Petzl Pixa series headlamp

[Caver John]

Has anyone checked out this new line of headlamps? Looks like a cross between the petzl ultra and a sten. Defiantly looks caveworthy, but just not bright enough IMO.
Anythoughts or expiriences with this light?

[YuccaPatrol]

I bought the Pixa 3 when it came out but probably should have just bought the Pixa 2 as I am using it as a backup light. It is nowhere near as bright as most anything you can find in the price range, but it has some great attributes that still make it very attractive for use in caves. It uses 2 AA batteries instead of 3 AAA's that many similarly sized lamps use, allowing it to run for a very long time without battery changes. It is also designed to be absolutely waterproof (well, maybe not dive-proof) which is another big plus and rare for an off-the-shelf light. Lastly, the head of the lamp rotates completely around 180' to protect the lens and it also locks out the switch mechanism while in this storage position, so you won't be disappointed to discover that your backup light turned itself on in your pack and is now just as dead as your primary light. I have no fears about just tossing it in the bottom of my pack without worrying that it might be crushed or damaged down there.

All in all, I think that it is an almost perfect backup light and would get you out of anywhere you might have found yourself, but it is not going to light up the big passages like the big stuff does. It has taken up permanent residence in the bottom of my pack, and hopefully it will just stay there unused and unloved waiting until the day it might become a hero.

[Caver John]

Yea it looks great but they should've quadroopled it's lumens. WTF petzl?
I'd love an ultra but way too much $

[YuccaPatrol]

oh, and more discussion about it here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10932

Yes, if they even doubled the output, it would be a real home run. But it is designed for industrial use while someone is working and massive output would just drain batteries in such a situation, so I understand why they did not make it a retina burner. But perhaps they will incorporate elements of this design into some future lights that will really get cavers excited?

[Caver John]

Perhaps. I'm waiting for more details on the little monkey rude Nora, it's either that or a sten looks like.

[YuccaPatrol]

As nice as the sten is, they just haven't kept up with the times when it comes to using the latest generations of LED's which are both brighter and more importantly, more efficient. They either need to start dropping their price or re-designing their lamp to keep up with the latest offerings from other manufacturers.

When I first started caving about 5 years ago, the Sten was the top of the line. But by the time i became ready to buy something custom made for caving, I found other options that far outperformed the Sten in the same price range.

[rlboyce]

I found other options that far outperformed the Sten in the same price range.

What lights were those?

[Caver John]

As nice as the sten is, they just haven't kept up with the times when it comes to using the latest generations of LED's which are both brighter and more importantly, more efficient. They either need to start dropping their price or re-designing their lamp to keep up with the latest offerings from other manufacturers.

When I first started caving about 5 years ago, the Sten was the top of the line. But by the time i became ready to buy something custom made for caving, I found other options that far outperformed the Sten in the same price range.

I agree, it's been hard to find actually lumen ratings on the sten and there not that impressive. Everyone raves at it's output but by the numbers it's not all that. I do believe it's built very well.
The rude Nora, based On the hurricane, that's impressive. I want 300+ lumens for 8 hrs. At flood and spot.

The spark is also impressive but no flood unless modded., a suitable option

[Cody JW]

Wait for the replacement of The Hurricane to come out.Similar price as Sten but twice as bright. I am sure there are many others for the price of the sten that are more current. It is almost scary to spend 400 on any light as rapidly as LED tech changes.

[rlboyce]

Similar price as Sten

Where can this price be found?

[Caver John]

Just read the update info about the rude Nora, sounds amazing

[rlboyce]

I have, and yes it does sound like a good light. I am interested in how much it costs though, and Cody JW seems to know.