What's about?

I currently use a fenix HL55 which I do love and I know its more than enough really. However, the kit whore in me lusts hard for a scurion. The bank account says no.

So, I've seen thinks light the earthworm, the rude Nora, or something like that. What else is put there like that?

Should I just sell a kidney and save for a scurion?

Or, should I just shut up and stick with the fenix?

In my opinion, the Scurion is better than any other light.

benshannon said:

What's about?

I currently use a fenix HL55 which I do love and I know its more than enough really. However, the kit whore in me lusts hard for a scurion. The bank account says no.

So, I've seen thinks light the earthworm, the rude Nora, or something like that. What else is put there like that?

Should I just sell a kidney and save for a scurion?

Or, should I just shut up and stick with the fenix?

Click to expand...

Roy Fellows on here does a really good one 

Can you try someone-elses helmet on next time you're underground? I think the weight and balance on the helmet is a significant factor that often gets overlooked in favour of lumens and run-time.

If you do go for a light with a seperate battery pack e.g. Scurion you'll generally get a better beam shape, battery life, and max brightness, but it'll be at the expense of weight, price, and robustness. Then you have to balance price with features and reliability when choosing manufacturers.

Personally I went for an El Speleo Terra - I don't regret it but it's definitely not clear cut that it was a better choice than a Fenix HL55!

Paul Marvin said:

benshannon said:

What's about?

I currently use a fenix HL55 which I do love and I know its more than enough really. However, the kit whore in me lusts hard for a scurion. The bank account says no.

So, I've seen thinks light the earthworm, the rude Nora, or something like that. What else is put there like that?

Should I just sell a kidney and save for a scurion?

Or, should I just shut up and stick with the fenix?

Click to expand...

Roy Fellows on here does a really good one 

Click to expand...

I dont push them on here, but if you want to take a look its www.ledcaplamps.com
Check out the Scorpion X at ?125

Another factor has also got to be price . That Scorpion X is great value for money ! 

Without trying to blatantly advertise Roy's work. How many non cave divers need (need not want) anything more than a dragon?  Toggle switch down to walk, up for a photo, in the middle to eat lunch or talk to others. Simple..

Roy's Dragons are wonderful, and fabulous value for money. To be honest, when I first saw inside a Scurion battery pack I was shocked, for the price. Maybe they've improved it now, but it looked well dodgy, with flimsy wires boinging out - or not, if you needed them to. I don't really get what the appeal is personally - for the price. The Dragon can light up Titan fine, and there's not much larger than that where I live.

I figured that a Scurion is pretty good value once you consider the lifespan and they are a true pleasure to cave with. In 5 years, I've never had so much as a flicker from mine. Always does exactly what you expect, every time.
I can't say the same for any other lamp I've used, but perhaps that takes some of the excitement out of caving... :-\

Cantclimbtom said:

Without trying to blatantly advertise Roy's work. How many non cave divers need (need not want) anything more than a dragon?  Toggle switch down to walk, up for a photo, in the middle to eat lunch or talk to others. Simple..

Click to expand...

I was taught at a very early age to know the difference to want and need . 

I have had a Scurion 1500 for 8 years and it is flawless. It is warm white and the very wide flood is like using a very bright carbide. It is the cheese. Batteries still work fine too. I have made some more batteries myself quite easily.  I would suggest that the Scurion 900 is maybe the best option for the UK as it has the more powerful flood compared to the 700 (I would buy a 900 if I had to get another). The engineering looks pretty good. Mine has an extra heatsink which I have left off to date. I bought mine out of a transfer allowance as I convinced myself I "needed" it given how big the caves were where I was going - somehow it seemed like free money, but they are not cheap.

