LED Head lamp question

[BeninVA]

I am considering picking up a LED headlamp and I have been doing a little homework on 2 models that I am considering. Reviewers for both indicate that a red LED or some kind of red filter would be something the manufacturer should consider for an improvement. What is the purpose of the color red added to the light? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Appreciate any input. Thanks!

 

[ripple]

Red light does not diminish ones night vision. Advantage would be when you turn off the light you won't have to wait until your eyes adjust to the darkness. I can't think of a disadvantage as long as it is just a red cover that comes on and off, or the ability to turn off the red light option. I don't believe a red light throws a beam as far as white light, but w/ LED s you don't get much distance anyway.

 

[stoopid]

but w/ LED s you don't get much distance anyway.

I have to disagree there. With fresh batteries (3 AAA) my petzl sees as far as my eyes or forest allow.

Red light is also more "efficient" as a single blub option to use it around camp and such for basic tasks.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

I didn't see the review that you are talking about but, the only reason for red light that I can think of is to preserve ones night vision.

There are several small lights that are available with red leds that you could buy seperately if you were worried about this.

The infiinity light has a red led as an option.

Having used red filtered lights tactically for 3 years in the army. I wouldn't want to walk with a red led headlamp at night. I also wouldn't want to read a book with a red led light. I don't know how useful or important such an "improvement" would be.

I recently bought a Yukon HL Princeton Tec headlamp. One high output LED and 3 lower output leds that are switchable with fantastic output with a very white light. I haven't read these opinions but my opinion is that it is excellant.

Yukon HL


Just another comment. With the 1 watt high output LED on and focused. This light is much brighter and whiter than the Halogen bulb in the Petzl Duo that it replaced.

Keith

 

[BeninVA]

I did a google search on Black Diamond Moonlight reviews and Petzl Tikka plus reviews and saw some of the reviewers suggesting the red. I have never hiked with a red light and I did not know what the function of the red filter/light was. I was curious as to what benefit there would be. Thanks for all your input.

 

[ripple]

Hey Stoopid:

What petzel do you have? I use the aurora, and even w/ fresh batteries it does not throw the beam nearly as far as my old petzel zoom.

 

[Neil]

I did not know what the function of the red filter/light was.

You put it on backwards and use the red light when cycling at night.

 

[Remix]

I thought the red was to minimize bugs flying around your face.

 

[jbrown]

I have both hiked and run at night with my homemade red LED headlamp. My frontal vision was not markedly improved, but peripheral vision was exponentially better. The 626 nm wavelength of the red light will not affect the receptive ability of the rods in the retina, as they are not color receptors. That's about as much as I know.

 

[arghman]

Red light does not diminish ones night vision.

That's a really good idea! I've only had to use my headlamp (Petzl Tikka w/ white LEDs) a few times & remembered that my night vision suffered from the nearby bright light reflecting off my hiking pole, shoes, etc.

A red filter is a stupid idea though, you're paying much more for white LEDs and throwing away a lot of the light output. Red LEDs would be cheaper & more energy-efficient & they can make red & orange LEDs much brighter than other colors.

 

[JimB]

I have a Ray-o-vac headlight that has a white led, red led and a white regular lightbulb that I purchased for 12.00 at a local electrical supply store. I have seen the same lamp at Walmart for the same price. It takes 3 AAA batteries and is a pretty good little light for the price. I use it mostly as a backup light for my mt bike night rides. When your 15 watt Night Sun goes dead 5 miles from the car it can get a little freaky

 

[stoopid]

What petzel do you have? I use the aurora, and even w/ fresh batteries it does not throw the beam nearly as far as my old petzel zoom.

I believe I have the Tikka (paid like $30-35 for it at EMS last year).

I tested it while camping at lake colden this past summer looking for bears, estimate I get a good 100 yards (300 feet) of reflectivity and 100-200 feet of visible light on fresh batteries. More than enough, IMO, for night hiking. Headlamps (led or otherwise) are only designed to see the trail. If you really need to light up the night you'll have to start a forest fire, and we all kinda frown on that .

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Some eye info.
The cones are responsible for color/high resolution sight. They reside primarily in the central focus area at the center of the retina and is what is normally used when using vision in normal day to day activities.

The rods are responsible for night vision with the creation of something called visual purple. The rods only allow lower resolution sight and only grey scale, no color vision. Visual purple allows your rods to work more effectively in low light conditions. White light destroys visual purple. Red light doesn't. It takes a good 10 minutes to generate a fair amount of visual purple and you get more with more time up to about a half an hour I believe. In order to get the full effect of your night vision you must actually look 10 to 20 degrees of the axis of what you are looking at. You may notice that you can see something at night, but then when you look directly at it, it disappears. This is because you changed your focus from the night seeing rods to the non night seeing cones.

Before we were handed Night vision devices (NVD's) and infrared viewers Scouts in the Army (11D) were taught this method of night vision. With some practice it is amazing how much you can see in low light conditions. The "trick" is to force yourself from looking directly at the object. Look all around the object instead. It's not normal, but it works very well if mastered.

Keith
ex-Scout Sergeant

 

[Mark]

Interesting stuff, SAR-EMT40. I will have to check this out next time I'm in the dark.

 

[JimB]

In the "Teachings of Don Juan"( I'm not sure which book of the series) the old guy is teaching Carlos how to trap a mt lion in the dark as training to meet mescalito. It is pitch dark in the desert and he teaches him to continuosly move his eyes around to "see" in the darkness. At the time(many years ago) I tried it and it worked for me. I continue to spend many hours in the woods in the darkness and many times a light is not necessary by practicing this true method.

 

[JimB]

This thread got the gears turning in my head so I had to go out and do a comparison test. Last Sunday I hiked my favorite local trail which I do on the average of once a week year round. On this trip I installed little reflectors which I had purchased at Dick’s sporting goods on the trees at about 50 foot intervals so I could make my night time ski trips easier. They are about ½ inch square and mount on the side of the tree so they work in both directions.

I arrived at the trail head tonight well after dark and proceeded up the trail. I had my Ray-o-Vac Sportsman( mentioned in a previous post) and my Aurora by Princeton Tec. I alternated between the white and red LEDs at first then left on the red one for most of the hike. With the white light you can see a little farther but things look more black and white and you can only see right where you are looking. With the red light I was more aware of the surroundings and I could always see the stars and the slice of moon through the trees. The reflectors looked like little red LEDs on the trees as I hiked and the leaves on the ground seemed more colorful compared to the greys with the other light. The krypton mode of the Sportsman light seemed like a light house after the red light and had a range almost equal to the low beams on my van. It would be suitable for skiing or biking though the battery life is greatly reduced I’m sure. The Aurora and the Ray-o-Vac in white LED mode were identical.

I had never tried the red mode much until now and I think I might keep using it till the snow comes and I start skiing. The red light would be quite easy to outrun with a good glide.

 

[BeninVA]

That was very help for me. Thanks!

 

[bridgeman]

I can't comment on the red led function, but while running last night in a light mist and fog with my Black diamond moonlight (5 led), I noticed that the range was very limited.

Has anyone else experienced poor visibility with the LED's during rain. snow, drizzle, fog, etc.

 

[Oldsmores]

...Has anyone else experienced poor visibility with the LED's during rain. snow, drizzle, fog, etc.

I've experienced poor visibility with incandescent headlamps in snow and fog. LED's may be a little worse because they tend to be a more diffuse light, but I don't think any light will cut through heavy snow or fog. Actually, I find hiking in heavy snowfall with a headlamp very disorienting...

 

[charlos]

when in red mode you can carry on conversations with friends without blinding them