Outdoor Retailer: Design Your Own Headlamp (or at least its looks)

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Outdoor Retailer: Design Your Own Headlamp (or at least its looks)

by Alicia MacLeay
posted Monday, August 1, 2011 at 3:00 pm

We head to Outdoor Retailer Summer Market this week, and there's so much new backcountry gear to cover we're previewing some that has already caught our eye, like this site to design your own flashy or classy headlamp with Princeton Tec.

Princeton Tec Custom Headlamps

Princeton Tec wants you to know its lights are made in America, and give you a hand (or rather mouse click) in the process.

The company is launching Spectrum, a custom headlamp site that lets you customize the look (but not components, sorry) of your Fuel 4 LED or Remix from six different parts in 10 colors, plus two head straps.

The folks in P-Tec's New Jersey facility then assemble your individual light and ship it to you.

A custom Fuel 4 LED will cost $35 (versus $30 standard MSRP) and a custom Remix will cost $45 (same as the $45 standard MSRP). So you'll pay about the same for the privilege of sporting a pink and green LED headlamp or your alma mater's blue and orange colors.

Do people need this? I initially wondered. Well, no. But, more importantly, will they use it? Despite my initial hesitation, I found myself logging onto the Spectrum site, playing around with different color combinations: Pink or orange end cap? Blue or grey body?

I admit, it was fun coming up with different color options, though, as long as I'm playing gear designer, I would have liked some colored strap options. And how about purple components?

Still, the current number of options can keep one busy for a long while and a custom-color headlamp could be the gift for the gearhead who has it all.

The Spectrum website, currently in beta mode, will launch in September.

We'll get and share full details, plus pictures and videos for closer looks, on much more outdoor equipment and apparel at Outdoor Retailer, August 3-7, in Salt Lake City.

What would you like to see or hear about as we cover the show? Tell us below.

Stay tuned for regular updates and announcements from OR here. Subscribe to our blog and news RSS feeds for real-time updates of our daily show coverage, and follow our tweets from the show floor on Twitter.

Filed under: Outdoor Retailer, Gear, Princeton Tec, lighting

Comments

whomeworry

Senior Member
Joined: 3/16/10
Posts: 1585

August 1, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. (EDT)

Given the emergence of CRE LEDs in head lamp products I consider marketing this type of lamp in this manner similar to personalized buggy whips.

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Rick-Pittsburgh

Senior Member & Moderator
Joined: 11/20/09
Posts: 2993

August 2, 2011 at 2:18 a.m. (EDT)

I suppose this will be appealing to some folks. I am not one of them for 2 main reasons:

1) Its a headlamp(I can't see it when I am wearing it)

2) Its worn in low light levels(good chance noone else will see it either)

I suppose this would be kinda cool for the kiddies, I am more worried about durability, battery performance, lumens, etc.

Seems to be more of a novelty than anything....

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Guyz

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Joined: 9/24/07
Posts: 236

August 2, 2011 at 10:51 a.m. (EDT)

If its your thing, its good. If its not, who cares? Not mine.

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Alicia

Editor in Chief
Joined: 3/14/01
Posts: 3080

August 2, 2011 at 11:31 a.m. (EDT)

I agree it might be fun for kids. Or maybe as a giveaway for outdoorsy companies or groups with certain brand colors (maybe a Trailspace special?).

I find it interesting that despite the novelty factor, the price is the same or similar to the same headlamp in its standard color. I was prepared to dismiss it if it had a premium price based on looks, but there isn't one.

Despite the "cool" factor, Princeton Tec seems to want to highlight the fact that actual humans, in the United States, are making headlamps for you with their own hands.

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Rick-Pittsburgh

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Joined: 11/20/09
Posts: 2993

August 2, 2011 at 3:52 p.m. (EDT)

Alicia said:

Or maybe as a giveaway for outdoorsy companies or groups with certain brand colors (maybe a Trailspace special?)

Thats a cool thought Alicia. Out of curiousity(w/o letting the cat out of the bag) are there by any chance any upcoming contests or anything going on in the not so distant future?

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Guyz

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August 4, 2011 at 8:46 a.m. (EDT)

Alicia said:

I was prepared to dismiss it if it had a premium price based on looks, but there isn't one.

Despite the "cool" factor, Princeton Tec seems to want to highlight the fact that actual humans, in the United States, are making headlamps for you with their own hands.

I hadn't thought of that. Nice angle.

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Alicia

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Joined: 3/14/01
Posts: 3080

August 9, 2011 at 8:28 a.m. (EDT)

Rick-Pittsburgh said:

Alicia said:

Or maybe as a giveaway for outdoorsy companies or groups with certain brand colors (maybe a Trailspace special?)

Thats a cool thought Alicia. Out of curiousity(w/o letting the cat out of the bag) are there by any chance any upcoming contests or anything going on in the not so distant future?

No cats in bags right now. We'll think about contests, maybe for late fall or winter. I know there have been requests for another photo contest.