Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => For Sale, Hire, Wanted, User Classifieds, Sale Bargains => Topic started by: admin on September 17, 2014
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Use code MANTAPRO14 for £2.50 off.
The Manta is an integral head torch meaning all the batteries and the electronics housed together making it easy to use in a range of situations, wear it, hold or attach to a helmet or bike.
When you could be working all night we know battery life is important, that is why we have built in a dimming function to the main and powerful 120 lumen XP-C Cree LED allowing it to be quickly set to the perfect brightness.
https://www.alpkit.com/products/manta
Does anyone have any experience of this torch, is it any good?
(https://www.alpkit.com/images/made/images/studio/manta_jaffa_1000_456_456auto.jpg)
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Yes I have one. I really like it as it has different colour LEDs for different tasks. It also has a bright main beam that can be adjusted from flood to spot. I gave it a try in June in the Annalong valley during a wild camp. See the torch at night in some shots on my you tube video
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Recently acquired one myself. Well pleased and gvm.
There is an excellent review of head torches @ http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news/head-torches-group-test/0011500/. Unfortunately the Manta is not among those listed.
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I've been using one the most of this year. It gives good options. Other people I have been with have commented at how it gives off a good beam. On my last trip the Manta had picked up the reflectors on our tents long before the head torches of my companions had.
The beam focusser is very practical in giving options for navigating, walking and knocking about camp. I'd imagine it could be useful for finding the best lighting solution when looking into thick mist too.
The lighting unit tilts to light up the ground in front of you. The red light is a very workable brightness but it may dazzle your companions eyes a little. I haven't really used the green light. It is supposedly good for map reading but then you'd need to change to the white light again once you set off? I suppose it would be good where you don't need a light to walk (like a full moon or dusk) but you would to see detail on a map. The blue light is supposed to be good for differentiating fluids - could be useful for working out which bottle to drink from when you wake up in the middle of the night ;)
Having the battery compartment at the front can save the wiring problems that can sometimes affect torches that have the battery compartment on the rear (as happened to my last torch). Another plus of that is that you can rest your head without the battery compartment being in the way.
The downside of the front battery compartment is that the weight is all the front, something that may affect a runner more than a walker. Can be overcome by tightening the strap a little on rough ground.
My red light failed on my first trip but Alpkit replaced the whole head torch with no fuss and I haven't had any bother with the replacement.
At the price it is hard to look past. It has more features than many more features than much more expensive units.