I got a new headlamp from Japan. It's called "SnowMiner" (the Japanese name for the light is "Yuki Hotaru". Yuki means snow and hotaru means a firefly) from an outdoor gear / design company, Snow Peak.
My other light, Petzl e+LITE is working fine, but I find it is not bright enough to walk in dark especially on an unfamiliar bush track. On our last trip to Walpole, I had to find a way back to our camp in pitch black, and my Petzl e+Lite didn't give me enough light to place a next step without tripping over rocks and fallen branches.
I must say it is not e+Ltie's fault though. It is a nice lightweight headlamp, but it is just a small emergency light after all. It is not made to spot a drop bear hanging off the tree at night.
This new light is not only strong enough to find shining eyes of those bush animals, but it can transform into a hanging lantern to be used inside of my tent to read books or going through my backpack to find a missing toothbrush. By pushing its funny looking silicone bulb, I can choose between having a spot light for walking and a flood light for the lantern mode. I can hang it from the roof of my tent or tree using a little hook which attached on the belt. It is a quite cleaver design, I think.
The lantern mode. It creates a diffusing light for a happy tent life.
スノーピークのヘッドライトが届きました（英語では、SnowMinerと言う名前で売っています）。Petzl e+LITEは、小さくて軽くて良いのですが、やはりエマージェンシー用のライトでして、暗い山道などを歩くには、光源が足りません。この前のWalpoleの旅行の時も、暗くなるまで釣ってからキャンプ場まで真っ暗の中を帰らなくてはいけなかったのですが、e+LITEだけでは、暗すぎて足を木の根に引っ掛けたりと大変でした。
そこで、新しいヘッドライトを買う事になったわけです。このライトに決めた理由は、やはりヘッドライトにもランタンにも使える点です。PetzlのTikkaにしようかとも考えたのですが、e+LITEの弱点がスポットライトの機能が無い点だと思ったので、最終的には、同じくスポットライト機能が無いTikkaは止めようと思いました。
このライトは、リコン製の半球体のカバーをペコンと押し込む事で、集光と散光を選ぶ事ができます。PetzlやBlack Diamondのヘッドライトと比べて、デザイン的にも電球の様な形が面白いかと思います。
I must say it is not e+Ltie's fault though. It is a nice lightweight headlamp, but it is just a small emergency light after all. It is not made to spot a drop bear hanging off the tree at night.
This new light is not only strong enough to find shining eyes of those bush animals, but it can transform into a hanging lantern to be used inside of my tent to read books or going through my backpack to find a missing toothbrush. By pushing its funny looking silicone bulb, I can choose between having a spot light for walking and a flood light for the lantern mode. I can hang it from the roof of my tent or tree using a little hook which attached on the belt. It is a quite cleaver design, I think.
The lantern mode. It creates a diffusing light for a happy tent life.
スノーピークのヘッドライトが届きました（英語では、SnowMinerと言う名前で売っています）。Petzl e+LITEは、小さくて軽くて良いのですが、やはりエマージェンシー用のライトでして、暗い山道などを歩くには、光源が足りません。この前のWalpoleの旅行の時も、暗くなるまで釣ってからキャンプ場まで真っ暗の中を帰らなくてはいけなかったのですが、e+LITEだけでは、暗すぎて足を木の根に引っ掛けたりと大変でした。
そこで、新しいヘッドライトを買う事になったわけです。このライトに決めた理由は、やはりヘッドライトにもランタンにも使える点です。PetzlのTikkaにしようかとも考えたのですが、e+LITEの弱点がスポットライトの機能が無い点だと思ったので、最終的には、同じくスポットライト機能が無いTikkaは止めようと思いました。
このライトは、リコン製の半球体のカバーをペコンと押し込む事で、集光と散光を選ぶ事ができます。PetzlやBlack Diamondのヘッドライトと比べて、デザイン的にも電球の様な形が面白いかと思います。
This is on the headlamp mode. It gives a spot light on a bush track.
The headlamp has the light output of powerful 80 lumens on high setting and 8 lumens on low setting. I can actually change light intensity by holding the on / off switch (variable mode) to find a right amount of light I need. It also has a strobe mode which can be good for cycling.
While e+lite has a red light, SnowMiner only comes with a white bulb. This is not a good news for fellow fishing people. A red light is a handy option for fishing as we can retain our night vision.
By the way, here are specs of two lights (I also include Petzl Tekka Plus 2)
Snow Peak SnowMiner:
Light output: 80 lumens (max)
Bulb type: white
Lighting hours: 55 hours (high) / 140 hours (low)
Beam type: spot & flood
Power source: 3x AAA
Weight: 101g incl batteries.
Petzl e+Lite:
Light output: 16 lumens (max)
Bulb type: white & red
Lighting hours: 35 hours (high) / 45 hours (low)
Beam type: flood
Power source: 2x CR2032
Weight: 28g
Petzl Tikka Plus 2:
Light output: 50 lumens (max)
Bulb type: white & red
Lighting hours: 55 hours (high) / 140 hours (low)
Beam type: flood
Power source: 3x AAA
Weight: 83g incl batteries.
