Samalight Headlights

Samalite has been around since 1993. In fact, I was the first fishing journo to review their outstanding Samalite HD200 Power Unit, which is also reviewed on this site. I still use that same unit which is a testimony to the quality of product you can expect from Samalite.

The Samalite Headlight range use a variety of lightweight but very powerful nickel metal hydride batteries and have the option of a square shaped floodlight lens or a round shaped lens to give a long-range beam. The floodlight gives a massive and powerful 180-degree arc of light that illuminates a huge area and eliminates the need for a pressure lamp to light up your base camp. The round lens has an equally powerful but more focused beam, yet still with a surprisingly wide arc of coverage. When rock fishing I've found this beam easily picks out lobster pots buoys a good hundred yards or more away. It's excellent for spotting fish in the surf or out in the breakers too. The actual headlight units are interchangeable on the headset if you choose to have both types, and the lenses are tough polycarbonate to reduce light blindness should you turn to talk to your fishing buddy with the headlight switched on.

Both lights have two bulbs in the lens, a low power 5W and high power 15W. They charge through their own supplied charger, the chargers having illuminated lights to tell you they are charging and when the battery is fully charged. The headlight is on a lightweight, comfy and secure plastic frame that can be adjusted to fit your head. There's even a hard had fitting accessory too that sticks on to the front of the hardhat to take the light unit.

Samalite offer a huge choice of headlamp options and we can't cover them all here, but they range from the standard HL100W7 with a 800gr battery giving 9 hours of light on the 5W bulb and 2.5 hours on the 15W, right up to the ultra powerful HL100S13 with its 1200gr battery and super 30W bulb producing a quoted 850 metre beam. I'd suggest initially checking out the HL100W8 for beach fishing, or go for the HL100F13 and 1200gr battery with 10W and 15W bulbs if you fish long session right through the night on the rocks. I've found that the batteries give a longer duration of light than the quoted figures anyway. The headlamps come complete with a battery pack and high quality adjustable belt and mains charger. There is also a bright yellow plastic storage and charging case available to contain your headlight and accessories for easy carriage.

Undoubtedly the best headlamp I've ever used. It is lightweight, comfy, powerful and above all ultra reliable with minimum components to go wrong. The Samalite retails for a higher price than most other headlamps, but in my opinion is worth every penny and well worth saving up for.

Available from SMP Electronics, Unit 6, Border farm, Station Road, Chobham, Woking, Surrey GU24 8AS. Tel: 01276 855166 Fax: 01276 855115. Check out the whole range on their website at samalite.com, or discuss your options on the phone with Samalite to get the ideal light for your fishing situation.

PRICE: The HL100W7 retails for £158.63, with the HL100F13 costing £217.38.