Gear

Been using one since Xmas for running up the hills at night and been very pleased with it.

Light output is good and the variable settings very useful. On its highest setting its throwing out just enough light to properly go for it downhill and can climb with it on its lowest setting. With a decent set of AA NiMh getting well over an hour on its highest setting before it starts blinking(ie 20 mins to go) so for most runs it does fine on the one set of batteries and easy enough to pack a set of spares. Just trying it with a set of Lithium AA's at the moment to see how they last.

Puzzled - how does "well over an hour on its highest setting before it starts blinking" square with the "72 hours on high" claim stated in the review?

Hoping you can shed some light....
(Sorry)

There is detailed advice at www.candlepowerforums.com, in particular http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=96493&highlight=Apex+runtime

The OM review figures quoted for battery life (72 hrs / 150 hrs) are probably the rather meaningless figures often stated by manufacturers when light output falls below a defined, but very low, level.

The OM review refers in passing to the fact that the Apex (like the Silva L1, but unlike the Petzls) is a regulated light. "Regulated" does not mean the capacity to switch between different levels of brightness. What it means is that, for the chosen brightness, output is held more or less constant during battery depletion, until a stage when the regulation cannot be sustained, at which point the output sags. The figure in excess of an hour quoted by John is when the regulation cuts out with his batteries, using the highest brightness setting.

That said, John's "well over an hour" using NiMH does not seem to be a good figure. The above report at candlepowerforums claims that regulation (on max 3 watt output) lasts for 3½ hrs using 2500 mAh NiMH batteries. (The theoretical maximum for 4 batteries @ 2500 mAh @ 1.2 volts would be 4 hrs at 3 watts).

There is evidence that 4 AA alkaline batteries will struggle to maintain the current required to generate 3 watts. Regulated output may last for only 1 - 1½ hrs. For 3 watt output, NiMH or lithium batteries seem to be a better bet.

The OM review refers to the absence of a remote battery box, and the consequences for use at low temperatures. Certainly, alkalines are useless when it is cold. But some NiMH batteries perform well. -20 deg C is quoted by at least one manufacturer. And AA lithiums (L91) are designed for discharge down to -40 deg C.

Thanks Jack, much more detailed a response than I'd expected, and it all begins to make more sense.

I have seen the information on candlepowerforums myself(it was actually after reading some threads on there when thinking about a Silva L1 that I decided to go for the Apex)and have expected a little more at full power from the Apex when using NiMhs.

There are a few factors at play; a)been running at night up the hills in Scotland so often sub-zero temps, b)new NiMhs so perhaps not at full recharge cycle (btw they are Vapex 2500s which I have been led to believe are good), c)I cycle between all light settings frequently on a run which may have a bearing on battery life according to the enclosed information, d)real world useage, not found a lot on candlepowerforums referring to real world useage, all seems to be done in the garden or garage!

Very, very pleased with the light, used it perhaps 15 or so times since I've had it and its far easier to use than my old method of a hand held 5W Vistalite bike light(and far brighter).

Of the people I run with the only lights that are outperforming my Apex are the Silva highpowered 10w and 20 w systems.

Strange thing that is happening with the current batteries, Energizer Lithium AA's, is that after my first run with them the battery indicator showed that I had less than 50% power left but during the second run it went up above 50% and is currently still there!

I've heard that lithiums don't give meaningful readings with battery power indicators - same sort of thing happens if you use them in GPSs.