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Double Zebra lights

PostPosted: Jan 14, 2019 6:20 pm
by BaitBucket
I'm looking for opinions on using two zebra lights mounted in a bracket vs. more traditional primary caving headlamps like a sten or a Manley 20. I'm on a bit of a budget so I've mostly narrowed it down to these three mentioned and I'm looking to see how they compare and what you guys feel is the best option.

Re: Double Zebra lights

PostPosted: Jan 15, 2019 3:01 pm
by bobby49
I use a single 18650-type Zebralight headlamp on my helmet. It has a flood pattern, but I carry a flashlight with a spot pattern in my pocket.

Re: Double Zebra lights

PostPosted: Jan 15, 2019 4:09 pm
by BaitBucket
I also use a single zebra but I am looking at doing some longer caves and would like to have the redundancy and mixable beam patterns.

Re: Double Zebra lights

PostPosted: Jan 15, 2019 9:59 pm
by GroundquestMSA
BaitBucket wrote:I also use a single zebra but I am looking at doing some longer caves and would like to have the redundancy and mixable beam patterns.

I've done 25 hours on a single Zebra single battery. Throw another light of any type into your pack, pocket, around your neck, on your hat, and you'll be set. I usually wear a white mid-beam with a hot spot on my head and a yellow super wide beam around my neck to light my feet and sketch book. Zebras are good lights and while I've never owned any other top-end lights I don't think you can beat them for price, utility, and durability.

Re: Double Zebra lights

PostPosted: Jan 16, 2019 7:36 am
by BaitBucket
GroundquestMSA wrote:
BaitBucket wrote:I also use a single zebra but I am looking at doing some longer caves and would like to have the redundancy and mixable beam patterns.

I've done 25 hours on a single Zebra single battery. Throw another light of any type into your pack, pocket, around your neck, on your hat, and you'll be set. I usually wear a white mid-beam with a hot spot on my head and a yellow super wide beam around my neck to light my feet and sketch book. Zebras are good lights and while I've never owned any other top-end lights I don't think you can beat them for price, utility, and durability.

Good to know. The strap kind of gets messy in tight spaces I've found, are there good ways to hard mount it without custom parts?

Re: Double Zebra lights

PostPosted: Jan 16, 2019 8:24 am
by GroundquestMSA
BaitBucket wrote:
GroundquestMSA wrote:
BaitBucket wrote:I also use a single zebra but I am looking at doing some longer caves and would like to have the redundancy and mixable beam patterns.

I've done 25 hours on a single Zebra single battery. Throw another light of any type into your pack, pocket, around your neck, on your hat, and you'll be set. I usually wear a white mid-beam with a hot spot on my head and a yellow super wide beam around my neck to light my feet and sketch book. Zebras are good lights and while I've never owned any other top-end lights I don't think you can beat them for price, utility, and durability.

Good to know. The strap kind of gets messy in tight spaces I've found, are there good ways to hard mount it without custom parts?


I don't wear a helmet 90% of the time so I use the straps. I have seen others use zip ties.

Re: Double Zebra lights

PostPosted: Feb 7, 2019 9:08 am
by ohiocaver
Zip ties. Or use something like a AA-powered flashlight side-mounted on your lid to add extra oomph to the beam or as a backup.

Re: Double Zebra lights

PostPosted: Feb 11, 2019 2:09 am
by bobby49
I agree. Strong zip ties. That means that you have to drill some holes in the helmet plastic. If you drill large holes, it will weaken the helmet and allow cracking. If you drill small holes, the zip ties can fit without damaging the helmet that much. Then, there is the little square end of the zip tie where it connects to itself. You have to put that on the inside or else the outside. If it put it on the outside, it looks bad. If you put it on the inside, then it looks better, but the little square end now presents itself toward your skin, which could hurt. Beside the little square ends, I placed some stick-on foam and then covered the ends and the foam with epoxy. That way, it can't hurt if it touches my head.

Re: Double Zebra lights

PostPosted: Feb 12, 2019 7:45 am
by BaitBucket
I think for now I'm going to overlap the straps, if I decide I want to hard mount them I'll do zip ties.