Owner Review - Princeton
Tec Aurora Headlamp LED
Date: October 30, 2005
Name: Will W. Gester
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight: 130 lb (59 kg)
Email Address: Becool64@gmail.com
City, State: Birmingham, Alabama,
USA
Backpacking Background:
When I was 10 I joined Boy Scouts and loved it. I first rented a tent and
backpack and then for Christmas I received my first tent and backpack. I was
obviously overjoyed. 3 tents, 4 backpacks and 3 sleeping bags later I now go on
trips twice a month. My highlights have been a Canadian Boundary Water trip and
a trip in the Amazon. I usually carry a 30 lb (14 kg) pack filled with
lightweight gear. I love backpacking and especially cold weather backpacking.
Product Information:
Product: Aurora Headlamp
Manufacturer: Princeton Tec
Web Site: http://www.princetontec.com/
MSRP: $29.99 US
Year of Manufacture: 2004
Listed Weight: 2.7 oz (77 g)
Actual Weight: 2.8 oz (78 g)
Type of Bulb: LED
Number of Bulbs: 3
Number and Type of Batteries: 3 AAA
Advertised Burn Time: 50-160 Hours
Product Description:
The Aurora is a lightweight, compact and waterproof LED headlamp. It has 3 LEDs, which are arranged in a triangular formation.
Princeton Tec says this configuration provides an even lighting affect. It has
a single elastic headband that goes around the head. It has a rubber switch on
the top right side of the headlamp. The button controls the different lighting
possibilities (Bright, Medium, Low, Slow Blink, and Fast Blink). It utilizes
three AAA batteries for a total of 4.5 volts.
Field Environment:
Used mainly in Alabama,
Tennessee, and North
Carolina. It was used quite extensively near
the base of the Smoky
Mountains. It has
also been used in Canada
and for short periods of time in the northern states. Finally it was used a
little in Texas.
Field Use:
I've used the Aurora
for about 2 years. It has been used in almost all conditions and pretty much
every feature has been tested. The brightness emitted from the headlamp is near
perfect for my needs. I have used it to hike in daylight and at night. It
worked well enough so that I was able see the trail enough to avoid twisting
anything and avoid obstructions. It is also great for reading. I found that the
brightest setting was a little excessive here but one of the dimmer ones worked
well. The only problem I ever have with the light is blinding my friends.
The batteries lasted for over a year on more than 20 backpacking trips. When
they did go out, the case was hard to open. Even though it has a hole for a
quarter or knife, it was hard to pry the case apart. After doing so many times
though, I can now open it without a tool. The LEDs
haven't died yet and I have used it for at least 80 hours on high/medium. The
durability of this little light is unquestionable. It has been dropped, stepped
on, fallen off cliffs, and accidentally abused. I still can't find anything
wrong with the outer shell except scratches. Its waterproof shell was tested
when it fell into the mud on a hike in Turkey Gulch, Tennessee.
After being subjected to a downpour and later falling into the mud, the light
still works great. The elastic headband is very comfortable. It has curled a
little due to being soaked for a while but still feels fine. The hinge is my
only problem. At first it worked fine. This lasted for about a year and a half.
Now I have to tighten it up before each backpacking trip. The hinge will always
come loose and the light will fall and shine into my eyes. Obviously this is
not fun. This is the only negative thing I could find about it though. It is
the smallest and lightest headlamp I have ever used and will actually fit
comfortably in my pocket. Overall it is a great light and I find it small,
light and durable.
Likes:
Long burn time
Bright light
Small and light
Dislikes:
The hinge loosening up
