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Reviews > Lighting > Headlamps - LED > Princeton Tec Apex > Greg Mehojah > Field ReportPrinceton Tec© Apex LED Headlamp Field Report June 19, 2006
Product Information
Product Description (from the manufacturer's website):
Test Unit Description:
My description of the Princeton Tec Apex can be found in my Initial Report.
Field Testing: I have put a great deal of use on the Princeton Tec Apex during the past two months. I have used it for camping, hiking, and doing odd jobs around the house where light was low or non-existent. During this phase of the test I have exclusively used alkaline batteries for power in the Apex, primarily because I had purchased a bunch of them from my local bulk store. I plan on using Lithium batteries during the Long Term phase of the test in an attempt to draw comparisons on weight and functionality. Additionally, I am not an engineer, nor do I have fancy equipment to test the actual light output of the Apex. My testing results are primarily based on practical use and whether the Apex put out enough illumination for various conditions, and for various tasks, for a duration sufficient to meet my needs. General Home Use: I played with the Apex quite a bit prior to taking it out on the trails with me because I received it prior to my first scheduled trip. This gave me some time to fiddle with it and learn how to use it, as well as properly adjust it to my head. The Apex is a fun little gadget to play with and proved to be very useful around the house as well. I used it while changing a pesky light fixture in our living room and, even during the day, it helped me to see things in those tight areas that are otherwise dark and difficult to work in. I used it to look for things under my work bench in the garage, to water plants outside at night where there was no exterior lighting and to work on my two evaporative cooler/air conditioning units at night when the temperatures finally became too high for us to stand anymore. Backpacking/Camping: Bandelier National Monument: I have used the Apex on two backpacking trips, and one car camping trip during this phase of the test period. My first camping opportunity to use the Apex came during my annual March Bandelier National Monument hike with my hiking buddy. We covered about nine miles per day for a total of 25 miles (40.25 km), looping around the outer edges of the monument. The climate zones are a rollercoaster ride of lush canyons crammed with ponderosa pines and flowing streams to dry, high-mesa desert landscapes interspersed with juniper and scrub brush. The elevation ranges from 5,700 to 6,200 feet (1,737 to 1,890 m) above sea level and the average daytime temperatures during my trip were 50-65 F (10-18.3 C) during the day and below freezing at night. My pack weighed about 29 pounds (13.15 kg) during the entire trip (including food, fuel and water), except when we watered up for our last night of dry camping. We arrived at our first campsite a little later than expected and set up camp as the sun set. As it got darker I donned the Apex to continue the routine camp chores of organizing camp, checking gear, and setting up the kitchen for dinner. I used the high setting of the Ultrabright LEDs for most of the work around camp, but often switched to the high setting when I was afraid of stumbling over logs or rocks littered around the area. The low Ultrabright LED setting was more than adequate to conduct routine camp business, and the high setting was only needed for short periods of time. Activities that required the high setting of the Maxbright LED included hiking down to the creek to filter water and wash up as well as finding a good tree from which to hang our food for the night. I found I used the low setting more often than any other for camp chores and hesitated to use the high setting of either the Ultrabright or Maxbright LEDs because it just blinded everyone in the area and was hard on my night vision. I also found that reading in my tent, even at the lowest setting, with this light is overkill. I had to angle the lamp body up and away from my book and into the tent so the light would reflect and diffuse. Otherwise the light was too blinding to use for normal reading, but that is not what this light appears to be intended for anyway, so I did not find it to be a huge drawback. The high setting of the Maxbright LEDs is truly impressive. On our second night we again arrived in camp as the sun set, but this time we climbed up to a mesa top that, in the evening, looked like a vast moonscape of rock and fine, powdery dirt. I again used the low setting of the Ultrabright LEDs to find a place to pitch my tent, set up camp and make dinner. However, after we ate, my buddy and I decided to hike up to the edge of the mesa to look over the entire monument. I used the Maxbright LED on high setting to hike approximately 1 mile to the mesa edge and then back to camp. During the hike I switched between the Maxbright and Ultrabright LEDs, and found all settings to be more than adequate for hiking on established trails. In fact, the light output at various settings was so great that my buddy did not even turn his headlamp on during the short hike. Apache Kid Wilderness: When my son and I went car camping to the Apache Kid wilderness in southern New Mexico, the Apex came along with us. The daytime temperatures were between 65-75 F (18.33-23.89 C) during the day and near freezing at night, with elevations ranging from 7,200 to 9,000 feet (2,195 to 2743 m). Because we car camped, I used the Apex primarily for accomplishing tasks around camp and to take my son to the bathroom. I let my son wear the Apex for a short period of time before we went to bed because he really wanted to play with it and shine it on things like tree tops, distant objects, and rustling sounds in the bushes. Adjusting the straps was a simple task and easily accomplished in the dark while not wearing gloves. We used the Maxbright on high setting for all of these activities for about two hours and did not notice any reduction in light output either because of heat or battery loss. We used the Apex Ultrabright LEDs on low setting to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, but again, found the light to be a little hard on our night vision. Pecos Wilderness: With the summer heat bearing down on me and the forest closures beginning to add up due to extreme drought conditions, I made a break for the Pecos Wilderness to hike into Pecos Baldy lake for the first time. This is a wilderness area within the Santa Fe National Forest system that ranges in elevation from 8,400 to 12,000 feet (2,560 to 3,658 m), with temperatures of 70-80 F (21.11 to 26.67 C) during the day and near freezing in the evenings. We arrived at the trailhead very late (again in the dark) and had to find a place in a busy campground to throw out our sleeping bags for the night. I used the Maxbright LED setting on high to find a suitable area and to hike back to the car to get our gear prior to turning in for the evening. The next day, we