Time to Review Headlights

Standing in line at a popular camping store on sale day for approx half and hour, I got to know the people beside me and could tell they were newbies to the outdoor life. What to do? Give advice? Let them learn by doing? Or hand them a business card?

Their eyes were wandering as they waited, their purchases were growing, when the lady spied a headlight, $24 reduced to $5. "No! heavy, 3 AA batteries, plastic housing that pops open and gummy switch". I think to myself. A shop assistant waved another model past their noses. $25 reduced to $10, 5 LEDs simple, sounded better (hands free to use the ad claimed!).

They were puzzled, so what else could I do, I leaned forward clutching my purchase of three $5 3LEDs using only 1AAA battery, lightweight, hardy headlights and said "these were the last three on the shelf but I can see another under the counter, I can recommend it, you should buy it." And they did.

This brings to me to an incident in NZ last month where a young lady was accidentally shot dead when mistaken for a deer while out camping. I am thinking we need to do some reviews on headlights, we have tried enough of them but I am also wishing I had advised the couple to get a headlight with anti deer markings.