# Headlamps



## Mshow1323 (Jun 9, 2012)

I've had dozens of headlamps over the years, and I have one problem with them. Every single last one of them turns on by itself in my bag, the first night I buy it, and the battery is dead in the morning. Every. Single. One.
Seriously, I gave up on them because the batteries never work the once or twice a month I need it.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

I have a Petzl that works very very well, only cost about $25. It isn't super high lumens, something in the 40 or 50 range, but that's enough and the battery life is long. A 5000 lumen light, if it's legit, would be a hazard, you'd blind your coworkers. I have a 250 lumen flashlight and that is enough to piss them off.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Well,,,,, I got two or three baseball caps that have led lights built into the brim that I frequently will wear onto jobsites. Love them even though they are a bit hard on the watch batteries that are required to run them. Takes 4 batteries. Runs for 2-3 full days and you need 4 more batteries. I got mine a Lowes. Camouflage. Looks cool on the dude. 


But, don't help if you have to wear a hard hat all day.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

I completely forgot about the fact they always turn on in the bag on their own. Every one I have or have had does that. As I type I bet mine are on or dead. Haha. Sometimes I get carried away that I can alleviate those issues with the idea of tool boxes, bags, pouches for specialty items like this to keep my stuff safely organized but I begin to loath the amount of crap I have and space it takes in the van.
I also didn't think of the pissing off others aspect... The lights in the hat sounds worth a shot, I typically live and work in a hat.


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## B-Nabs (Jun 4, 2014)

I have an Energizer headlamp that I love, it's the third one I have had. It's the one with the separate battery pack at the back. The old version had one white lamp controlled by one button, and a green and a red lamp controlled by another button. The new one has two white lamps with their own buttons, one spot one flood. Anyway, it's very bright, takes a beating, lasts a long time, and was $30 at Home Depot. Also I wear a hard hat every day so the headlamp is just strapped on there, and I don't have the issue of it turning on when I don't want it to.


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## bigdan1 (Jun 16, 2013)

I have always used petzel brand head lights.


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## AK_sparky (Aug 13, 2013)

+1 for petzl. I haven't used any of their really bright lights. The Last one I had had a slider switch on it that was tough enough for me to turn on, no way it would turn on by itself in a bag. I've seen guys clip them to the side of their bag with a carabiner to keep it away from the tools.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

Thanks for all the feedback everybody! I will check out petzl for my next headlamp.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

I never liked working in the dark, so if I needed a clamp on or stationary flashlight I brought one along, so I only ever used the little fluke brim light (which never turns itself on) that I kept in my bag if needed. (When I used to go caving as a kid, we always took 2 headlamps ea though, and if you had to take out the backup it was time to go)


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

I felt this was cool and funny. If you buy this, you too can have a collectors hat!!!

http://www.testpath.com/Items/High-...-116-262.htm?gclid=CNH075zpwMsCFQ-oaQodin4Dew

hahah


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## TheLivingBubba (Jul 23, 2015)

I have a Fenix HL55 on my hard hat and use it daily. I chose this because I can use rechargeable 18650 batteries that I have for my other flashlights. Having the adjustable light modes is great when working with other people because you don't always have to blind them. Looks like they came out with a new model. 


http://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-hl55-led-headlamp/


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## sparky402 (Oct 15, 2013)

I found mine on amazon. Pretty cheap and rechargable. Wear it everyday at work and when I get home I still try to tap the dam button on my forgead


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

I like the Camo hat from Lowes and find the batteries last fairly well. For hard hats I had two Princeton Tech flashlights that clip on the side. Headlamps always have some kind of issue, dead battery, busted lamp, etc.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

I started using these because they worked a little bit better with a hardhat










3M Tekk LED Light Vision Safety Eyewear (97490-WV6)

Lately they see a lot more use than the headlamp. I just toss them when the batteries die, by that time they're scratched up and they're not too expensive. 

When I googled for a picture I see you can get these with cheaters built in, too! 

The only down side with these is they are less toolbox friendly, they are usually mangled sooner than later in the toolbox.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

For you hat brim guys. There was a clip on hat light that was rechargeable with a USB charger, it clipped on the rim of your ball cap or hardhat. Wireman.com used to sell a good one but I don't see it there any more. Anyone know if those are still around?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

splatz said:


> For you hat brim guys. There was a clip on hat light that was rechargeable with a USB charger, it clipped on the rim of your ball cap or hardhat. Wireman.com used to sell a good one but I don't see it there any more. Anyone know if those are still around?



I see this one: http://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-C...043335&sr=8-2&keywords=rechargeable+hat+light


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## Jay82304 (May 12, 2015)

I go to HD and buy the 2 pack husky 150 lumen unbreakable set for like $10. Can't beat it and it takes a beating and also the light output is great.


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## yamatitan (Sep 4, 2010)

I use a nitecore, the model I use is 500 lumens but I also have a 1000 lumen model I dont like as much. 500 lumens is more than enough and most of the time I have it set to around 100 lumens. The button is well recessed ive never had it turn on in my tool bag. But if its a problem you can just unscrew the cap on the battery compartment a turn and will open the contacts. Also uses a rechargeable 1860 which is super nice since im still on the same one from 3 years ago. Talk about keeping your battery cost low. I cant tell you how many AAA's my coworkers have gone through with their coast and energizer home depot specials.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

yamatitan said:


> I use a nitecore, the model I use is 500 lumens but I also have a 1000 lumen model I dont like as much. 500 lumens is more than enough and most of the time I have it set to around 100 lumens. The button is well recessed ive never had it turn on in my tool bag. But if its a problem you can just unscrew the cap on the battery compartment a turn and will open the contacts. Also uses a rechargeable 1860 which is super nice since im still on the same one from 3 years ago. Talk about keeping your battery cost low. I cant tell you how many AAA's my coworkers have gone through with their coast and energizer home depot specials.


