Topic: Headlamp recommendations?

Figuring so many stories about overnight repairs at the track would result in plenty of experience with headlamps, I'm looking for opinions.

I recently saw a newfangled COB stripe headlamp that was pretty impressive, with I think a nice flood pattern. I don't remember if I asked the brand or not.

I've used AAA-powered LED headlamps for years, and also used rechargeable batteries with them.

I have a bike (bicycle) lamp set where each unit is USB rechargeable, which is kinda cool, and convenient.

Recognizing that at the track there will be charging options, varying amounts of light, and many repairs are done under the vehicle:

1. Do you like a battery pack on the side? back? front?

2. Rear facing red LED?

3. Rechargeable?

4. How important is runtime vs. lumens to you?

5. Is there a brightness that's too much?

Re: Headlamp recommendations?

Milwaukee M18 rocket light has sufficed for an entire night's worth of paddock lighting in my experience.

Have never seen too much brightness, YMMV with your paddock neighbors (see National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation)

Rechargeable is always the best.

Headlamps traditionally fall off when you bang your head on the steering rack crawling under the vehicle.

TL;DR - bring multiple lighting options and use what works best.

1989 Merkur XR4Ti: Project Merkur Space Program - Wins: Class C - Colonel and the Sinkhole 2023 | "Heroic Fix" The Pitt Maneuver 2023 | "Halloween Meets Gasoline" The Pitt Maneuver 2022
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Re: Headlamp recommendations?

KeiCarMike wrote:

Milwaukee M18 rocket light has sufficed for an entire night's worth of paddock lighting in my experience.

  I have DeWalt; no matter what, I'm NOT drinking Merlot! Or buying yet another battery tool set, but I'll look for the equivalent. I think there's a charging attachment for the battery packs - I forgot about that

KeiCarMike wrote:

Have never seen too much brightness, YMMV with your paddock neighbors (see National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation)

   I, too, love being able to see what I'm doing.

KeiCarMike wrote:

Rechargeable is always the best.

   Gotta love the Duracell for extended tent camping; yet that wasn't my question, I digress, and I think that question was answered above...

KeiCarMike wrote:

Headlamps traditionally fall off when you bang your head on the steering rack crawling under the vehicle.

   HA! This was me. That's the close clearance issue underneath the vehicle, where I'm wondering about the battery pack, and the rear red LED. I'm sure red LED is great for walking the dog and riding a bike, but I haven't yet tried it underneath a vehicle.

KeiCarMike wrote:

TL;DR - bring multiple lighting options and use what works best.

   Yes, and I'll also have charging options with the tow vehicle at the track.

I know they're inexpensive. I was thinking about buying them for each member of the team, just in case. I guess I'll get several different kinds of headlamps.

  Thanks!

Re: Headlamp recommendations?

When we first started doing this we had one Ryobi 18v flood light and one or two hand flashlights. It left a bit to be desired, mainly because we were always asking eachother for the flashlight and the flood light was annoying because if it's on one side you were being blinded by it and the other side you would shadow whatever you're working on.

Now, we added in a couple Ryobi area lights and an LED strip along the top edge of our trailer (stolen from what a lot of RV folks do) ... HUGE improvement. No shadowing, no blinding, and it gives us enough lighting everywhere to see what were doing, find tools, etc. It's just a nice all-around soft light that gives us enough to see, but doesn't let us see the details of how awful our work really is. We've got flashlights for the few times we want to see details.

Full Ass Racing
#455 Piñata Miata - 1990 Miata
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Re: Headlamp recommendations?

I absolutely love this thing. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q8 … &psc=1

Re: Headlamp recommendations?

Bricoop wrote:

I absolutely love this thing. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q8 … &psc=1

So: 1. back, and it's OK, 2. yes, 3. yes...

I've had several Energizer headlamps similar to this, but the batteries were integrated in the front - there wasn't a back pack, which is why I'm asking.

From your comments I'll assume clearance underneath a vehicle isn't an issue with this unit's battery pack on the back.

I didn't see any spec about lumens in their ad; any idea what the output range is?