Headtorch

[Iamspartacus]

Hi,

I lost my headtorch yesterday on Hinchenbrook and need to get a new one before main range weekend after this.

What's the best? A bit of googling says the nitecore nu25 is the one to go for.

All advice gratefully accepted and thanks in advance.

Andy

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[Lamont]

Pure simple elegance:
NU20.
Need red lights: NU25.
Needed for constant cold weather, might need to look elsewhere?

Last edited by Lamont on Wed 12 May, 2021 2:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[stry]

In principle, I agree, but I have reservations about the short run times, and the service life of the built in battery.

[icefest]

The good:
* Light
* Cheap
* easily rechargeable

The bad
* not waterproof
* limited recharging
* Not that bright (okay for walking, not enough to rogaine or ride a mountain bike)

[icefest]

I personally use a zebralight, as it's more correlated to my use style.

[stry]

I personally use a zebralight, as it's more correlated to my use style.

Ditto. Heavier than the NU20 but the characteristics and performance are better suited to my needs.

[crollsurf]

What Lamont said. Dont get the NU25 unless you need the Red Light because I was always pressing the red light button instead of the white. Errr

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[Biggles]

Well you couldn't get a more attractive and enticing place to lose your headlamp. I've lost a few torches and especially headlamps over the 45 years I have been walking, cycling and generally touring, second only to losing those damned small (very small!) Swiss army "toolkits". I have several (4 I think) of these nifty little lamps now; not cheap considering their size, and take up and weigh next to nothing:

https://www.paddypallin.com.au/petzl-e- ... dlamp.html

[Ms_Mudd]

I haven't used the NU20, but am very satisfied with the performance of the NU25, don't use the red light function much myself, so if purchasing again would go to NU20 option as others have suggested.
The 25 weighs nothing with shock cord mod and I have found battery life to be better than advertised. I can walk at night with the light only on the 2nd press in most scenarios. The Nitecore buttons are much simpler than anything I have used before too ie.Petzl and Black Diamond.

[stry]

Well you couldn't get a more attractive and enticing place to lose your headlamp. I've lost a few torches and especially headlamps over the 45 years I have been walking, cycling and generally touring, second only to losing those damned small (very small!) Swiss army "toolkits". I have several (4 I think) of these nifty little lamps now; not cheap considering their size, and take up and weigh next to nothing:

https://www.paddypallin.com.au/petzl-e- ... dlamp.html

I also like these, but only as a backup or for unexpected needs. I have a couple, mainly because after being unable to find the first for several months, I bought a replacement.

You know the rest.

Worth noting that they do have a degree of waterproofness.

[Bill P]

Hi Andy

I need more landscape pictures!, or else I will recommend an Eveready 3AAA Kmart headtorch!

[mikeRsyd]

Nu25 has a cree led flood light which is quite nice for around camp. I like this light for hiking and edc but not for fishing. If your in Sydney you get them over the counter at ryda on Parramatta road. No affiliation.

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[Tino B]

As others have said, NU25 with UL headband a la Litesmith - just buy one here in Aus without the UL headband and make the UL headband with some shock cord.

[Iamspartacus]

Hi all,

I got the NU25 a couple of months ago and have now had the opportunity to use it quite a bit.

It's lite and bright.

The USB charging is simple. Not sure how long the batteries will last, we'll see.

Probably not as bright as my old BD (which was heavier with 3 x AA), but still fine for night trail finding.

Overall I find the NU25 does the job and I'd buy another if I lost this one.

Of course I can't help but compare all headtorches to the old Petzl's with the 9V batteries. And based on that benchmark all the new ones are great (remember the spare bulb in the back,and that little bit of sandpaper to clean up the contacts?).

Thanks for your advice.

Andy

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[CBee]

NU25 used it under constant rain in night time with no problems (thanks God). USB charging essential.

[Petew]

My favourite feature of the NU25 is its lowest light setting. Great for fumbling around in the middle of the night (for a pee, trying to find your pillow) without disturbing your tent mate.

