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Long Term Report - Princeton Tec Corona
February 22, 2005
Name: David Sowards-Emmerd
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8'' (1.73 m)
Weight: 155 lb (70 kg)
Email Address: drunken_marmotATyahooDOTcom
Los Altos, California, USA
Date: February 22, 2005
Backpacking Background:
I began backpacking semi-frequently about four years ago, soon
after moving to California. I generally take weekend (1 night)
trips, and occasionally take 3-4 day trips. Most of my
backpacking experience is at moderate altitude, 6,000'-12,000'
(1,800-3,650 m), in conditions ranging from dry desert to hail/heavy
snow in the mountains. In winter and spring I split time between
Southern California (SoCal) deserts and snowshoeing/skiing/snowcamping in
the Sierra/Cascades. Summer and fall I tend to stick to the high country.
I have reduced my packweight down to less than 50 lb (23 kg) over
the past year - including food/water and a bear barrel. I'm trying to
include more mountaineering, climbing and bouldering in my trips.
Product Description:
Manufacturer's Website: www.princetontec.com
Manufacturer's Specifications:
Weight (w/ 3 AA Alkaline batteries): 227 g / 8 oz
Specifications (as measured by tester):
Weight (w/ 3 AA Alkaline batteries):231 g / 8.15 oz
Weight (w/ 3 AA Lithium Batteries):201 g / 7.09 oz
Weight (w/o batteries):158 g / 5.57 oz
Color: Yellowish green
The Corona is a 8 LED headlamp powered by 3 AA cells. Of the
8 LEDs, 1, 3, 5, or all 8 can be used at a time, and for each
of these modes, there is a choice between low power, high
power, and strobe. For a more detailed description, see my
Initial Report. For details on the first two months of use of
the Corona, see my Field Report.
More Field Use:
During the past four months, I've carried and used the Corona on
several more trips:
- Car camping in Bishop, CA and Death Valley National Park.
- Backpacking and a beach fire at Wildcat Camp, Point Reyes National Seashore.
- Snowcamping overnighter at Emigrant Lake, Kirkwood, CA.
- Snowcamping overnighter at Dewey Point, Yosemite National Park.
- In and around a cabin in Northern Michigan for a week and a half
over winter break.
- Snowcamping in Sequoia National Park, Lodgepole and General Sherman Grove
Cross-country ski daytrips
Additionally, I've used the Corona quite a bit around the house
during this period and I've carried it in my pack on several
daytrips 'just in case'.
NiMH vs. Lithium batteries:
I typically use NiMH batteries for most all battery powered
things I own. This was the case for the Corona for all but
the last trip I took, where I used Lithium AA cells. Since
most of my trips are short in duration and I haven't done
much night hiking, I've found that one set of NiMH cells
has been adequate for all of my trips, including those in
colder weather. However, since Lithium batteries are
recommended for the Corona, I eventually bought some and
tried them in the Corona. As a comparison, below are images
of the the Corona using freshly charged NiMH (left or top) and
Lithium (right) cells. The Lithiums are noticeably brighter
due to the higher voltage of the cells.
A Quick Note on Regulation:
As with most backpacking lights, as the power stored in the batteries
decreases, so does the light output. However, on the low power
setting, the circuitry in the Corona attempts to keep the light
output fairly constant (regulated) for as long as possible instead of dimming
at a rate similar to the batteries power curve. As far as I can tell,
this is also regulated on the high power settings once the batteries
are low enough that the light output on the low and high power
settings are indistinguishable. This means that for a given set of
batteries, the capacity left in them can be roughly approximated
by comparing the brightness on high and low power for a particular
number of lit LEDs, namely seeing when the two modes are at about
the same brightness. However, this should be dependent on the
batteries used, so the results listed in the next section need to
be taken with a grain of salt.
Freezer Testing:
As a quick test of just how long the Corona would stay bright
in cold conditions, I tossed the Corona into the my freezer
(~0 F / -18 C) on the brightest setting and checked on it every
twenty minutes. The batteries used were Energizer 2100 mAh NiMH
rechargeables. After 20 minutes, the 8 LED high and low power settings
were indistinguishable. After 60 minutes, the 3 LED high and low
settings were indistinguishable. And after 80 minutes, the 1 LED
high and low settings were indistinguishable. However, at this point,
the 8 LED mode still provided more than enough light for any of my
'around camp' uses. Aside from a long hike out in the dark mentioned
in my Field Report, I haven't needed or used the highest power setting
for more than an hour on a single trip.
Comments on the Strobe Mode:
Overall, I've never found a use for this other than annoying
the hell out of my wife. The Corona wouldn't attach to my bike
helmet without modification (works fine on my climbing helmet though)
so it didn't see any use on my bike commute. However, the flash rate
is a bit slow for bike use in my opinion.
Durability:
The Corona has held up well so far, with only really minor
scratches on the plastic casing. Overall, I haven't been to
hard on it since I only toss a bit, but a few times I've banged
it pretty good on shelves while going through my gear closet and
on the frame of my truck while changing oil (while wearing it).
Under close inspection, there are no visible stress points in
the hinge connecting the LED module to the headband attachment
and the buttons are still like new.
Upgrades/Features I'd like to see added:
Lengthening the cord connecting the battery pack to the LED module
just a little would allow it to be put under clothing, for keeping
non-Lithium batteries warm, making it a bit more comfortable for
reading when lying on my back, and just a more stable fit overall
on my head when jogging/running. Putting a hat or hood over the
Corona has worked alright for me, but it limits the hats I can use
since they need a good deal of stretch. Also, as mentioned in my
Field Report, I'd like to see some method of focusing the 8 LEDs
into a tighter beam if physically possible.
Conclusions:
Overall, this is an excellent light for chores around camp:
cooking, setting up camp, etc., and provides more than enough
light. It also is excellent for reading on the dimmest setting
and I should note that I don't like a lot of light for reading.
I find I really only use the brightest and dimmest settings -
for camp chores/hiking and reading respectively - but I
occasionally use intermediate settings around camp, mainly on
snow where less light is needed due to reflection. The one
disadvantage I've observed is the lack of a narrow beam for
routefinding and other times where I'd like to illuminate
something in the distance.
Continued Use:
For car camping and use around camp, this is an excellent light and
I will continue to use it in the future. However, the lack of
focusing ability or a narrow beam keeps this from being my ideal
backpacking light. I will probably revert back to my Petzl Myo
5 Belt (modified to use AAA batteries), but I will really miss the
low brightness settings available on the Corona.
Read more reviews of Princeton Tec gear
Read more gear reviews by David Sowards-Emmerd
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