I have a bunch of coast ones. I like the return policy.


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## Jarp Habib (May 18, 2014)

Hardhats are never optional for me, so I have a light attached. Black Diamond, not sure which specific model but it has the center spot and two wide floods on the side. Dimmable, orange housing, 4x AAAs and usually the brightest light on the crew for the first 8 hours. It drops into a dimmer efficiency mode after that which is still good for a dark room but not great if I just need to brighten a dim or backlit area.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk


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## btharmy (Jan 17, 2009)

I've been using the coast headlamp for the past few years. The 3 AAA batteries seem to last a while. I usually get 6 months out of it. I pick them up for $20 at Menards. Even less on sale at HD. http://www.amazon.com/Coast-HL5-LED...d=1458268668&sr=8-13&keywords=coast+headlight

As an added bonus, they even include hard hat clips in the package with the headlamp.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

btharmy said:


> I've been using the coast headlamp for the past few years. The 3 AAA batteries seem to last a while. I usually get 6 months out of it. I pick them up for $20 at Menards. Even less on sale at HD. http://www.amazon.com/Coast-HL5-LED...d=1458268668&sr=8-13&keywords=coast+headlight
> 
> As an added bonus, they even include hard hat clips in the package with the headlamp.


I have a few of these and I hate them. lol


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## Dr. Evil (Aug 24, 2012)

If youre wearing it on a hard hat a rubber strap is mandatory. The electric strap doesnt work worth a crap. Pelican makes a few decent lights...but Ive never had one that I felt was really bright enough. Yeah, Im a lumen freak...


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

I did it... I got http://www.amazon.com/WindFire®-Headlamp-Headlight-Rechargeable-Flashlight/dp/B00GV2TYM6 and I friggen love it!


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## MorePaint (Feb 23, 2015)

TheLivingBubba said:


> I have a Fenix HL55 on my hard hat and use it daily. I chose this because I can use rechargeable 18650 batteries that I have for my other flashlights. Having the adjustable light modes is great when working with other people because you don't always have to blind them. Looks like they came out with a new model.
> 
> 
> http://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-hl55-led-headlamp/




X2 on Fenix. 

I have one on my hard hat. Multiple settings, 
It stays on the setting for next time you turn it on so you don't have to click click click, through settings to turn it on, 

18650 rechargeable batteries. 
Charger can use 120v or 12v car charger. 

Working in a dark tunnel with the head light on all day 12 hrs a day, i will get 2 full days out of the battery on medium Brightness setting, 

Fenix hp12 I thinks


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

I use the Streamlight ProTac® HL Flashlight. It sits in my pocket and can be clipped on my hat. 35 lumens on low, 750 on high. About $70


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## Dr. Evil (Aug 24, 2012)

Majewski said:


> I did it... I got http://www.amazon.com/WindFire®-Headlamp-Headlight-Rechargeable-Flashlight/dp/B00GV2TYM6 and I friggen love it!


yeah, that link doesnt work...what was it?


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

Dr. Evil said:


> yeah, that link doesnt work...what was it?


Sorry, works for me! It's a weatherproof 2k lumens headlamp. It was 20 or 30 bucks, I forget. It's perfect for me. Yes, it's way to bright to be walking up to someone face to face but clicking the off button isn't hard.


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## inetdog (Apr 13, 2016)

Read the reviews. 70% five star. 20% one star. Not much in between. The battery and charger (not included) can cost as much as the light.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

inetdog said:


> Read the reviews. 70% five star. 20% one star. Not much in between. The battery and charger (not included) can cost as much as the light.


For the unit I got? I got the battery, charger, car charger etc...


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## Lone Crapshooter (Nov 8, 2008)

I have a miners/**** hunters I got off Ebay for about $30.00 on a MSA comfa-cap. LED and rechargeable from a Powerport.I can blind a co-worker at 50'. It rides on the hump in the Superduty in custom built box that I use for callouts tools at the remote plant.So far it has been a good insurance against callouts in the middle of the night.

LC


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## jpalm (Apr 7, 2016)

I have the energizer 200 lumen (lime green) headlamp. My first one lasted 6 months of hard use, everyday sporadically. The only reason I replaced it was the main button broke off and I lost it before I could fix it. Battery life is decent and at only 20$ I would highly recommend it


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## tjb (Feb 12, 2014)

Love my petzl. But the technology is so common these days. Went to cabella's yesterday and they had at least a dozen different models of headlamp. Go for long life more than lumens. There's no reason not to find a good headlamp these days. Easy peasy.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Mshow1323 said:


> I've had dozens of headlamps over the years, and I have one problem with them. Every single last one of them turns on by itself in my bag, the first night I buy it, and the battery is dead in the morning. Every. Single. One.
> Seriously, I gave up on them because the batteries never work the once or twice a month I need it.


Take the batteries out when not in use. You can buy a battery holder for $1 at Radio Shack. Fasten the battery holder to something next to where you store the light or directly on the light itself. When you go to use it, remove the batteries from the holder and you'll have good fresh batteries to use. Always keep one backup set of batteries and you'll always be in good shape.

It seems like a lot of work but once you get in the habit you'll enjoy having that light when you need it.


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## Kevin (Feb 14, 2017)

I am locking this thread.


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