Good 1AA headlamp suitable for elderly?

[Turbo DV8]

My wife uses a headlamp while knitting. We use a 3AAA Dorcy with two 5mm LED's. It is dim, which is good, because it gives her just enough light to work by while not blinding her while watching TV and knitting. It also gives great life out of three AAA cells. But it is impossible for her to open the battery compartment. I have a few other 3AAA headlamps, and they are all too difficult for her, also. So, I was wondering what headlamp might exist which satisfies the following criterion:

1AA

Easy for an elderly person to open.

A quite low, low beam, just enough to work close-up without ruining your night vision.

Hopefully the low low would result in exceptional battery life. She uses the headlamp a couple hours a day. We use Eneloops, but she still would not want to be changing a battery every few hours.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[baexmeyer]

My wife uses a headlamp while knitting. We use a 3AAA Dorcy with two 5mm LED's. It is dim, which is good, because it gives her just enough light to work by while not blinding her while watching TV and knitting. It also gives great life out of three AAA cells. But it is impossible for her to open the battery compartment. I have a few other 3AAA headlamps, and they are all too difficult for her, also. So, I was wondering what headlamp might exist which satisfies the following criterion:

1AA

Easy for an elderly person to open.

A quite low, low beam, just enough to work close-up without ruining your night vision.

Hopefully the low low would result in exceptional battery life. She uses the headlamp a couple hours a day. We use Eneloops, but she still would not want to be changing a battery every few hours.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I have an Zebralight H51W that is awesome in low low. I use eneloops as well. I think the different levels could be confusing for some, but I absolutely love this light.

 

[Mr Floppy]

I don't have one yet as I'm waiting for the warm version but Zebralight H502 with 120 degree flood might be good. The one bad thing may be the interface. My father who usually holds down buttons too long tends to skip around the modes on my H51w. Maybe a H502c for warmth?

 

[mcnair55]

A caving/walking outdoor type store would offer you a huge selection of headlamps to choose from,my local stores here near the mountains offer many types to suit all pockets.

 

[Gregozedobe]

Like Mr Floppy suggested, if she can cope with holding and releasing the button at the right time to get Lo then a Zebralight H502 or H502c will give excellent even flood illumination for cloe-up work with quite a choice of low levels.

 

[dealgrabber2002]

If you want to keep it simple. Tigerdirect is selling the Icon Irix II for ~$15 shipped. Just turn the knob for on and off. Keep turning to adjust brightness. Can't get simplier than that.

 

[MoBait]

I really like the Fenix HL21. It is lightweight and durable. Factory claims a 53 hours at 3 lumens, 5.75 hours at 43 lumens, and 2 hours at 90 lumens off of 1 AA battery. The battery compartment is accessed by unscrewing a cap so as long as it's not put on tight, removing it shouldn't be a problem. Turning the light on or off is done by pushing the side button, switching between modes is done by holding the button down for a second or two. The headlamp can be found on the web for $30 - $35.

 

[Turbo DV8]

Thanks for the suggestions. Maybe I should have also noted that the tighter the focus, the better. She just needs to illuminate the needle tips while working, and the wider the angle, the more it reflects in the plasma TV screen. Which of the above mentioned choices would give a less floody, tighter beam? The Dorcy which she can't get open, has two 5mm LED's with a lens over each one, which basically casts a moon circle of light. For my uses, that kind of lens sucks, but the beam pattern for her use and while watching a TV with a reflective screen, it works great. It might be that a lower-tech light with similar cheap 5mm LED/lens might still be the way to go? Just as long as it doesn't require a death grip or delicate finesse to get into the battery compartment.

 

[bietjiedof]

Turbo - LED Lensers don't get much love on this forum, but my wife has been using an H7 headlight for close-up work, and she loves it (well, okay, "love" is too strong - I'm the flashaholic, not her - she LIKES it a lot!).

It uses 3xAAA in a separate compartment that sits at the back of the head, so it's nicely balanced. The batteries are accessed by removing a cover just like a Tupperware container. She struggles with many containers, but not Tupperware! There's a dimmer slider on the battery compartment, so you can dim the light to any level (from a high of 170lm).

