Tester Bio
I live outside a small town in northeast Alabama. I have access to a good hiking area right out my front door, a large tract of woods called Pall-Mill Hollow (pronounced holler). It has a creek flowing through it with several good swimming holes. Caves abound in the area. I spent my youth climbing around the bluffs, swimming in the creek and exploring the caves. I also enjoy hunting, fishing, canoeing, and most other outdoor activities.

Backpacking is my favorite pastime. I consider myself a knowledgeable backpacker but I am not an expert. I enjoy hiking with my friends and family or solo. I limit my hiking to areas fairly close to home, usually within a day’s drive of home. I hike throughout the year and actually hike the least in the hot humid months of summer. My style is slow and steady and my gear is light. However I will sacrifice weight for comfort and durability. A typical 3 season load for me is around 20 lb (9 kg) not counting food or water. I usually sleep in a hammock and cook with an alcohol stove. My backpacking trips are usually 2, 3 or 4 days in length.

Product Information

Item Tested,	Princeton Tec Yukon HL (headlamp)
Manufacturer,	Princeton Tec
Model Year,	2004
Manufacturer URL,	http://www.princetontec.com/
Listed Weight,	Approximately 8 oz (227 gm) with batteries installed
Verified Weight on USPS scale,	8 oz (227 gm)
Batteries,	3 AA 2.6 oz (gm)
Headlamp only,	5.4 oz (gm)
1 Watt battery life,	25 hours
3.5 mm L.E.D.s battery life,	up to 120 hours
Warranty,	Lifetime (normal disclaimers apply)

L.E.D. Primer
Before I attempt to describe the headlamp a few words on L.E.D.s are in order. L.E.D. stands for light emitting diode. Doing a quick search on L.E.D. lights will render lots of information beyond the scope of this report. But in a nutshell, L.E.D.s feature long bulb life and much longer burn time when compared to normal incandescent bulbs, which means less frequent bulb and battery replacement. Also, until recently, the quest for brighter lights was usually met by putting more L.E.D.s in the business end of the light unit. I found a site which indicated a 1 watt L.E.D. was equal to about 12 to 15 - 5 millimeter L.E.D.s. The 1 watt side emitting focusable L.E.D. used in the Yukon HL is what I perceive as the next step in L.E.D. lighting technology. If the burn time of this 1 watt L.E.D. is truly 25 hours then this is a great advantage over incandescent bulbs. My own observations show a typical 3 AA headlamp using a typical incandescent bulb, usually list burn time at around 3 to 5 hours. 25 hours is a great leap in battery life. All the L.E.D.s in the Yukon HL are white L.E.D.s. White L.E.D.s are noted for rendering true-to-life color.

Product Description
The Yukon HL is described as a Hybrid L.E.D. thus the HL designation. What this means is the Yukon HL utilizes 2 separate light modes for 2 distinct applications. First, there are three high output 5 millimeter L.E.D.s. These L.E.D.s are the more traditional L.E.D.s found in a host of lights now on the market. I would categorize them as producing great camp light or for any other chores requiring a broad bright beam. The 1 watt L.E.D. is more of a spotlight. It produces a much tighter beam which shines much further than the 3 combined 5 millimeter L.E.D.s do.

The headlamp unit measures approximately 1.5 in (4 cm) across and is about 2 in (5 cm) long. It is held in place utilizing an adjustable main strap and an adjustable top strap. Power is provided using 3 AA alkaline batteries (3 Duracell batteries provided) housed in a sturdy box located on the back end of the main head strap. The battery holder measures about 2.75 in (7 cm) x 2.75 in (7 cm) and is about 1 in (3 cm) thick. I am already impressed with how this improves the feel of the headlamp by not making it seem front heavy. The headlamp is described as water resistant. The light housing is tiltable so that the light can be adjusted to where it is needed. A power cord goes from the light to the batteries in the back It is quite a bit longer than would seem needed but if the light is used on any type of hard hat the extra length would be needed.

As already noted, the light features 2 light modes. The switch to turn the headlamp on and off is also the mode selector switch. The light simply goes from off to 3 L.E.D.s mode and back to off. The next time the unit is turned on the light comes on in the 1 watt L.E.D. mode. In other words, each time the light is turned off it cycles to the other mode. Other things of note, the 3 - 5 millimeter L.E.D.s are arranged around the 1 watt L.E.D. The reflector has one barely noticeable dimple which looks like it was made during the molding of the reflector.

The battery compartment is just big enough for 3 AA batteries and is contoured to fit a slight curve. Square heads my find fit issues. The lid is hinged and the latch holding the lid on is pretty hard to open and close. The lid also features a rubber seal to help keep this compartment dry. The batteries fit in slots provided in alternating polarity. A sketch in each slot and shows the proper battery placement. However, changing batteries in the dark is fairly easy (I have already tried it out). Simply feel inside each compartment for the spring and put the negative battery terminal (flattest end of the battery) on that end. I have seen battery compartments where this is not the case so don't use this as a general guideline.

