Soapbox

Simo wrote (see)

The Buttered Crumpet wrote (see)

I like that, Simo. I walk in the dark a lot, and as a consequence have the best illumination I can get my hands on. The trouble is that it's just like sex.... when you've had a good one that outshines everything else, it's hard to make do with the cheaper versions.

Watch it with the sex analogy, some people on here would prefer head torches to sex.

Oh no, now I'm having visions of people writhing around in Anology fabrics under a 100 lumen strobe..........

The Buttered Crumpet wrote (see)

Simo wrote (see)

The Buttered Crumpet wrote (see)

I like that, Simo. I walk in the dark a lot, and as a consequence have the best illumination I can get my hands on. The trouble is that it's just like sex.... when you've had a good one that outshines everything else, it's hard to make do with the cheaper versions.

Watch it with the sex analogy, some people on here would prefer

head torches to sex.

Oh no, now I'm having visions of people writhing around in Anology fabrics under a 100 lumen strobe..........

I have that dream most nights too.

back to the Alpkit Gamma.

this week I had a Night nav assessment - with added rain and dense fog. (6hours)

The 2 main beams on the Gamma were unuseable in those conditions  - like using main beam on the car in fog - too much reflection. 

The instructors Petzl Myo punched through the fog 

as did the hand torch I also had with me (thank goodness)- which was this

Cheap Cree

body machining low quality, and limited to full main beam or (strobe ?!).   But the LED was very good.

The Gamma was fine on the low level LED for just walking, but no good for picking anything out very far away.  The rear LED was useful.  The green and red front LEDS useless for serious mapreading/nav IMO - you need a white light really.   Red = no contours, green = no/v. low level blue grid lines. 

Nope - the Gamma was shite on Main beam in very dense fog compared to the Cheaper Cree torch - wherever held.

You don't think that with an assessment going on, I wouldn't have tried all the options?

edit - sure -the gamma would give better results held lower, but I needed a headtorch for looking at map/compass/feet

As I said - the instructors Petzl MYO was better, as were lower powered headtorch LED's were more useful than the Gamma on main beam as a headtorch in dense fog, in darkness.

Mole wrote (see)

  The green and red front LEDS useless for serious mapreading/nav IMO - you need a white light really.   Red = no contours, green = no/v. low level blue grid lines. 

To date everyone has poopooed me when I have said that. Welcome to the brotherhood, Mole

yeah - the Gamma is new to me too - so never tried coloured lights before - gave both red and green about 10 seconds - next to useless.

I'm sure red works well with less detailed maps such as marine charts, otherwise sailors wouldn't use them.

MYO XP2 is a superb night nav tool Mole. I keep a Petzl ultralight in the sack while teaching, I pull it out to illustrate the surrounding terrain. It's no good stating that this or that or the other is on the ground when nobody can see it

The Ultralight illuminates beyond 'normality'.

I reckon it would be fairly obvious that a red light would be crap for picking out what are basically red (brown as a colour is made up mostly of red) contours on a map. Great for blue lines whereas a green light (being a mixed colour with mostly blue) would be crap but pretty good for contours.

Mole, I have had the same experience as you with my £7.99 Cree headtorch which in clear conditions has a throw of at least 100 meters. The beam is a bit tight, though and there is a noticeable reduction in range after about 3 hours continuous use on full power. It is brilliant at cutting through fog and mizzle on new batteries.

Another thing on the Birthday list then Bluff

woozle wrote (see)

Nope - the Gamma was shite on Main beam in very dense fog compared to the Cheaper Cree torch - wherever held. You don't think that with an assessment going on, I wouldn't have tried all the options? Was the Cree a narrower beam perhaps? The Gamma is quite wide. Not sure what you would or wouldn't have tried. Depends on how much you know or don't know.

not sure what you are trying to say there

Yes the Gamma has a wide beam - also a Luxeon LED (as was my previous 'bright' headtorch)- which has different light giving characteristics to a CREE LED (and whatever the Petzl MYo uses) that's why it it is a poor performer as a headtorch in dense fog .

Mal Mawr wrote (see)

I reckon it would be fairly obvious that a red light would be crap for picking out what are basically red (brown as a colour is made up mostly of red) contours on a map. Great for blue lines whereas a green light (being a mixed colour with mostly blue) would be crap but pretty good for contours.

Mole, I have had the same experience as you with my £7.99 Cree headtorch which in clear conditions has a throw of at least 100 meters. The beam is a bit tight, though and there is a noticeable reduction in range after about 3 hours continuous use on full power. It is brilliant at cutting through fog and mizzle on new batteries.

Yep Mal - the beam was tight - my son will love it as a giant light sabre