Princeton Tec: A Different Sort of Christmas Light

If Princeton Tec had a family tree, it would go something like this: two big brothers, Fuel and Remix, surrounded by a truck load of cousins with names like “Corona” and “Quad”. For those of you unfamiliar with Princeton Tec, they have been providing advances in light technology for the last three decades. Recently they added the Princeton Tec Byte Miniature 35 Lumens Headlamp to the picture, but we warn you not to be fooled by its small size.

We decided to take this headlamp for a night walk and were pleased with how lightweight this mini headlamp was at a mere sixty four grams. It runs on 2 AAA Alkaline or Lithium batteries and can supposedly run for up to one hundred and forty-six hours (red LEDs are more efficient than white, so running time will differ based on usage).

Definitely not our best case scenario for night vision though- the red ultrabright LED was too dim for our interests, even just meandering outside at night. We would suggest trying out the Petzl Tikka Plus 2 Headlamp if you are desperate for a red light.

The regular maxbright LED was remarkable and powerful, both packing a light-induced punch that you can use on a low or high setting. The head pivots up and down so you can determine the aim of the beam. We were able to hike with this with no problems.

As far as lighting concerns go, bike riding in the night time can be dangerous. With 100 lumens output we have a decent solution to riding in the dark in the form of the Princeton Tec Push Bike Lamp

Set-up can sometimes be a problem when mounting items, but we had no complaints with the Push. The bracket system was easy to put on and we actually felt like it was firmly attached unlike other products we’ve sampled in the past. There’s even a quick release on the light so you can pop it off when you lock your bike outside your destination. Hopefully you have the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit 1415, a serious lock to protect your bike- safety isn’t just for you!

We were able to utilize this bike lamp riding through the streets of San Fran. With around 63 hours of burn time, we used it for a decent amount of time with no complaints. It runs on 3 AAA Alkaline or rechargeable batteries and we recognize the worth of the easy on/off switch which is large enough to see even in the night. The power of the front light is reinforced by independent light pipes that emit through the side windows of other drivers and provide over 260º of visibility. This was undeniably clear as the red light flashes on both sides and could put anyone into a strobe light induced seizure. However, we appreciated the fact that when we are not in traffic, we can hold down the button for five seconds and the red light will turn off.

The use of this bike lamp can also be perfect for emergencies and trying to locate someone lost on a trail or in need of help. We were able to purchase the Byte from Amazon for under $20. The Push comes in three colors- red, titanium, and blue, for around $50.