Testing Locations and Conditions
Testing was done on 4 overnight camp outs (plus one I wasn’t on) and several night hikes. Also, several hours of testing was conducted on my living room couch by my wife. Temperatures have been fairly mild the past couple of months with only a few field nights below freezing. Elevation throughout the test was at around 1600 ft ( 488 m). No heavy rain was encountered.

Field Test Results
The Yukon HL has performed well at every thing asked of it, from demanding to docile tasks. I am also happy to report that the burn time on the higher 1 watt L.E.D. is up to the specifications quoted by Princeton Tec and that I continue to be really impressed with the light output of the 1 watt L.E.D.

My initial informal test was a walk down to the empty chicken house (now used to store hay) and shine the light through it. It is exactly 100 yd (91 m) long and almost pitch black inside at night. I shined the 1 watt L.E.D. and could see the doors on the other end well enough to distinguish the pattern of the boards over the Styrofoam on the large end doors. I also noted that I could make out a 7 US gal (27 L) bucket at 75 yd (69 m). At 40 yd (37 m) the light was sufficient to make out the 2 in (5 cm) lettering on the bucket. At 25 yd (23 m) I could read the lettering. For contrast, I could see the bucket at 100 yd (91 m) and read the lettering at 35 yd (32 m) in daylight conditions. The 3 L.E.D.s were good for reading the same lettering at 10 yd (9 m).

I then proceeded to use the Yukon HL for a hike of about 1 mi (1.6 km) switching between both light settings. The 3 L.E.D.s proved most useful for walking and viewing objects about 10 yd (3 m) away, while the 1 watt L.E.D was better suited for looking at objects out to about 50 yards (46 m).

My next opportunity to use the Yukon HL came on an overnighter down by a creek. I hiked down to the creek and set up camp just before dark. I then donned the headlamp and using the 3 L.E.Ds, made my supper, cleaned up, fiddled with my gear and went to bed. I would occasionally hear something and check it out with the 1 watt L.E.D. but never saw what my dogs would occasionally bark at. The overnight low was 28 F (C). I did notice my breath shinning in the headlamp's beam and it seemed to get in the way of my vision.

My next test was a similar overnight hike and I again used the 3 L.E.Ds for most everything. The overnight Low was 46 F (8 C). I remembered to bring a book along and found the battery pack located on the back of my head much more aggravating than I would have liked. Fortunately, it was warm enough that I could use my fleece jacket as a pillow instead of wearing it and this helped a lot.

Then on a spur of the moment I decided to head out well after dark for an overnighter to test some SealSkinz Socks and Gloves on perhaps the last semi-cold weather this winter would offer. Supper was already eaten at home so I didn’t bother to pack any cooking gear. It was 41 F (5 C) when I left the house at 10 PM and I quickly made my way down to a campsite at the bluff about a quarter of a mile (0.4 km) from my house. I used the 3 L.E.D.s for the hike in and then to set up my hammock and got situated for sleeping. As before, the 3 L.E.D.s proved just about perfect for hiking and camp chores.

A much tamer use of the Yukon HL was for a light to cross stitch with. My wife used (and still does) it for several hours at a time for several nights working on a cross stitch baby shower gift. She said it made it much easier to follow the small squares used to mark where each color of thread should be used.

On 2 other occasions I let my son borrow the Yukon HL. Once for a hike down to the creek after dark with 6 of of his friends (I didn't have enough headlamps for all of them) and another time on a camp out with 2 of his friends. On both occasions it was amusing to see the boys argue over who got to use the Yukon HL as they had seen it in operation beforehand. The first time my son was granted the privilege but the next time I let one of the other boys use the superior light. I say superior because the Yukon HL is vastly superior when the 1 watt L.E.D. is used.

All this was using the batteries supplied with the headlamp. I'm still getting fairly good light in both settings but it is obvious that both are a little dimmer than when the batteries were fresh. A rough estimate would be 10 hours in 3 L.E.D. mode and 2 hours using the hungrier 1 watt L.E.D.

I used fresh batteries on 2 occasions during the test period. The first time was to compare the Yukon HL with its sibling and predecessor, the regular Yukon with an Xenon bulb. A fellow BGT tester, Shane Steinkamp, was in the neighborhood and he brought along his Yukon. With fresh batteries in both headlamps, we took them out for a short walk. Both lights appeared the same in the 3 L.E.D. setting and the light output was almost identical on the high setting. My 1 Watt L.E.D. produces a slightly broader beam and at 100 yd (91 m) was not quite as bright. On the plus side, the 1 watt L.E.D. produced a cleaner white light while the Xenon bulb had a yellow tint.

