Good "flood" light?

[self-deleted_user]

Hi!
I am new to caving and so far have just borrowed gear but it is time to buy my own helmet and light...hence my question (and my issue...)

I have very bad night vision. It takes about 15+ minutes for my eyes to adjust to low light, and as soon as exposed to high light they go right back, I'm blinded, or they just never adjust. So seeing any other caver's lights, looking at the spot where my light illuminates, etc, all means that my eyes never adjust to low light and I can only see the exact small spot illuminated (usually 1-2 foot diameter, none of the ambient light from around that exact spot) which as I have done a few more caves that especially have lots of breakdown it is very very very hard to see whether it is a rock or a dropoff! Makes things hard.

So...What is a good light that is more of a flood light instead of the spot? I'd rather have medium light over a large area than a bright spot that I can only see a little area. It'd be nice for it to have a spot like normal too...nice to see into holes and stuff. But for general traveling through, lighting up a large area decently well over one spot very well is what I need.

Thanks!

PS also...I'm a poor grad student...it's going to be a huge hard investment in the helmet and light anyway, I keep seeing $100 price tags for each...or more...I don't really even have that much so please don't suggest really expensive ones.

[Steven Johnson]

If you are caving in caves of modest size, you may want to consider the Princeton Tec Quad (~$30 or so), or a Zebralight (~$50)... both are all flood, no spot. For big rooms, you'll find them wanting, but that's the nature of flood-y lights...

[brngk]

From one poor grad student to another. I picked up the energizer hardcase a while back,
and have been pretty happy with it. I think you might get an "ok" flood from it with
the diffuser up.

[vtunderground]

If you are caving in caves of modest size, you may want to consider the Princeton Tec Quad (~$30 or so), or a Zebralight (~$50)...

The Princeton Tec Corona may be a good option too - it's a bit brighter than the Quad, and has a longer runtime because it uses 3xAA instead of 3xAAA batteries. (http://www.brightguy.com/products/Princ ... adlamp.php)

Zebralight is supposed to be coming out with a new all-flood AA headlamp called the H51F. It should have a similar beam to their H501, just brighter & more efficient due to using a better LED.

[Evan G]

Coast Headlamps: Fairly reliable, more water resistant than water proof. Long battery life!

Black Diamond as some decent headlamps but for what you get they are moderately overpriced.

Some mentionedEnergizer Headlamps, they are fairly decent lamps that can be used while saving up for a big bomber headlamp, then stashed as a back up later.

Coleman outdoor gear has been playing around in the affordable lighting market for years>>> Coleman headlamps Mmmm, this one is a new one to me: Model No. 4347-703

Most "affordable" headlamps you must be careful not to submerge them (some of the high priced ones are the same way) but just carry a couple of back ups.

[self-deleted_user]

Thanks for the help! I ordered the Princeton Tec Corona, it looks to be about what I need and at the very least a lot better than my crappy cheap Coleman I had to get in a pinch when someone forgot to bring a light for me haha.

I also ended up with the Petzl Elia helmet...cheaper than some of the others and I was talking to a friend who said a few girls in his grotto love them because they are easy to wear a ponytail with, and that definitely sold me on it! Plus, pretty colors! Anyway so for only $110 I got the helmet and light which is much better than I thought it would end up being. :)

[self-deleted_user]

Just wanted to update - thanks for the advice because I just went caving this weekend. The Princeton Tec Corona was awesome, and just what I needed. I never once needed to ask a buddy to shine a light so I could see where my feet were going even! I could actually see where I was walking quite easily! Amazing how much easier and nicer that makes caving. I could see that having a spot would be nice for a larger cave, the one I was in is very nice if generally small so the flood would light up enough so I could see most of the largest rooms - I could see that being an issue in a larger cave though. However, I can see around myself, which is what I wanted/needed! So thank you!

[vtunderground]

Thanks for the update! Glad to hear that the Corona is working out for you.

[self-deleted_user]

Bumping because...well...I need to find a new light apparently. My backup got bashed (just that little coleman that didnt' do much to start with) and it's jiggity and not staying on well....so not reliable.

I do like the Corona still but in larger caves it does nothing to let me see the rooms. So...I think I want to look at getting a light to perhaps take over the corona as primary.

1) I still want a good flood - the Corona is 90 lumens, I wouldn't mind and would like it if it were brighter flood than that if possible
2) I'd like to have a spot on it too. Something I could turn on to see a large room with.

I knowwwww the Apex ranting. But the mods NZ caver had seemed to really help with the issues? I still want <$100 ish price range.

What about the Fenix HP10? 225 lumens so more than the 200 lumen Apex, actually a bit less than the Apex, but I can't tell if that is spot-only? It seems spotty in the example photos.

[Chads93GT]

Bumping because...well...I need to find a new light apparently. My backup got bashed (just that little coleman that didnt' do much to start with) and it's jiggity and not staying on well....so not reliable.

I do like the Corona still but in larger caves it does nothing to let me see the rooms. So...I think I want to look at getting a light to perhaps take over the corona as primary.

1) I still want a good flood - the Corona is 90 lumens, I wouldn't mind and would like it if it were brighter flood than that if possible
2) I'd like to have a spot on it too. Something I could turn on to see a large room with.

I knowwwww the Apex ranting. But the mods NZ caver had seemed to really help with the issues? I still want <$100 ish price range.

What about the Fenix HP10? 225 lumens so more than the 200 lumen Apex, actually a bit less than the Apex, but I can't tell if that is spot-only? It seems spotty in the example photos.

it is a spot only, however, you wont have to question its reliability and its bright enough that it more than makes up for not having a flood. . Buy one, you wont regret it. I guarantee that.

[DStud]

I bought the HP10 and picked up one of the cheap little plastic diffusers for it on amazon. It not the greatest (some halo-ing around the edges), but definitely cuts down the spotlight and spreads out the beam nicely.

[wyandottecaver]

Amy, Id carry both. I use the Fenix mostly and carry the corona as a backup. If conditions change (from murky rivers to big breakdown piles), I can just swap lights. The advantage is that they both use the same kind of batteries and both are excellent primary lights.

I don't like the fenix diffuser, but putting some black electrical tape around the outside edge does wonders.

[self-deleted_user]

Yup, that was what I was gonna do. Okay then, it's settled. I think I put both the Apex and Fenix HP10 on my bday/christmas list so I'll see if I get one for that first before I buy the HP10.

[jsniffin]

Yup, that was what I was gonna do. Okay then, it's settled. I think I put both the Apex and Fenix HP10 on my bday/christmas list so I'll see if I get one for that first before I buy the HP10.

Thats my plan too :) But I don't get to go caving again until the 22nd of January ...I hope.