new BD headlamp=piece of junk

Allen Hart wrote:And it's a pretty freaking basic skill to be able to store an object so it doesn't turn itself on. Kind of like being able to keep your down dry. One method that comes to mind is putting it in the top of your pack, uncompressed, where it belongs.

I guess you never max out the capacity of your pack then. I'm not retarded - the thing always manages to rotate its way into getting turned on nonetheless. And yes, you can flip a battery or store your batteries outside the headlamp. OR buy a better headlamp. I've seen both partners and randoms hiking with the random bright spot coming from their pack - it's always a BD torch.

Sean H wrote: I guess you never max out the capacity of your pack then. I'm not retarded - the thing always manages to rotate its way into getting turned on nonetheless. And yes, you can flip a battery or store your batteries outside the headlamp. OR buy a better headlamp. I've seen both partners and randoms hiking with the random bright spot coming from their pack - it's always a BD torch.

User error doesn't make it junk.

the problem with the spot is that it doesn't even have to be turned on to drain batteries. i have actually started keeping my 'emergency' ones in my climbing packs stored separately from the batteries to keep this from happening. i keep the empty headlamp in a ziploc bag with the 3 batteries bound together with some masking tape.

That makes the headlamp all but useless. Its dark and now you got to fumble around putting batteries in it. Poor design overall. That isn't user error.

Does anybody know of a headlamp with a good lock? We can all bitch about the BD lamps having a back lock, but it's not super useful (lol). I've been burned by my BD lamp turning on too, but I always carry extra batteries just in case.

The Petzl Nao has a bomber lock, but it's also a pretty big lamp so it's not the most versatile piece.

Allen Hart wrote:And it's a pretty freaking basic skill to be able to store an object so it doesn't turn itself on. Kind of like being able to keep your down dry. One method that comes to mind is putting it in the top of your pack, uncompressed, where it belongs.

You can't ensure that a headlamp won't flip around so that the button points down toward other items in the pack. Unless you futz with the batteries there is no way to guarantee a BD lamp won't turn on in the pack. Even in the top of your pack. Which if you're going fast many of us don't screw with lids on packs anyway.

I must ask, why not just leave your headlamp on your helmet? My headlamp is a fenix HL30 (not great cant reccomend), it has no lock of any kind and it's never accidentally turned on in the pack. Now some of you might say "what's the point in paying allot of money for a light weight helmet if you have a headlamp on it all the time" so as far as comfort goes i wear a petzl meteor at 220g and if you used a headlamp of a similar weight of mine (86g) it still weighs less than a black diamond half dome and has allot more venting.

that guy named seb wrote:I must ask, why not just leave your headlamp on your helmet?

Because I don't wear my helmet on the approach and it goes in the top of my pack on the approach. I'm almost always off any rappels by dark, headlamps are just for the schlep in/out typically.

Would a solution to the lock problem be to unscrew the battery cap 1/4 turn or to put a piece of non-conductive plastic in one end of the battery compartment?

hmmm, my spots don't really have a battery compartment to unscrew (?). that sounds kind of like an old fashioned flashlight or something. i don't think the insulated tape would really work either.

the one thing with the whole storing the headlamp without batteries is that you have to plan ahead and get them in before it gets dark, otherwise it is a fiasco. even with a light on, it is hard to see which way to orient the pos and neg sides of the batteries.

i have no idea how you (seb) can tolerate it on your helmet 24/7. i hate having anything on my helmet. squeeze chimneys, whacking my head on roofs when i step up, etc - it seems like when i wear a helmet i smack my head a lot more. i would probably destroy more poor headlamp in a few pitches.

slim wrote: i have no idea how you (seb) can tolerate it on your helmet 24/7. i hate having anything on my helmet. squeeze chimneys, whacking my head on roofs when i step up, etc - it seems like when i wear a helmet i smack my head a lot more. i would probably destroy more poor headlamp in a few pitches.

I never wear my helmet for squeeze chimneys it simply is to bulky (not that they are common in the uk), how often to do you hit the front of your helmet on rock? because the padding on a helmet in the front is less than a few centimeters, do you hit your forehead allot when you don't. People end up headbutting the rock with the tops and sides of their helmets but not the front.

slim wrote:hmmm, my spots don't really have a battery compartment to unscrew (?). that sounds kind of like an old fashioned flashlight or something

Actually, several dedicated light manufacturers like Nitecore, Zebralight, and I think Pellican make some very good modern head lamps with screw caps for exactly the reasons people have cited. you can turn them out 1/4 turn so that the cap doesn't make electrical contact, but it is still on tightly enough you don't have to worry about it coming off. The cap doesn't turn the light on though. It just acts as a lock. To turn them on you use a button just like all of the other lamps.

Many of these lights have already been mentioned up thread.

man, when i have a helmet on i am always whacking my head (front, side, top, back, etc). i think it limits my peripheral vision quite a bit or something. sunday, i stood up and whacked my head. i looked up expecting to see a roof. there was literally nothing - i have no idea what i even ran into. doh!

...unfortunately, the spots don't really have this screw top function. that would be really handy though.

so, last night i went down to the garage to clean out my pack from last weekend. i used my headlamp sunday night, but didn't take the batteries out. i KNOW that i locked the button though. DAMMIT! the thing was on in my pack. UGGGHHHH!!!

so, i figured i would go check my other headlamps. i had one in my desert haulbag that i put fresh batteries into back around thanksgiving, but didn't ever use. it was off, which was good, but when i turned it on it gave the low battery blinking, which was bad. hmmm. this is going to take a lot of discipline. :(

Nick Drake wrote: Because I don't wear my helmet on the approach and it goes in the top of my pack on the approach. I'm almost always off any rappels by dark, headlamps are just for the schlep in/out typically.

Wearing your helmet on the approach saves valuable pack space which might accidentally turn your headlamp on. I'm with seb on this one.