Headlamps - How many Lumens

@EvoSmith, I've used a Zebralight H51w for the few years. The link is for the current model. http://www.zebralight.com/H52w-AA-Headlamp-Neutral-White_p_120.html It's small, light and very efficient with multiple levels, and runs on a single AA battery, which is why I brought it. Rechargeables (eneloops) and energiser lithiums work best, but it runs fine on alkaline batteries on the medium and low levels. If I need to I can share/get spare batteries between my headlamp, GPS and camera. To lock out the headlamp just unscrew the battery cap 1/2 turn. The glow-in-the-dark holder is genius, although I find the silicone holder somewhat flexible so the headlamp does move around when walking. I like the beam profile of this headlamp, there is a bright spot with a wide-angle spill useful for your peripheral vision. The neutral white beam colour allows colours to be seen closer to their true colour in sunlight rather than the harsher cool white colour that most other LED headlamps seem to have. The other benefit I find is when I'm walking in mist or rain, the neutral white light does seem to penetrate better (like car foglights). For around the campsite or hut, I find the low levels of about 5 lm fine. For night tramping in the Tararuas I used to be fine with 15-20lm but as the eyes age I need more light up to maybe 50lm. I only use the really bright modes for spotting when required but I wouldn't use them for tramping. I find tramping with really bright lights gives me a form of tunnel vision as your eyes don't adapt and your night vision disappears so you become very reliant on the headlamp. I try to use the dimmest level I can to minimise this effect.

Some useful reading about headlamps and their claims regarding lighting levels and runtimes. Most headlamp runtimes are less reliable than the stereotypical used-car saleman... http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/a/11165/Why-Headlamp-Claims-are-Deceptive They also tested a number of headlamps: http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Best-Headlamp candlepowerforums is also a good place to ask questions Along with Zebralight I quite like Fenix headlamps and some of the new Petzl reactive models are good too. Never been that impressed with Black Diamond, have had a couple fail or generally break way too easily.

"Should I add water or are they still good by themselves. " Water can be good as they can burn the mouth especially the IR varieties. UV will burn whether you add water or not. Lumens has been well answered although some headlamps spread the beam more than others so 100lm in one lamp might only light up what you want as well as a 70 lumen in another brand. Ive used the cheapy you showed earlier and it was real bad for this. Only used it one trip. The other consideration is batterys. Ive always stayed away from the lithium button cells for cost and availability although this isnt as bad as it used to be. I used to use a lamp with 3 AAA batteries that worked well enough but recently bought a Doyte lamp that runs on a single AA. Battery life isnt as great as the AAA triple but its more than enough for a trip and it now shares the same battery as my camera. Another thing to think about is colour. Earliest led torches pretty much washed all colour out of everything leaving you hiking in a black and white world. Most modern lamps are much better now but not all.

I own way too many headlamps and torches, In my experience the cheap chinese lamps which claim enormous lumen ratings are not significantly brighter then then moderately rated lamps from known brands. Although they are a fraction of the price. I also like to have a red led option for when the moths are other insects are flying. Red lights do not seem to attract insects as much as white lights. My current favourite headlamp is the Xtar H1, it has 330 lumens, waterproof and runs on a single AA. But also has a red LED which is useful. The Black Diamond Icon is another great headlamp with a red LED option. But the Icon is much bulkier.

Best headlamp I ever had was a half watt Katmandu one. Dont know the lumens but it was sufficient for all but the most extreme situations. I last saw it at 2 in the morning falling into a cable duct inside a cell site We tried for half an hour to get it out but just pushed it further out of reach. It was still glowing at 6am when we finished work despite being under water. The Doyte I use mostly now is almost as good. Its beam is as good and it has the red light the Katmandu didnt but it throws a side beam of light which keeps catching my eye making me think there is someone to the side of me. I did try an Neverready headlamp and its rubbish. It has good light and multiple settings but none through a good beam and it has the colour rendition of the first generation led torches ie fine if your colour blind. Its big killer though is the hair trigger on off switch. Put this torch in your pack and you can guarantee its been on since about a minute later when you go to use it but cant because the baterys are near flat. Lumens is only one feature of a good headlamp

I use a Coast HL7 for early climbing starts - max 200 lumens, dimmable down to 5 lumens. You need something pretty grunty when you're route finding up a mountain in the dark. Gives 80hrs of battery on the lowest setting, 3hrs 45 on full. For general use I have a Led Lenser with red led - excellent in huts when you're trying to be considerate...

torches are so light now, i take two. they are so small sometimes i'll misplace one in my pack. plus covers you for any hardware failure.

True, I often bring two headlamps now, plus my phone which acts as a small light. When reading at night I do not like torches with battery packs, so a small lightweight single strap torch is ideal. While walking a more powerful beam can be useful.

Evo, that el-cheapo headlamp you put up a picture of, is the exact same one I have gaffa-taped to my caving helmet, which I wear on (usually) two cave tubing adventures a day. Great bit of kit! Bright enough to see, dim enough to allow your eyes to adjust and actually SEE. :) As for on-track lumination, I also find the cheaper options are, believe it or not, better. Plus, I also have my Lucy Light, which I use in camp, and in-tent to read by. I've had scorch-ya-retina torches before. I think I've still got one or two. But they rarely come out, because they're not needed, and they also chew through batteries like a rat through a peanut butter sandwich. I recently saw an inexpensive, single AA or AAA battery, very light-weight head torch. Forget the brand, but I want one. Anyone know of such a torch?

Not been so lucky with those el-cheapo LED's. Have three in the cupboard and none of them work… lasted less than a year each. That reminds me. Rubbish day tomorrow.