By Seth Reeves
TecTreck has a new LED headlamp that is not only powerful, but versatile. Headlamps are the modern equivalent of the old school flashlight. It’s not a trend, but more like the way it is going to be going forward. And there are tons of new headlamps on the market these days. Most get the job done, but some are cumbersome, others unreliable.
With the TecTrek all-in-one headlamp, we used it on the trail and under real working conditions, on call, late nights, as a responder to any number of horse country midnight dramas on remote ranches and all-weather conditions.
What we found, right from the start, is the reliability question was answered in the most positive light. Yes, this TecTrek headlamp by River Rock Designs, Inc. can be a work-horse on those sleep deprived nights where the mere necessity of reading a map, writing a report, or help a rancher deliver a million dollar colt in the field is simply another day in the office.
One of the best benefits of headlamps is that you can use both hands, but that LED has to be easy to use when you reach up with one hand and change the light settings according to the type of light your situation requires. With the TecTreck, you can easily change the focus, power, and color of your headlamp intuitively, without taking it off the head.
The dimming feature of the TecTrek was convenient for nighttime work. It uses a rotating O-ring to help project the light and to see
in the distance. The headlamp was great for hands free illumination and down range visibility. At full beam, the head lamp has a powerful LED lamp that puts out 125 lumens, making it ideal for investigative field work both inside dark rooms and outside activities. The All-In-One Head Light offers about four hours of battery life at maximum output:
- 10 hours of useful light
- 20 hours in low light mode (50%)
- 30 hours in flashing mode and 100 hours in blue or green, or flashing red SOS LED mode.
- The LED bulb never needs to be replaced, is virtually indestructible, and will provide bright light for more than 10,000 hours of continuous use.
What differentiates the TecTrek from so many headlamp options on the market is that it features three very useful color modes of red, blue, and green.
Here’s a rundown of the useful lighting features you can expect from your own TecTreck headlamp whether you use it for mountaineering or earning a paycheck:
Once your eyes are accustomed to the night you won’t want to lose your human vision capability, the red light helps you see in the night without losing your eye’s natural ability to adjust to low light. I’m an officer for a large county and part of my job responsibilities is working the field in rural areas during the night. When my hands are encumbered with gear it’s nice to be able to see during a nighttime investigation and still be able to manipulate gear or tools, or write a report while standing. The red light can also be switched to a hands free repeat SOS mode to signal alert.
The TecTrek also has a blue light, a calm color and one I found convenient for tracking. Blue light is also very considerate to fellow campers at night as you can make your way around the campground or bivouac site without the piercing beam of a white light. The green light is handy for reading a map book without the annoyance of an overly illuminating source reflecting back into the eyes.
All in all, the TecTrek has been a useful source of light with a range of capabilities that don’t add to weight or significantly impact battery life. The triple-A batteries are small enough to carry spares on a long-range hike. For the price, the TecTrek appears to be a solid value for use in any outdoor application, work or play.
Specifications:
Material: High-impact Polycarbonate
Headband: One-inch wide adjustable elastic strap with length to fit spelunker helmets.
Dimensions: 2.5″ wide; 2.0″ high; 1.7 thick
Weight: 3.4 oz with batteries
LED Type(s): High-output Cree
Maximum brightness: 125 Lumens
Model order number: RHFC3A
MSRP $34.99.
Price includes quality AAA alkaline batteries from, either Duracell, Panasonic or Energizer.
