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Reviews > Clothing > Hats, Caps and Visors > Panther Vision POWERCAP 2.0 Beanie > Test Report by Gail StaisilPanther VisionPowercap 2.0 
Test Series by: Gail Staisil, Marquette, Michigan November 17, 2019 Tester Information Name: Gail Staisil Age: 67 Gender: Female Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m) Weight: 160 lb (73 kg) Location: Marquette, Michigan USA Email: woodswoman 2001 AT yahoo DOT com Product Information
Initial Impressions and Product Description The Panther Vision Powercap 2.0 arrived in the color of Black. It also is available in Real Tree Edge (camo), Blaze Orange and Navy. Before I tried it on, I was a bit concerned as to the fit based on many other caps I own. Many times when a hat is a one-size-fits-all, it doesn't always fit my  head. It fit perfectly as the crown
doesn't go too low on my forehead. Once on, I couldn't even feel the
battery pack inside the cap. I would consider this a winter or cold
weather cap as it has some heft or substance to it.When I looked at Panther Visions' website I was surprised to see that they make all kinds of lighted caps including ones with ear flaps, hunting caps, running caps and more. They offer many other products too, so well worth the time to check it out (even lighted safety glasses). The company specializes in hands-free lighting. The beanie-shaped cap is fabricated with a water-resistant compression fleece of 97 percent polyester and 3 percent spandex. It has a lining of thin stretch-knit material. All materials are soft to the touch so not irritating to wear. The workmanship is neatly done with a double row of stitching securing the two layers together. On the inside back edge of cap there is an opening of approximately 1.25 in/3.17 cm where the battery compartment lies. I could just easily pull out the battery pack. It came with two AAA batteries.  There
is a powerful single LED light on the front of the cap. It has a
light output of 75 lumens on high, 30 lumens on medium and 15 lumens
on low. Visibility is 14 m/45 ft on high, 9 m/30 ft on medium and 6
m/20 ft on low. The maximum battery output is for 3.5 hours for the
high setting (5.5 for medium, 12.5 hours for low). A single push
button on the front of the cap allows cycling through the three
settings for light output. There is a Limited Lifetime Warranty so if the cap fails with either workmanship or materials, I could send it in for free replacement. Care instructions are to remove the batteries before washing the cap. The cap should be hand washed separately in warm water with no bleach. It should be line dried for 24 hours. I would assume that the time allotted is to make sure the hat wasn't even damp before putting the batteries back. No dry cleaning or ironing for this hat! Summary The Panther Vision Powercap 2.0 looks to be an interesting way to avoid having to use a separate headlamp while wearing a hat. Since it is the dark and cold season here, I am looking forward to night hikes as well as some winter camping and rustic cabin trips. It will be interesting to see how often the batteries will need to be replaced. Top of Page Long Term Report: March 20, 2020 USA Locations and Conditions During the long term test period the Panther Vision PowerCap 2.0 was worn in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA and Ontario, Canada. Elevation ranged from above 600 ft (180 m) to almost 2000 ft (610 m). Location of Trip #1: Hiawatha National Forest Length of Winter Sledge Trip to rustic cabin: 5 days, 4 nights (December 30-January 3) Distance: 3 mi (5 km) with sledge; unknown mileage on backcountry ski adventures while there Sledge Weight: Very heavy; probably 50 lb (23 kg) with fresh consumables and cabin necessities (bare bones cabin so everything must be hauled in) Sky and Air Conditions: Cloudy, snow and one sunny day Precipitation: About 10 in (25 cm) of new snow! Temperature Range: 34 F to -1 F (1 C to -18 C) Location of Trip #2: Keweenaw Peninsula, Upper Peninsula of Michigan Length of Ski Trip: 4 days, 3 nights (Jan 26-29) Distance: Cross Country skiing about 30 mi (48 km) Sky and Air Conditions: Cloudy, and some sun Precipitation: Several inches (6 in/15 cm) of new snow Temperature Range: 29 F (-2 C) to 21 F (-6 C) Location of Trip #3: Hiawatha National Forest Length of Sledge Trip to rustic cabin: 4 days, 3 nights (Feb 3-6) Activity: snowshoeing, unknown distance Sledge Weight: 45 lb (20 kg) Sky and Air Conditions: Super windy and cold Precipitation: Light snow Temperature Range: 33 F to 17 F (1 C to -8 C) Location of Trip #4: Stokely Creek; Goulais River, Ontario, Canada Length of Ski Lodge Trip: 3 days, 2 nights (Feb 21-23) Distance: Cross Country skiing - 34 mi (55 km) Sky and Air Conditions: Sunny, unseasonably warm  Precipitation: None Temperature Range: 40 F (4 C) to 6 F (-14 C) Location of Trip #5: Hiawatha National Forest Sledge trip: 4 days, 3 nights (Feb 25-28) Distance: 18 mi (29 km) Sledge Weight: 40 lb (18 kg) Sky and Air Conditions: Windy and cloudy Precipitation: At least 8 in (20 cm) of new snow and heavy drifting in some areas Temperature Range: 28 F (-2 C) to 10 F (-12 C) Location of Trip #6: Stokely Creek; Goulais River, Ontario, Canada Length of Ski Lodge Trip: 3 days, 2 nights (March 11-13) Distance: Cross Country skiing - 30 mi (48 km) Sky and Air Conditions: Sun, clouds, snow Precipitation: Snow and rain Temperature Range: 40 F (4 C ) to 19 F (-7 C) Trip Talk During the test period I got to wear the hat both indoors and outdoors as a lighting source. I don't normally hike at night but set out with a group of friends to snowshoe a couple of times in the evening. I started off with the highest setting but soon realized there was enough light to switch it down to the medium setting as everyone had a headlamp and enough light bounced around the snow-covered trail. All of my testing has been during the winter with snow-covered landscape. A few of my trips involved staying at rustic cabins deep into the forest. The hat was worn all evening hours for lighting inside the cabin and trips to the outhouse. It was usually snowing so I found that it was better to have it on the high setting to see my way. One thing that has occurred a lot is that when I am using the light and turn it off; if I try to turn it back on it has a wait period. At first I thought it was because the battery might be low but it also happens every time I change the batteries. It also happens both indoors in warm conditions and outdoors in cold conditions. Not sure if this normal. I have also worn the hat while knitting in the evening and used it for reading in my bed before slumber hits me. I do have other sources of lighting at home :) but decided it would be a good test for doing those activities. The medium setting seems to work best but I can also use the low light as well depending on what I am doing. I have used a couple sets of batteries during the test period. Don't think this is an unusual amount for the time I spent with the hat powered on. The batteries are easy to change. I have even slept with the hat on while camping and some of the nights in the rustic cabins (when I let the fire go). I was surprised that it would be comfortable with the batteries inside the hat but it didn't bother me or hinder my sleep. I have been pleasantly impressed with the Powercap 2.0. The only nitpick is the one previously stated: the fact that there is a delay in powering the unit back on after turning it off. I have tried this so many times on purpose because I wanted to see if there was a certain delay time involved. It has ranged from 20 sec to 47 seconds so I have no idea if this is supposed to be the case. It has only affected me when I want to cycle from a medium or low setting back to a high setting (which requires it to go off) and I was in the dark. A minor inconvenience for my eyes to adjust is all. I have not washed the hat but I know to remove the batteries before washing. There are no signs of pilling or other defects after many months of use. I expect to continue wearing the hat although I do know someone that has been coveting it. Pros
Cons
Tester Remarks Thanks to Panther Vision, LLC and BackpackGearTest.org for this opportunity to test the Powercap 2.0. This concludes my long term report and the test series. Top of Page Read more reviews of Panther Vision gear Read more gear reviews by Gail Staisil Reviews > Clothing > Hats, Caps and Visors > Panther Vision POWERCAP 2.0 Beanie > Test Report by Gail Staisil | ||||||||||||||||||