We have a bag of carbide generators, but more usefully two Explorers with older Duo white inserts, they work as per the tin and I have no issue (using 4x2500mAH AA's). I then made another one for my wife with the newer V42 warm white insert and a 3x18500 6000mAH battery which is perfect, it is light and on flood has a choice between 8 or 16 hours (0.7 or 0.35A draw). The flood has a lense which makes it more focussed than mine, but it works well. I made several single 18650 3500mAH spare batteries which fit OK (unlike a twin). It is the only cheaper warm white option I know of. I have never managed to break an Explorer/Duo/Ecrin in 20 years, I wore out the older one with the black Zoom. You can currently buy the Basic Duo 3000k insert for ?25, which does seem a bit of a bargain if you have a Duo somewhere, and I would use that over any Fenix personally for normal caving.

I'll throw a vote in for Roy Fellows' lamps.  I've been using one of his Oldham based Ecostar lamps since 2010 / 2011.  It recently went back for a replacement LED which Roy sorted out for ?20 including postage.  Roy's customer service is second to none and, for me, that is a big deal.

The main consideration for me, once reliability is ticked off, is bulk, or rather lack of it.  So I use an integral battery Fenix with no battery pack on the back, and minimal forward projection.

The next feature I want is the ability to easily rotate the light for flat out crawls: I'm not much interested in what is 6" in front of my nose, I want to see along the passage! 

I have used a Sten for years ... but ... I can't get a Sten 7 from the States (tried and failed)

So, what would be the best recommendation for a lamp that beats the Sten 3 and weighs about the same (ie. two batteries, not four)

I don't know which Fenix or, better still, which one of Roy's beats the Sten in performance and weighs comparably.

Weight matters to me (I know we are all different) but because I am not very tall, I don't want a battery pack on my head that is heavier than me  :spank: :spank: :spank:

Ian

I use a Sten or one of Roy's Dragons, on two separate helmets, depending what I'm doing. The Sten for me has the best light reflector/beam I've ever seen - it literally has no border, is very wide, and evenly bright with no spot. It's not that powerful these days though, so I use it in smaller caves or mines, or when I have to do bolting/repair work where good illumination close-up on a low brightness is paramount - it's a good reading/changing light for the same reason! For larger caves and mines or for exploration I use the Dragon, for its more powerful beam and the footlight LED, especially when clambering over boulders. I enjoy it, but I'd hate to bust my ankle.

They're both running identical battery packs (from Roy), so weigh the same - i.e. not much at all. Now Roy can service the cables, the Sten has a new lease of life

benshannon said:

What's about?

I currently use a fenix HL55 which I do love and I know its more than enough really. However, the kit whore in me lusts hard for a scurion. The bank account says no.

So, I've seen thinks light the earthworm, the rude Nora, or something like that. What else is put there like that?

Should I just sell a kidney and save for a scurion?

Or, should I just shut up and stick with the fenix?

Click to expand...

I have currently a scurion 1500. But if i had to buy an new one today then I would have some doubts.

- The new style battery pack of the scurion sometimes has problems with the connections. Especially when you hit the helmet on the rocks
- in the lowest setting, the scurion 1500 has an annoying sound.

Some other options
- Phaethon (http://www.phaethoncavinglight.com/phaethon.html)
- Elspeleo (http://www.elwork-speleo.hr/Index.aspx?l=EN)

The biggest advantage that speaks for the Phaethon is that this lamps works with lose battery cells.

Br

I like the idea of the Stoots Caldera lamp.

Ian Ball said:

I like the idea of the Stoots Caldera lamp.

Click to expand...

Stoots lamps are very lightweight lamps. A few members of my club use the stoots lamps already for years. Even on mutli day expeditions trips in the Anialarra system.

Stoots : https://www.stootsconcept.fr/

My only reason for not getting one is the battery connection looks too exposed for wet trips, what's your opinion Leclused?

I dont see any mention on here of Biffs Rude Nora.
Without knocking the Scurion, I do have to say that it is equal on quality, and beats the Scurion of specs - price for price.
I have also heard that the Scurion Basic battery pack is not exactly watertight.

The reality is that people purchase a product for all kinds of reasons. My purchasing is based on logical comparison with consideration for other factors such as after sales support if relevant, and longevity.

What I find odd is the number of people who use cheap, ?20 ish, Chinese head torches, bearing in mind that your headtorch is the second most important piece of equipment. This seems silly when you only have to pay a bit more for say a Fenix.