Favorite Helmet Mounted Lights And Why?

[gearbow]

I am just about to order my light monkey helmet. Looking for ideas on back up lights for mounting on helmet. With reasons why maybe you particulaly like them.

The lights I'm looking at are the 2 watt led lights also from light monkey. With mounting brackets. Are the mounts necessary? Entanglement Hazzard? Would backups that turn on with a button in back be easier to use than the twisting head?

 

[tbone1004]

depends on what you want to do with them. The LM lights are literally the front of a princeton tec with a delrin machined back end. If you're spending that much on lights, then these are brighter, use 18650's, and have the battery level indicator on the button
Cave Adventurers - Explorer back-up lights - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!
they are real slick lights, and I have mine bungeed to my helmet. The mounts are slick though and if you intend on removing them from the helmet regularly may be the better option. Mine is for cave diving, so they come off after every dive to change batteries since I use the video heads for my gopro, but they don't come off in the water.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S8Z7PZC...UTF8&colid=20R1B8EYPPCRL&coliid=IPJFBTD2D2FQT
I use these as my backup lights, but they don't come with batteries or a charger. I think this is actually a good thing because the batteries and chargers you can get are much better, i.e. panasonic cells instead of cheap chinese batteries and multi slot chargers.
http://www.amazon.com/NiteCore-D4-C...UTF8&qid=1457568836&sr=8-14&keywords=xtar+vc4
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TCRZDJA...TF8&colid=20R1B8EYPPCRL&coliid=I14R9ZK2I5I2WH

So you're looking at $200 for the rats, or $170 ish for the ones listed from amazon, but with that you have 4 18650's with legit panasonic cells, and a much better/brighter light if you're using them for primaries with a higher quality charger. The rats are still stupid simple reliable backup lights for caves and what not, but less than ideal for regular use. I do prefer the amazon lights to the CA's for helmet mount because the rear button push is easier than the head switch, but we're really splitting hairs. I do have a pair of the CA's in video spread and if you want the wide angle for that or gauge readers in sidemount, they are really slick

 

[Razorista]

I recently mounted the main light to the helmet with a swivel mount instead of the fixed pvc pipe clip, so there is only room left for a single backup on the right side.
Had to make some difficult choices, I carefully selected every light I own and miss a few of them now.

The one I kept is a SEAC R1. It is cheap, high quality and easy to replace at many local dive shops and also easy to find used somewhere outside shopping hours or when staying at remote dive locations.

It is also an 'unspectacular' choice.
I am not compelled to keep it because it is so good and won't miss it too much if I ever have to replace it with the first light I can get at the local dive store.

It is small, has few edges and is made from unneccessarily thick aluminum, virtually indestructible except for the switch at the back.
Uses a thick lens instead of a reflector. I my experience that is less likely to fail unexpectedly and very unlikely to flood.
Not very strong (just 350lumen, I think) but with a reliable focus point and no backscatter inducing corona, has a 50% setting and is long running on 3 simple AAA batteries even at full output.
It is the only light I use exclusively without rechargeable batteries, Energizer 1,5V lithium/photo-cells are my favorite at the moment, but too expensive for a light you might really use more than once every few dives for a few seconds and are only affordable because I exclusively use the light for the backup task.

 

[decompression]

Acouple of different mounting options (I got these from my friend Mike), a bungee mount and a hard friction mount.

 

[gearhound]

Hi Mike,
The Hollis Mini 3s are pretty good and available locally since the Canadian distributor is here in Calgary. They use readily available AAA batteries that you can find anywhere in the world for cheap. They're well built as I've banged mine around a lot and they still keep working. Looks like that's what Jay has mounted on his orange helmet above.
I have a Hog Morph that I like a lot too. Puts out a lot of light and the button switch is convenient. I've had the Light Monkey (Salvo back then) lights before they got stolen. They were nice too, but basically the same as the UK Q40, except the UK used cheaper AA batteries that again are available anywhere. The light itself is cheaper also (also stolen).
As you can see, battery availability is important to me. Whichever you get, get a matching set, as that'll cut down on the chargers that you have to travel with. I'm sure things have changed, but back when I did my cave training, rechargeable batteries for back up lights was not encouraged. But I think the technology for batteries has improved since then. Burn times are really good now with LEDs.

I prefer bungee mounts. KISS. No screws to lose. One less line entanglement hazard. And if it really comes down to it, I can remove the lights and get a smaller profile for squeezing through something. Saying that, lately I've been carrying my back ups in my butt pouch or thigh pockets.

P.S. Try on Charlene's Light Monkey helmet before you buy one. They fit small.

