Thread: What head torch are people using?

Originally Posted by huglife

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/type...ceBeautifyAB=0


I have this one. It does the trick for me. I initially used one like gadgetman recommends but it takes up so much space having two batteries and a separate battery pack so I bought the current model. When you have a 2 battery one you need at least 2 spare batteries as well which gets away from being any description of compact- and uncomfortable to have in a chest pocket etc. Just my opinion on it all

Absolutely. I use mine as a spotter out to 200m or so. It is not a walking/general purpose light.

Originally Posted by kiwijames

I have both Zebralight and Armytek. The Armytek Wizard has tailcap charger and aesthetically is nicer. The Zebralight kicks it’s ass though for grunt and is my EDC.

Zebralight for head torch here too - it has stupid sub-routines for the switching but I just stick to on/off and the 18650 battery goes in my Maxtoch as well

Originally Posted by gadgetman

I mainly use something like these. There are various models that look the same in the photos and it can be a bit of a lottery which you get, so I ask questions first and get a refund if they don't supply as requested. Some are moulded plastic reflectors, some are spun or pressed aluminium and some are machined aluminium. The machined aluminium are the ones I like for a thrower.

This is what they look like on the outside, ask before buying.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Supe...ceBeautifyAB=0

@gadgetman what does the de-doming do? Just allow the LED to let more light out, or does it change the amount of throw/spot?

Originally Posted by Beetroot

@gadgetman what does the de-doming do? Just allow the LED to let more light out, or does it change the amount of throw/spot?

The de-doming does a couple of things. Firstly it gets rid of the pre-focus of the LED letting more light spill out to the reflector. This does a better job of focusing the light to a tighter, brighter beam. Great for a spotter. Secondly it changes the colour of the light to a warmer hue. This spooks animals less and 'cuts' the air better.

For a general walking and tent light I would look at something else like the Maxtoch H01 and others.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

The de-doming does a couple of things. Firstly it gets rid of the pre-focus of the LED letting more light spill out to the reflector. This does a better job of focusing the light to a tighter, brighter beam. Great for a spotter. Secondly it changes the colour of the light to a warmer hue. This spooks animals less and 'cuts' the air better.

For a general walking and tent light I would look at something else like the Maxtoch H01 and others.

Cheers,

I think I actually have a head light like the one you linked and foind the plastic quaility to be terrible and broke quite readily, is this something you have found?

I am toying with the idea of playing around woth my H14 and trying to replace the LED chip with a brighter one, and trying to righed it to run on Li-Ion batteries instead, although woth good rechargeable Ni-MH batteries it gets pretty good battery life.

I have not broken one yet. Most of a similar design are very weak in the hinge and ratchet area of the head, but not these.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

I mainly use something like these. There are various models that look the same in the photos and it can be a bit of a lottery which you get, so I ask questions first and get a refund if they don't supply as requested. Some are moulded plastic reflectors, some are spun or pressed aluminium and some are machined aluminium. The machined aluminium are the ones I like for a thrower.

This is what they look like on the outside, ask before buying.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Supe...ceBeautifyAB=0

This is what I use too. They are pretty tough and reliable. They can turn on in your pack so I reverse one of the batteries.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

I have not broken one yet. Most of a similar design are very weak in the hinge and ratchet area of the head, but not these.

Might have to give that one a go.

Does anyone actually use the Red Leds I see on some of the options?

Looks like the kind of thing thats a good idea but you never actually use it.

Originally Posted by Beetroot

Does anyone actually use the Red Leds I see on some of the options?

Looks like the kind of thing thats a good idea but you never actually use it.

Love the red led on my Maxtoch headlamp.. use it heaps.

Red light has the huge advantage of not dazzling you/ruining your night vision. Great for reloading in the truck, or just for walking on a reasonably clear track.

Originally Posted by StrikerNZ

Love the red led on my Maxtoch headlamp.. use it heaps.

Red light has the huge advantage of not dazzling you/ruining your night vision. Great for reloading in the truck, or just for walking on a reasonably clear track.

I found it disconcerting to try and walk with. Anything green disappears into a black nothing.

I use a Fenix HP12 as a general purpose headlamp (now superseded by the HL60R) and a Fenix TK11 velcroed to the side of the scope for spotlighting.
High quality aluminum alloy construction so handle the knocks and both use 18650 batteries which is convenient.

Originally Posted by Nighniz

Led lenser mh10 seem like it would fit what your after. Mine has had a fair amount of abuse as being a farmer mine gets used most days on farm aswell as Possum & duck shooting and in the bush. I've had it for a year and no complaints so far!

+1 for the led lenser mh-10 .

For hunting, I go a slightly different path.

I use a LED bicycle light on a head band for all my seek and find lighting. I have a small pouch on my belt with 4 sets of quad batteries to get me through a full nights hunting. I use a extension cable between the battery and the light and have an on/off switch mid-lead to circumvent the multi mode switching on the light. I always wear a peaked cap with the light over the cap as this shades the scope optic from reflected light when you transition to looking through the scope. Light is something like this https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1200...ceBeautifyAB=0

I then have a rifle mounted light, which typically has a slightly tighter and brighter output than the head lamp so that when you switch over to the rifle, you know that your target will be more highly illuminated than with the headlamp. The head lamp correctly adjusted for seek and find will be out of position and useless when viewing through the scope, hence the need for the rifle mounted light. I always mount my rifle light under the barrel, on a short piece of rail screwed to the rifle stock. I am currently using this for rifle mounting https://www.aliexpress.com/item/LED-...460.0.0.oDGABv with a remote switch.
I really like the single mode on/off, with the separate output adjustment button. Works a treat.

Originally Posted by allister

+1 for the led lenser mh-10 .

Make that +2; a great torch; puts out a ton of light, takes 18650, USB chargeable and is focusable - you could most probably spot light a deer at 200 yards with it (on private land...).

:-)