New headlamp arrived

[Mr Fish]

My trusty Princeton Tec Apex had stopped working after the best part of 20 years.
It looked as if the wire into the battery compartment was frayed and I was all set to start faffing with tiny screwdrivers and solder to fix it.
Then I did a double take: The head strap is that old that it has lost most of its elasticity - I had to tie a big knot in it to keep it on my head (!) and it’s that old even the plastic trim had worn down to almost nothing.

So how much for a new one? I really liked this light. It went forever on four AA rechargeables and although the spot and flood beams were very bright on the highest setting for landing a fish or traversing difficult terrain, the lowest setting was actually quite dim compared with other headlamps.
And that is EXACTLY how I liked it. As long as I could see my rod tips and bait up etc, I have never felt the need for an extremely bright light pointing at the sea or dazzling anyone nearby.

Didn’t really want a Fenix or a Lensor or whatever, I wanted another one of these. So looked online and U.K. companies seemed to start at around £85 and went up to £100 plus.
In addition, some said 250 lumen, others 350, some 550.
Then I found one for £63 on Amazon and bizarrely, the 650 lumen seemed to come out cheaper than some of the other options.

However, it said Amazon US. But free postage, wow.
So figured, what the hell? It said VAT added and since I paid £80 for my last one, so long ago, I thought if Customs whacked on a £20 fee it was still worth it.
Hit purchase and on Thursday got an email to say it had been dispatched to a warehouse in San Bernardino, California. Scheduled delivery Saturday 17th.
It arrived this morning! Wow! Tiny little box too - I thought maybe it was something else I’d ordered that I’d forgotten about! But no, it was the headlamp.

It seems exactly the same as my original one except the spot and flood switches now also work as dimmers, so when you hold them down they cycle through to the highest and lowest settings.
If anything, the lowest setting seems a bit lower than my old one, which is absolutely fine by me - I don’t need stacks of light when I’m fishing!
The brightest is VERY bright. (Note to self: looking directly at a headlamp will feck your eyes up for awhile!)

Also comes with a 10 year warranty. Lifetime in the US, but we can’t have everything.

Wonder how long this would have taken to arrive if I’d ordered it from the EU? ???

 

[Dutchman]

Wow, i use a cheapo thing from Aldi.

 

[Mr Fish]

Wow, i use a cheapo thing from Aldi.

Some of the cheapos are quite good these days but I got best part of 15-20 years out of this ones predecessor (I forget exactly) so was keen to get a replacement.
And with decent rechargeables it’ll go for a couple of trips if needs be.

 

[Chrisbl]

Sounds like you’re on a winner there, I use a led lenser thing with rechargeable aaa’s in it, had it a few years now and love it.

 

[jackjock]

A good head light and a spare is a must when night fishing , i have some cheap head lights and some expensive ones with good spare rechargeable battery's , i always take two head lights with me .

 

[Trampster]

My trusty Princeton Tec Apex had stopped working after the best part of 20 years.
It looked as if the wire into the battery compartment was frayed and I was all set to start faffing with tiny screwdrivers and solder to fix it.
Then I did a double take: The head strap is that old that it has lost most of its elasticity - I had to tie a big knot in it to keep it on my head (!) and it’s that old even the plastic trim had worn down to almost nothing.

So how much for a new one? I really liked this light. It went forever on four AA rechargeables and although the spot and flood beams were very bright on the highest setting for landing a fish or traversing difficult terrain, the lowest setting was actually quite dim compared with other headlamps.
And that is EXACTLY how I liked it. As long as I could see my rod tips and bait up etc, I have never felt the need for an extremely bright light pointing at the sea or dazzling anyone nearby.

Didn’t really want a Fenix or a Lensor or whatever, I wanted another one of these. So looked online and U.K. companies seemed to start at around £85 and went up to £100 plus.
In addition, some said 250 lumen, others 350, some 550.
Then I found one for £63 on Amazon and bizarrely, the 650 lumen seemed to come out cheaper than some of the other options.

