Princeton Tec  Byte Headlamp

I've had two of these headlamps and both have failed me just outside of year. The first time the lamp failed I chalked it up to condensation because I left it inside my backpack overnight night which was damp from an earlier downpour. The lamp worked in the morning and that was the last time it worked. Since I kind of chalked the last one up to condensation I bought another because I like the size and features (red light and power lock), but this one stopped working for no reason. I used it maybe a half dozen time over a year and a half, stored it without the batteries in a dry place and when I when to use it for an impromptu overnight trip the lamp wouldn't work with two different sets of new batteries. The design of this lamp is great and the features are great if you want a lightweight headlamp, but don't expect to use it beyond one season or make it through a damp trip.

Ive had this headlamp for almost 2 years and its a great headlamp, my one and only complaint is that if the light sits unused for any extended amount of time(i'd say over a month) the batteries go bad. I wouldn't think power would drain from batteries that aren't being used. I always have a few extra sets of the AAA's it uses in my pack but its just the one fault I have with the headlamp, other than that its a great working product!

This is a very good minimalist headlamp. It's great for those on a budget but still want a high quality product that's neither heavy nor bulky. A number of factors make this an excellent product. It's small and lightweight yet outputs a good amount of light in High mode using a single SMD LED while only using two AAA batteries. It also has a low mode and a separate red LED for close-quarters night vision. The beam patterns for all outputs is good and make this a quality product vs. cheap headlamps especially when range is important. This product is also made in the USA and uses high quality, durable plastics. Not only is the material quality good, the design is optimal too. The design uses a bracket in which the light's angle can be adjusted. Unlike most other headlamps that adjust with a weak plastic hinge, the Byte has the light move in a bracket (the portion that has "Byte" written on it). This makes the product far more durable in my opinion and unlikely to break from accidental impact. I also want to note that some of the reviews here and for the REI Outlet Byte criticized the battery longevity, especially when stored. Keep in mind that the batteries are AAA which don't have great capacity. However, and more importantly, Princeton Tec has addressed this concern and incorporated a "battery lock out" switch on the battery door. It looks like a switch with a symbol of a padlock. While some may have confused it for an accidental activation prevention switch (which it does serve as), how it works is by disconnecting the batteries' connection to the internal circuitry. The switch was actually designed to do this and therefore preserve the battery life when stored. It works similarly to disconnecting the negative terminal to a car battery when storing a car to disconnect the circuitry, preventing parasitic power drain. Given these excellent features, the impressive output for the size, and the build quality, the PT Byte is awesome for the price. It's so small you can easily take it anywhere for anything. My only real criticism is I wish it had 3 modes for the white LED to make the Low setting even lower. The Low is still quite bright. While the red LED is intended for that sort of low-light purpose, a lower power white LED mode would be useful for things like reading or close-up work. The power button is also a little hard to activate but it may also be beneficial against accidental activation if the battery lock-out wasn't engaged. Overall, an excellent product.

Perfect as a lightweight backup. Install two lithium AAA batteries, set the lockout switch, and tuck it away in your backpack, survival kit, glove box, bug out bag, wherever you might need a headlamp next month or next year. I just checked the one I bought two years back - bright as day.

All I needed was a basic headlamp + red light for general use (camping, construction, misc). This one fits the bill nicely without breaking the bank. Thanks!

This light died from corrosion after only half a year. There are plenty of other waterproof options out there, avoid this one.

After only two months after purchase and being used during one week of camping it's stopped working. Very very disappointing indeed! Other than that, when it was working, it's a very good product, and I was happy with its performance and functionality.

I had this in my XC ski fanny pack as a backup for my main headlamp. The first time I went to use it, it was dead. Replaced the batteries, still dead.

I bought this headlamp to use while working nights at a refinery. That was in 2012. I'm writing this because 5 years later, I'm still using this headlamp for camping every year. The light is bright and the unit is compact. Often forget it's on my head. Red light is great when you're trying not to shine bright lights in people's faces as they sleep. I wouldn't consider going with a different brand and I don't think you have to spend more to get a quality headlamp.

I too have the PT Byte - I thing it bites. I have had headlamps for a couple of decades - back to the ones that had huge battery packs on the back and a third strap over the top of your head for the weight. I feel like headlamps are a bit like ‘wheels’ in that they don’t need to be re-invented every few years . . . or each season. While I do agree with much of what KuroNekko stated, the red was a selling feature for me (I taped red post-it tags on my BlackDiamond to get the red feature for night reading and better night vision while still having a light on). He mentioned the battery lock-out. Yes that is a nice feature for those that store their lights between trips. However, in my family the lights are used daily, err I mean nightly. We lamp up, in the house, kids and all, for bed-time routine and read stories with the main lights out and head lamps. That way when stories are done, turning off the main light is not a shock to the eyes. This leads me to my BIGGEST gripe about the PT byte. The lighting cycle is not smart enough to know that it has been on for a while and when I click it now after using for a period of time I want it off. Nope it continues through the cycle from red to bright white then to even BRIGHTER light . . . then off. That is extremely annoying if you are the last to bed and with others in the tent or bed to have the bright come on and disturb those sleeping. Dear Head Lamp designers - stick with the colors - the schematics have been dialed in. Oh and one more big gripe - which is why I am typing this at 3.30 in the morning. My kid lost his PT kids headlamp and is borrowing mine. Their is not an auto off feature after 2-4 hours. Who really needs it to stay on longer than that. The feature of auto off I think out weighs the 3 or 4 people using a headlamp for all night hikes (myself included I have trekked it up the Grand Teton in the dark) and turning it back on is easier than finding it was left on for an unknown time and is dead now. Pros / Cons : The light is good and the swivel is strong. The band is nice and the battery door is nice. It needs a lower white, auto off and to not cycle through the remaining light settings after being on for few minutes.