# Red LED HeadLamps (night vision) - Any Recommendations?



## videoexpert (May 18, 2012)

I'm looking for a good headlamp that has lots of red LEDs or bright red LEDs. The problem I have ran into that most headlamps only have 1-2 red LEDs and they don't light up much...
*Whats a good headlamp with lots of red LEDs or bright red LEDs for night vision?

*Thanks in advance for your replies!


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## lampeDépêche (May 18, 2012)

have a look at the Zebralight H31r or H51r. 

They both use the Cree XPE red LED. H31r uses a DL123 and puts out 110 lumens of pure red. The H51r uses an AA and puts out 100 lumens. It's glorious.

You can also get either one with a built-in diffuser (H31Fr or H51Fr) which reduces the lumens very slightly, reduces the throw a fair bit, and makes it less useful for seeing than for being seen (e.g. as a bike tail-light).

I don't know of any other headlamp that puts out more. There are some hand-held lights that do--I have a cheap (probably dangerous) Ultrafire that uses an 18650 to drive the same LED, and it is significantly brighter than my H51r. There's also the Olight Crimson, which will be less likely to blow up or die than a $10. Ultrafire is. Both of those could be worked up into a headlamp rig somehow, I guess, but neither is a dedicated headlamp. (And I'm not sure I'd strap an Ultrafire anything to my head!)

Anyone else out there making a powerful red headlamp? 

(I should say--the Zebralight on High is really *not* going to preserve your night vision. It lights up the back garden, in red, and shows a clear spot on the shed 50 yards away. I guess maybe I'm not clear on what "night vision" applications you are trying for?)


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## AnAppleSnail (May 18, 2012)

videoexpert said:


> *Whats a good headlamp with lots of red LEDs or bright red LEDs for night vision?
> *



Edit: See end.

This is a common misunderstanding. Your question should read:



> What's a good headlamp for preserving night vision?



1. Lots of (visible) light cannot preserve night vision. If there is lots of light, your eyes are bright-adapted (Photopic or mesopic) rather than dark-adapted (scotopic). If you want lots of light (Of any visible color) then your pupils will contract naturally once you get reasonable amounts of light.

2. Colored light is not really better at preserving vision. Dim light is. Your eyes respond nearly the same to all light once you account for human perception (Lumens rather than watts of photons).

3. (My experience) Monochromatic LED light is far worse for my needs in walking around at night than filtered white light. I lose the ability to tell dark mud from holes, for one.

So. Why do you need night vision? "Bright lights" contradict that need.


Edit: If you are in ROTC or military training, they will require red light for the misconceptions noted above. Don't argue, just get a bright-enough light, naturally red or with a filter, as required for your land nav course. But smugly know that red light is far MORE visible to enemy night vision goggles (infrared based) than, say, green. Or white LED. In land nav, get one of our super bright red LEDs and follow their rules. But in real use, stick to extremely dim white light of far less than 1 lumen.


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## vtunderground (May 18, 2012)

What AnAppleSnail said.

Bright red light won't preserve your night-adapted vision, you might was well just use bright white light.


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## bnemmie (May 18, 2012)

I dont know what you need it for, but when I am doing chartwork on my boat at night I use a Petzl E+Lite. I cover up all the lights on my instruments so the boat is as dark as the night will allow. The little headlamp only has one red LED but when my eyes are properly night-adapted, it feels like I turn on a search light inside my cabin. More then enough to work with.

http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/headlamps/super-compact/elite

Hope it helps.


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