Cave Exploring Headlamp List - regularly updated, includes tech specs

[lusifer]

for modes, try look video above.
good looking lamp with poop driver setup (probable stock).no separate led working, this is not for caving. especially not for photo!!
also this wide light emmiter looking nonproffesional . cost 400 euros
6 type of strobos

 

[lusifer]

http://www.midiled.pl/

 

[Stelios Zacharias]

Do you have anymore info on this, is is submersible, battery run times, modes etc?

Hi teckul, I have been using the Phaethon for about a year - it is submersible to 100m (according to the guys who make it) - although at the moment they are individually testing each one at -50m equivalent pressure.

The battery run times are decent enough - there are published runtimes somewhere - full power (2000 lumen, daylight balance for photos) lasts about 30 minutes in total (as advertised), but not in one continuous stretch as the circuit for overheating cuts in. Runtime on other settings is plenty long (I don't have the details to had).

What I really like is how easy it is to change batteries and the fact that the batteries are off the shelf 18650s - which means you can carry around as many as you think you will need and don't have to worry about recharging propriety battery packs.

I am not sure what Lusifer's beef is with this light - I have found it reliable and bright, although I have not had a chance to give it as much of a bashing as the OP might want...

 

[lusifer]

Stelios, lamp lookig good but for 400 euros need have separate order emitters and led battery indicators to be a good caving light.
cells? not so easy to change in darkness. take look proffesional caving lights like rude nora, pulsar or scurion.

one question: who needs 6 type of strobos in cave?

 

[Stelios Zacharias]

Stelios, lamp lookig good but for 400 euros need have separate order emitters and led battery indicators to be a good caving light.
cells? not so easy to change in darkness. take look proffesional caving lights like rude nora, pulsar or scurion.

one question: who needs 6 type of strobos in cave?

Hi Lusifer,

I am going to guess that you are not a caver, or have only recently become a caver. Changing batteries in a cave (or even refilling the acetylene bottle) is something cavers don't really do in the dark because we carry a second source of light or we cave with a buddy. Even so, changing batteries in the dark, (or even on rope) is something we have had to do from time to time. The bells and whistles of a Scurion (projected LED displays for battery life, etc) are what the buyer pays big bucks for, when all we need from a caving light is a known degree of reliability.

This light is reliable, bright and practical. If it doesn't have enough gimmicks for you, it does not mean it does not appeal to cavers.

From what I hear from friends, the strobe mode is something useful for cave divers - I have never had a reason to use the strobe mode myself. I have the go-pro mount on the helmet and use it also as a head torch in camp on the headband (supplied) - the go-pro mount means it comes off and attaches easily. I don't cycle nor do I dive, but I have friends who use the lamp for both activities.

I used to cave with a Princeton Tec Apex (modded for waterproofing as per the directions on the caves.org forums years ago) and cycled through three or four on their warranty system - waterproofing was OK in the last few. I had one of the original old Zebralights for backup. The Princeton Tec was meant to be daylight balanced, but always gave a slightly green hue in photos. Now I have the Phaethon and the Zebra round my neck for backup and I am happy with this setup, although since switching I have not had to use the Zebra underground for anything other than lighting bugs for macro photography. I am sure we'll see more of the Phaethons in use as time goes on - there are not currently that many around. I was an early adopter, something unusual for me, but I was close to the source and the light was economical compared to other brands with the same outputs.

Moorshire, I hope it makes it to your list as it's a good little light.

Cheers,
Stelios

 

[lusifer]

Stelios i caving over 20 years
i ask you who need 6 type of strobos in cave :twothumbs
i tell you again, this light is nice but with horribe setup. is new, probable with time this be better.
there is stock driver (how many, 10-20 usd?) there is cheap and ugly plate emmiter 5 usd, two cells 15 usd, switch for 8 usd, headstrap for 4 usd)
what cost other 300 euros?
i think You produce this light because first phaeteon not have this boxes (any boxes) and this switches.
i think this is bike light more than caving.

if you are experienced caver, you know how spot can be bad in tight places or on rope.

for photo ask professionals, how spot is bad for close shooting, also flood for long distance.

proffesional caving light need have two separate order type of beam , ask cavers for that.

you can buy any light for caving. many caver have cheap chinese headlamp. more sexy 'CAVING' light like this:

(gopro support passed on bottom hole) you pay 45usd (4 modes + 1 STROBO)

 

[lusifer]

best looking light. smallest, oval, good CAVING setup. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sbrasa/330156007104376

 

[lusifer]

http://www.pulsarlights.eu/

 

[lusifer]

http://www.littlemonkeycaving.co.uk/Pages/Nora2shop.aspx

 

[Stelios Zacharias]

i tell you again, this light is nice but with horribe setup. is new, probable with time this be better.
there is stock driver (how many, 10-20 usd?) there is cheap and ugly plate emmiter 5 usd, two cells 15 usd, switch for 8 usd, headstrap for 4 usd)
what cost other 300 euros?
i think You produce this light because first phaeteon not have this boxes (any boxes) and this switches.

Whatever - I don't know how you make your price estimates and I don't care.
I do not produce this light - my hands are not coordinated to work the machinery for cutting the aluminium for the housing and battery case (these parts you have conveniently omitted from your pricing). I don't know what you are talking about boxes and switches.

