A combination of LED and Halogen options promises to make for a near ideal mountaineering head torch
|
Lucido T61 Head Torch - First
Look
|
|
|
Price:
£59.99
|
|
Weight: 170 grammes (including 3
AA batteries)
|
|
Features: Six high
efficiency white LEDs plus one Halogen bulb, red-flashing
rear LED on battery pack, multi-functional settings
including SOS strobe setting, remote battery pack,
showerproof, reversible housing with automatically locked
off position, 'weather resistant' with O-ring-sealed battery
box.
|
|
Light but highly adaptable
 Plastic
feels slightly brittle
|
The new generation of LED torches are light, robust and have
fantastic battery life, but they have one major drawback - the light
they produce is a bright, but relatively small unfocussed pool.
That's great for general use including most walking, cooking, reading
and so on, but not so hot if you're trying to sketch out a climbing
or scrambling line in the dark.
|
|
Central pod holds halogen bulb
with three LEDs on each side
you can have either or, but not both
simultaneously
|
Which is why Lucido has come up with the T61. It's a seemingly
endlessly adjustable combination of LED and halogen lights that mean
you can have your cake and eat it too. There are no fewer than six
LEDs on the T61 and in the middle, a single halogen bulb. The lights
are controlled by two rubber shrouded buttons and offer three main
options:
Three Modes...
• Economy mode with two LEDs. Maximises battery life to a
claimed 300 hours, okay for reading and close-up work.
• Power mode with six LEDs. Big pool of bright white light.
Best LED illumination we've seen so far and well up to most normal
use. We guess battery life should be 100 hours (one third of
above)
• Halogen mode. Uses single bulb to produce proper, piercing
beam for looking up at rocks and working out where you're trying to
go. Claimed battery life is 3.5 hours.
|
|
Battery box can either clip to
the rear of the elasticated headband
where the red LED is visible to following things or sit
remotely
|
You can't use the Halogen and LEDs simultaneously, but there wouldn't
be much point anyway. You also get a cunning six LED 'S-O-S' strobe
setting mode and there's a red LED at the rear of the battery housing
for safety when walking, running or biking on the road at night. You
can also get a visual indication of the battery life remaining by
pressing both buttons, which is handy.
In fact there are so many options it can get a bit confusing, but
the bottom line is that you're getting the best of both worlds: low
battery consumption LEDs when you prefer, but still the option of a
high-powered beam if you need it and with the power source being
three AAs, it's no problem to carry a spare set.
And The Rest
The cunning stuff doesn't stop with bulb permutations - the
housing can be rotated 180 degrees, so not only is the light
adustable, the plastic bulb cover and bulbs are also protected and
the light is automatically switched off to prevent accidental
activation in transit.
|
|
Lens unit can be reversed for
transit which avoids scratches but
also swtiches the lamp off to avoid battery
wastage
|
The battery housing can either be clipped onto the back of the
headband Petzl Zoom-stylee, or unclipped and carried in a chest
pocket for warmth in extreme conditions. The coil-type, telephone
style cable on our test torch is a llittle short, meaning you need a
chest pocket and the cable can pull as you turn your head. We reckon
it needs to be slightly longer.
The batteries used are the popular AA Walkman-sized ones and are
easy to find virtually anywhere worldwide, which is a definite
plus.
Our only real reservation is over the robustness of the plastic.
We threw Black Diamond's Moonlight out of a second floor window onto
rocks twice without causing damage, but the Lucido's plastic feels
more brittle and we're reluctant to try the same trick until we've
tested it properly, so you'll have to wait and see for now.
|
Verdict: At a nubbin under 60
quid, the T61 isn't exactly cheap, but effectively you're
getting two torches in one, or possibly three, or four given
all the modes, with a choice between a high penetration
Halogen beam, or a more generalised LED illumination. Ideal
for mountaineering use, it's the most versatile head torch
we've ever used and the lightness and good battery life in
LED mode are a big bonus.
Most of the time the six LED setting is
more than adquate, but it's reassuring knowing that you can
pop on the Halogen if you need to see further. The buttons
are easy to use even with gloves and though the unit is
tagged as 'weather resistant' rather than proof, it survived
a good session under a running tap without water penetrating
the battery box or lens unit. Which leaves the question of
how tough the casing is. We'll let you know, but in normal
use, it should be fine.
|
|
Pushed for time:
Cunning combination of LED and Halogen bulbs with more
settings than a top end VCR makes this a near ideal
mountaineering torch. LEDs give close-up light and low power
consumption, Halogen for a route-finding, more penetrating
beam . The six LED setting is more than enough for most
situations though. Lots of other neat features like an SOS
setting and a rear-facing red LED on the battery box. You
can also stow the batteries remotely next to the body for
warmth in extreme conditions. Weather resistance seems good,
only slight doubt is over how tough the plastic housing is.
Watch this space.
|
Know more or want to?
If you'd like to add your own experiences of this product check
out our user review system and post your opinions to the world. If
you have questions you can mail
us direct, ask
Richard Gear or try a posting to our gear
forum.
