Head Torches

February 2007

Your street cred may plummet and you’ll look like a Star Trek extra, but for shedding light on a job under a car, the head torch is king! Your hands are free, there’s no lead in the way and the beam goes pretty much where you are looking. That’s why increasing numbers are being sold in accessory stores such as Halfords.

And modern technology has given a new lease of life to these handy workshop lights; bright, durable LEDs have enabled makers to cut the weight of the devices, as they take up less room and need smaller batteries. Advances in reflector design have also allowed makers to overcome the narrow spread of light that has held LEDs back up to now.

So which give you a head start? We put 10 of the best to the test.

The brighter and wider the beam, the better. We measured our torches with a light meter 40cm away directly in front, then at 45 and 68 degrees to assess the spread. But a great beam is no good if the torch is big and heavy, so we weighed each kit and noted how far they stuck out when fitted.

We checked whether batteries were supplied (S) or not (N), and for variable power settings to prolong the cells’ life. Price was also a factor.

Verdict

Ring’s Best Buy RT5089 Cyba-lite Sport is ideal for car work. It’s small and light, yet has an intense, well spread beam. Draper’s 40407 is less suited to long jobs, but its wind-up generator means you can get light even after months without use. While Ring’s RT5110 Cyba-lite NightVision is another great torch, it trails the best.

1. Ring RT5089 Cyba-lite Sport
2. Draper 40407
3. Ring RT5110 Cyba-lite NightVision

Top 3

1. Ring RT5089 Cyba-lite Sport
2. Draper 40407
3. Ring RT5110 Cyba-lite NightVision

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