The other occasion was to determine the burn time of the 1 watt L.E.D. I did an unscientific test and found the Yukon HL 1 watt LED still going fairly strong at 24 hours. At 28 hours I took another stroll thinking it was going to start dying fairly fast by then but it was still very bright. I walked down a trail and could still see up into the tops of the trees. I tried the 3 L.E.D. mode briefly and it was still fine for trail walking. At 30 hours the 3 L.E.D.s seemed to have lost a lot of strength in just the past 2 hours. The 1 watt L.E.D. quickly went below an acceptable light output right after 30 hours, well past the 25 hour burn time listed on the box. I saw 44 hours quoted in a magazine advertisement and was hoping it would prove to be accurate.

Anyways, after using the lamp for 2 months I was nowhere near finding out when the batteries would die. So, I put in a new set of batteries and turned on the 1 watt L.E.D. Even though the first set of numbers are from a different set of batteries (the Duracells which came with the headlamp), the numbers should give a general guideline of battery life. Because I turned the headlamp on at 8 AM (not a good time for light testing), I started with the numbers I had obtained earlier but will repeat them here to make reading it a smooth transition. I also briefly mention the light output of the 3 L.E.D.s at various points during the battery life test.

I shinned the 1 watt L.E.D. through a 100 yd (91 m) chicken house and could see the doors on the other end well enough to destinguish the pattern of the boards over the Styrofoam on the large end doors. I also noted that I could make out a 7 US gal (27 L) bucket at 75 yds (69 m). At 40 yd (37 m) the light was sufficient to make out the 2 in (5 cm) lettering on the bucket. At 25 yd (23 m) I could read the lettering. The 3 L.E.D.s were good for reading the same lettering at 10 yd (9 m). For comparison, I could see the bucket at 100 yd (91 m) and read the lettering at 35 yd (32 m) in daylight conditions.

Fast forward 2 months to the next set of batteries.   Remember though, I found it very difficult to compare the light output from one day to the next over the next 3 days (well nights really), much less 2 month ago. The measurments I took in trying to see certian objects helped, but were not an exact science.

At 8 AM I inserted new batteries and turned on the 1 watt L.E.D. At 8 PM, after 12 hours of burning the 1 watt L.E.D, I conducted the same expirement performed when the first set of batteries were fresh. I got almost the same results but felt the light output was just a little weaker. At 8 AM the next morning I turned the light off so that I could better observe the light after dark again.

Now, after 24 hours of burn time I repeated the experiment and found the doors were still visable at 100 yd (91 m), but not was well lit. I could't see the bucket until I closed to 50 yd (46 m) and couldn't read the lettering until 25 yd (23 m). This suggested that the light was somewhat weaker at long distances, but still close to the 12 hour performance at very close distances.

At 28 hours I could still see the doors from 100 yd (91 m) away but could tell the light was dimming a little more. A short walk in the woods varified that the light was still producing acceptable light in both settings. However, I felt the light (both settings) were dimming rapidly at this point.

At 30 hours the doors showed up so faintly I would hardly call it shinning a light on them. At 50 yd (46 M) the doors seemed as well lit as when the batteries were fresh at 100 yd (91 m). The 1 watt L.E.D. was still bright enough for trail work at this point but the 3 L.E.D.s were getting very dim. I let the headlamp burn another 2 hours in which time the 1 watt L.E.D. weakened even more. At 32 hours both lights modes were pretty well spent. The 1 watt L.E.D. could still be used for slow trail walking, however, I decided that since the 3 L.E.D.s were to dim for trail walking at all, it was time to put in fresh batteries. After changing the batteries (32 hours later), I was supprised at how bright the headlamp seemed on both settings. It was definitely time for fresh batteries.

I really only wanted to find out if the batteries would last 25 hours with the 1 watt L.E.D with fresh batteries, They did and then some, however, I would not normally keep up with battery life but rather rely on my gut reaction that it was time for new batteries. It might be good to know this in planning a long distance hike or for some extended cave exploring such as mapping etc. but I would find it hard to use the 1 watt L.E.D. for this amout of time considering I use the 3 L.E.D.s for nearly all my hiking and camp chores.

Likes So Far

Balance front to back excellent

Choice of high or low light output

1 watt L.E.D. is soooo bright

Long battery life for either setting

Dislikes

Heavier than several of my other backpacking headlamps

The switch in general (hard to mash and funny lamp selection order)

Future Testing
I will continue to use the Yukon HL for all my lighting needs. There are not many applications I participate in that it won't cover and in fact it is more light than I need most of the time. And with the more active outdoor season coming up I anticipate using the Yukon HL more, hopefully long enough to go through a set of batteries on the low setting.

Read more reviews of Princeton Tec gear
Read more gear reviews by Coy Ray Starnes

Field Report

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