Petzl Vertex blade mounts

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Petzl Vertex blade mounts

Postby Rivershredder » Dec 2, 2013 12:01 am

I was wondering if anyone has made their own mounts? I really just hate drilling holes and using zipties to mount my zebralight.
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Re: Petzl Vertex blade mounts

Postby GroundquestMSA » Dec 2, 2013 10:11 am

What's wrong with the strap?
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Re: Petzl Vertex blade mounts

Postby Rivershredder » Dec 2, 2013 8:10 pm

By its self nothing but I personally don't like having straps from two headlamps running around up there.
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Re: Petzl Vertex blade mounts

Postby NZcaver » Dec 2, 2013 10:41 pm

Rivershredder wrote:I was wondering if anyone has made their own mounts? I really just hate drilling holes and using zipties to mount my zebralight.

Personally I'm not a fan of stretching elastic straps around my caving helmets. I drill holes and use bolts instead.

Coincidentally, a friend has been discussing with me his concept for designing a custom blade bracket for the Vertex. It would have various mounting options to fix virtually any headlamp to the bracket. Lights with a rear mounted battery or battery compartment would utilize a second bracket on the back of the helmet. Your light could be installed or removed quickly without tools or permanent modifications to the helmet. Depending on the headlamp, it may also be possible to leave the bracket attached and reconnect the original elastic strap for bare-head use.

This is only in the concept stage right now, and actual prototypes are probably some months away. Feel free to offer feedback on the idea.
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Re: Petzl Vertex blade mounts

Postby GroundquestMSA » Dec 2, 2013 10:50 pm

NZcaver wrote:Personally I'm not a fan of stretching elastic straps around my caving helmets.


Rivershredder wrote:By its self nothing but I personally don't like having straps from two headlamps running around up there.


Forgive me for being so dense, but... why?
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Re: Petzl Vertex blade mounts

Postby Rivershredder » Dec 2, 2013 11:09 pm

NZcaver wrote:Coincidentally, a friend has been discussing with me his concept for designing a custom blade bracket for the Vertex. It would have various mounting options to fix virtually any headlamp to the bracket. Lights with a rear mounted battery or battery compartment would utilize a second bracket on the back of the helmet. Your light could be installed or removed quickly without tools or permanent modifications to the helmet. Depending on the headlamp, it may also be possible to leave the bracket attached and reconnect the original elastic strap for bare-head use.

This is only in the concept stage right now, and actual prototypes are probably some months away. Feel free to offer feedback on the idea.


I think it is a great idea! I have been thinking about using the petzl pixa mounting blade as a start for a design. What kind of materials has he toyed with for making the blade?
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Re: Petzl Vertex blade mounts

Postby Rivershredder » Dec 2, 2013 11:13 pm

GroundquestMSA wrote:
NZcaver wrote:Personally I'm not a fan of stretching elastic straps around my caving helmets.


Rivershredder wrote:By its self nothing but I personally don't like having straps from two headlamps running around up there.


Forgive me for being so dense, but... why?


Maybe I just cave with my head to high but the top strap of my headlamp always seems to catch on something and either get yanked up or partially off my helmet. I personally like to keep everything as snag-free as possible.
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Re: Petzl Vertex blade mounts

Postby NZcaver » Dec 3, 2013 3:21 am

Rivershredder wrote:I think it is a great idea! I have been thinking about using the petzl pixa mounting blade as a start for a design. What kind of materials has he toyed with for making the blade?

He's considering various types of plastics, possibly with an added reinforcing material so the mount can take a beating without breaking.
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Re: Petzl Vertex blade mounts

Postby NZcaver » Dec 3, 2013 4:18 am

GroundquestMSA wrote:
NZcaver wrote:Personally I'm not a fan of stretching elastic straps around my caving helmets.

Forgive me for being so dense, but... why?

I wouldn't say your question is a matter of density. You simply may not suffer the same irritations I do.

Like Rivershredder, I find a headlamp and battery system on an elastic strap inherently less stable and more likely to cause problems than a hard-mounted headlamp. If the strap catches on something, the beam may become skewed and require readjustment. Or the headlamp could find itself suddenly detached and airborne at a most inappropriate time. Tilting the headlamp beam - especially with a stiff bracket or gummed-up mechanism - might mean an awkward wobbling fight against the flex of the elastic strap. Likewise for switching the light on and off, and changing settings. Mounting a second or third light with additional straps adorning the helmet can further complicate the situation.

Minor issues perhaps, but all are eventually exacerbated as aging straps slowly lose their elasticity and start to sag and flop like flaccid cranial tripwires. Hard-mounting makes for a cleaner and less cluttered system.
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Re: Petzl Vertex blade mounts

Postby trogman » Dec 3, 2013 10:31 am

I find using zip-ties to be as close to hard-mounting as one can get, without using metal hardware such as nuts and bolts. I have my Sten mounted with 3 zip-ties that run through drilled holes in my helmet. The blade of the light is inserted behind the ties.This setup works fine for me. The battery is also held on by zip-ties. Heck, they use these things for handcuffs, so they are apparently very strong.

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Re: Petzl Vertex blade mounts

Postby Rivershredder » Dec 3, 2013 4:48 pm

NZcaver wrote:
GroundquestMSA wrote:
NZcaver wrote:Personally I'm not a fan of stretching elastic straps around my caving helmets.

Forgive me for being so dense, but... why?

I wouldn't say your question is a matter of density. You simply may not suffer the same irritations I do.

Like Rivershredder, I find a headlamp and battery system on an elastic strap inherently less stable and more likely to cause problems than a hard-mounted headlamp. If the strap catches on something, the beam may become skewed and require readjustment. Or the headlamp could find itself suddenly detached and airborne at a most inappropriate time. Tilting the headlamp beam - especially with a stiff bracket or gummed-up mechanism - might mean an awkward wobbling fight against the flex of the elastic strap. Likewise for switching the light on and off, and changing settings. Mounting a second or third light with additional straps adorning the helmet can further complicate the situation.

Minor issues perhaps, but all are eventually exacerbated as aging straps slowly lose their elasticity and start to sag and flop like flaccid cranial tripwires. Hard-mounting makes for a cleaner and less cluttered system.


Exactly
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Re: Petzl Vertex blade mounts

Postby NZcaver » Dec 3, 2013 7:25 pm

trogman wrote:I find using zip-ties to be as close to hard-mounting as one can get, without using metal hardware such as nuts and bolts. I have my Sten mounted with 3 zip-ties that run through drilled holes in my helmet. The blade of the light is inserted behind the ties.This setup works fine for me. The battery is also held on by zip-ties. Heck, they use these things for handcuffs, so they are apparently very strong.

Good idea, and I might well do the same if I was a Stenlight owner. I'm also a fan of zip ties, but using screws and bolts for certain mounting applications allows me to fix and remove hardware without cutting and replacing zip ties. To each his own.
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