Cheers,
Stelios

 

[lusifer]

you have 3 post in 7 years and 3 post only for defend this lamp?

you use this light past year? aluminum battery box is new product. piezo switch on this lamp is new too, before was plastic. how you use this product much before is produced?
lamp need be made by electronics not mechanic. cnc drill aluminum of this lamp cost 300 euro :thinking:

battery box fixing is not for professional caving, tight places will broke this rubber strap.

caving specialised lamp not need backup light and hex wrench for change batteries.

phateon is nice lamp but this is BIKE not CAVING lamp.

 

[lusifer]

beautiful and original, not CAVING specialised but can take :
http://www.lupine.de/deu/produkte/lampenkoepfe/piko-1200-lumen-13w

 

[Stelios Zacharias]

you have 3 post in 7 years and 3 post only for defend this lamp?
you use this light past year? aluminum battery box is new product. piezo switch on this lamp is new too, before was plastic. how you use this product much before is produced?

I answered in the thread because I have used the light and someone was asking about it. You have made 18 posts in ten days against this lamp, and you question my motives? Nice sophistry.

I have been on the forum since 2007, when I first bought the Apex and the Zebralight that I was using until now. When I saw here that some users asked questions about a lamp I have used (and have helped to develop by using protoype stages and giving feedback to the guys making it), I wished to answer, based on my experiences from use. Especially as there was some guy with a fresh account writing negative things about a lamp he knows only from photographs.

The switch was plastic - yes, it was not good enough for diving below 20m and was replaced. Is it wrong to improve the product? Aluminium battery box is indeed also new, we used to carry the batteries at waist height in a tin that looked like an Arianne generator. Again, is it wrong to improve the product?

Cheers,
Stelios

 

[Mooreshire]

The purpose of this thread is not to share links to headlamps you've spotted online. If someone has personally and happily been using a certain headlamp for caving which is not on my list but which meets the criteria then by all means please tell me about it... but these "this lamp looks interesting", "this lamp sucks", and "has anyone ever seen one of these before" posts are getting way off-topic. Please feel free to make your own thread for those sorts of discussions, thanks.

 

[lusifer]

Stelios any update is welcome!! for now this is overpriced bike light with 6 type of strobos. cheers

 

[lusifer]

Mooreshire, i think forum is for discussion.
if you want review only this is another thing but you need change title. all post here is spam :thinking:
your list need be updated with new models and manufacturers.
you already know best world CAVING lamp, what's the point ??

 

[Mooreshire]

Don't listen to me, I'm not the internet police. Post whatever you want. lovecpf

Let's discuss:

The Phaethon, DVLS, Stoots, MidiLED, and Sbrasa lamps are not "readily available on the English language mail order market". In other words, if I do a Google search for them I won't find a straightforward way to order one.

The Rude Nora, El Speleo, and Pulsar lamps are already on the list.

The Viperlight stopped being sold a half decade ago.

I've already discussed the idea of including bike lights which are helmet-mountable like the Lupines in the list but decided against it unless a certain bike light becomes especially popular for underground use. As of right now, it's still uncommon enough to see them underground that I don't think I'll be adding a bunch of bike lights to the list any time soon.

If anyone knows of any headlamps that folks are happily using as their main caving lamp, and they meet the criteria I've laid out for my list, then I'm eager to hear about them. :naughty:

 

[Mooreshire]

Let me elaborate on the Phaethon availability issue: A dedicated person might scroll far enough down on the Google search results to find their way to the Facebook page for the Phaethon, but if they want to find out how to order one they will need to do some digging... they'd need to click through to see other folks' posts on their page, translate a French post from June asking about ordering procedures, and in the replies there is a post saying that international inquiries should be emailed in English to a certain address. That's pretty tricky if you ask me.

If I added the Phaethon to the list, dozens of people would promptly email me asking how they can order one. If the Phaethon folks made a website with an order page, or if other distributors started selling them on their English sites, I'll add it. If I added it now I'd be answering a lot of questions about availability. I certainly don't mind answering questions from people who find my list, but my answers need to be simple enough that folks can follow the directions - "go to their FB page, open up posts from others, translate the French post from June 30th, note email address in reply" is just too convoluted. Hopefully that made sense. I imagine that before too long those guys will either make a website for themselves or someone else will start selling them to English speakers (like the El Speleo, which has an authorized English language re-seller with their own site).

Edit: I've brought up the issue on the Electric Caving Lamps group on Facebook, and tagged the Phaethon folks in the post. So, hopefully they know that it's not apparent how an English speaker is supposed to get their hands on one.

 

[lusifer]

here, most popular lamp is PICO LUPINE. great bike and multipurpose lamp

if you planed put bike lamps or your list, please be fair with this.
most using bike lights in caves arround the world or best bikes lights or similar...
dildo lamps with 4,5,6,7 strobos nobody need in cave. i wish you all the best

 

[divanster]

Hello currently Pulsar have 2 models:
Pulsar Explorer and Pulsar Magnetic
Battery boxes are three types: Helmet battery box , 4 Diving Battery box , 2 Cell battery box