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Snow Peak SnowMiner Headlamp/Lantern

$55.95

(5)

Item # 831557

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Why buy a headlamp and a lantern when you could get 1 gadget that does it all? The Snow Peak SnowMiner headlamp/lantern switches easily from a bright headlamp to a lantern with soft, diffused light.

BACKPACKER 2012 Editors’ Choice Award winner: “This headlamp performs just fine on trail, and it becomes a lantern in camp—at virtually no extra weight or cost.”
Simply pop the front silicone piece in or out to switch between headlamp and lantern modes—it only takes a second to do
Single LED operates on high, low, variable and strobe; hold down the power button to engage the variable dim mode to set the brightness at whatever level you want
LED outputs 80 lumens on high and 8 lumens on low; throws light up to 40m on high and 7m on low
3 AAA batteries (included) provide up to 140 hrs. of use on low, 55 hrs. on high and 250 hrs. on strobe
Built-in hook lets you hang the Snow Peak SnowMiner headlamp/lantern inside your tent
Buttons and straps are designed to be functional even while you're wearing gloves
Small red light warns you when your battery power is getting low
IPX4 water resistance protects against sprayed water

Imported.

Item 831557

$11.19

with coupon code ANNV13
May 17-27 Details

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Backpacker Magazine 2012
Editors' Choice Award Winner

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Snow Peak SnowMiner Headlamp/Lantern Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Snow Peak SnowMiner Headlamp/Lantern

3.8

(based on 5 reviews)

80%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Lightweight (5)
Bright (4)
Adjustable beam (3)

Cons

Best Uses

Backpacking (5)
Car camping (3)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Avid adventurer (4)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (5)

Reviewed by 5 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-5

Jul

2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

Great Concept, Execution Decent

By dillioSLO SB

from Santa Barbara, CA

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Adjustable Beam
Bright
Lightweight

Cons

Bulky

Best Uses

Backpacking
Car Camping
Day trip
Hiking

Comments about Snow Peak SnowMiner Headlamp/Lantern:

This was exactly what I was looking for when upgrading my headlamp. It's a lamp and a headlamp. My old basic headlamp from Energizer served me well. But like any other headlamp, it only shines a spot light downward when hanging in my tent. I would have to be under the spot light if I wanted to look at something. The Snowpeak headlamp in lamp mode would glow and illuminate the whole tent space. I give a 5 for concept.

As a headlamp, the spot light is bright. It's not as bright as a pure headlamp with similar lumens. But I thought it was sufficient on my night hikes in the Santa Barbara trails or Na'Pali Coast. When shining on a spot, the Snowpeak has a bright center spot light with an even fading outside of the spot light. My old light had a bright center, then light and dark rings outside of the spot light. When hiking through thick forestry, I've tried converting to lamp mode while still wearing on my head. Although this reduces the light straight ahead, this mode makes a nice glow of the surroundings.

On a table as lamp mode it is a bit too bright when standing around the table. If converted to a headlamp, the silicon lens perimeter actually makes for a nice candle light. When working in different areas, the strap can be slung over a rock or tree stump, or hung from a branch.

The drawbacks for me are as follows. I thought the plastic was a bit cheap. It is a bit bulky (2 1/8"d, 1.5" to 2" h) as a headlamp or in my backpack. Weight is 3.4oz. This hangs 10.5" in a tent. In my solo or 2-man tent this low. The strap is white and gets dirty easy. No pouch was provided (zip lock bag is my alternative). Silicon lens I think could get dirty as well. The lens can come off too easy but is easily put back on. It is also a bit annoying when trying to switch quickly between headlamp to lamp. The pinching technique works most of the time. In dimmed mode, the LED switching is visible and gives of an annoying bad fluorescent light effect. The device I felt could be priced better.

I took a few measurements with a current probe and a 4.5V power supply. In high beam mode, the LED is fully on with 226mA. Depending on battery type, quality and charge, this could equate to 3 hours to 15+ hours. In dimmed low beam, switching at 100Hz, 0.5ms on time, 10ms duty cycle. In clicked low beam, 100Hz, 1ms on time, 10ms duty cycle. Strobe, 600ms duty cycle, 1.67Hz, 30ms on time.

Overall, this is a good headlamp and lamp. It can be used in a variety of modes. There were a few places I felt that could have been designed better though.

Comment on this review

Jun

2012

(1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

It's Okay

By MikeyB

from Apple Valley, MN

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Bright
Lightweight

Cons

Bulky

Best Uses

Backpacking
Car Camping

Comments about Snow Peak SnowMiner Headlamp/Lantern:

Light yes. Bright Yes...but there is 1 huge annoying flaw. This light works great if you are looking out less than 10 feet. If you look any further in the distance you will be annoyed by the bright glow from your head that distracts and washes out the view infront of you. The beam does not go far enough out from your head.

The lantern feature is great but if you hang it from a backpacking tent you will always need to re-adjust the headband so the light is not hanging half way down from the ceiling. The SnowMiner is light but kind of bulky in size.

