Post by orly152 on Jun 12, 2013 12:59:31 GMT -7
Headlamp or Handheld for your BOB ?
I carry in my BOB a Petzl Tikka Plus headlamp, Mini-Maglite LED (AA) with extra batteries, and a Streamlight Strion with its charger.
Both headlamps and handheld options have advantages and disadvantages, lighting up areas in very different ways and sometimes with different sources of power and levels of effect. Here are the pros and cons:
Headlamp: From bulky and battery heavy units to lightweight LED models that run on watch batteries, headlamps come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each offering their own unique advantages and disadvantages. Headlamps are best used during rescue, repairs, maintenance operations, evasion and escape or whenever you need a free pair of hands. When you’re hopping fences, climbing walls, slogging through rubble, running in the dark or performing duties after hours, a headlamp might just be the way to go.
Pros – Lightweight, compact, worn on the head, held in the hand, clipped to belts and/or gear, readily available power source, beam follows your gaze, hands free operation, difficult to misplace when in use, wide beam, water-resistant, one-size fits all.
Cons – Plastic housing, must turn body/head to change direction of the beam.
Handheld: Available in a variety of shapes, sizes, weights and abilities, handheld lights can be heavy-duty 500+ lumen workhorses down to single battery 10 lumen lights. These lights are best used in tactical situations and/or as a backup while walking, searching or scavenging at night or in poorly lit areas.
Pros – Lightweight, compact, focused/adjustable beam, extremely durable, water-resistant, readily available power source, best option for tactical use.
Cons – Easy to drop or misplace when in use, handheld, does not automatically follow gaze.
No matter what you carry, the point is to carry a reliable light source.
I carry in my BOB a Petzl Tikka Plus headlamp, Mini-Maglite LED (AA) with extra batteries, and a Streamlight Strion with its charger.
Both headlamps and handheld options have advantages and disadvantages, lighting up areas in very different ways and sometimes with different sources of power and levels of effect. Here are the pros and cons:
Headlamp: From bulky and battery heavy units to lightweight LED models that run on watch batteries, headlamps come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each offering their own unique advantages and disadvantages. Headlamps are best used during rescue, repairs, maintenance operations, evasion and escape or whenever you need a free pair of hands. When you’re hopping fences, climbing walls, slogging through rubble, running in the dark or performing duties after hours, a headlamp might just be the way to go.
Pros – Lightweight, compact, worn on the head, held in the hand, clipped to belts and/or gear, readily available power source, beam follows your gaze, hands free operation, difficult to misplace when in use, wide beam, water-resistant, one-size fits all.
Cons – Plastic housing, must turn body/head to change direction of the beam.
Handheld: Available in a variety of shapes, sizes, weights and abilities, handheld lights can be heavy-duty 500+ lumen workhorses down to single battery 10 lumen lights. These lights are best used in tactical situations and/or as a backup while walking, searching or scavenging at night or in poorly lit areas.
Pros – Lightweight, compact, focused/adjustable beam, extremely durable, water-resistant, readily available power source, best option for tactical use.
Cons – Easy to drop or misplace when in use, handheld, does not automatically follow gaze.
No matter what you carry, the point is to carry a reliable light source.