By the way, here are specs of two lights (I also include Petzl Tekka Plus 2)
Snow Peak SnowMiner:
Light output: 80 lumens (max)
Bulb type: white
Lighting hours: 55 hours (high) / 140 hours (low)
Beam type: spot & flood
Power source: 3x AAA
Weight: 101g incl batteries.
Petzl e+Lite:
Light output: 16 lumens (max)
Bulb type: white & red
Lighting hours: 35 hours (high) / 45 hours (low)
Beam type: flood
Power source: 2x CR2032
Weight: 28g
Petzl Tikka Plus 2:
Light output: 50 lumens (max)
Bulb type: white & red
Lighting hours: 55 hours (high) / 140 hours (low)
Beam type: flood
Power source: 3x AAA
Weight: 83g incl batteries.
As other headlamps, it has a tilting function to adjust an angle of beam, and there is a simple clicking mechanism to stop the bulb from flopping up and down while I am walking. Also, inside of the silicone dome, it has a small shade / visor which stops light coming into my eyes while I am using it. This is a good design for me as I wear a pair of glasses. e+LITE gives me a strange light reflection on my glasses when I angle the light downwards, and I had to block the light above my eyes with my hand or wear a hat to see well. I haven't had the same problem so far with SnowMiner.
I must admit I wish if the light is bit lighter (100g including batteries). e+LITE is only 28g and I don't feel anything when I am wearing it on my head. With SnowMiner, it feels like as if an apple got stuck on my head. It is not too bad if I sit still, but if I move my head left and right, I can feel its weight.
It runs on three AAA batteries which add some weight, I guess (e+LITE on the other hand runs on two small coin batteries). One good thing about AAA batteries is that I can get rechargeable ones (like Sanyo's Eneloop) which is bit more environmental and economical, while those CR2032 coin cells are throw aways and quite expensive, if I was getting from local shops.
It runs on three AAA batteries which add some weight, I guess (e+LITE on the other hand runs on two small coin batteries). One good thing about AAA batteries is that I can get rechargeable ones (like Sanyo's Eneloop) which is bit more environmental and economical, while those CR2032 coin cells are throw aways and quite expensive, if I was getting from local shops.
Unfortunately SnowMiner is not waterproof unlike my e+LITE. It is just a weather proof (IPx4 Water Resistance Rating), but this is same for other competitive products like Petzl's Tikka Plus 2.
I haven't used the headlamp in the field yet, but other than its weight, I like it so far. I used to take a candle lantern with me when I go camping, but I don't need to take it anymore, so I guess, I can save some weight that way. Also unlike a candle lantern, I can use a LED light in my tent, and with the power of 80 lumens, I can probably tie some flies before I go to bed.
If you are interested, check Snow Peak (they have the US site) for details.
１ルーメンが豆電球何個分に値するのか分かりませんが、８０ルーメンの光源は、e+LITEの１６ルーメンとは比べ物になりません。５倍の明るさですからね（それにしても、子供の頃は、理科の宿題で使っていた豆電球が明るいと思ったのですが、今の子供は、そもそも豆電球なんて物を知っているのだろうか？）。
他のヘッドランプ同様、ライトの角度を変える事ができるチルト機能付きです。また歩行中にライトの角度がカクカクと上下しないようにもなっています。それから、シリコン製のカバーを外してみると、LEDが搭載されている下の部分に小さなフードが付いていて、これにより余計な光が目に入ってこない様になっています。これは眼鏡を掛けている人間にとっては良いアイデアです。この機能が無いe+LITEの場合、光を下に向けると、眼鏡に反射して前が見難くなってしまいます。
逆に、e+LITEの方が優れていると言う点もあります。まずe+LITEには、白の他に赤いLEDが搭載されています（これは、同じPetzl社のTikkaも同じです）。夜釣りをする場合、白いLEDの場合、ライトを点灯するたびに、目が再度暗闇に慣れるまで時間が掛かりますが、赤いライトでは問題ありません。あと、e+LITEは防水ですが、Yuki Hotaruは、防滴のみです。まあこれに関しては、Petzl社のTikkaやBlack Diamond社のSpotなど、同じ価格帯で機能を持ったヘッドランプも同じです。
電源は、単四電池を３つですので、重量がかさみます。ただ、単四なら充電式の物を使えば環境にも財布にも優しいです。e+LITEの使い捨てのコイン電池は問題です。小さい割に安くはありませんし。
二つのライトを比べると、e+Liteの圧倒的な軽さは魅力です。ただヘッドライトにe+Liteでランタンにキャンドルランタンという以前の場合と比べるとYuki Hotaru 一個でヘッドライトとランタンの両機能をまかなえるならその方が軽くなります（どちらの用途でも性能は遥かに上ですしね）。今までは、テントの天井に吊るしたe+Liteだけだったので、暗くて何も出来ずにテントに入ったら寝るだけでした。Yuki Hotaruの８０ルーメンの光量だったらテントの中で本を読んだり、その気になればフライを巻いたりできるかと思います。
