Reviews > Lighting > Flashlights - LED > Seattle Sportz LEDHedz > Ralph Ditton > Initial Report

Manufacturer: Seattle Sports
Website: http://www.seattlesportsco.com
Made in: China
Product Range: LedHedz Micro Hat Lamp
Model: Cruizer 10
Bulb: 10 mm (0.4 in) LED
Listed Weight: 14.2 g (0.5 oz)
Batteries: Two Lithium Cell CR2025  3V. (included)
MSRP:US$7.95

My Measurements

Measured Weight: 16 g (0.57 oz) incl. keyring and chain
Measured Key ring and Chain Weight: 5 g (0.18 oz)
Measured Weight of Light: 11 g (0.39 oz)
LED Bulb: 13 mm (0.51 in) long
LED Bulb: 10 mm (0.4 in) wide at rear tapering to 8.5 mm (0.33 in)

Product Description
The Cruizer 10 is black in colour with a red 1 mm (0.04 in) stripe on the circumference which acts as a gasket between the top and bottom compartments to make the unit waterproof. A soft-touch red rubberized finger pad operates the turning on/off of the light. The switch is a dual action slide on and/or push which allows for intermittent or continuous light.
On the underside of the light, there is a hat clip for use to attach to a hat brim, a clipboard or attaching to a zipper pull. The keychain is detachable by means of a dog clip.
The length of the unit (excluding the keychain) is 45 mm (1.8 in) long, 28 mm (1.1 in) at the widest point and 18.5 mm (0.73 in) thick at the thickest point.
The keychain consists of a ring,dog clip and swivel. Its combined length is 56 mm (2.2 in). The actual key ring has a diameter of  29 mm (1.14 in).
The manufacturer states that the 10 mm  (0.4 in) LED bulb provides 20% more brightness than a standard LED.

Home Test

When I opened the parcel the unit came in I was taken by surprise at the size of the bulb. I am used to the 5 mm (0.2 in) LED bulb and I had forgotten that this unit housed a 10 mm (0.4 in) LED bulb. I actually went back to the web site to make sure that I had received the correct unit.
The next delight was to discover that the batteries were provided and installed and they were not flat. The beam from the LED bulb has a bluish tinge whereas I am used to a white light in other LEDs that I have. When focused on a wall or any flat surface up to 5 m (16.4 ft) the beam forms a distinctive circle with a line through the diameter.
                                                                 
                                                                 Line across diameter
I have a combination padlock on my shed door and find that using a torch with an incandescence bulb produces a reflection off the metal that makes it extremely difficult to see the numbers. With the Cruizer 10 light I was able to read the numbers with ease.
I used the unit to illuminate and turn on my manual switch for the solar water heater in the meter box. It showed the pointer in the "on" position.
When walking my dog, he would stop to sniff at something of interest to him and I would shine the light on the object of his interest and he would look up as if to say "Thanks", then go back to looking and sniffing.
On my night walks with the dog I was able to read the reflective number plates of vehicles and street name signs up to 15 m (49 ft) away with ease.
The clip on the unit does not slide over one of my hats that has a brim thickness of 4 mm (0.16 in). The hat brim will only go part way just past the serrations on the the clip arm. I fear that if I forced the issue I could break the clip. On my other hats with a 3 mm (0.12 in) thick brim the clip slides easily over for the full length of 20 mm (0.79 in) grip that is provided by the clip.

On my soft Kakadu Traders hat I had to brace the clip-on headlight with a safety pin that went through the forehead part of the hat to prevent the brim from drooping with the weight of the unit. This worked very well. Perhaps if the unit came with an alligator clip it could be attached to the hat without piercing the material.
                                                                       
                                                                       Safety pin bracing light
Another view of the arrangement showing the effectivness of the idea.
                                                           
                                                           Full view of the hat with light

With my Slouch hat the weight of the unit did not cause any drooping of the brim.
                                                         
                                                          Slouch hat with light

I opened the unit up to see if the bulb and batteries stayed in place or were easily dislodged. There was only one screw to remove, prise open the casing to expose the components. By removing the screw, the chain was free of the unit as the screw went through the bracket holding the whole arrangement together. The batteries and bulb did not dislodge and the battery closest to the switch is housed in a bracket which holds it in place. The second battery sits off centre to the other battery and is held in place by the housing which shows in the picture on the left.                                                           

                                                         
                                                          Open case with keyring removed

Test Plan

I will evaluate the light over the test period for the following aspects:-

• How effective the light is for night walking when walking the dog and finding my way to my tent/hut when camping after a nature call.
• What is the best position/location in my work vehicle to place the light to read my street directory and can I read the street directory by the light.
• Examine options to prevent the brim of my hats from drooping with the weight of the torch attached.
• Will the slide on/push on switch fail.
• Will the finger pad on the slide on/push on switch become discoloured or show signs of perishing from body oils on my fingers.
• I will comment on how easy it is or is not, to open the case and change the batteries.
• I will examine to see if the parts fall out of the case, eg switch, wire contact and the bulb.
• I will also examine the case when it is opened to see if moisture/condensation has entered the unit.
• I will test and measure what range the beam will adequately light.
• I will test and measure what peripheral distance the beam will light.
• When attending to a nature call at night when other campers are asleep in the hut, will the light beam be too bright and wide and disturb the sleeping people?
• Will I be able to pitch my tent at night with this light source?
• Will there be adequate light to read by when I am inside my sleeping bag prior to retiring for the night?

• The 10 mm (0.4 in) LED bulb.
• The focused beam forming a circular pattern as opposed to a wide scatter.
• Lightweight.
• Multi functional. Not just a camping light source.
• Ready to hand on my car key ring.
• Reasonable short range illumination.

• Will not clip onto a thickness of 4 mm (0.16 in) and larger.
• On soft hat material the weight droops the brim.

Testing Conditions

It is now the start of our spring and we are still experiencing very cold nights and mornings with a low of 1.6 C (35 F) and a high of 7 C (46 F) till about 8am, then it gets progressively warmer to an average high of around 21 C (70 F) during the day.

Rain and high winds from westerly fronts originating in the Indian Ocean are still being experienced, but this weather will diminish around mid October, giving way to drier, warmer nights and days in November with very hot night and days in January and February, usually with a night time minimum of around 30 C (86 F). Easterly winds will commence in late November and continue until April and these winds originate in the desert regions and they are dry and hot with a daily wind speed of between 10 to 25 knots.

The campsites have hut shelters and tent sites and it will be in these locations that I will be testing the light.

Reviews > Lighting > Flashlights - LED > Seattle Sportz LEDHedz > Ralph Ditton > Initial Report