However, it said Amazon US. But free postage, wow.
So figured, what the hell? It said VAT added and since I paid £80 for my last one, so long ago, I thought if Customs whacked on a £20 fee it was still worth it.
Hit purchase and on Thursday got an email to say it had been dispatched to a warehouse in San Bernardino, California. Scheduled delivery Saturday 17th.
It arrived this morning! Wow! Tiny little box too - I thought maybe it was something else I’d ordered that I’d forgotten about! But no, it was the headlamp.

It seems exactly the same as my original one except the spot and flood switches now also work as dimmers, so when you hold them down they cycle through to the highest and lowest settings.
If anything, the lowest setting seems a bit lower than my old one, which is absolutely fine by me - I don’t need stacks of light when I’m fishing!
The brightest is VERY bright. (Note to self: looking directly at a headlamp will feck your eyes up for awhile!)

Also comes with a 10 year warranty. Lifetime in the US, but we can’t have everything.

Wonder how long this would have taken to arrive if I’d ordered it from the EU? ???

View attachment 8326

Looks very good Mr Fishy! I was after a headlight a couple of years ago, and someone tipped me off that Olight were having a 40% off Christmas sale so bought one similar to this for about £60:
https://www.olightstore.uk/perun-light.html
It works really well, and it is so useful to be able to use it as a compact torch too.

 

[Beach]

I have a Avantex HL-2 led waterproof rechargeable headlamp with two lighting modes, bright and searchlight it came with an usb lead and will last at least 8hrs when fully charged. Maybe more but haven't tried it.

 

[Dutchman]

Some of the cheapos are quite good these days but I got best part of 15-20 years out of this ones predecessor (I forget exactly) so was keen to get a replacement.
And with decent rechargeables it’ll go for a couple of trips if needs be.

The first one i had from there was fragile, you had to screw the end and it fell off sometimes, the second is a lot better, it moves up and down and two levels of brightness, both were only a couple of quid and take 3 x AAA batteries.
They do for me that is only fishing in dark for a short time after dusk.

 

[Valleyboy]

I only really ha/e the light on to change lure or rebait , unhook fish and can get by then with a dim light. Howe/er getting to the actual mark, down cliff patsh or o/er rocks etc needs something with a decent beam

 

[Mr Fish]

The first one i had from there was fragile, you had to screw the end and it fell off sometimes, the second is a lot better, it moves up and down and two levels of brightness, both were only a couple of quid and take 3 x AAA batteries.
They do for me that is only fishing in dark for a short time after dusk.

Yes, that’s fair enough. More than half of my fishing is after dark, I’d say, so I like to have something reliable (along with a back up).
Not to mention some of it is in fairly remote or treacherous spots.

 

[Mr Fish]

I only really ha/e the light on to change lure or rebait , unhook fish and can get by then with a dim light. Howe/er getting to the actual mark, down cliff patsh or o/er rocks etc needs something with a decent beam

That’s what I’ve always liked about this one, as the output is what I want.
The low setting is about half the output of everything else on the beach but that suits me.
Assuming I’m fishing anywhere near other people, I try not to!
But the high beam is top notch.

Slightly different topic but I do wonder given the amount of light I see on some beaches, whether a lot of anglers aren’t scared of the dark!

 

[Beach]

That’s what I’ve always liked about this one, as the output is what I want.
The low setting is about half the output of everything else on the beach but that suits me.
Assuming I’m fishing anywhere near other people, I try not to!
But the high beam is top notch.

Slightly different topic but I do wonder given the amount of light I see on some beaches, whether a lot of anglers aren’t scared of the dark!

Sometimes it's like Blackpool illuminations on the beach Fish. I tend to go beach fishing where not so many floodlights are about.

 

[Mr Fish]

Sometimes it's like Blackpool illuminations on the beach Fish. I tend to go beach fishing where not so many floodlights are about.

