I was just talking with the Princeton Tec rep today and he happened let slip some of the exciting news coming down the pipes at P.T. I'm not even sure if I should mention this stuff yet, but I got excited...and I'm sure someone will let me know if I should have shut my mouth on this one!
So, the Princeton Tec Apex leads the industry in terms of sheer lighting abilities, and pretty much always has. The only strike against it would be the battery life, which is kinda inevitable when you're pumping out three watts of light and 60 lumens. A great secondary headlamp, or primary lightweight headlamp, has always been the Princeton Tec Eos, with 25 lumens of light and running on just three AAA batteries. The battery life of the Eos has always been respectable as well, so it's no surprise that many runners and adventure racers actually prefer the Eos for its packability and weight savings. Well check this out...the Eos is getting a bit of an overhaul in 09 and Princeton Tec have somehow managed to almost double the output of this little warrior. The Eos will now be pumping close to 50 lumens of light! AND, and...I can't even believe this goes in the same paragraph, let alone the same sentence...they have IMPROVED the burn time of the light as well!!
Sounds to me like the Eos is gonna be the go to light in the industry next season. I for one can't wait to get my hands on one of these guys to fully test it out for myself. Stay tuned, I'll be sure to let ya know just as soon as I can put one through its paces!
I should also throw down a mention of the Princeton Tec Switchback 3 bike light set up, since I'm on the topic of lights. I got a hold of this gem early in the season and got in some sweet Squamish singletrack night rides thanks to it. Of course with the long summer days the bike lights can fall by the wayside a bit, but after biking home in the dark after work last night I realized it's time to pull this baby out and get back to some good ole nighttime fun! Say what you will about a sponsored athlete talking about his own sponsors gear, I have never owned a bike light that even came close to the Switchback 3 in terms of how well thought out it was. From the second you open the box you know you've got a top end product! My first two bike light set ups were a Night Hawk and then a Light & Motion, and although very recognized brands within the industry, I never had any luck with consistency while racing with these lights.
On that note, I'm off to bed...I think I might just wear my Eos and get in some reading before falling asleep though!
GR