began our hike up to Pecos Baldy lake. The hike into the lake is a brutal elevation gain over 7.5 miles (12.08 km), but the rewards are well worth the work. Unlike our previous hikes, my buddy and I made it to our campsite before the sun set, but I did get to use the light extensively in the evenings for cooking, cleaning, hanging our food and gathering water from a secret little spring we were told about by another friend. Even though the forest had engaged Stage II fire restrictions, there were none in effect within the wilderness so we decided to have a small campfire in an established fire ring. However, we were having so much fun fishing and enjoying the views that we neglected to collect firewood until after dark. Out came the Apex and we started hunting for suitable fuel in the wooded area next to our camp. We used the Apex to spotlight areas with the Maxbright LED on the highest setting and then switch to the highest setting with the Ultrabright LEDs to walk to the area and gather the wood, and then return with it to camp. Using the Apex made an otherwise unenjoyable task quite fun! Prior to going to bed we each made a hot drink and hike up the short climb to the lake (no camping in the lake basin) using the Apex so that we could enjoy the full moon illuminating the lake, on our way back we heard some rustling in the meadow of our camp and, using the Apex, I illuminated the area to find three elk. I used the high setting on the Maxbright LED to watch them as they bounded off into the woods. General Hiking: In addition to backpacking and car camping, I have had an opportunity to use the Apex on two hikes that were done predominately at night. These hikes were in the Sandia Mountains near my home, prior to the fire restrictions closing the wilderness areas. The temperatures were between 65-75 F (18.33 to 23.89 C) during the day and slipped to about 55 after the sun set. The elevations ranged from 6,400-9,400 feet (1,951 to 2,865 m). I hiked into the wilderness areas on both occasions about an hour before the sun set so that I could spend some time hiking in the daylight, but ensure that the majority would be in the darkness. I used the Apex on a mixture of the high and low Ultrabright LED setting because these trails are well established and easy to follow. I did occasionally switch to the Maxbright LED to spot around and see if there were any animals nearby, or to look up and down the trail, but I primarily used the Ultrabright LEDS to finish these hikes. I used the headlamp on these settings for a total of three hours each, but did not notice any dimming either from heat overload or from power drain. This may be due to my constant modulation between intensity settings, and the fact that I was moving which may have reduced the heat buildup in the heatsink area. Even on other non-night hikes, I took the Apex with me in my pack just in case I might need it. Conclusion: I am very pleased with the performance of the Apex to date. I have not found the headlamp to be difficult to adjust or operate, though I have not had to use it in the field while wearing gloves yet. The buttons operating the lighting levels are easy to use and the headlamp body tilts up and down without needing two hands. I found the straps to be comfortable to wear for prolonged periods and to hold the lamp on my head where I placed it without slipping or needing readjustment. Even though I did not need to change the batteries during any of my trips or hikes, I did sit down a couple of time and empty the battery case and reinstall the batteries to determine how easy or difficult it is to accomplish. I did not find that it was any more difficult than accomplishing any other task in the dark. I have never felt any heat radiating from the heatsink even after using the headlamp for up to three hours continuously, and do not expect that I ever would given that the heatsink is kept away from the head by the lamp body backplate resting on my forehead. The weight of the Apex is not noticeable to me when worn. I did not find the weight of the battery pack to be a problem as it relates to the balance of the lamp on my head. When moving quickly downhill on my two night hikes, I did not notice any bouncing of either the battery pack of the lamp body, which is a nice quality given the weight and size of the Apex. While the weight of the headlamp is not really noticeable when worn, it is not a light piece of gear to carry around in my pack for normal on-trail backpacking use. This is not a complaint, but more of a preference in choosing lightweight gear that is appropriate for my hikes. If I were to work harder at reducing my pack weight, I may have to give the Apex a harder look to determine whether it is something that I would want to take with me. I found the Apex to throw a phenomenal amount of light which was more than adequate for every type of activity in which I used it. My first impression of the Apex was that it is a blow torch, and I still stand by that remark. Additionally, I found the Apex to have sufficient duration of battery life for every activity, even though I never reached the point of complete shutdown on the lamp. I found the Apex to be more than durable, having dropped it numerous times, bumped into tree branches while hiking through the woods looking for firewood, and having carried it in my daypack numerous times. So far, nothing appears to be damaged, scratched, frayed or loose, including the areas I was initially concerned about like the power cord to the battery pack and the headstraps. We have had no measurable precipitation yet, so I cannot speak to the weatherproof aspects of the Apex. My only real complaint is the little blinking battery light meter. I found it to be a bit annoying as it blinks continuously for 24 hours after it is last used. The light is really noticeable and bothered others that I was with when the light was off around camp. I also had to throw something over it at night while sleeping or it would continually catch my eye. I would probably cover this with either a piece of electrical tape or black magic marker. Ultimately, I would suggest that the manufacturer either reduce the time the light blinks or make it a selectable feature. Future Test Plan: I look forward to continuing my testing of the Apex using different kinds of batteries. I hope to reduce the overall weight by using Lithium batteries instead of alkalines and determine whether the light output and duration is measurably different using this different power source. Additionally, I hope to determine whether the Apex continues to be as durable as it has been, and will hope to try it in some inclement (i.e. wet) weather to test the weatherproof aspects advertised by the manufacturer. I would like to thank Princeton Tec and Backpackgeartest.org for allowing me the opportunity to participate in this test. Read more reviews of Princeton Tec gear Read more gear reviews by Greg Mehojah Reviews > Lighting > Headlamps - LED > Princeton Tec Apex > Greg Mehojah > Field Report | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
