Headlamp

REI Product Page



Alright - as I've been laid up the past couple days, I figure this is a perfect opportunity to delve into the mysterious world of backpacking gear for the first time in a few years. After all, I now NEED some things, cool gadget-ish things that I always want but don't buy because I don't really NEED them.

Except now... I do.

So, first out of the gate: a decent headlamp.

Man these things are WAY cheaper and better than they used to be! Funny what years of technological progress will eventually get you in consumer value!

So, why this one? After a bunch of reading, I seemed pretty settled on a hybrid incandescent/LED lamp. In terms of functionality, LEDs of course give you really long battery life (which is why they'll eventually take over industrial and home lighting in the future) but lag on throwing off volumes of light any kind of distance (why you aren't seeing LEDs in car headlights yet). So, a hybrid seemed the way to go.

However, reading enough reviews of the newer "super bright" LEDs pushed me in that direction... I figure how much light do I really need? I'll be packing a flashlight as well anyways, and the lighter weight / longer life seemed appealing.

So, I ended up with the headlamp pictured here. And of course, I had an REI coupon.