# "Defiant" Headlight at Home Depot



## JNieporte (Jun 7, 2012)

What would you get if a Princeton Tec headlight made a baby with a Brinkmann headlight? This thing! The Defiant-branded lights are all rebranded Brinkmanns, but I've never seen this model before from Brinkmann. This is a six 5mm LED headlight, and it costs $13 at Home Depot. It's rated at 85 lumens. Nice to see that it uses FL1 standard for lumens count and runtime.
















Here's the very Brinkmann-like instructions and warranty card...





The light runs on three AAA batteries in a carrier. Three Defiant-brand alkalines are included. Construction is really nice. It's not thin, shiny plastic like cheap headlights; instead, it's solid-feeling and has a very light texture (think Princeton Tec). The headlamp is a bit big (about 3-1/4" wide from switch to battery cap), but not too big as to be unuseable. The headstrap is typical Brinkmann quality: not super, but more than enough to get the job done. It's not a flow-through design; there's a space for each side. It adjusts to smaller than my ten-year-old daughter's head, and larger than my size 7-3/4 head (with a helmet on)...





Standard forehead pad. Why is the mount in a sideways I shape?





So you can blind yourself! Seriously, the light roates anywhere from just over your head...





...to right in your eyes...





The light is held in place (when you adjust it) with friction. No ratcheting system required. It's nice and stiff, but easy to move when you want to. A plastic lens protects the LED bulbs.





The switch. Press once for four white LEDs, then press again for two red LEDs. Press a third time to run off. You have to cycle through both modes to turn the light off.





I can't do beamshots until night, but the LEDs put out a very white light. No blue tint. Here they are out the front...





And the red...





Honestly, this is a great headlight. The quality and centering of the LEDs, the output (it looks to be every bit of 80-90 lumens), the construction, all feel really good. And for $13.

On Home Depot's website...
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...talogId=10053&productId=203138528&R=203138528


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## Lynx_Arc (Jun 7, 2012)

Nice review. I saw that headlamp at HD and thought it was interesting but passed on it. I have typically had my fill with 3AAA carriers that so many of the sub $20 lights come with. One thing that would be interesting on this light is if you could mod it and change out the 2 red LEDs for 2 white ones and have a "low" level for longer runtime.


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## Bolster (Jun 9, 2012)

Thanks for the review. I got excited thinking this was a 1AA. But 3AAA? D'oh, no go.


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## JNieporte (Jun 9, 2012)

Bolster said:


> Thanks for the review. I got excited thinking this was a 1AA. But 3AAA? D'oh, no go.



Much too big for a 1AA light. I knew it was 3AAA with a bulky carrier, but for the price and performance, I'm more than satisfied with it. Floody with good distance, 85 real lumens, red mode, well-made, uses a common (and cheap) battery type, thirteen bucks.


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## Bolster (Jun 10, 2012)

Well that sounds like a decent light at a great price.

HEY! Maybe you can mod it and cram an 18650 in there!!


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## cccpull (Jun 12, 2012)

Bolster said:


> Well that sounds like a decent light at a great price.
> 
> HEY! Maybe you can mod it and cram an 18650 in there!!



For the most part a 18650 will not fit in 3aaa carrier lights, the size that might fit is the 18500.


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## Lynx_Arc (Jun 12, 2012)

cccpull said:


> For the most part a 18650 will not fit in 3aaa carrier lights, the size that might fit is the 18500.


I have heard of people modding 3AAA lights for 18650 but they had to remove a plastic spacer the light had in it to make it fit I am guessing it is about 1/4 to 3/8 inches too short to accomodate one. I used to want to do that till LSD nimh AAAs came available so that I don't have to take my nimh batteries out every 4-6 months to recharge them.


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## Bolster (Jun 12, 2012)

cccpull said:


> For the most part a 18650 will not fit in 3aaa carrier lights, the size that might fit is the 18500.



I was joking!! I was poking fun at the size of the headlamp is all. I had no idea people actually attempted such a mod!



Lynx_Arc;3962694... till LSD nimh AAAs came available so that I don't have to take my nimh batteries out every 4-6 months to recharge them.[/QUOTE said:


> Ah, but Lynxie, you know you have to take your LSDs out every 6 mo and give them some exercise on your smart charger, yes?


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## AnAppleSnail (Jun 12, 2012)

I may have to get one of these. Not that I have a shortage of small headlights...

I'm going to keep an 18500 LiFePO4 from Wal Mart in it.


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## uk_caver (Jun 12, 2012)

I wonder what 5mm LEDs they're using that give 20lm+ each, and what kind of lifetime they would have at the necessary current.


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## Lynx_Arc (Jun 12, 2012)

Bolster said:


> I was joking!! I was poking fun at the size of the headlamp is all. I had no idea people actually attempted such a mod!
> 
> 
> 
> Ah, but Lynxie, you know you have to take your LSDs out every 6 mo and give them some exercise on your smart charger, yes?



Nope, I only take them out when they need recharging as they retain about 70-85% of a charge after a year. I took the alkalines out of most of my 3AAA lights a few have rayovac hybrids that I recharge maybe once a year if I don't use them at all.


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## Lynx_Arc (Jun 12, 2012)

uk_caver said:


> I wonder what 5mm LEDs they're using that give 20lm+ each, and what kind of lifetime they would have at the necessary current.


I am sure they are overdriven at the start and then fade over time. The LEDs will probably last longer than the light will. I think the runtime was about 9 hours meaning it probably starts at about 100-120ma and then fades to nothing.


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## JNieporte (Jun 12, 2012)

18650 (or any other cell) won't work in these. There's no spring in the screw-on battery cap like most 3AAA carrier lights. Instead, there's a metal strip on one side of the carrier. It must be lined up with a similar strip inside the battery compartment to work. You know, like most Brinkmann multi-cell headlights.


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## Lynx_Arc (Jun 12, 2012)

JNieporte said:


> 18650 (or any other cell) won't work in these. There's no spring in the screw-on battery cap like most 3AAA carrier lights. Instead, there's a metal strip on one side of the carrier. It must be lined up with a similar strip inside the battery compartment to work. You know, like most Brinkmann multi-cell headlights.


That is what irritates me about 3AAA carriers... I have 4 or 5 different types of them here some with both connections on one end in different fashions and others with a connection on each end.


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## 5literlx (Aug 1, 2013)

While I agree that this is a great little light for the money I was not pleased with the durability. I accidentally dropped mine from a height of about 3ft onto a tile floor and both tabs broke off that secure the head strap to the lamp. If you are looking for something that is rugged and durable then do not purchase this head lamp. The plastic is very brittle and flimsy.


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