Registered: 03/17/03
Posts: 501
Loc: Puget Sound, Washington
"Intelligent Illumination — Look at a cliff face above a hiking trail. Your headlamp illuminates the rock with a 300+ lumen beam. Now, glance at your map; notice as the headlamp beam instantly tones down to adjust for a close view. That is the reality of the NAO from Petzl, a self-adjusting light that uses optical sensors and a tiny computer processor built-in to assess what you’re looking at, how far away it is, and then to change its output accordingly from 8 lumens to 355 lumens in a literal blink.
NAO mounted on a helmet and ready to shine its “smart” beam We tested the NAO headlamp, which will cost a cool $175 when it comes to market later this year, in the dark woods on an XC ski outing one night after the trade show. Short story: It works. The “intelligent” beam saves on battery life by only using the needed light for any distance view, plus you won’t blast your eyes with 300-lumen bounce back if you glace from that proverbial cliff face above to a glossy map held in hand."
REI sold them (carbide headlamps) back when I first joined them (alongside wooly mammoth saddle bags). Justrite, I think. I always wanted one because they combined brass and flame.
Registered: 02/23/07
Posts: 1735
Loc: California (southern)
A carbide fan here. Great for caving and for night hiking; you could buy a flame protector that would keep wind from blowing it out. It was very easy to start a fire if you had a carbide lamp.
try buying carbide these days. I have my grandfathers coal mining lamp. It must be 90 years old. If you set the flame to about 3/4 inch the mosquitoes will come and singe their wings off and leave you alone.
This sounds like a really cool light. Even simple headlights are $30 so I'll get one when its $39.95. Jim
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These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.
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