Headlamps (again!)

[brightbikelights]

I'm really pleased that the 'Orienteering Pack' I have been supplying (at £90) is going down so well. It offers excellent value for money in a light that combines quality and power (the 'Pack' consists of a 900 lumen light,li-ion battery pack, smart charger, headstrap and weather proofed extension cable). It's all extremely portable and many people initially find it hard to believe that something so small and lightweight can produce so many lumens for so long - 3 hours on full and longer on lower light settings (there are three light levels available). If I can help in any way or you need more details, please email me, or visit my website: http://www.brightbikelights.com
Best Regards,
Trevor Jackson

[Spookster]

Does anyone know where I could get a spare battery connector for the Silva Alpha? I'm trying to make a spare battery pack, and I just need the connector, but I've never seen them fitted to anything else.

[Homer]

Left it a bit late for tonight haven't you SPOOKSTER?
Hope your main light holds out!

[andypat]

I'm looking to buy a headtorch also and from my research the petzl Ultra is overpriced and significantly less power than the Hope lights, and the Princeton Tec is a lot less lumens.
From a quick trawl -
Princeton Tec Apex advertised at 80 lumens, about £60
Petzl Ultra, 350 lumens, 350 lumens, £290
Hope vision 1, 240 lumens, £70
Hope vision 2, 480 lumens, £216
Hope vision 4, 960 lumens, £270

Silva don't advertise the lumens of the Alpha, and it comes in 3 battery pack sizes. I think it will be around 700 lumens based on 3 LEDS similar to the Hope ones. cost around £200, £250 and £300.

I have only used the Hope 2 which is good but a long focused beam. The Hope 4 and Silva Alpha both have wide angle and long distance light which is a lot better for running on rough ground and spotting controls. I can't see the Petzl being anywhere near as good as the Hope or Silva.
The Ay UP lights mentioned in a previous thread also have a choice of beam angle adn are similarly expensive to the above.

Whether you need all that light is something you have to decide yourself. I can run comfortably on good ground with vey little light but as soon as i'm navigating on rough ground and trying to keep my speed up then I find lots of light easier. Most of our club run with very bright lights and having less makes you less competitive though not necessarily less fun.

A note of caution regarding the Princeton tech Apex. I purchased this a couple of years ago with the Lithium battery option. I was impressed with it for night O but within about 12months the battery pack (which is quite small and sits on the headband) was suffering from some sort of plastic fatigue and both hinges and the lock fairly rapidly deteriorated. Its now unuseable without a lot of tape.

[mister blobs]

Does anyone know where I could get a spare battery connector for the Silva Alpha? I'm trying to make a spare battery pack, and I just need the connector, but I've never seen them fitted to anything else.

You can buy the extension cables as spares. They are not excessively expensive (when compared with the cost of the lamp). You can then do waht you want with the connector.

[Spookster]

Left it a bit late for tonight haven't you SPOOKSTER?
Hope your main light holds out!

2Ah battery was fine for last night, thanks!

But for Jukola i'm thinking 4Ah would be better - just need a battery connector.

[Homer]

Left it a bit late for tonight haven't you SPOOKSTER?
Hope your main light holds out!

2Ah battery was fine for last night, thanks!

Glad to hear that. Does that mean you won? I can't see any results anywhere yet.

[jayelc]

Results are linked from the emit uk website http://www.emituk.com/