Petzl e+lite

Just got an e+lite. Very impressed. Just under 1oz for an adjustable headlight with great battery life, plus red light for night vision. And waterproof

Not sure how many people even are aware of this light. Saw a thread on another forum, thought I'd spread the word here.

That's pretty neat. Let us know how long the batteries give useful light, and how bright compared to, say, a Tikka. I can't imagine that the 2032 batteries could compare to 3 AAA's, but I could be wrong.

I love mine. I've used it a few times so far and I think it's great. The batteries are expensive but they are lithium batteries and so they last quite a while. The small size, light weight, and thoughtful design make it the best headlamp I'm aware of. I can't believe that it costs less than many of these other headlamps. I haven't done any testing on the brightness compared to other lights. But it's more than adequate for every use I've had for it, even night hiking.

Heber

A friend of mine has one and loves it. The only caveat is NEVER take it to places where blowing sand can be a problem (e.g. beaches, desert). My friend and I camped in Death Valley. A moderately strong breeze was swirling the sands around, and after just a few minutes, the Petzl's rotary switch mechanism jammed! My friend took it back to REI for an exchange -- so all is well again.

I haven't compared them side-by-side, but based on what I perceived, I would say that my e+lite is pretty dern close to my old Tikka. I would probably attribute this less to the difference in battery size and more to newer LED tech.

The e+lite does boast a "bright" or "boost" mode. However, what I have noticed (along with most reviews online) is that the boost mode fades back down to normal after a few minutes. Switching to normal for a bit and back to boost will get you the brighter light again. Still, it's annoying to have to do this. Then again, maybe that's the point -- if you need a light that is more permanently bright, get a different one. Like the Tikka XP, I own that one two and it is equally as awesome but in a different way.

peace.
ryanc

As someone mentioned on --- I guess --- another forum some time ago, the batteries are much cheaper if you buy a bunch of them somewhere online; just search for the battery type. They have a very long shelf life. I have twenty of them now (10 pairs) ready to use in the e+lites that my wife and I each carry.

Really looks like it may replace my Tikka as soon as I decide to buy one. 45 hours on low from a coin cell - cool!. As long as I can manage to find an affordable source for the cells here it'll be nice.

Try here Phat - MEC