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I am sure this topic has come up before so please point me in the right direction or give me your opinion. I have settled on the idea of getting a light for my helmet, but now am stuck on what kind to buy. I am looking for something that will run me around $30 or less. Any help is much appreciated.
if you have a traditional style helmet the best way to go is a garrity light and a band, when it melts which it will.... just by another one for 75 cents.
I agree, I am not a fan of light brackets on the helmet. I personally do not want anything that can become an entanglement hazard on my gear. However, the Garrity held in place with a band presents a very minimal profile and would dislodge easily if needed. Plus it is inexpensive and durable.
Helmet Light / www.buddylight.com they also are garunteed for life. $32.00
Interesting website. Doesn't talk much about how well/if it works for the wearer to see anything. Talks mostly about how the lights can be seen by others.
Do these things work well as a flashlight or just as an accountability thing?
Not sure the Red and Blue would be much good as flashlights.
Bones,
They light up the room pretty well red or blue. Actually can be seen from about 3/4 to a mile away. You don't want to look somebody in the face with one of these on. They are also used as flashlights.
I went on thefirestore.com and ordered the Streamlight 4AA Luxeon LED Flashlight with a helmet band. So far I am very happy with my purchase. If the band melts...i just buy another one. no real money lost. The light it self is $32, two dollars more than you wanted to spend but $2 shouldn't kill ya. :D
I've become a big fan of this one. Ten or twelve bucks at home depot or wal mart, it's light, and puts out surprisingly good light.
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Edited for the points mentioned below - I forgot to mention that the head of the light can be adjusted to point down so that you don't blind Dickey, and it works just as well with a metro helmet.
I personally do not have a problem with the lights that come with a bracket. I have a Bullard “modern” style helmet. Originally I had the band with Garrity lights. But because of the design of the helmet the lights and band kept sliding up my helmet and I constantly had to reposition the lights so I could see. A few people on the department had the brackets with flashlights in them, so I went to “The Fire Store” and bought a Streamlight light 4 AA flashlight with the bracket, and have had it for a few months now. I must say I am extremely satisfied with it. Wherever I look the lights right there. And for a small light it’s pretty bright.Quote:
Originally Posted by 37truck
I just do not see where it poses such an entanglement hazard. I mean the only thing it’s ever really going to get entangled on is wires, and if that’s the case then you should be more concerned about your SCBA becoming entangled than your flashlight. Plus the way I have my light positioned it sits right up against my shield when it is raised so there really isn’t any way something could get around it.
What he said.Quote:
Originally Posted by 37truck
The biggest pet peeve of mine is guys with these lights on the their helmets and when they look at you, it goes right into your face blinding you. If it blinds me, I knock it off your helmet. If you do put something on your helmet, aim it down please.
Great lights for cheap: www.brightguy.com
I don’t know, maybe I have a magical light or something, but I have never had a problem with mine. Several people on the department have them and they work very well. Another thing I do not like about the Garrity lights is you get a low quality light at a cheep price. You ge what you pay for. I just don’t understand what everybody is just trying to say a few dollars. Yeah sure the Garrity lights are just a few dollars, but your dealing with a SAFETY item. And I am not going to trust a $3 piece of plastic with a cheap light in it for my safety. I don’t even trust the hand lights that come on the engine, that’s why I bought my own lights. When I had them it would shine a good light for a few feet, but that was about it. With the light I have now it shines a bright beam of light and I can see everything. Whenever I look at somebody I make sure not to shine the light directly in their eyes and that’s it. If somebody came up to me and tried to knock my light off of my helmet just because they didn’t like it then I would have some serious issues with that person.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dickey
I’m not trying to pick a fight and please do not take my comments as doing so. But I had the Garrity light with the strap and I was highly unsatisfied. I think the setup I have now is the best way to go in my opinion.
Whatever you do, be safe about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by KevinFFVFD
Don't get me wrong. The bracket lights are great...for an IC doing paperwork. One of the first reasons for a "cheap" light on the helmet is that this is the area that ends up taking the most heat. I work on a company that goes to a "good" working fire nearly every shift. I can't justifiy putting a higher quality light, that is more than likely to get wrecked in a short period of time, on my helmet. I invested in a high quality, fire service handlight instead. I also carry a Survivor attached to the coat. Second, I teach alot of Safety/Survival/RIT courses and see guys lose their helmets or become extremely frustrated when they can not untangle simple wires from their helmet light bracket. Some of those brackets do not detach easily, and pulling and jerking your neck to free it is an injury waiting to happen. I understand the problem with the Garrity and modern style helmets. When I was a Vollie we solved the problem by using velcro and the band. One benefit is you can easily aim the light in your prefered direction. Also in a fire, helmet lights are pretty much useless. As far as the Garrity goes...10,000 FDNY can'y be wrong.Quote:
Originally Posted by KevinFFVFD
I've used the Garrity for years.For the investment they are hard to beat.Heat 'em,beat 'em,drop 'em,they just come back for more.If you want,get a good light for your coat.But for a cheap helmet light,my nod goes to Garrity. T.C.
my thoughts exactly... i carry a survivor on my coat, but the garrity works for everything else other than interior opsQuote:
Originally Posted by Rescue101
*Dealer disclaimer*
http://www.frontlineessentials.com/s...8584f844dbb1c\
There's the light and the strap for about $30. 4AA Led.
Well I think my frustrations with the Garrity lights came when they wouldn’t stay on my helmet. I know they work great with the traditional helmets, but only 2 guys on our department has traditional. Everyone else, including me, has the modern helmet.
I mistook the slapping the light comment. I thought you went slap it off my helmet and ruin what I paid for. But I can understand getting ****ed when someone shins the light right in your eyes.
Plus not only do I have the helmet light, but I also have the Survivor LED rechargeable that I clip on my coat as well.
Yet another lesson I am trying to teach people on the department, ALWAYS CARRY A FLASHLIGHT. Most of the people on the department that ALWAYS has a flashlight are the ones who bought their own. But those who don’t will walk up to a fire or go in with no flashlight, even though we have flashlights mounted in the engines.
I cant stand it when were are in a fire, and this happens usually during overhaul or when I am back at the staging area, that somebody will walk up to me and say “Can I borrow your light for a second”. I am getting to the point of telling them NO because they should have one.
I also should have mentioned this on the first post I made. Even though I do not have a Garrity light on my helmet, I do carry two Garrity lights in my coat pockets. So incase my helmet gets knocked of and my Survivor light dies, I still have two lights that I pray will work, haha.
We all get issued a helmet light and a pocket light, both 4AA streamlights. We have been using a mount called a 'Blackjack', a very low profile setup. It is one piece of aluminum, heavy duty, with an allen screw to secure the light and another to hold it to your helmet.
We got them from FDC (Fire Department Conections) in Phoenix.
Works for us.
This is what I use......Quote:
Originally Posted by Sleuth
http://www.thefirestore.com/store/pr...ries_included/
http://www.thefirestore.com/store/pr...style_helmets/
It works for me. But everyone has their own way of doing things.