LMAO - however the funny part is that the technology for the "clapper" is really simple old and stupid - and probably available on one (tiny) chip. It would be interesting to see if you
could add a clapper to a headlamp for pretty much no weight gain. It would be kind of useful.

My biggest fear was moving away from AAA's to CR2032 lithiums - they don't last *as* long but my tikka lasts for bloody ever on 3 AAA's, and I can find CR2032's cheap like dirt and a few spares plus the ones in the light weigh less than 3 AAA's - were I resupping on a long thu hike I'd think twice because I can buy a AAA batt a gas station, unlike a CR2032 - but realisticly for most of the 3 season hiking I do the E-light is fine.

(BTW, I find batteries at princess auto, or online at computer parts places in stacks - CR2032 is a standard motherboard battery for PC's <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> - but even MEC sells 'em cheap )

Anything that is smaller, brighter, lasts longer, and cheaper than this. . It has to have all four of those characteristics. If it is bigger, but brighter, I won't take it. If it is brighter but more expensive, forget it. All right, I will give you some room. If it is 10X smaller, 10X brighter, lasts 10X longer and is twice as much, then I would buy it. But, I am not spending more than $20 on a headlight when this things works great for me.

Right on. I received my Petzel tikka as a gift and it cost at least 3xs what the wally world version costs. But for a backup bike light it looks great. It will be hard to design something better that can be sold at that price point. It's probably made in China but probably so it the Petzel.

After getting a Septor LED headlamp, I love it. Best commercial light I own. 6 LEDs with 3 levels of brightness, runs on 3 AAA batteries. I do not buy any LED lights that run on button batteries as the button batteries cost $5 each around here (except for my Microlight), I can get 2 AAA's from the dollar store.

That said, my idea light would:
- Be cheap on the pocket book
- Be reliable.
- Sip power
- Use a long lasting battery like a 9v.
- Have at least 2 brightness levels.
- Switch between 2 white LEDs and one red led (which sips REALLY low power for those emergencies)
- It should use batteries my other gadgets use, like my GPS (which uses 2 AA)

And so, as a person who also makes simple LED lights, this is my current favorite light I have made. I call it the Altoid Light.
2 ultra-bright white LEDs.
Uses a 9v (cost: $1) which lasts a longgggg time.
Very simple circuit, no voltage booster needed.
Plans and pics here: http://www.geocities.com/csroberts/light.htm

I use this light every night for locking up the house. That means I use it about 5 minutes per day. I also use it when repairing things in dark places. My current NiCd rechargable 9v batt lasted about 3 months on a charge.

“what if I told you that such a head lamp existed”

I don’t see the Vizion as a good match. It seems OM wanted:

“Regulated so it can use lithium batteries, so I don't have to carry extras along and so it doesn't dim out until the batteries are almost gone.”

Vizion is not fully regulated so it will probably dim as the batteries dim (very typical of 3 AAA lights).

“Three light levels, bright (night hiking), medium (in camp, cooking or washing dishes), low (reading in tent). The strobe for emergency signaling is nice, too.”

Vizion appears to have ‘high’ and ‘low’ mode only. The absent strobe feature will capture a larger audience (like me when biking).

The Vizion boasts “Design transfers heat back into batteries”. Well most designs do this anyway. That’s why headlamps and flashlights feel warm (at least the high power ones). That will keep batteries warm anyhow.

Battery life is advertised at ‘high’ for ’76 hours’. You’ll be lucky to get 10 hours on high and 20 hours on low. Too bad UK does false advertising like this. They are a good company. But advertisers usually spec in the ‘moonlight’ mode.

The Princeton Tech Aurora is what I currently use, and is pretty close to perfect for me.

Improvements on it would be,
- make it a little brighter
- rechargable, with a kinetic motion recharger so it would recharge during the day while hiking
- a little lighter-weight

Other than that, I really like its design.

The motion recharger would probably make it heavier.

Very neat simple design. How long will it run continously on the 9v?

I'm sure... I think they use a metal weight travelling between magnets to work, both of which are heavy.

Still, in a perfect world, made out of lightweight Unobtanium, it would be great.

To reiterate what some others have said on this thread -

The "perfect" LED headlamp would be one that:

1. can handle getting wet
2. is easy to change batteries
3. has two brightness settings (not overly complicated)
4. uses AAA batteries (same as other gear requiring batteries)
5. can be tilted to point at what I want to see (not just flat against my head)

I currently use a Petzl Tika (or tikka??) and really like it. That said, I only use 2 of the 4 settings on it, and the design is such that it is a little bit difficult to change batteries. I also wonder what would happen if it really got wet. Luckily I haven't found out yet!

Yeh, I dont' mind carrying both AAA and button batteries. The buttons store neatly in my first aid kit. Also, I really like how small electronics using buttons can be.

Santa Clause, please bring me a Petzl elite!

Now, I just have to keep checking out those ebook readers . . .