Absolutely agree! Most of my local fishing is pretty remote spots with very few or no people.
The only place I go where it gets busy like that is Chesil, occasionally.

 

[Valleyboy]

That’s what I’ve always liked about this one, as the output is what I want.
The low setting is about half the output of everything else on the beach but that suits me.
Assuming I’m fishing anywhere near other people, I try not to!
But the high beam is top notch.

Slightly different topic but I do wonder given the amount of light I see on some beaches, whether a lot of anglers aren’t scared of the dark!

I get the same feeling. I lo/e the dark, especially lure fishing or light bait fishing when you hae waded out a ways and you are holding your rod. The sense of isolation is liberating

 

[Dutchman]

That’s what I’ve always liked about this one, as the output is what I want.
The low setting is about half the output of everything else on the beach but that suits me.
Assuming I’m fishing anywhere near other people, I try not to!
But the high beam is top notch.

Slightly different topic but I do wonder given the amount of light I see on some beaches, whether a lot of anglers aren’t scared of the dark!

Just slightly off topic, when i was working i was on call and was called out at night or worked through the night on many occasions.
The first lights we had were the torches that had them big batteries with springs on the top, you could go through a couple of batteries through the night.
They then (managers and buyers) looked at other ones, we suggested something like lampers were using, anyway they came up with a similar one as the first but re-chargeable, these hardly lasted any length of time and only having a fag charger in van and having to charge lap top, pone and light wires were everywhere.
A ate whose brother was in police showed him light and he told the manager of this, but dismissed it as to dear, so all our lights suddenly then became broke and we again suggested the ones the police used.
They got one on trial and eventually we all had one each, the brightness and length of beam was amazing.

 

[Mr Fish]

I get the same feeling. I lo/e the dark, especially lure fishing or light bait fishing when you hae waded out a ways and you are holding your rod. The sense of isolation is liberating

I’m quite happy tripod fishing (I know touch ledgering is a good method, I’m just lazy!) but don’t mind being anywhere in the dark.

Only reason I don’t use starlights is for some weird reason, watching a point of light bobbing about does my head in, lol.

But yes, I’m sure a lot of anglers are scaredy-cats at night!
I’ve noticed on Chesil for example that every time a wave comes in their head jerks around and they have to shine their headlights on the surf.
I mean, what do they expect to see? ??‍
(And this isn’t in massive swell when you might be forgiven for watching the waves...)

 

[Dutchman]

I’m quite happy tripod fishing (I know touch ledgering is a good method, I’m just lazy!) but don’t mind being anywhere in the dark.

Only reason I don’t use starlights is for some weird reason, watching a point of light bobbing about does my head in, lol.

When i was a kid fishing for flatties we stayed at Cartmell and fished around Flookburgh area.

We had bells on the end of rod

 

[Beach]

Just slightly off topic, when i was working i was on call and was called out at night or worked through the night on many occasions.
The first lights we had were the torches that had them big batteries with springs on the top, you could go through a couple of batteries through the night.
They then (managers and buyers) looked at other ones, we suggested something like lampers were using, anyway they came up with a similar one as the first but re-chargeable, these hardly lasted any length of time and only having a fag charger in van and having to charge lap top, pone and light wires were everywhere.
A ate whose brother was in police showed him light and he told the manager of this, but dismissed it as to dear, so all our lights suddenly then became broke and we again suggested the ones the police used.
They got one on trial and eventually we all had one each, the brightness and length of beam was amazing.

I used to have one of those camping gas lights, but fed up of having to replace the mantles.

 

[Beach]

When i was a kid fishing for flatties we stayed at Cartmell and fished around Flookburgh area.

We had bells on the end of rod

Hells bells comes to mind, bl**dy annoying things.

 

[Mr Fish]

Hells bells comes to mind, bl**dy annoying things.

Yes, although admit I had a couple as a kid as well!