Headlamp Reviews and Flashlight Reviews

Flashlight Reviews

Princeton Tec Apex Headlamp

Overview:

This is the headlamp that leaves all other headlamps behind. It has a super-bright 3 watt Luxeon LED bulb that throws a nearly flawless beam of clear, white light farther than any other headlamp we've tested. And the four 5mm LEDs (two on each side) provide more than enough wide-angle light for all other tasks. Both the 3 watt Luxeon and the 5mm LEDs have two output settings (high and low), and the 5mm LEDs can be put on blinking mode for emergencies.

The Princton Tec Apex even has a regulator circuit which allows the headlamp to run on full power for much longer than other headlamps. There is also an LED power indicator that lets you know how much juice is left (green light means there is more than 40% power, yellow means less than 40%, and read means there is only enough power for roughly 20 to 30 minutes). This waterproof headlamp will survive downpours and can even be submerged up to 1 meter in water. In addition to all of that, there is an aluminum heatsink on the back of the light housing to prevent the LEDs from over-heating and becoming damaged. The Apex runs on 4 AA batteries (alkaline, NiMH, NiCad or Lithium 1.5V)

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Bottom Line:

This Princeton Tec Apex truly is the best headlamp we've ever tested. We've used it on camping trips, backpacking trips, and all-night adventure races. We've even used it on some semi-technical mountain biking trails at night (we just can't afford the $500.00 HID mt. bike lights). And it worked great! It is unbelievably bright. During one adventure race, people actually turned around to see what was coming up behind them.

Other than the few little nit-picking negatives, there is nothing about this headlamp that we didn't like. You don't even have to read the other headlamp reviews. If you're only going to get one headlamp and you want that headlamp to be a do-everything better than anything kind of headlamp, than you can't go wrong with the Princeton Tec Apex.

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Princeton Tec Vortec Headlamp

Overview: This extremely rugged and durable headlamp is one of the best we've tested. It provides a beam of light without the dark spots that are so typical of other headlamps. The Vortec is easy to use and it fits comfortably and securely on your head (and it can work with most helmets too).

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Bottom Line:

This headlamp is so useful that I often find myself using it at home working on odd jobs just as much as I do outdoors. It is ideal for backpacking and camping since it offers hands-free lighting. You can cook, hike, read, or do anything else at night with this headlamp. You will never again have to chip a tooth trying to hold a flashlight in your mouth.

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