Reviews of specific carving products by those who've used them.
By GUS
#11411
Got a 1p 5 led headlamp (petzl tikka rip-off) £0.99 carriage from Hong-kong via ebay for our little girl to play around with & some more just in case (power cuts, experiments etc)

..put it on strobe in a pumpkin this morning ... :lol: ..another cheap variation on pumpkin lights for my display (& useful the rest of the year) ..works really well!!!!

anyones interested in it I'll dig you out the ebay seller & if you let me know your bay handle not bid on it if you want one (as I'm rather selective to get the best prices (6 so far for only a few pence)
also, let's face it a small wee headlamp light freeing up your hand is useful full stop! (don't expect petzl quality or light output or longevity or waterproof aspects BUT it has a headstrap & magnet on it to stick it to fridges etc.
By GUS
#11509
The strobe flicker effect is pretty good, i'm watching the design move around the ceiling, very interesting!

(ps I need a life)
By GUS
#11597
Pretty good for lighting up the cutting area of your pumpkin worn either on the head or placed in the pumpkin as you cut!
User avatar
By Zombie Pumpkins!
#22573
I have a headlamp like this which I've used while carving pumpkins before (sometimes the room I'm in is too dark, and I really want to see what I'm doing). Such headlamps are also good for other dark detail work, like the home hobbyist that likes to poke around inside their computer.

My LED headlamp sounds quite similar to the one you have Gus, but it seems to be dying (even with fresh battery). I'd be interested in stocking up on a couple more of these. Clearly they have many uses (including lighting up the inside of a jack) so anyone has a particular brand to recommend (either for price or quality) I'm all ears.
By GUS
#22578
Ryan,
Best multi purpose QUALITY led head torches / lamps available in the states (& in general) are PETZL & Black Diamond.

I use a few of them so recommend the Petzl TIKKA+ (3xAAA ) which is goodenough for carving, fixing a car etc ..
Or the ZIPKA+ version which has no headband, instead it has a built in rectractable stringpiece (better than it sounds) ..other than that it's the same model, good for small pockets (so good I have several on keychains) ...3X BRIGHTNESS SETTINGS & EMERGENCY FLASH (not strobe) ..typically £32.00 GBP
$ 38.00 CAN
$ 40. USD

OR slightly bigger & blooming bright (actualy about 3 times as the very efficient TIKKA+ / ZIPKA+) ..go for the PETZL MYO XP.
These run on 3 X AA VERY BRIGHT , the latest version (white moulding is called the RXP with around 10 variable light settings (regulated)
HOWEVER if you get the cheaper $75 CAN
$49 GBP
grey body version it has 3x settings (again, BRIGHT IS VERY BRIGHT, & it's lowest setting is still brighter than the tikka+ / zipka+ on max) ..& has a 20 second boost mode for those times when you just need to double your brightness (not really necessary)
..OK I wouldn't road race with these but very useful for power outs, & back country.
I won't travel anyehre without at least one headtorch (travel quite alot) ..to hand on trains, planes, underground services, ferries / boats, going through tunnels such as the now legendary fire of Chamonix mont blanc tunnel.
..Handy for carving (of course) & a myriad of other uses, these do get used, comfily designed headbands which dont pich or rub (unlike cheaper ones)

IF you wish to stick with a U.S brand look at Black diamond, which tend to have regulated power supplies, never really a bother unless you are a serious outdoorsman!
By GUS
#29315
Just an update folks,

This season, The Tikka+ & Zipka+ have been trounced by the Tikka2 & Zipka2 as newer models..
whereas the TIKKA & ZIPKA offered around 35 lumens (bright enough for a mist free night walk / power out / carving session.
BUT the new models put out a vastly increased 50 lumens, obviously with the same battery type drain will be faster, but you buy for what you need.

This means that the ZIPKA (my favourite due to retractable headstring fitting gum free into a pumpkin) is available more cheaply as stock is run down to make way fo the latest varient.

Also if you need a good diffused light battery storm lantern the mutts nuts is the BLACK DIAMOND APOLLO ..@ 3 watts LED / 50 lumens , battery indicator & one touch dimmer switch, height adjustable light throw, runs on 4xAA batteries it's pretty bombproof IMHO.
I'll be buying a few more as storm lanterns as the one I've tested for the past 6 months has been fabulous, lighting well for large areas, (or dimmed for smaller) ..so ideal for illuminating in general & of course halloween purposes!
Easy to hang up, or mount on uneven surfaces.
Possible lifesaver & general purpose tool light! ..so use halloween as an excuse to buy one!
NB, I recently went into my local city which had a power out all afternoon, the "technical camping shop" t/a BLACKS was using a horrible little 1 watt or lower light in a dark store to keep selling at the till, ..worse than useless! ...If i'd have been camping & trying to cook / chop or similar I could not have done achieved anything.
The Black diamond apollo is the sort of brightness I could work in an 18 ft kitchen with (& have)
Would also make a pretty cool trick or treating lantern!

link for consistently the best UK price..

http://www.climbers-shop.com/241573/pro ... PriceComp1

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en ... ing/apollo