Black Diamond torches?

S

sideshow

New member
Hi, very occasional caver here replacing my headtorch for other outdoor stuff but keen to get something that is considered cave worthy at least as a back up light.

Do any of you lot use black diamond torches? The Ion is comparable to Petzl Tikka in terms of brightness and has a higher waterproof rating (ip8 rather than ip4), but feels flimsier in the shop. What do we reckon, better option for a wet cave or likely to destroy itself the first time you bang your helmet on something?
 
M

markpot

Member
As topimo said,have a look at fenix,very robust and very capable lights at a fair price,I have been using one as a back up for a while now,very impressed.
 
S

sideshow

New member
Look great though no medium brightness (20 lumen ish) mode and as far as I can see only available by international shipping, alas I need one sooner than that! restricting myself to walk in shops it's probably petzl or black diamond... petzl have long been used by cavers, black diamond less so hence the question.
 
M

markpot

Member
As Mr Mike said or petzl pixa 3.both would serve you well .where are you based?hitch and hike and caving supplies stock both and have a swift delivery service.failing that have a look at Roy fellows dragon or basic,very good and great value.
 
Antwan

Antwan

Member
You can buy the fenix from either of the sites sponsors (inglesport or starless river) the hl50 is bomb proof and gets a thumbs up from me and the 900lumen burst mode is very useful above ground for route finding
 
CatM

CatM

Moderator
Another recommendation for fenix. They do a fairly large range so you should be able to find something to suit your needs/budget.

I currently use an hp25 as my main light, and before that used an hp10. I also have an hl23 as a back up.

Their lights are well built, waterproof (enough), good battery life, have a variety of light outputs and are overall great value for money :)

There are plenty of UK stockists so you ought to be able to get hold of one relatively quickly.

As for black diamond... Don't really know I'm afraid. I did buy one for caving years ago but promptly lost it when it fell off my helmet oops (needless to say I attach lights a bit more securely now...)

Sent from my XT1039 using Tapatalk
 
aricooperdavis

aricooperdavis

Moderator
I have had the Black Diamond Icon 2016 (the 320 lumen one) for about a year and it's a great torch.

It's bomb proof (IPx7), has great battery life, and I can switch out batteries with other club members who have Pixas. I abused it a bit too much and ended up breaking a small nut which attaches the light to the head-strap (I got my head stuck in a hole and had to properly yank it out, so I don't blame the torch).

I told Black Diamond this and they sent me the updated version free of charge as a goodwill measure. This new one is 500 lumen and IP67, so a great upgrade, and I was really impressed with their service. (y)

I am particularly fond of the little charge indicator light you get when you turn the torch on, and I look forward to playing with my new one properly this weekend!
 
aricooperdavis

aricooperdavis

Moderator
I took some photos for you; the first one shows the break that happened with the first one, and the rest show it on my helmet. The last photo shows the cable between the battery box and the torch - it has a waterproof connection and comes with a belt/harness attachment and extended cable if you want to have it on a battery belt instead of on your head.

 
mrdetail

mrdetail

Member
I have a Fenix as backup - especially like the USB charging feature on mine. Ensures I can keep it topped up charged in the car.
 
Madness

Madness

New member
I've got a Fenix HP12 and it's great head torch. Well balanced with battery at rear of head, well made (robust), good range of settings. I'm not sure how the cable connecting the battery to the lamp would last if used regularly in caves. Having said that, the Petzl Duo seems to manage okay. For caving I'd probably go for the HL55 which has the battery integral to the lamp.
 
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