[GregG]

"Of course I can't help but compare all headtorches to the old Petzl's with the 9V batteries. And based on that benchmark all the new ones are great (remember the spare bulb in the back,and that little bit of sandpaper to clean up the contacts?"


That is a blast from the past Spartacus and yes, the old Petzl might just be the benchmark for all subsequent UL headtorches. I still have my original Petzl which I bought early '90s after being stuck out below Tarros Ladder all night because the feeble beam from my two dollar Coles special just wasn't up to it. That clunker of a 4.5v battery, 3LR12, had an alleged run time of 17 hrs (tell 'em their dreaming) and weighed 163 gms, from memory they were fairly expensive too. And yes, the clip for a spare bulb was a great idea, given their high rate of failure. That said, using the Petzl was was a quantum leap forward over trying to hold a 2D cell torch in ones teeth in the dark and rain while battling up a cliff. The good old days eh?
Regards
Greg G

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Last edited by GregG on Sat 03 Jul, 2021 3:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Petew]

Petal Zoom. I loved that headtorch.

[GregG]

Haha, I just realised that in the picture you can see a blown bulb. Typical.

[icefest]

Remember when the halogen bulbs came out for them?

[gbagua]

The market has evolved so much now. Forget about Petzl. For children's campfires. *NU25 good for your campsite, not powerful enough and battery lasting when hiking in difficult conditions.

Please refer to these thorough guide:

https://www.reddit.com/r/flashlight/com ... _solstice/

They list all sorts of lights not just headlamps.

Highly regarded headlamps:

Armytek Wizard C2 PRO MAX (4000 lumens)
Armytek Wizard C2 Pro Nichia (1400 lumens)
Zebralight H600w Mk IV (1400 lumens)
Fenix HM65R (1400 lumens)

*Nitecore is a very reputable brand but I'd personally go for the more powerful units like the HC33 (1800 lumens) or HC35 (2700 lumens). You'll have enough light (you can actually light up an entire football field with these things, lol!) for an entire night if the need arises without any charging.

[Warin]

The market has evolved so much now. Forget about Petzl. For children's campfires. *NU25 good for your campsite, not powerful enough and battery lasting when hiking in difficult conditions.

Please refer to these thorough guide:

https://www.reddit.com/r/flashlight/com ... _solstice/

They list all sorts of lights not just headlamps.

Highly regarded headlamps:

Armytek Wizard C2 PRO MAX (4000 lumens)
Armytek Wizard C2 Pro Nichia (1400 lumens)
Zebralight H600w Mk IV (1400 lumens)
Fenix HM65R (1400 lumens)

*Nitecore is a very reputable brand but I'd personally go for the more powerful units like the HC33 (1800 lumens) or HC35 (2700 lumens). You'll have enough light (you can actually light up an entire football field with these things, lol!) for an entire night if the need arises without any charging.

Car headlights on low beam are ~1,000 lumens, 2, to 4,000 on hi beam... If your trying to walk off track at night then you might need that kind of light. Personally I'd be camping rather than risk injury off track. On track .. 300 lumens will do me for walking, on the bicycle I require a little more.

[gbagua]

Yes of course. BUT you never know when you need to walk in the dark for hours in the middle of the bush (happened to me recently; luckily it all ended up well; however imagine if it didn't because my headlamp didn't have enough battery power to last me a whole night's walk!). I rather have a Zebralight or Fenix lamps than an overpriced, lacking in features and low powered BD or Petzl unit.

[gbagua]

...

[Mcspud]

I found long walks require batteries. That’s because I’m yet to find any reliable usb charger when your out for weeks on end. Solar panels can be hit and miss depending on where your going. Bush bashing with a solar panel on your pack? Having to stop early enough to get some sun? Best I found is cheap Coleman led headtorch from Anaconda that takes two AAA. Use lithiums and can get weeks out of it.

[Eremophila]

Yes of course. BUT you never know when you need to walk in the dark for hours in the middle of the bush (happened to me recently; luckily it all ended up well; however imagine if it didn't because my headlamp didn't have enough battery power to last me a whole night's walk!)

I’d be really interested to hear about this.

I’m yet to need enough light to illuminate a football field for a whole night.