Sidewinder Compact II Military Model -White, Red, Blue, IR LEDs Includes Helmet Mount, headstrap and CR123A Lithium Battery - Box, 14514

I have owned several headlamps, ranging from cheapies that can be found at Wal-Mart to more durable brands such as Petzl and Black Diamond but, this was my first headlamp from Streamlight. I opted for Streamlight because I wanted something more durable and reliable and I Streamlight has delivered. In not so rare cases, my Petzl's have to be shaken in order to get the light to come on, due to losse contacts with the batteries. I have not had this issue with Black Diamond or Streamlight. This Streamlight headlamp has four different lights: White Light (normal), Red Light (to conserve your night vision), Blue Light (for tracking blood at night, useful for hunters or perhaps military application), and IR Light (to be used in conjunction with Night-Vision optics). Change between lights by pulling out a knob, turning it, and letting it drop back into place. In addition, each light has four brightness levels (1-4) : I find White Light to be useful on Setting 3 and Setting 4 levels, while the other lights need to be on the 4th Setting, to be of any use, as they are not bright enough on lower settings. This is acceptable, for my application, which is mostly hiking or camping. To change brightness levels, press and hold the one and only button and let go when the desired brightness level is observed. Whatever brightness level is set, will be remembered, when you power on the headlamp, again. (to power on or off, press the one and only button, once for ~1 second, then let go) Another kudos to this headlamp design is the single-large button, to power on and off the device. Many modern headlamps have several smaller buttons which can make them somewhat difficult to operate, especially in low or no-light situations. This headlamp follows the KISS method, and that is a plus, in my book. This headlamp also comes with a helmet mount, which I would imagine is useful for military application but not very useful for civilian use. A head-strap is included, for non-helmet wear, around the head or hat/cap. The only negative remark I can give for this headlamp is the comfortability, when work on the provided strap, around the head. The headlamp itself, has no padding on the area which will make contact with your head, on the back side of the strap, which is somewhat uncomfortable. To circumvent this, one could simply wear this headlamp with a hat or cap. (or perhaps add your own padding, with foam and hot-glue, if you're feeling crafty) The CR123 Lithium batteries are used, which I already stock in plenty due to using them on various lights, lasers, and optics. You can find these batteries on Amazon, in bulk, for a good price, or over-priced at various local stores. The operators manual recommends Lithium batteries, only. While others may work, they will not provide as many lumens of brightness, nor will they last very long. Despite the comfort level, I would still recommend this headlamp to anyone who is looking for a more durable and reliable product, and is not put off by the higher price point. You get what you pay for.

I purchased this light about three weeks ago to mount to my flight helmet. I am a flight paramedic, and need a hands-free light for night operations. Streamlight did not disappoint with this compact. The white light is bright and direct, but not so bright that it blinds my partner in the back of the aircraft. It does a great job illuminating the exterior of the aircraft for a pre-flight walk-around, and there is good illumination of objects about 7-10 feet away. I will say, this light is NOT a torch, search light, or super bright tactical light. If that's what you're looking for, this isn't it. It's much more of a personal task light. That being said, it is an amazing personal task light! This light also has a blue, red, and IR LED function. This is a great feature for those times when I need to preserve my night vision (red), identify blood on the side of some dark road with no light (blue), or illuminate objects in the cockpit when flying under night vision goggles (IR). So for me, it works exceptionally well. Just be mindful of what you are looking for this light to do, because again it's not a searchlight, torch, or super bright tac light. I did notice that the movement of the light is a little tight right out of the box, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time for it to get worn in a little bit. The power button is easy to find when mounted to my helmet, and it has a good 'feel' to it when you push it. It seems solid and well built, not like some other lights where I was afraid I'd break the power switch with a gentle touch. The lamp selector switch is a bit tricky, considering you have to pull the ring out and away from the light in order to change the function. This is just something that will take some getting used to, and some muscle memory to develop in how to pull the ring and turn the knob. Definitely not a deal breaker for me whatsoever. My only issue with this light was with the mounting system, but it is no fault of Streamlight. The circular mount is designed for a tactical helmet; my flight helmet is not this. So when I attempted to mount the clip to the edge of my helmet, I had to install an additional spacer between the clamp and my helmet to get a snug fit. Again, this is not fault of Streamlight, nor does it detract from the quality of the product, it's just something to keep in mind depending on the application you're using the light for. Overall, a great buy, great value. I'm looking forward to getting much more use out of this little light.

Not the brightest hands free / clip on light. If you need flood or need reach? This won't have enough horsepower. That said? Easy to use, durable, can take some punishment. Perfect for short range, for maintaining your natural eye vision at night in the dark. ALWAYS activates on low so you don't get blinded. Plenty of mounting options DEPENDING on which kit you buy. Flexible. Four levels of brightness and flashing (not a true strobe, it's actually a BEACON feature) and the IR will be useful to those few who have night vision. One of the best lights I've had in this niche.

High quality, value, and functional.

the switch stopped working!!! NO RESPONSE TO E-MAIL COMPLAINT!!!