So, I wanted to do a review on headlamps.
More, specifically backup lamps.....the petzl e+lite.
This e+lite is designed for emergencies, but works great in the surf.
here are the details:
When I first started surfcasting in the Northeast about six years ago,
I could get away with headlamp designs that did not need to be
water proof. I sometimes camp and backback and I would just use
my petzle tikka headlamps. Nice lamps....but as I started
fishing rougher conditions, I started killing them. They would survive a
few outings of taking waves over my head...then they just would die
after a few months. At $40 a pop...not exactly a great value.
When I did a search for waterproof lamps, the only designs I could
find were big and heavy...often requiring multiple straps to attach to
one's head. They were also expensive. Some of my motivation in
doing a more aggressive search was that I started to wetsuit.
This was a couple years ago.
I noticed that finally petzl came out with a lamp that was waterproof,
affordable, and tiny. Whoa...cool!
So I bought one of these and started using it. It was really nice. It
was surprisingly bright and had a single red led for night vision. The
thing takes two watch batteries.The lamp operates on a sliding
switch that changes from bright, normal, strobe, red strobe and red lamp.
I used it for one full seasons as my main lamp.
The pros:
1. super tiny and light.
2. It can be worn on the head or around the neck.
3. The Head of the lamp pivots around a ball so you can aim it anywhere.
4. its under $30
5. The battery -long lasting -of my first one still works after a season
6. waterproof
Cons
1. the controls are tiny and with cold hands or gloves they can be hard operate.
2. The aim is so easy to direct, it is also easy to bump/redirect.
3. It is so light that sometimes I didn't know I was wearing it.
For a backup light, I carried one of these princeton tech Amp 1Ls.
Following similar setups that other wetsuiters use. Nice light.
I added some red cellophane to tint the beam. I think the light was $15.
Its great...other than I hate having the thing dangle from my neck,
and I prefer a headlamp over a neck lamp. So...it never gets used
and eventually the e+lite took the backup light position and the next
light took over the primary spot.
After that season, I continued to use the e+lite as my primary until
my trip to Block Island. We were talking about the headlamps on the
market, and a friend gave me an Underwater Kinematics Vizion
headlamp.....What a nice gift! Thank You Chuck! It is much bigger
than the e+lite, but because it is... it is easier to find when I get
numb. So I started using it as my primary. It is around $45 dollars...
I have seen a lot of guys use this light, and for good reason.
It has a very simple interface... although I sometimes fumble with it.
One side of the barrel is the on switch and will rotate through clear,
diffuse and a red tinted lens. The other side pivots the beam up and
down. It has a very big band that is comfortable and really stays put.
Linear Mode
