# Headlamps



## JBC1 (Dec 4, 2010)

Found a thread on this from 5 years ago and i think a lot has changed in terms of LEDs/rechargeable batteries since then. Interested in update on what you're using that you like and have a good experience with, using with hard hat especially.
Thanks


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## catsparky1 (Sep 24, 2013)

Petzl . They are not cheap but maybe the best .


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## B-Nabs (Jun 4, 2014)

I have an energizer headlamp I bought for $30 from home depot. Takes a beating, is really bright, and cheap enough that when (not if) it kicks the bucket it doesn't hurt too bad. The one I have runs on 3 AAAs in a pack on the back, with a curly wire going to the lamps on the front. 

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## JF_Sawyer (Oct 30, 2014)

I prefer a using a handheld area work light. But sometimes I just don't want to carry one around. I'm currently using a Petzl taktikka+ (~$40 amazon) It runs on 3 AAA batteries I'm happy with it so far it has 3 light adjustment settings. I see many people on ghe jobsite with the energizer headlamps. I figure with LED tech what it is today, all headlamps are pretty comparable. 


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## shabba (Mar 10, 2014)

i have been using the klein headlamp and like it a lot. it as a rubber strap so it won't slip off your hard hat. works well.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

For a hard hat I have a couple of the Streamlight models that we used in the Fire Department and for diving. They are great and hold up very well.

For non hard hat use i have a baseball cap with LED lights in the brim with three brightness settings.


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## Lone Crapshooter (Nov 8, 2008)

I have 2 head lamps that fit on my MSA Comfo-Cap. I got the lamps from eBay they said they are Permissible but you can look at them and tell they are not. For me that is not a issue. I hold them in the lamp mount with the help of a small Tyrap I guess it is the best the chinese could do.
They are both rechargeable one charges through a hollow center pin that is connected by a cable to a power port in the truck. That one works fine and the charging pin has never worked loose. The newer one has a USB charging port on the side of the lamp housing. It does not lend it's self to vehicle charging because the USB cable will not stay plugged into the the light.
From a light prescriptive both do equally good job of lighting the work area. By no means are ether are search lights,light house lights or aircraft landing lights but for close up work or seeing about 10' in front of you when you are walking both do a fine job.

LC


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

I have a Petzl Tikka which is cheap and works very well, but I use these 3M lighted safety glasses more 
3M Light Vision

Neither the Tikka nor the glasses are super bright but they are bright enough and the batteries last a long time.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

I rarely use a headlamp anymore. I just grab my M18 flashlight. Milwaukee has crazy good rechargeable lights.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

99cents said:


> I rarely use a headlamp anymore. I just grab my M18 flashlight. Milwaukee has crazy good rechargeable lights.


I use the M12 sticklight most of the time and the M12 floodlight when I need to light a bigger area.

But the other day I was rewiring 3 switchboxes because they controlled receptacles in the bedrooms and I had to add fans with lights to the rooms, so I spent time getting a wire down to the switchbox and rewiring it. I had to keep the little flashlight in my mouth the whole time which got annoying, I wish I had a flashlight for that.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

splatz said:


> I have a Petzl Tikka which is cheap and works very well, but I use these 3M lighted safety glasses more
> 3M Light Vision
> 
> Neither the Tikka nor the glasses are super bright but they are bright enough and the batteries last a long time.


I like the glasses a lot, I hate bulky headgear.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

99cents said:


> I rarely use a headlamp anymore. I just grab my M18 flashlight. Milwaukee has crazy good rechargeable lights.


I agree but sometimes you just need both hands free!


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Nobody around here seems to sell the Milwauke NCVT anymore but the little flashlight on that sure came in handy.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

HackWork said:


> I use the M12 sticklight most of the time and the M12 floodlight when I need to light a bigger area.
> 
> But the other day I was rewiring 3 switchboxes because they controlled receptacles in the bedrooms and I had to add fans with lights to the rooms, so I spent time getting a wire down to the switchbox and rewiring it. I had to keep the little flashlight in my mouth the whole time which got annoying, I wish I had a flashlight for that.


AA minimag with the bite grip attachment or the baseball cap with lights. I prefer the hat.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

MechanicalDVR said:


> I agree but sometimes you just need both hands free!


The M18 flashlight has a ratcheting head so you can point it almost anywhere.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

99cents said:


> The M18 flashlight has a ratcheting head so you can point it almost anywhere.


I have the M12 but it can still get in the way.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

MechanicalDVR said:


> I have the M12 but it can still get in the way.


I'm more coordinated than you  .


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## MCasey (Dec 7, 2016)

One of our puchasing people has foud a source of $1 led headlamps with 2 light levels that we view as disposable rather than woorry about battery replacement and th eguys love them


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

99cents said:


> I'm more coordinated than you  .


That sure isn't what your woman would say!


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

MCasey said:


> One of our puchasing people has foud a source of $1 led headlamps with 2 light levels that we view as disposable rather than woorry about battery replacement and th eguys love them


I've seen dollar ones at Wally World....are those the ones?


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## tjb (Feb 12, 2014)

I've had a petzl for a few years. 3 AAA, bright, super runtime. Really happy with it. 

Just did a nuclear outage; they bought us the Princeton Tec EOS II, 3 AAA, good runtime. They let us keep them. I'd put it on par with my Petzl Tac Tikka Plus, although the build quality is a bit cheaper. Both great headlamps. 

