
Made in USA.
Item 796823
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REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
Cons
Best Uses
Reviewed by 24 customers
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Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about SureFire Saint Minimus LED Headlamp:
This thing is over the top, probably the finest tool I own, and probably too good for the casual user.
You can certainly get by with cheaper headlamps, but this is the only one I've owned (and I've owned many because the plastic ones never seem to last more than a season) that has exceeded all of my expectations.
Let's start with the batteries -- it uses a lithium high-output battery, which are more expensive than alkaline batteries but can be found online at reasonable prices. Besides being more powerful than regular batteries these have a 10 year shelf life and they really shine at colder temperatures. Alkaline powered headlamps die off quickly as the temperature drops, this headlamp rocks at sub-zero temps. I recently used it on a winter horseback trip in Montana...5 days and nights with daytime temperatures averaging 8 degrees and I never had to change the battery and never needed to set the power dial above the halfway mark.
Then the comfort -- someone with a sensitive head designed this. I wear it for long runs at night and you forget it is there. None of the usual headaches or hotspots. Lightweight relative to the intense light it puts out.
For climbing/mountaineering -- with cold fingers and altitude induced hypoxia the little buttons on chinese-made headlamps can be a real pain. This Surefire has one control, a simple dial just like a dimmer switch, just grab it and turn it...no secret handshake. So easy you have to wonder why no one else uses something similar.
Ruggedness -- the body is aluminum, which means it wont break after a season of use, or after you drop it for the umpteenth time.
Bright -- turns night into day...nuff said.
Light where you want it -- it swivels up and down, but not with that rachety feeling of the plastic lamps. This is important when you are walking and just want light at your feet. When you are riding horses and want light in front of the horses forelegs. When you are climbing a wall and don't want the light pointing right on the wall inches from your face.
Not made in a sweat shop -- US made, a dying breed.
Sexy -- a good conversation starter in the bar apres ski.
Bottom line...this is the BMW 7-series of headlamps. Pricey, but when you consider it will outlast multiple cheap headlamps...not so pricey.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about SureFire Saint Minimus LED Headlamp:
I received this as a gift, and was very happy with this product's appearance, weight, and ease of use.
I will list just briefly what I have found to be reasons why I would not recommend this as a gift.
1. Price: For the amount of money you will purchase this for, there should not be many complaints, or at least not the ones I will list below.
2. Lumen output: This lamps lowest setting is at approximately 2 lumen. This is rather bright for reading, and is why I listed this product as only suitable for hiking, rather than backpacking. I like a low-light when I read, so if you find this to be a minor issue, I blame my sensitive eyes.
3. Limited add-ons: Many lights, of comparable technical specs provide you with colored filters, varying attachments, and additional strapping, at half the price. This product shines only in white light.
4. Battery cap: The feel, and profile of this product is very clean, and feels of high quality. This is why I would feel so bad were I to reach up and feel that I had lost the battery cap (which serves as the beams attitude adjuster.) Blame my clumsy fingers for this one, or unfamiliarity with using the product correctly. I find myself reaching up to make sure the battery cap isn't loose a lot.
Some good qualities - very clean light throw, and very bright. The head straps are standard quality.
This also looks very trim, very basic black, very cool.
And what price fashion? hehe, Enjoy this product if my comments seem trite. Happy Holidays.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about SureFire Saint Minimus LED Headlamp:
I hike up in the Pecos wilderness and flyfish alpine lakes for native cutthroat trout and I always leave back later than I should and I end up hiking out in the dark. I have used several other headlamps but this is perfect. It's light weight and there aren't wires and battery packs running all over. The beam is a perfect flood designed to work with your field of vision. This is brighter on low than most headlamps on high. There's a click detent at medium and this is the perfect setting for me to hike out in total darkness. I also carry a Surefire E2D LED with me and this is the perfect combo.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about SureFire Saint Minimus LED Headlamp:
Don't waste your time with this Headlamp! I'm a little sad to write this, because this headlight is amazing until it malfunctions, which seems inevitable. All three that I have owned have quit or have gotten screwy within a month of purchase. REI has been great about replacing the items, but it's a hassle that I'm over going through. Everything about the light is impressive, except it's reliability.. I wouldn't trust this light as my sole source in the back country and if I can't rely on a product, I don't want to own it. It's too bad, because the light is super bright for a compact, and the controls are a vast improvement over all of the headlights that I have used in the past. In fact, it's been hard to go back to my other lights, since the output pales in comparison to the surefire. The folks at surefire need to do something about ensuring the reliability of this product.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about SureFire Saint Minimus LED Headlamp:
This light makes all other headlamps pale in comparison. It's super bright, fully adjustable, light weight, etc. It's almost the perfect headlamp. BUT (isn't there always a but), after three days it stopped working properly. About half way through the turning of the power control dial the light would dim and then revert to SOS mode. Surefire was out of them so I'm exchanging it at REI. Pretty crazy for a three day old, $140 headlamp. Not my first problem with a Surefire product, but they are so good when working, I stick with them. I would definitely take another light with you if you were ever in the backcountry for an extended time!!
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about SureFire Saint Minimus LED Headlamp:
The Saint works great for my daily bicycle commute through traffic and trail ride. With a Surefire U2 bungied to the handlebars. Besides the powerful light my favorite feature is the infiately adjustable beam. By turning the knob the beam can be set for correct amount of light. You don't have to cycle through high/low/ strobe settings. It has also become our families favorite reading light.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about SureFire Saint Minimus LED Headlamp:
Really nice headlamp with very bright light. The brightness can be adjusted, and even the lowest setting is sufficient for reading. In fact, it could even be dimmer, but apparently at the lowest setting the battery will last for a long time.
The only issue I have is that the direction of the lamp can be pivoted. You twist the batter cover to move it up and down, but I don't think it works very well. Unless you screw the cover really tight, while pivoting the lamp you tend to unscrew the battery cover. I don't think this is a manufacturing defect, more of a design issue.
I like the light so much, I'm willing to overlook the problem, but I was close to returning it. I hope they fix this issue.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about SureFire Saint Minimus LED Headlamp:
I purchased this headlamp specifically for running very early in the morning when it is still pretty dark. Normally street lamps are bright enough, but there are those times when I run off trail or in areas where there are no lights whatsoever. It is very comforting to know that I'm using another Surefire product, in a headlamp version. For those that own Surefire products-you know what I'm talking about. I've had this headlamp for a few months now and have had zero problems. It's lightweight and very bright with only one battery to power the output. I do run with a back-up light(E2L Surefire) as you never know when two lights will be better than one! For the record, the Minimus is my 5th Surefire product, and I'm sure not my last!
Pros
Cons
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Comments about SureFire Saint Minimus LED Headlamp:
I wore this headlamp during a 18-hour nonstop climb of Mt. Whitney in California. We hit the trail head at midnight and I wore the Minimus for 6 hours straight. Without a doubt, this is the best designed headlamp I've ever worn. It's ultra comfortable and has a powerful, broad beam that is ideal for backpacking. Like all SureFire product I own, I expect this headlamp will endure a lot of abuse.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about SureFire Saint Minimus LED Headlamp:
I have to say that I really really like this headlamp. It is amazingly bright at it's brightest and the adjustments to the beam are really easy. I really still want to like it, but I'm not sure I can justify paying this much again for the possibility of another lemon.
My headlamp didn't last longer than 6 months which, especially at this price, just doesn't cut it. It slowly stopped working, first by not going above medium brightness, then by intermittently not turning on, and finally never turning on (changed batteries multiple times). This progression happened over the course of a couple days.
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