Why The TL900 Tactical Headlamp Is The Best Camping Light
The TL900 is probably the most sought-after tactical headlamp on the market.
This headlamp is renowned for its extreme durability, incredibly bright light, and long lasting duration.
It doesn’t come cheap, but if you are serious about making an investment in this type of gear, you would be hard-pressed to find a better product.
The TL900 is constructed from aircraft grade aluminum, which allows it to survive a fall from several feet with no damage.
This could potentially be a lifesaving quality. If you are in the back-country at night and destroy your light source, you could be in a very difficult situation.
This headlamp is also praised for its long-lasting LED bulbs.
These can go for 100,000 hours (over 11 years!).
This is truly a feat and means that you may never have to purchase another headlamp again.
The TL900 tactical headlamp also features four modes (High, Low, Strobe, SOS), and an adjustable zoom that can pinpoint spots up to 500 meters away.
All this and the TL900 still weighs in under a pound!
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Tactical Headlamp Red Light
The TL900 offers a red light mode. Red light is different from white light in that it does not cause our pupils to narrow as much.
This is an option that is often used by outdoorsmen in the dead of night to preserve their night vision on the trail.
SOS mode
Top quality tactical headlamps such as the TL900 feature an SOS mode.
It is a function that we all hope to never use, but in true emergency situations, this function could help save lives.
The SOS mode is simply a repeating strobe that flashes the Morse code for SOS (three long flashes, three short flashes, three long flashes).
With high lumen headlamp, the distress signal can be seen for a couple of miles, potentially attracting the attention of emergency services or other hikers.
Again, this is one of those things you never want to need, but when you do need it, you will be extremely glad you have it.
Tactical LED Headlamp
A good tactical LED headlamp is a critical piece of equipment for any overnight backpacker.
The TL900 uses high-quality LED bulbs that can shine continuously for 11 years (!!) before needing to be replaced.
LED bulbs have become the industry standard for these types of lights, due to their excellent luminosity, and long battery life.
We recommend these types of bulbs over halogen or xenon.
Brightest Headlamp
Typically, many headlamps available for the average consumer are made with cheaper materials and don’t last nearly as long as advertised before you have to throw them out. The high-quality space-age aluminum casing gives this headlamp its insane durability but also makes it extremely lightweight.
You may even forget it’s on your head after a while.
Many foreign manufactured off-brand headlamps are notorious for advertising phenomenal qualities at a low price, and then completely stop working after a few months.
This is not the case with the TL900. This tactical headlamp has been stress tested over and over and can survive drops, bumps, and water damage, unlike many of its competitors.
This is critical because you definitely do not want to be stuck outside at night with your only source of light busted.
If you are unlucky enough to break your only source of light on the trail, you know how terrifying it can be.
There are some pieces of camping equipment you can get away with cutting corners on, but a headlamp is NOT one of them.
We highly recommend making the investment in a product such as the TL900 that is not going to let you down.
Headlamp For Reading
It’s always nice to bring some reading materials on the trail.
After a long, strenuous day outside, curling up with a good book can be the perfect way to wind down and relax.
If you are looking for a headlamp suitable for reading, the TL900 features a “low” and “high” mode, with the low mode more acceptable for reading.
This is extremely convenient because if your headlamp is too powerful, you will hurt your eyes attempting to read something up close.
Camping Headlamp
The TL900 makes an excellent camping headlamp, suitable for illuminating situations such as:
- Hiking on dark trails: This is critical because you want both hands for balance as you make your way through the dark. It can be very dangerous to try to scramble over rough terrain, and sometimes a hand-held flashlight simply is not going to cut it.
- Setting up camp after sundown: The TL900 can help make setting up camp in the dark a breeze. You want both hands free while pitching a tent and starting a fire. Unless you just love the taste of a flashlight in your mouth, having a light source attached to your head is the way to go.
- Looking through your pack at night: Having a headlamp makes sorting through your pack way easier. There’s nothing more annoying than spending ten minutes fumbling in the dark to try and find a critical piece of equipment in your bag.
- Midnight bathroom trips: Need we say more?
- Reading in your tent: The TL900 provides a low light setting perfect for unwinding with a good read after a hard days journey.
- Emergency signaling: The SOS mode on this headlamp could be a potential lifesaver.
Rechargeable Headlamp
Having a rechargeable headlamp is extremely convenient, and it greatly extends the life of your lamp.
The TL900 has rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that can last up to 15 hours between charging sessions. It can also use 3 AAA batteries in a pinch.
LED Headlamp
LED headlamps have become the industry standard, including in the TL900.
LED lights are superior to other types due to their brightness, long life, ruggedness, and price point.
If you are considering a tactical headlamp, we highly recommend sticking to LED bulbs.
Headlamp Lumens
Lumens are the measurement of lamp brightness. It is one of the primary benchmarks for tactical headlamps.
Just for reference, a candle in 10 lumens, and your typical indoor house lights are about 200-300 lumens.
Most tactical headlamps offer at least 700 lumens, some as many as 3,000 (or so they claim)
How Many Lumens Do You Need In A Headlamp
The truth is, you do not actually need a crazy amount of lumens to have an effective tactical headlamp.
The TL900 offers 800-1000 lumens, which is about as powerful as any backpacker might need.
At that level, you will get an extremely powerful light bright enough to illuminate any situation.
Much brighter than that, and you are in overkill territory, and may even hurt your eyes!
How To Choose The Best Headlamp
If you are trying to figure out how to choose the best headlamp for yourself, you need to think about what you are really going to be using it for.
If you are going to be doing a significant amount of night-time hiking and camp set-up, it is crucial that you make the investment in a high-quality tactical headlamp that you can rely on.
Having your light source glitch out on you while you are in the woods at night is not only inconvenient, it can be dangerous.
We think the TL900 tactical headlamp provides reliable, long-lasting, durable lighting for your excursion, and we highly recommend this product for anyone who is serious about making an investment in this type of equipment
Where To Buy The TL900
You can find the TL900 on sites like Amazon, Ebay, and REI, but the best deal you’re going to find is buying directly through the manufacturer, Primitive Survivors.
They have an exclusive 75% discount for all Adventure Sacks readers.
Be sure to check them out and don’t get stuck out in the dark!