The light itself has a zoom feature so you can choose the coverage you want, from a fairly large area to a very small spot. In common with all LED Lensers, the light is a perfect circle of even light - no hotspot or spill at all - which is what my wife likes best about it.

Also, the light-head can be swivelled vertically, which suits my wife who uses bifocals. She uses the light in the kitchen to sort grains and pulses, and in her surgery to examine patients.

LED Lensers are not regulated (or, at least, this one isn't) but it really doesn't make a big difference with NiMh batteries, and the dimmer-slider means you can pick exactly the brightness you want. So you get an even light covering (only) the area you want, with the brightness you need.

It isn't what you asked for - a single AA - but I really think it may be what your wife needs. Have a look.

EDIT: two afterthoughts - the first is that both my wife and I are turning 60, so... not sure about "elderly", but not youngsters. Secondly I also use this light as a headlight for cycling. At it's smallest spot, and brightest setting, it's useful even with a 1,600lm floody bikelight (MagicShine 872) on the handlebars. And it is good for a ride of 90 minutes or more, at full power, with 3 x 1,000mah AAA NiMh rechargeables. Still plenty bright at the end.

 

[Gregozedobe]

Maybe I should have also noted that the tighter the focus, the better.

Yes, that requirement makes a BIG difference. Definitely do NOT get a ZL H502, these have a very wide flood beam. Instead, look at a ZL H51 or maybe one of the Spark headlamps (I'm not all that familiar with them, so cannot recommend a particular model).

 

[reppans]

I wouldn't go with too narrow of a beam since peripheral vision is critical for balance, and elderly folks certainly need that. I like floody XML emitters in small heads that still give you a decent hotspot for your subject and brightish spill. Mules feel like they waste too much light throwing lumens everywhere, except for the subject you're working with, unless you need a something closer to lantern functionality. Also I wouldn't give a ZL to an elderly person, unless they're computer/smartphone savvy - too complicated. Because of the really limited selection in the headlamp market, I gone to traditional flashlights used in aftermarket headbands like Nitcore and Fenix.

 

[Mr Floppy]

Thanks for the suggestions. Maybe I should have also noted that the tighter the focus, the better. She just needs to illuminate the needle tips while working, and the wider the angle, the more it reflects in the plasma TV screen.

Ahh, yes don't get the H502 then. Have you perhaps considered something that clips to her lapel or worn around her neck to focus on the knitting area? That way when she raises her head up to look at the TV, it won't be shining at the TV? I often wear my Zebras around my neck when I have to look up at the computer screen. There's no top band and I can easily slip it down.

 

[ThrowerLover]

My wife's 51 year old eyes have been happy with this "Twist A Lite":
Link removed as per the banner at the top of the page - Norm
It fits most of your criteria. The pink one is only $11.17. Available at amazon.

 

[Cannybar]

It seems excellent on my go. The group is sleek, and not aggressive to the epidermis. The flexible that maintains the flash light is not recognizable when dressed in the group.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Cannybar, it would be good if you looked for another translator tool. CPF is an English speaking forum, and it is difficult to understand your post.

Bill

 

[Turbo DV8]

Entertainment factor: 4 out of 5 stars, though.

 

[CarpentryHero]

The latest pelican headlamp is a floody 50 lumens.
fenix has a new 70 lumen angle light headlamp, that'd probably be your best all rounder.
for not too bright, but reliable PrinctenTec any Tikka have some 5mm led stile headlamps

 

[dss_777]

One consideration is color rendition, and for that there are high CRI headlamps now available. While I imagine that would matter alot with knitting, maybe it's not that important. If you go that way, I can recommend the Zebralight H502c high CRI AA version. It's very floody, whcih is annoying for anything but close in work. Sounds perfect for what she is doing. I got mine for undersink and other close work, and it performs well that way. It's nice to be able to discern color differences.

The output levels are relatively easy to select, especially for someone with the dexterity to knit. Easy enough to change the battery- just screw off the end cap. Decent run time, especially on low or medium.

 

[mcnair55]

Cannybar, it would be good if you looked for another translator tool. CPF is an English speaking forum, and it is difficult to understand your post.

Bill

I agree cannot make head nor tail of it.