Looking for a good reading Healamp - 2017

I've done a good bit of searching and it seems that there hasn't been a good thread on reading lights in a while.

Looking for a comfortable, lightweight reading headlamp. I prefer one with an over the top strap because they never seem to slide down.

From what I've read, 3 - 5 lumens is about right for reading and a floody seems to be the best.

Was searching GB but didn't see anything like that.

Any Suggestions?

Zebralight H502c L2.

A nice warm 4000K full flood mule beam, fairly high CRI(85), and plenty of low modes to choose from(I find around 1.5-3 lumens is best for reading Ina dark room). You will need to purchase the headband with the top strap seperatly as I believe it only comes with the single strap. It can be found in the accessories section.

H603C http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...t-of-runtime-plots-and-pics-heavy)&highlight=

Budda said:

H603C http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...t-of-runtime-plots-and-pics-heavy)&highlight=

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I find their 18650 powered lights to be a little overkill for readying. They are a bit bulky and have far more capacity then is needed when you are only using 1.5-3 lumens. The H603c in particular also has beam artifacts due to the quad die XM-L2 Easywhite. For other uses I definitely love the 18650 models(particularily the H600Fd and c MKIII) though and use mine all the time.

I second Tachead. I read using an old (from 2009) Zebralight 1AA (Eneloop for me) mule with a single strap. I never feel the need for a top strap for anything short of jogging because it's lightweight and the center of gravity of the lamp is close to my head. The trick is choosing which Zebralight you think will be best for you (what tint, high cri or not, etc), but that's what CPF is here for!

If you're looking for an affordable option, I've been using the Nitecore NU10; not too bright, very wide beam, light weight, & USB rechargable. Only one strap though but you can take it off and re attach to some other harness if you've got one. 🙂

How about the Fenix HL10? Very small with 1 AAA, flood beam, lumens = 4, 30, 70 and only 33g without battery. Add the Energizer Lithium and you won't get anything much lighter.

I have an opinion on this, which is emphatic and useless.

I emphatically insist that you should buy a headlamp that is no longer for sale. Pffft--that's pretty useless.

Every night, I read in bed using the Petzl e+LITE with its red LED. It gives just enough light to light the page very adequately, and it never bothers my spouse sleeping next to me. It also does not mess with my sleep-cycle, because it is red. And it takes a 2032 coin-cell, so it's very light, and lasts a long time.

Problem: the really *good* version of the Petzl e+LITE was the earlier one, with the elastic headstrap, not the new one with the Zipka-style retractible cord.

Don't get me wrong--I love the retractible cord itself. But when they switched that feature, they also switched the red LED.

They went from an LED with a clear lens, which threw a focused 15-degree beam, to a milky/cloudy lens which has almost no throw. Instead, it makes a very diffuse cloud of red light-- bright enough to read by, but you are lighting up the whole bedroom instead of just the book.

I am constantly on the look-out for the old-style e+LITE with the elastic headstrap. If anyone reading this has one in working order, pm me and quote me a price. I still have mine, but if it goes belly-up I will have trouble finding a replacement.

Oh, and did I mention that it is ridiculously light on the forehead?

When I don't use that, then I like my ZL H52w. That has all the right light-levels, and it is pretty light on the forehead. But I prefer the red light, and ZL no longer makes an H52 in red.

The old e-Lite sounds a good option if you like red for reading. I've not got on with red lights so far, but maybe I just haven't found the right one. Do you find you need the book further away to focus on the print than you would with white light, or is it just my eyes? Another good option for a super-lightweight head torch is the Silva Siju, which also uses coin cell batteries. You hardly notice you have it on it's so light, and really simple to operate with only two levels. It tilts, too.

Boko said:

...Do you find you need the book further away to focus on the print than you would with white light, or is it just my eyes?...

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I have not noticed that, no.

One thing that I like about red light for reading is that it reduces the glare from the white page. The black ink looks much darker, and the white part doesn't glare. So the contrast is greater, and that means you can see clearly with lower lumens.

Last night I felt bad about dismissing the new e+LITE with the cloudy red lens. Maybe I was being unfair? Maybe it can work for reading?

So I tried it again, and had the same experience. It is not bright enough, and it sends light all around the room. It's *very* diffuse.

Petzl really screwed up a great product when they moved from that focused lens to a cloudy lens.

Have you tried the Fenix HL05? It's another 2 x CR2032 micro-headlamp with a red mode. I guess it's lower power, though.

iamlucky13 said:

Have you tried the Fenix HL05? It's another 2 x CR2032 micro-headlamp with a red mode. I guess it's lower power, though.

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Yeah, I should try that one. I was put off by the fact that all of the LEDS are under a heavy diffuser, so I worry that it will have the same problem as the new version of the e+LITE. But for $15 bucks I should try it.

Unless someone has one and can report? Is it bright enough to light up a page at 20-40 cm? And does it do that without lighting up the whole room?

Check the "HICRI" Wizard Pro from ArmyTek. Good LOW settings and easy on the eyes as to tint on a magazine or book... Also, very good for woods / trail walks as the tint is warm and shows a lot of contrast / detail...

My kids have been using some cheapo Red/White LED lights to read in bed. The Red LED is great but these lights are craptastic from hardware store or drug store. I would love to find a quality headlamp that is not for caving/high power...

I own and use a Thrunite TH20. It takes one AA or one 14500 Battery. It has continuous variable brightness (1.6 to 250 lumens). I find it perfect for reading, for working on small detailed items like mechanical timepieces or working outdoors. You can also rotate it to any position to suit you needs, be it straight out for walking or jogging and at any downward angle for reading or working at your desk. I forget what I paid for mine, but I think it was less than 30 USD. I highly recommend this head lamp.

lampeDépêche said:

Yeah, I should try that one. I was put off by the fact that all of the LEDS are under a heavy diffuser, so I worry that it will have the same problem as the new version of the e+LITE. But for $15 bucks I should try it.

Unless someone has one and can report? Is it bright enough to light up a page at 20-40 cm? And does it do that without lighting up the whole room?

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I have the HL05and it's my reading headlamp. Non-glary and not bluish. Closer to neutral. It may be diffused but it's not that spread out. Not far reaching so it's just right for close up tasks.

I found using my Zebralight h602w mule light a bit distracting for reading as it lights up outside of the book pages just as bright as the pages thenselves. I like my zebralight h52fw better for reading as it is more concentrated light in the middle on the pages themselves. I find this lights the pages nice and even with less distracting light outside of the pages. Like someone else mentioned, I don't want to light the whole room up just the pages themselves. I would recommend the zebralight h53fc as it's hicri and floody, but not all flood.

The trouble I find with any headlamp for reading is that the angle of incidence and reflection is so close to my eyes that it becomes a preoccupation to hold the paper at an angle which doesn't reflect glare to my eyes. Something more like 30+ degrees out of alignment with my eyes works much better for me, also really warm lights, I don't remember it being an issue with the dim, orange, dying battery incandescents of my youth.

Nor that i I think of it, I haven't tried a neck light for reading, but will.

Have you tried the 3rd version on the Petzl e+Lite? It has the original like strap back but brighter LED's.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZ4TOY4/?tag=cpf0b6-20