The definitive headtorch post

[dan]

Get a Silva LX. Had mine for about a month now. Absolutely brilliant... out running with my friend with an almost equally priced petzl duo with 5 LEDs and one Halogen bulb, compared with my 1 LED. Couldn't have asked for more!

No joke, he couldn't even see his beam when my light was on!
15 hours battery life on full, but to be honest, you only really need full power when it gets tricky underfoot. Comes with a red diffuser lens (good to attach to your rucksac back when cycling on roads at night, or to preserve nighttime vision) and a clear diffuser lens.

I have used high powered 20 Watt Silva Halogen lights before costing over twice as much in night orienteering events and there is not much between them on the amount of light they kick out!

[hopey]

Well, I've given the Myo XP 08 a fair crack of the whip now but have gone back to using the (much bulkier/heavier) Duo with 14LED module. It's old technology now but it definitely gives a much more runner-friendly light. A perfect wide cone of light at just the right intensity!

I think this is now year three with the Duo and i've seen nothing short of a Silva 480 that betters it as a running light. Manufacturers are too obsessed with beam length, when it's the quality of light in the 5-20m range that really counts for night fellrunning.

Does this mean I need to get another new headtorch

[stumpy]

Whoops my mistake it was the Silva L3 I bought not the LX. I used it tonight on a 9 mile run around Helsby Hill and the Sandstone Trail and thought it was great. i must say Idler joined us tonight and he had the £12.50 head torch that was on an earlier thread and it looked excellent value for money.

Was this £12.50 torch the Alpkit jobby? I saw one the other day and it looked fantastic value and very well made - green and RED leds for night vision, 1 watt luxeon and a flashing red led in the back. Didn't get to see the beam in the dark though - has anyone used one of these?

[dominion]

Does this mean I need to get another new headtorch

No, but the discussion will keep the thread going until next winter!

[Pinno]

Was this £12.50 torch the Alpkit jobby? I saw one the other day and it looked fantastic value and very well made - green and RED leds for night vision, 1 watt luxeon and a flashing red led in the back. Didn't get to see the beam in the dark though - has anyone used one of these?

Yes, it was the Alpkit one, having seen it I would have no hesitation in buying one. The one Idler had with us was as good as anything we all had and for a fraction of the price.

[Norfolk & Goode]

It was a £12.50 Alpkit headtorch that was on the head of the winner of the last Sharphaw Night Run.

Mind you he'd beat me if he was carrying a candle!!

[Fellhound]

...out running with my friend with an almost equally priced petzl duo with 5 LEDs and one Halogen bulb, .... he couldn't even see his beam when my light was on!!

Yes, but that was the standard 5LED Duo. There's also an 8LED and a 14LED. The latter is still not the brightest lamp you could get but, as I said, it gives a perfect cone of light at just the right intensity.

I think the Duo with 14LED module is about £70 or £75. Another plus with it is the bomb-proof build quality (it's a caving lamp really). It is MUCH more robust than any other headtorch I've seen.

[Fellhound]

It was a £12.50 Alpkit headtorch that was on the head of the winner of the last Sharphaw Night Run.

Ah yes, but I happen to know Robin ran in a tight bunch with Mike Fanning and Mark Horrocks for 98.7% of that event and, as all night racers know, three headtorches are better than one - especially when one of them is Hope Technology's finest...

[idler]

Yes, it was the Alpkit one, having seen it I would have no hesitation in buying one. The one Idler had with us was as good as anything we all had and for a fraction of the price.

It was my head sporting the Gamma. The torch wasn't holding me back at all, but I'm still thinking of returning it - I'm yet to win a race.

I can see it would hold you back on faster, technical descents, but for the price it's bloody brilliant. More light would be great, but more light would also cost 5x the price. Some waffle here...
http://furiouscycling.blogspot.com/2...pressions.html
http://furiouscycling.blogspot.com/2...pressions.html

The only other niggle I can think of is I managed to pop a plastic buckle off the elastic adjusting it over hat out on the hill - it's not fully captive. Re-threaded and all's well.

...12 And A Half Flippin Quid.

[Baggins]

Nights are drawing in fast now folks

The led headtorch arms race continues