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  1. #1
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    Default light with strobe?

    I recently purchased a multifunction headlamp. I understand the uses of the lamp and red options.

    However it also has green and strobe options. What might be the use of those? Might strobe be a defense of sorts?

  2. #2
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Emergency signal & prolonged battery life. Works for Disco Night at the shelters.
    Wayne


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  3. #3

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    As Venchka said, emergency signal and provides better battery life.

  4. #4

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    The green output is also for night vision. http://www.equipped.org/nitevision.htm. As you can see red and green have pros and cons. I am hopelessly way behind on LED tech but when they first were coming out LEDs were most efficient putting out a single color and think Red Leds were the most efficient. In order to get white light they have to jump through a few hoops and that reduces the efficiency http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpi...whiteLight.asp so a single color LED may allow a slightly longer battery life.

    The strobe is for rescue purposes, its far easier to pick up a flashing light at a distance. In the old days strobes were supposed to be more energy efficient. I think even with LEDs they may be as I have seen various rescue lights that have longer strobe battery life than continuous use.

  5. #5
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    If the light source is off it's not using the battery power.
    Duh.
    The instantaneous on and off characteristics of the LED make it perfect for intermittent (strobe) use.
    Wayne


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  6. #6
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    I often use my headlamp walking at dusk or later. Strobe is much more noticeable to people driving cars so I often walk with strobe on vs a constant light. if I don't really need the light to see.

  7. #7
    Wanna-be hiker trash
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    Quote Originally Posted by Venchka View Post
    Emergency signal & prolonged battery life. Works for Disco Night at the shelters.
    Wayne


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    This. I also use the strobe feature on my headlamp when road running at night to alert drivers to my presence.

    To the best of my knowledge, strobe lights are only useful for self defense when mounted to the front of a firearm.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  8. #8

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    It has to do with frequency and wave length, green can be seen at a further distance.

  9. #9
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    The strobe is nice if you have friends arriving at your camp after dark.... set up a little beacon in the direction from which they will be approaching.

    Done this a few times thru the years when stealth camping (all legally, of course) and it works well and is especially useful if you are some distance off-trail.

    I know, not very "stealthy" lol...
    Last edited by cmoulder; 06-23-2017 at 15:26.

  10. #10
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rocketsocks View Post
    It has to do with frequency and wave length, green can be seen at a further distance.
    Approaching watercraft will think that you are on starboard tack.
    Wayne


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  11. #11

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    Old thread, I know but..... on two occasions recently, I have been in areas where I needed to use a headlamp as a signal. On one occasion, I/we were on a hunt and without communication, no phone service and one set of batteries dead on 2-way. My friend and I were tracking a deer but needed his son to stop near where we were tracking. It was a long way back to the truck and we didn't want him to go all the way back in the snow. I set up the headlamp on strobe in a tree by the trail and it worked perfectly. he never came past us.

    On another occasion, I needed to backtrack at night, off trail in an area I was unfamiliar with. I left my head lamp on strobe at the road and took a small handheld. Finding my way back was so much easier and in my estimation, saved me a ton of time.

    Lots of good uses for the strobe function on today's LED headlamps.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sarcasm the elf View Post
    This. I also use the strobe feature on my headlamp when road running at night to alert drivers to my presence.

    To the best of my knowledge, strobe lights are only useful for self defense when mounted to the front of a firearm.
    That's what laser pointers are for.

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