Comment on this review

May

2012

(0 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

very clever design!

By piedras rojas

from LA, CA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Adjustable Beam
Easy to use
Lightweight
Versatile

Cons

Worried about durability

Best Uses

Backpacking
Car Camping

Comments about Snow Peak SnowMiner Headlamp/Lantern:

I just received it today, so have not yet used it outdoors, just tested it in my dark apartment tonight.

I ordered it based on the previous reviews and its 'Award Winner!' status.

The design is so clever...easily pop up the soft silicone dome to make it a very diffuse flood light or lamp to hang (by the built in hook in the strap!), push the dome in to make it a spot light. 3 modes: bright, dim, and strobe, and if you continously hold the switch in you can dim it to any level you want between high and low. And the angle of the lamp easily adjusts.
The battery cover is easy to open when needed, it doesn't require a tool, just pinch the clip.

I am concerned about the durability of some parts, though. The yellow plastic part that attaches the lamp to the strap and hinges the lamp to adjust the angle--that piece of plastic seems *very* flimsy to me and I can easily picture the lamp snapping off. And if it does snap off, I don't see any way (short of glue gun) to reattach the headlamp to the strap.

The silicone I expect will get dirty right away, as pointed out in a previous review. I hope it will be easy to clean as noted. I wonder if it will still hold its pushed-in spotlight shape if the silicone dome ever gets punctured because it feels/sounds like it uses suction to hold its form.

One last thing--the 3 AAA batteries that they included with the head lamp had a warning saying they were only intended to test the product, and that you should purchase other alkaline batteries to use it normally. I found that a little disappointing--why can't they include normal-life batteries instead?

Comment on this review

Mar

2012

(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

VERY COOL!

By Danomano

from Redlands, CA

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Adjustable Beam
Bright
Lightweight
Long battery life

Cons

Best Uses

Backpacking

Comments about Snow Peak SnowMiner Headlamp/Lantern:

While working on upgrading my backpacking gear to get lighter and leaner, I stumbled across this awesome headlamp/lantern. I've never been a fan of using a headlamp in the tent and have always packed both a headlamp and lantern.

Thankfully, I will no longer have to carry both! I'm amazed at how flawlessly this product works. The transition from headlamp to lantern is as simple as possible. The lighting is good (not great) for both headlamp and lantern.

My one concern would be the durability of the silicone piece at the front. Because it is soft and pliable, it probably wouldn't function well to tackle crashing off-trail through brush etc.

Final verdict: for a headlamp/lantern combo it is amazing and well worth the money I spent.

Comment on this review

Feb

2012

(6 of 6 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Best of Both Worlds

By Me in the Desert

from So Cal

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Bright
Functional
Innovative
Lightweight
Long battery life

Cons

Gets dirty easy

Best Uses

Backpacking
Hiking

Comments about Snow Peak SnowMiner Headlamp/Lantern:

This headlamp is awesome. I'll review the functions seperately but a brief overview. It's flashy, an eye grabber, it's Snowpeak, need I say more. It's well thought out and made well, once again Snowpeak. It has high, low, strobe, and dimming settings controlled by one button that is easy to find and easy to push, even with gloves. The battery compartment pops off without tools and takes 3 AAA batteries. The silicone lens is a dirt magnet but cleans easily and the rest of the product is white, so it's gonna get dirty. Battery use seems good, but I admit to not testing it. However many hours of use including hiking (high), cooking and camp set up (low), tent light (high), and night light (dimmest) haven't killed the batteries and an extra set of 3A batteries is no biggie to me. Also the strobe works well, people will notice, from how far no clue.

Headlamp: It goes on the head with one single comfortable strap. The hook tucks in so you can't see it and surprisingly you don't notice it either. I was concerned it would be uncomfortable but I was wrong. In a smaller is better era, the Snow Miner bucks the trend with a rather large lamp, however it is very light and doesn't feel large. You can't adjust the angle of the beam but on high it gives good distance and a good flood of light to easily keep your way and identify any hazards. The low beam is excellent for close in work such as cooking, reading, tent set up etc. It's soft and easy on the eyes and I found it much better than the high beam for this use. I also read on some other sites that there was concern the light would be shining too much in your face. I don't feel thats the case and there is a small deflector on the bottom under the silicone presumably to prevent that issue. Also the lamp rotates down to whatever position you need it.

Lantern: I know its not the first headlamp to convert to lantern but its the only one I'm aware of to require nothing extra. Simply pinch and kinda rub the edge and it readily turns into a silicone dome. The dome diffuses the light into an excellent area light. Using the hook I hang it in my tent (REI Passage 2) and me and my son need no additional light for reading, card games, snacks, really anything. Dim it all the way down and it's a great nightlight. Leave it there (wether on or off) and you always know where it is, simply reach up.

If your looking for a new headlamp or sick of using a headlamp in the tent and don't want to carry an extra piece of equipment you need to check this out.