Mary said: > I thought this link had some interesting information about waterproof headlights. My preference is for LED lights, even though they are not as powerful. http://www.kayakacademy.com/lights.html< I might add that the combination halogen/LED lights of late are a good compromise, especially in terms of use with headlamps (hands-free being the operative parameter). I've been through a few headlamps over the years. My Princeton Tec "Solo" has been the most reliable in a saltwater environment, but it lacks sufficient beam strength unless one replaces the bulb with a halogen mini, which then wicks away battery power very quickly - and who wants to change bulbs all the time. The larger Princeton Tec gives off the best beam for night paddling and lighting your pathway on terra firma at night -- with some power to burn -- but it is such a front-heavy piece of equipment in my estimation (having tried friends units once or twice, and the older ones had no beam adjustment ability). I finally bought a Prezl "Duo" a few years back. It was a nice light around camp and for night paddling/night surfing (warning - night surfing should be restricted to 1 to 2 meter wave heights on known beaches, and done with buddies to be safe). You can now purchase a conversion kit for this dual beam headlamp that incorporates one LED array and one halogen single. My "Duo" unfortunately expired from corrosion. I only just found out that there was a factory recall on the first generation units for gasket problems. I threw mine away a few weeks ago, which was dumb. It wasn't cheap, and I should have rebuilt it for night-storm paddling now that my health is good again (I missed-out last season). It might have been a good all-purpose light especially with the conversion kit. The "Duo" is rated to 165 feet I believe, but I wouldn't think it is as waterproof as the manufacturer claims. The Aussie club has a glowing recommendation though: http://www.nswseakayaker.asn.au/mag/29/headlamp.htm There are some great caving headlamps on the market, something excluded in the kayakacadamy infomercial. Both Blackdimond and Optronics produce awesome dual Halogen/Whitelight headlamps (including the Nightblaster HL-7200 in the case of the later). Some of my caving buddies use this gear, and even some higher-end stuff that blows one away with high-tech options and performance values (_I'd_ spend the money if I was 1000 feet below the earth's surface wading though neck-height pools in subterranean darkness). Military-spec lights in LED configurations _with_ high output values are also available, such as those from Action Light: http://www.hdssystems.com/ActionLight.htm I'd really like to get out this weekend for a night-time storm paddle (not really for the "extreme" experience, but rather the intuitive skill-building that night-dynamics provide), but it was calm this morning (Saturday) at 4:00 am (a good time to go, as if trouble develops, one would know daylight was "on the horizon" as it were), so I went back to sleep. It kicked up fierce during the day, but went dead calm again tonight. I'm going to try again for Sunday night. Ideally, I'll paddle with my headlamp light off, but need it for lee-shore avoidance and circumventing wipe-outs on boomers during sustained squalls. I need a headlamp that turns on and off easily and instantly with gloves, and gives the option of a focused or a wide beam. To that end, I went out and purchased an old standby today, the Petzl "Zoom." While not totally waterproof, it should be good for the odd big splash. It has a nice "balance" with the light on the front and the battery pack on the back. I'm going to take my bike light off my surf helmet after this post, as I'm a little leery about wrecking it paddling, as it is an expensive cycling light for commuting. I had recently purchased it, after having no luck finding any of the 100% waterproof Nighthawk bike lights that one used to be able to buy. They were simply the best for everything and anything according to all reviews. The cycling magazines used to show them being used upside-down in a river by a kayaker! They were way better than the Princeton Tec units - but pricy. I'll pick up a Prezl LED for summertime camping/in-tent reading chores, as the advantages of LED's are hard to argue, and the white light (though usually dimmer than alternatives) is more natural (like moonlight). I'd go for something dual, but the "Zoom" is cheap, cleanable, and easily "zap straps" to a helmet. Prezl also make a battery adapter, so I can take it camping where AA's can be used with the rest of my electronic gear, and helmet clips - both plastic ones and ones with metal inserts than bend to conform to the bottom edge of thick helmets. BTW, one can purchase headlamp mounting brackets in popular configurations, for mounting headlamps to cave helmets. This can be done on surf helmets too I would imagine, obviating the need for Shawn's epoxy query. So, off I go to change lights, using black "weather-rated" wire ties to secure the headband to my surf helmet (the ties are also officially called "Cable Ties" here in Canada, in case anyone is still interested in that little bit of trivia. Lights are a cool subject. Thanks for the link Mary. And where would the universe be without light anyway? And is God light? Is the universe expanding faster every second to the point that no metabolism will ever be possible again? And is Melissa an enlightened being? :-) These, and many other questions will receive future illumination on Paddlewise, I'm sure. In the mean time, get out and paddle -- day or night -- dance in the waves, sing with the birds, listen to the music of water, and have fun before all our batteries are dead. Doug Lloyd Victoria BC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ "Whatever can be said at all can be said clearly and whatever cannot be said clearly should not be said at all." Ludwig Wittgenstein ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sat Dec 14 2002 - 22:23:36 PST
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