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Posted: 7/7/2017 8:22:44 PM EDT
| Anyone running helmet mounted lights? I have been eyeing the Unity KNUCKL with an Inforce WML and Prince Tec MPLS. How often do you find yourself using it? |
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I run a Streamlight Sidewinder Compact II. Like it a lot. Can use AA or CR123 batteries, waterproof, shock resistant, IR/Blue/Red/White light options, 3 different levels on each one. It's attached to my helmet with a cheapo Rhino baseplate and the Streamlight NVG baseplate adapter which allows the light to snap right onto any NVG baseplate of the usual style.
As for use, I use it whenever I need hands free light. |
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I run a Princeton Tec MPLS Switch on one side, and white/IR Inforce WML on the other, and use them quite frequently, though I use them more for "admin" purposes than any kind of tactical ones.
A hands-free task light of some sort is not at all a bad thing to have, and a helmet-mounted "spot" can be useful as well. These items can also be useful with NV if you have that as well. As always, it's important to be cognizant of light discipline when necessary, as well as other people's eyes/night adapted vision--turning your head quickly to face your buddy when they say something to you with a helmet mounted light is not necessarily the height of politeness. ~Augee |
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Quoted:
I run a Princeton Tec MPLS Switch on one side, and white/IR Inforce WML on the other, and use them quite frequently, though I use them more for "admin" purposes than any kind of tactical ones. A hands-free task light of some sort is not at all a bad thing to have, and a helmet-mounted "spot" can be useful as well. These items can also be useful with NV if you have that as well. As always, it's important to be cognizant of light discipline when necessary, as well as other people's eyes/night adapted vision--turning your head quickly to face your buddy when they say something to you with a helmet mounted light is not necessarily the height of politeness. ~Augee |
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Princetontec Switch (dual color LEDs)w/ Arc Rail adapter.
I use it quite a bit. Very helpful for clearing a gun at night. Attached File |
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Quoted:
Thank you. Do you ever run ear pro / comms? If you have the time/inclination, you can actually disconnect the front EPP pad of the Ops-Core and thread the OTH comms over the fit-band, but lately, I haven't even been bothering with that. More rail space (and allowing for the WML) is an incidental benefit of running them this way, but it's not why I started doing it in the first place. A couple years back, I actually modified an Ops-Core Base Jump to a Maritime cut so I could mount Com-Tacs on ARC adapters on the rail so they were high enough to avoid being pushed up by my stock and having them unseal when I went to get a good cheek weld. Once I started running my optics on risers, making them taller, and allowing me to get a more "heads up" shooting position, it became a non-issue entirely, and I'm able to use the "standard" XP cut with the OTH comms with no interference. ~Augee |
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I'm just a civilian, but have an ACH and Sidewinder Compact 2 with the factory clip-on helmet mount.
I've noticed people who use helmet mounted lights professionally usually mount them on the side. I tried the side and front, but prefer the front. Is the side more common because of front mounted NVD or some other reason? |
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This is what I have:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0077RHVVK?tag=vglnk-c102-20 |
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I have a couple of Surefires, in different light configurations. Bought used at local Surplus store for $30 each.
The Princeton light would seem to have advantages in that it can be aimed for specific tasks, independent of main helmet light. Haven't tried it. I have the larger Sidewinder, which I use as a vest-mounted light. The metal clip is anything but secure, so I bought the optional nylon PALS adaptor, which is much more better. Problem is with that rig is that while the Sidewinder throws a decent amount of light for area illumination, it cannot be angled down enough to illuminate one's path. The whole point to helmet-mounted lights is that they are fundamentally task-oriented lights. As such, they are not intended to be area-illumination devices, nor are they intended to be used as targeting devices. If I were to buy anything again, the aimable Princeton light would be attractive. |
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Quoted:
I have a couple of Surefires, in different light configurations. Bought used at local Surplus store for $30 each. The Princeton light would seem to have advantages in that it can be aimed for specific tasks, independent of main helmet light. Haven't tried it. I have the larger Sidewinder, which I use as a vest-mounted light. The metal clip is anything but secure, so I bought the optional nylon PALS adaptor, which is much more better. Problem is with that rig is that while the Sidewinder throws a decent amount of light for area illumination, it cannot be angled down enough to illuminate one's path. The whole point to helmet-mounted lights is that they are fundamentally task-oriented lights. As such, they are not intended to be area-illumination devices, nor are they intended to be used as targeting devices. If I were to buy anything again, the aimable Princeton light would be attractive. |
| I've used the MPLS Switch on my duty helmet since I was in Korea. Survived -20 degrees there, 125 in Kuwait and Iraq and has shown no signs of slowing down. Super useful for map reading, messing with MRE's or just doing whatever tasks you need to accomplish in low light. |
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The aimable Princeton is one of those things where you see it and go that's got to be awesome!!!11!1
Then you use it and realize you don't need to light up stuff you're not looking at most of the time. Especially admin stuff. And most of the admin lights have some kind of adjustment built in if you do need to make a small adjustment. With that in mind I ended up with one of those Surefire hln or whatever they are. White/blue/ir. Only gripe is how far it sticks out. |
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Quoted:
I'm just a civilian, but have an ACH and Sidewinder Compact 2 with the factory clip-on helmet mount. I've noticed people who use helmet mounted lights professionally usually mount them on the side. I tried the side and front, but prefer the front. Is the side more common because of front mounted NVD or some other reason? The front front, where the NVG shroud needs to remain clear, as you surmised, for mounting NVGs, anything that's meant to take the place of the NVGs in the shroud using that kind of adapter is pretty much not going to be used "professionally," as you say. Also, anything mounted next to the NVG shroud may interfere with NVGs moving up and down if it sits too proud of the surface, side mounting things removes most potential for interference. Besides that--a lot of helmets already come with side attachment rails these days, and a lot of lights (like the Princeton Tec helmet lights) are already designed to be mounted on side rails anyways, so they end up going on side rails. ~Augee |
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