You can buy a rubber strap that will fit any headlamp, if you want it to stick on your hard hat. Me, I use the cloth stretchy one cuz I can pull it off the hard hat and put it on my bare head without pulling hair. I use a couple tywraps to keep it from slipping off the hard hat.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

I buy whatever weather proof 2k lumen headlamp I find on amazon with good reviews. I bust em a lot lately though and buy 2 at a time now. Whatever is 30 bucks I get.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

You will often find Energizer models right by the batteries near the registers. They are like $10 and work pretty well for throw-aways. Anything that you put on your head for too long starts to smell like cheese.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

HackWork said:


> You will often find Energizer models right by the batteries near the registers. They are like $10 and work pretty well for throw-aways. Anything that you put on your head for too long starts to smell like cheese.


I thought you were from NJ, not Wisconsin?


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## Patriot1776 (May 20, 2016)

I live near the factory outlet for both Coast and LED Lenser (owned by leatherman) and have used both brands of headlamps. I prefer the LED Lenser ones with the rechargeable battery packs model SEO 7R I believe. I currently am rocking a few different Coast brand headlamps but none of them are rechargeable- though they do make rechargeable versions. 

Both brand have lifetime warranties with no questions asked so anytime one of mine breaks or starts acting up I swing by the outlet store and swap it out. Oh and they all have adjustable beam focus with 200+ lumens and come with hard hat clips. I usually get about 12 hours of light out of a set of 3 batteries or 7 hours out of a rechargeable pack.


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## Rob-Bryant (May 24, 2016)

We used to sell FoxFury Tactical Headlamps that were requested by a contractor working in the NYC Subways, https://www.foxfury.com/catalog/products/lights-by-type/head-amp-helmet-lights

these are used by Fire Departments and Police/SWAT. At those prices we stopped selling them and I think we lost our distributorship, now just sell the Streamlight, but the FoxFury were kick ass


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## mitch65 (Mar 26, 2015)

Petzl NAO. reactive dimmer is nice, don't get blinded when you look at a print and it's bright like the sun when you need it. Harness works on bare head and hard hat. Battery pack is good for most of a shift unless you are working in pitch black and light is on max.
(had it on high for about 2 hours straight one night out in the woods.


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## NDC (Jan 12, 2016)

I got this one http://www.energizer.ca/flashlights-lighting/hard-case-diy-led-magnet-headlight from Walmart for 25 bucks. Its rugged enough to drop and cheap enough to not care if I lose it. The light is also removable and has two rare earth magnets so you can mount it. No flashing bs or red, green options which I would never use. Only bright and way too bright option.
I've used it for 6 months steady (on low) and have yet to change the batteries


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

NDC said:


> I got this one http://www.energizer.ca/flashlights-lighting/hard-case-diy-led-magnet-headlight The light is also removable and has two rare earth magnets so you can mount it. No flashing bs or red, green options which I would never use.


I am going to get this and see if the magnets are strong enough to hold it to the plate in my head, that would be awesome. Did you notice if having the magnets next to your brain made you any smarter? If you put it on upside down would it make you dumber?


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## Patriot1776 (May 20, 2016)

Here is a link to my new headlamp it's a Fenix and has a rechargeable 18650 battery inside so it should last a long time and not cost a fortune to replace the battery when it goes bad. 

https://www.fenixlighting.com/product/fenix-hl60r-rechargeable-headlamp/


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## mitch65 (Mar 26, 2015)

splatz said:


> I am going to get this and see if the magnets are strong enough to hold it to the plate in my head, that would be awesome. Did you notice if having the magnets next to your brain made you any smarter? If you put it on upside down would it make you dumber?


Hopefully they used stainless in your head. Magnet probably wont work......


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

https://www.amazon.com/Brightest-He...n_feature_keywords_four_browse-bin:7801636011


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## NDC (Jan 12, 2016)

lol some of these kill me https://www.amazon.com/Headlight-Re...rd_wg=z63PI&psc=1&refRID=AQ7GGS3997D4XJHXDC7E


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

NDC said:


> lol some of these kill me https://www.amazon.com/Headlight-Re...rd_wg=z63PI&psc=1&refRID=AQ7GGS3997D4XJHXDC7E


Wear two at once! The funny thing about these is....they kinda suck. I have two of the one I just linked. I bust em easily, I buy more....they are NOT as bright as they claim. However they are brighter than anything local so....... I just get em. I consider them consumable now days lol.


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## NDC (Jan 12, 2016)

Majewski said:


> Wear two at once! The funny thing about these is....they kinda suck. I have two of the one I just linked. I bust em easily, I buy more....they are NOT as bright as they claim. However they are brighter than anything local so....... I just get em. I consider them consumable now days lol.


Will pair extremely well with my go pro
Going to need a neck brace


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

NDC said:


> Will pair extremely well with my go pro
> Going to need a neck brace


I NEVER gave you consent to use that picture of me!


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## Glock23gp (Mar 10, 2014)

Majewski said:


> I NEVER gave you consent to use that picture of me!


You have to be the same Majewski that's always posting on the FB electrical forums right...?

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## Kevin (Feb 14, 2017)

David Henry said:


> Do you know any headlamp brands that can waterproof?


I sent you a message asking you to fill out your electrical related field on your profile. Please do that. It's required to participate on this site.

This thread has been closed.


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