:

David Damerell said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?

Head into any decent outdoor store and take your pick. Petzl are the
primary suspects, but not the only game in town. Note with the Myo XP
model that the new 2008 is considerably brighter than the one it's just
replacing: see http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/5113

As well as the generic outdoor ones, Edinburgh Bicycle do one that comes with
a handlebar mount as well as a headstrap. I don't think it's particularly
suitable for what David wants, but some people might find it useful.
(Also there are some new CatEye head torches on the Edinburgh website, which
don't seem to have any cycling specific advantages, but might suit people
who have other CatEye kit and like lots of matching logos.)

On 28 Jan 2008 21:21:19 +0000 (GMT), David Damerell
<[email hidden]>

was popularly supposed to have said:

Quoting Rob Morley <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?

Depends what you want it for

I think I'm settling on something bright enough to use as the only
headlight in an emergency, but not so bright (and hence expensive)
that you might use it as a matter of course for anything more than
mapreading. The Tikka is sounding about right.

A company called Nite-eyes (or similar) make a headstrap thing into
which can be inserted a torch like a mini-maglite. I've found that Fenix
LED lights work very well with this thing; as long as you're careful
about setting it up good and tight, it makes a hand-torch into a fairly
passable head-torch.

--
Dan Holdsworth PhD [email hidden]
By caffeine alone I set my mind in motion, By the beans of Java
do thoughts acquire speed, hands acquire shaking, the shaking
becomes a warning, By caffeine alone do I set my mind in motion

On Jan 28, 8:41 am, David Damerell <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl?
Today is Chedday, January.

Have a look at the Danolite. It's certainly a minimalist's solution.
They
advertise a 70 lumen output.

Pureheart
Here's the link....
http://www.danolight.com/info.php

Quoting <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

On Jan 28, 8:41 am, David Damerell <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I realised during the weekend's entertainment (ride report to follow) that
a head torch would be no bad thing. Anyone care to recommend a kind that
attaches directly to the bonce rather than to a magic foam hat?

Have a look at the Danolite. It's certainly a minimalist's solution.

$100, 4xAA battery pack on the belt, attaches to magic foam hats. I think
not.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl?
Today is Gorgonzoladay, January - a weekend.