 

[Razorista]

One light I am seriously considering to replace my current one is the new Kowalski Pico XR.
Seems to be made for the purpose.
Slightly thicker at both ends and texturized in the middle, so it will not slip from the bungee mounts or move to much.
Switch on the side for four modes and the additional strobe and SOS require a different 2 second push, so it cannot switch to strope by accident as easily as others.

Comes with two different reflector heads (one spot, one flood) and the led itself is replaceable and upgradeable in the future as well (only one led module available atm).

It runs on either 3AAA in a clip or a single 26650 lithium cell.

There are several mounting devices offered with it, two of which would make a good helmet mount, but as mentioned it would work exceptionally well with bungee loop mounts.

I also recommend this light together with the Nano XR as miniature pocket backups to serve as rec sidemount primary light.
It even comes with a velcro soft goodman and colored rings for individualization and identification.

 

[gearbow]

I'm impressed by all your suggestions, thank you and keep em coming

 

[gearbow]

depends on what you want to do with them. The LM lights are literally the front of a princeton tec with a delrin machined back end. If you're spending that much on lights, then these are brighter, use 18650's, and have the battery level indicator on the button
Cave Adventurers - Explorer back-up lights - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!
they are real slick lights, and I have mine bungeed to my helmet. The mounts are slick though and if you intend on removing them from the helmet regularly may be the better option. Mine is for cave diving, so they come off after every dive to change batteries since I use the video heads for my gopro, but they don't come off in the water.

SecurityIng Waterproof 1000Lm XM-L2 U2-1A LED IP68 Diving Flashlight 250M Lighting Distance Maximum 150 Meters Underwater Distance with Magnetic Switch (Without Battery) - - Amazon.com
I use these as my backup lights, but they don't come with batteries or a charger. I think this is actually a good thing because the batteries and chargers you can get are much better, i.e. panasonic cells instead of cheap chinese batteries and multi slot chargers.
Amazon.com: NiteCore-D4+CAR-Adapter+BBOX-T Bundle Nitecore D4 Charger Integrated LCD Panel Display for Li-Ion Ni-MH Ni-Cd Batteries with EASTSHINE Car Adapter and EASTSHINE Battery Box: Electronics
3400mAh TWO 18650 PROTECTED Panasonic 18650 Rechargeable Battery - High Performance - 3.7 Volt - Dual Protection For High Performance Flashlights - - Amazon.com

So you're looking at $200 for the rats, or $170 ish for the ones listed from amazon, but with that you have 4 18650's with legit panasonic cells, and a much better/brighter light if you're using them for primaries with a higher quality charger. The rats are still stupid simple reliable backup lights for caves and what not, but less than ideal for regular use. I do prefer the amazon lights to the CA's for helmet mount because the rear button push is easier than the head switch, but we're really splitting hairs. I do have a pair of the CA's in video spread and if you want the wide angle for that or gauge readers in sidemount, they are really slick

I am seriously looking
EXPLORER BACK-UP LIGHTS WIDE AND NARROW ANGLES
main reason is that there is a indicator of battery lvl. I think that is a most excellent feature when you can never be sure how much battery you have left. even if you change battery with each use of back ups. But i want a compact battery that i hope to not ever use. So i will take a closer look.

 

[tbone1004]

they are identical to the Hog Morph lights for reference, just a lot cheaper... They are quite nice, I have a few of them in video heads

 

[gearbow]

I recently mounted the main light to the helmet with a swivel mount instead of the fixed pvc pipe clip, so there is only room left for a single backup on the right side.
Had to make some difficult choices, I carefully selected every light I own and miss a few of them now.

The one I kept is a SEAC R1. It is cheap, high quality and easy to replace at many local dive shops and also easy to find used somewhere outside shopping hours or when staying at remote dive locations.

It is also an 'unspectacular' choice.
I am not compelled to keep it because it is so good and won't miss it too much if I ever have to replace it with the first light I can get at the local dive store.

It is small, has few edges and is made from unneccessarily thick aluminum, virtually indestructible except for the switch at the back.
Uses a thick lens instead of a reflector. I my experience that is less likely to fail unexpectedly and very unlikely to flood.
Not very strong (just 350lumen, I think) but with a reliable focus point and no backscatter inducing corona, has a 50% setting and is long running on 3 simple AAA batteries even at full output.
It is the only light I use exclusively without rechargeable batteries, Energizer 1,5V lithium/photo-cells are my favorite at the moment, but too expensive for a light you might really use more than once every few dives for a few seconds and are only affordable because I exclusively use the light for the backup task.

What did you replace your primary with for helmet mount? I am also wondering if this might be a option for me as I like to film. I found this image.

That is a different helmet than Light Monkey as well I think.