Item name:	EOS Headlamp
Manufacturer:	Princeton Tec
Manufacturer's Web site:	www.princetontec.com
Year of manufacture:	2004
MSRP:	USD38.99
Manufacturer claimed weight (including alkaline batteries):	3.7 oz (105 g)
Actual weight as received (including alkaline batteries):	3.7 oz (105 g)

From the product's packaging:

Collimator/lens system balances beam for distance and flood light
1 m (3.25 ft) waterproof (this was not mentioned on the product's page on the Princeton Tec Web site)
1 watt LED, current regulated
3 brightness levels and a safety mode [From reviewer: the safety mode is a flashing mode]
Lifetime warranty
Assembled in USA
3 Duracell AAA alkaline batteries included

Additional information can be read in my Initial and Field Reports.
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SUMMARY

During the six-month testing period, the EOS saw extensive use in hiking, backpacking, road running, trail running, adventure racing and more. The EOS is a lightweight, comfortable, bright, durable headlamp that has become an integral part of my backpacking and racing gear. I will be using this headlamp for many years to come.
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FIELD USAGE

Over the course of the entire testing period, this headlamp has been used as my sole source of light in a variety of outdoor situations. It has seen extensive use in a diverse group of outdoor activities, including:

Two weekend backpacking trips, one in northern lower Michigan, with light rain and temperatures ranging from the low 40s F (4+ C) at night to the mid 50s F (12 C) during the day; and one in northern lower Michigan with temperatures ranging from high 60s F (20 C) at night to high 80s F (30 C) during the day
Trail running on single-track through pine and hardwoods
Mountain biking on single track, fire roads and paved roads
Canoeing, during a 69-hour adventure race
Road running and walking
Extended day hiking (starting before dawn or lasting past dusk)

The EOS has also been used around my home, for tasks ranging from reading in bed to checking the oil on the car.

Specific to backpacking, hiking and trail running, the EOS has seen more than 300 miles of trail -- either in use or in a pack -- during the testing period. Additionally, it has seen 65 miles of canoeing and 150 miles of mountain biking. Between these trail miles and more than 100 additional road running/walking miles, the EOS has been used in a wide variety of weather conditions:

During heavy snowfall
During very cold conditions (2 degrees F [-17 degrees C])
During light-to-medium rainfall
On icy and snowy trails or roads
During relatively hot, humid conditions (mid-80s degrees F [29 degrees C])

During the entire test period, I estimate the EOS has been in actual use for well over 63 hours. That usage includes:

Constant usage, including one nighttime paddle of more than 5 hours of continuous use on the highest setting. More often, it was used continuously for hiking usage, including 8.5 hours at the lowest light setting
On/off usage during full-moon hikes or on well-lit roads. During this type of usage, the EOS was turned on for short bursts, either to find something in a pack or when I encountered an unlit street
On/off, in-camp usage as needed for tasks around the camp.

COMFORT

The EOS headband is easily adjustable and was comfortable for even extended use (longest period on head during the test period was more than 10 hours). The EOS was worn without hats as well as with many different hats, including a bicycling helmet, a wool earflap hat, a baseball-style waterproof hat (I wore the headlamp above the bill), and a plain, fleece earband. In all cases, the EOS stayed snugly around the hat, no matter what type I was using.
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LIGHTING LEVELS

I found the EOS's lowest lighting level to be more than adequate for most of my uses, including hiking in the dark, digging items out of my pack, camp uses (including tent set up and nighttime tree-watering trips), home-type uses, etc. Initially, I defaulted to the highest setting while trail running, due to snow- and ice-covered, treacherous trails. However, as spring arrived, I was able to use both the medium and low settings successfully while trail running. Depending on conditions (moonlight levels, cloudiness, etc.), each light level offered sufficient throw for me to choose my line and firmly plant my foot, even at higher speeds (which is relatively speaking because I am a very slow runner).

Overall, the lowest setting and highest setting saw the most usage during the test. The medium setting was used occasionally; however, the lowest setting offered sufficient light for most uses, so I chose that setting to better maintain battery life.

The strobe function saw use only as a demonstration for a pre-adventure race gear check. The EOS is waterproof to 1 meter (3 feet), which made it the perfect headlamp for this race: a regular light source and a waterproof strobe were required gear for this race and the EOS functioned as both, saving me precious weight in my race pack.
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BATTERY LIFE

Because of my racing needs, I changed batteries several times during the past three-month period. I did so before the batteries gave any indication of running down, so I cannot give an accurate estimate of battery life.

Throughout the first 3 months of the field testing period, I used alkaline batteries exclusively. During the most recent 3 months of the testing period, I used both alkaline and lithium batteries (not mixed - different batteries at different times).

Only one time did I wear the batteries down completely and that was during a greater than 5-hour, nighttime canoe trip. I kept the EOS turned on to its highest level from around 10 PM until we finished the section of river around 3:30 AM. During the last hour, the EOS's light diminished drastically and batteries had to be replaced. During this time period, the EOS was using lithium batteries that had seen approximately 7.5 hours of use the previous night (on the lowest level).
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EASE OF USE

The EOS is extremely easy to use. The headband is easily adjusted, even while wearing gloves. The on/off button sits in a very slight depression, which makes it easy to locate, even with light gloves on. However, this feature also made it a bit more difficult for me to work while using heavy gloves, like snowboarding gloves. The difficulty was minor.

I believe the way the on/off button is situated also helps prevent it from accidentally turning on while packed. Never once did I dig the headlamp out of my pack to find it turned on.
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DURABILITY

The EOS has been carried in my backpack, my daypack, my lumbar pack, my fanny pack and in my pocket. Despite all the miles it has been carried and all the hours it has been used, the EOS shows no signs of wear.

The EOS has exhibited excellent weather durability. It has withstood heavy snow, medium rainfall and heavy sweating quite well. There has been no degradation of function or appearance. There is no sign of moisture having breeched the casing or lens. The EOS worked just as well at 2 degrees F (-17 degrees C) as it did in much warmer weather.
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BENEFITS

The EOS headband is comfortable enough to wear for hours and hours without discomfort or distraction.
The headband's firm hold keeps the light steady and in place
I love the "single-press" off feature of the headlamp button
The waterproofness, in conjunction with the flashing light mode, satisfies the "waterproof strobe-light" equipment requirement made by some adventure races
Once set directionally, the light stays firmly in place and does not bounce out of place
The EOS is durable and withstood my heavy usage

LIMITATIONS

No night-vision preservation settings or filters
Mildly difficult to use on/off button with heavily gloved hands
Less than six hours of light available at highest setting using lithium batteries

TESTER BIO

Name:	Lynne Durham
Gender:	Female
Height:	5' 10" (1.78 m)
Weight:	153 lb (69 kg)
Age:	43
Email:	lynnedurham AT yahoo DOT com
Location:	Benton Harbor Michigan USA
Head circumference:	22.25" (57 cm)

BACKPACKING EXPERIENCE

I am a backpacking novice - my first trip was in 2002. I have hiked and car camped all of my life, mostly in the relative flatlands of the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan, but also in areas east of the Continental Divide, such as South Dakota, New England, Kentucky, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, and more. In September, 2004 I did my first solo backpacking trip and in October, 2004 I did a single-day, rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon. I keep my pack weight to 25% of bodyweight or less but I always bring optional or comfort items.

My other outdoor experience includes trail running and snowshoeing. I am a novice adventure racer and I have competed in several, including both sprint- and expedition-length races.
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Thank you to Princeton Tec and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to evaluate this headlamp.

Read more reviews of Princeton Tec gear
Read more gear reviews by Lynne Durham

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