Long Term Report

Princeton Tec Yukon HL
Long Term Report

Tester Biographical Information

Name: Michael 'woebegone' Doughty
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 9" / 1.8 m
Weight: 160 lb / 72.5 kg
Hat size: 8+
City, State, Country: Seattle, Washington, USA
Email address: woebegone03@hotmail.com
Date: August 3, 2004
My backpacking experience: I have been backpacking since I joined the Cub Scouts at the age of ten. That's thirty-four years! I've hiked year round in the Texas Hill Country, the Bavarian Alps, the Mid-Atlantic-States, the Sierra-Nevada, Oregon, and the Olympic and Cascade ranges in Washington State. In 2001 I thru-hiked the 2,168-mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in 158 days. I am a recent convert to a lightweight hiking style. My summer base weight now hovers near 10 lb / 4.5 kg.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Princeton Tec
Manufacturers website: www.princetontec.com
Model: Yukon HL Hybrid LED
Date manufactured: 2003
Power source: Three (3) AA batteries
Advertised burn time: 25 - 120 hours
Listed weight: (with batteries 8 oz / 227 g)
Verified weight with 3 AA Duracell alkaline batteries: 8 oz (227 g)
The Princeton Tec website does not provide pricing information.

Long Term Report

I would like to thank Princeton Tec and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to field test the Yukon HL headlamp. This is one awesome little unit. While I do have some minor complaints about the design, it has served me admirably for six grueling months of outdoor activities, has taken a beating, and is still in like-new condition. It has survived ten-foot (3.5 m) drops onto a concrete floor, submersion in an icy stream, torrential rain, burial in snow, and almost constant use and still cheerfully illuminates my way.

Battery burn time testing with lithium batteries over the winter gave unexpected, and in my opinion, less than useful data. I loaded the battery case with three fresh Duracell lithium AA batteries, placed the headlamp on a shelf in my garage at about 40°F (4.4° C), switched the headlamp on to the high light setting, noted the time (and date) and returned once every hour to check on it. I fully expected this test to last for days, and the first several hours of testing revealed no apparent dimming of the light output. My observations were entirely subjective as I lacked any means to quantitatively measure this.

I began to notice some fading after the eighteenth hourly check, and at some point between the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth hour the light faded to mere candle glow. This was far less than with my experience with ordinary alkaline batteries, but well within Princeton Tec specifications and I was baffled with the results. In frustration I switched off the headlamp and suspended testing. The next day, out of curiosity, I turned the headlamp back on. It came back to life with, although not at its usual glaring brilliance, a very serviceable light output. I continued to use these same batteries for the next month in short spurts, at perhaps fifteen to thirty-minute intervals, as I believe most users would under ordinary circumstances.

So...

What do I like about the Princeton Tec Yukon HL?

·      This is a very robust unit, able to bounce back from whatever abuse I chose to give it. Upon impact with a concrete floor after a ten-foot (3.5 m) drop from a ladder, the light didn't even flicker. The Yukon HL has proved its worth repeatedly while erecting a campsite after dark in the driving rain. It continued to shine, snagged on the rocks three feet deep in an icy ford and leaked not a drop of water in either the lamp housing or battery case. The fact that it continued to shine while submerged aided greatly in its recovery. I found it early one frosty morning in the Cascades buried in a snow bank beside my tent still blazing away! It would surprise me not at all to learn that it functioned equally well in the cold and vacuum of interstellar space.

·      The wide, adjustable elastic head straps make for a comfortable fit. It adjusts readily between my large size 8+ head and that of my five-year-old neighbor. (sorry, no actual measurements available) I would however recommend some padding on the behind-the-head battery case.

·      The light output is phenomenal! The low light setting is more than adequate for around camp chores, from erecting a tent in the dark to cooking dinner to late night communions with Mother Nature. I could read or write in my journal easily. The high light setting was dazzling! Bright enough to freeze most wildlife in their tracks, and with reflective material on my shelter, bright enough to find my tent a football field (100 yd / 90 m) away. I found that I was able to "night hike" on familiar and well marked trails, but would not recommend this in an alien environment or under inclement conditions.

·      Battery life is exceptional unto silly, but I paid for this with added weight and bulk. Unless I were a hard-core caver or speleologist, or were engaged in very long term, unsupported expeditions the 120-hour (low setting) or 40-hour (high setting) burn times would mean little to me. I would definitely require a supply drop long before my headlamp batteries were exhausted. A single set of alkaline batteries powered my sample unit all summer long.

·      Total reliability. The headlamp functioned as advertised first time, every time regardless of external environmental conditions. Having a piece of equipment fail at a crucial moment could prove disastrous. I have come to rely on the fact that, given fresh batteries, the Yukon HL will always light my way.

·      Customer support. My issue with the missing beam focus spring was dealt with courteously and very promptly. I had the required part in my hand only ten days after my initial telephone call. The customer service folks were never aware of my secret true identity as a professional gear tester. I can only attribute the missing part to a quality control oversight. These things happen.

What I didn't like about the Yukon HL headlamp

·      At a half pound, (8 oz / 227 g w/ batteries) the Yukon HL can hardly be considered as lightweight, let alone ultra light, and has not found a home in my regular backpacking kit. This weight added to my fuel reserves would help keep me out for three additional days in the wilderness. The unit is also bulky and will not slip indiscreetly into a small pack pocket. It will stuff into a sack roughly the size of a softball. One advantage is that there will usually be little need to bring along extra batteries.

·      I found that the focusable beam was less than useful. Anything but the sharpest focus diffused the light to the point of uselessness. This was added weight to no advantage. Once I discovered this fact I discarded the adjustment spring again and probably saved an ounce (28 g) or two.

·      I never got used to the power switch sequence, which requires one to cycle through all light settings to arrive at your setting of choice. I soon leaned to close my eyes as I cycled past the high light setting in order more to preserve my night vision.

·      The power button is smooth and was difficult for me to find by touch alone. This is especially problematic when wearing gloves of any kind. Perhaps a textured surface here would make the button easier to find

·      I never did come up with an effective way to hang the headlamp from under my shelter. I may try gluing a loop of cordage somewhere on the front lamp assembly so I can hang it from a hook on my under-the-tarp clothesline.

·       The over-the-head strap, while desirable to support the headlamp's weight when worn normally, meant that I could not wear the headlamp hung around my neck as I sometimes do with my lightweight headlamps.

·      The behind-the-head battery pack is uncomfortable when propping my head up against a tree or the wall of a trail shelter. Some padding here may alleviate this problem.

·      I found the extended battery life of the Yukon HL to be overkill and would gladly exchange battery burn time for a lighter weight unit.

To summarize

Overall I am very impressed with the performance of the Princeton Tec Yukon HL. Due to its weight and bulk, I will not include it in my regular lightweight backpacking kit. It will however get serious consideration on winter backpacking trips when I expect to spend many hours holed up in my shelter during the long hours of darkness, or when I engage in long-term, unsupported expeditions. I would love to see Princeton Tec develop a lighter weight, AAA powered version of this headlamp.

Unfortunately, my car was stolen from the parking lot at my school two weeks ago, along with virtually all of my backpacking equipment, the Yukon HL included. Will I replace it? It's on my shopping list!

Thanx again,
Woebegone

Read more reviews of Princeton Tec gear
Read more gear reviews by Michael Doughty

Reviews > Lighting > Headlamps - LED > Princeton Tec Yukon HL > Michael Doughty > Long Term Report

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