Comments on: Hot or Not: Kobalt’s Hat Light http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:29:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: R Smith http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-268338 R Smith Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:57:23 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-268338 I have used one of these lights for several years when I get caught working late on a car at nite . I think this was a Brinkman . It came in very useful when you needed that little extra more lite . It came with a lifetime warranty that actually was lifetime . Damn good lite . I had the same response as Allan had . Everyone asked me where they could get one . Dorky maybe but i am over 50 so don't give a flip how it looks , it works !!!!!!!!!!!!! I have used one of these lights for several years when I get caught working late on a car at nite . I think this was a Brinkman . It came in very useful when you needed that little extra more lite . It came with a lifetime warranty that actually was lifetime . Damn good lite . I had the same response as Allan had . Everyone asked me where they could get one . Dorky maybe but i am over 50 so don’t give a flip how it looks , it works !!!!!!!!!!!!!

]]> By: Allan Hartung http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-142132 Allan Hartung Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:46:21 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-142132 I have been using the Craftsman 2 LED ($16 at K-Mart) light now at the Flightline for 2 months now. I have the early morning shift and use the LED function for about 2 hours a day. The light is finally fading, but I can still see where to put the fuel in the aircraft clearly. This hat was a replacement for a miner’s style light that had 4 AA batteries in it. The hat is so light that many times I forget I even have it on. It is sooo much better than the miners light. I highly recommend this hat to anyone who wants hands free lighting. Sears also has a 4 LED light for about $20. As for the Dorky factor...I have just the opposite happen. All of the pilots and mechanics ask where they can get this hat and some have gone out to purchase them. I have been using the Craftsman 2 LED ($16 at K-Mart) light now at the Flightline for 2 months now. I have the early morning shift and use the LED function for about 2 hours a day. The light is finally fading, but I can still see where to put the fuel in the aircraft clearly. This hat was a replacement for a miner’s style light that had 4 AA batteries in it. The hat is so light that many times I forget I even have it on. It is sooo much better than the miners light. I highly recommend this hat to anyone who wants hands free lighting. Sears also has a 4 LED light for about $20.

As for the Dorky factor…I have just the opposite happen. All of the pilots and mechanics ask where they can get this hat and some have gone out to purchase them.

]]> By: Austin Kipperman http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-56853 Austin Kipperman Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:12:50 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-56853 Learn to take a fLIcken picture ass wipe. LEDs are lame Learn to take a fLIcken picture ass wipe.
LEDs are lame

]]> By: Scott Kammerzell http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-46513 Scott Kammerzell Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:28:00 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-46513 I have the wal-mart special ones that John mentioned above, It has 3 LED's and clips onto the brim of your hat. I don't wear ball caps, and I bet that it would get annoying if it were on one. However, this thing has a permanent home on my hard hat. I don't wear the hard hat very often, but most of the time that I have it on, I'll end up needing a light and it is nice to know that it is always in the truck. I have the wal-mart special ones that John mentioned above, It has 3 LED’s and clips onto the brim of your hat. I don’t wear ball caps, and I bet that it would get annoying if it were on one. However, this thing has a permanent home on my hard hat. I don’t wear the hard hat very often, but most of the time that I have it on, I’ll end up needing a light and it is nice to know that it is always in the truck.

]]> By: Warden Streets http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-46358 Warden Streets Thu, 05 Apr 2007 17:08:21 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-46358 I'm gonna give this a Not. I'm thinking its probably not very durable, and of course, you can't discount the dork factor. I was at a local flea market last weekend, and picked up a couple clip-on one-LED lights for a buck a piece. They're about an inch long, and have a clip on a swivel. I picked them up for the same reason someone decided to put LEDs on this hat. Plus, you can snap them on your glasses, or for the backwards hat wearers you could probably manage to make that work too. Plus, at a buck a piece, I'm not gonna be ticked when one of them fails. I’m gonna give this a Not. I’m thinking its probably not very durable, and of course, you can’t discount the dork factor. I was at a local flea market last weekend, and picked up a couple clip-on one-LED lights for a buck a piece. They’re about an inch long, and have a clip on a swivel. I picked them up for the same reason someone decided to put LEDs on this hat. Plus, you can snap them on your glasses, or for the backwards hat wearers you could probably manage to make that work too. Plus, at a buck a piece, I’m not gonna be ticked when one of them fails.

]]> By: Nate Bezanson http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45804 Nate Bezanson Thu, 05 Apr 2007 04:22:24 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45804 As much as I love rechargeable batteries, I prefer them to be removable, so swapping in a charged set only takes a second. If you run down a built-in pack, you're out of commission while the charger does its thing. Also, this hat's not exactly washable with all the electronics in it. Hats get sweaty, they need washing! For those reasons, I'm giving this a bit "NOT. There are standalone clip-on lights that work well enough on hat brims. Some are designed specifically for it, like http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/gadget_brando_5_led_cap_light and its ilk. Others, like the Photon Micro-light, have an accessory clip to attach to random objects. But all those use Lithium coin cells, which are expensive, disposable, and fairly limited when it comes to capacity. My favorite hat light, which I've been using a lot lately, is the Fluke LVD1. It's a single-AAA-powered LED flashlight, which just happens to have a non-contact AC voltage detector built in. A fresh battery yields 3 or 4 hours of light, and it fits just fine clipped to my hat brim. As much as I love rechargeable batteries, I prefer them to be removable, so swapping in a charged set only takes a second. If you run down a built-in pack, you’re out of commission while the charger does its thing. Also, this hat’s not exactly washable with all the electronics in it. Hats get sweaty, they need washing! For those reasons, I’m giving this a bit “NOT.

There are standalone clip-on lights that work well enough on hat brims. Some are designed specifically for it, like http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/gadget_brando_5_led_cap_light and its ilk. Others, like the Photon Micro-light, have an accessory clip to attach to random objects. But all those use Lithium coin cells, which are expensive, disposable, and fairly limited when it comes to capacity.

My favorite hat light, which I’ve been using a lot lately, is the Fluke LVD1. It’s a single-AAA-powered LED flashlight, which just happens to have a non-contact AC voltage detector built in. A fresh battery yields 3 or 4 hours of light, and it fits just fine clipped to my hat brim.

]]> By: John http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45629 John Thu, 05 Apr 2007 00:57:31 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45629 Stupid me, I forgot to give a definitive "not" to the product. Duh. Sorry guys. Stupid me, I forgot to give a definitive “not” to the product. Duh. Sorry guys.

]]> By: John http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45628 John Thu, 05 Apr 2007 00:56:32 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45628 A while back, I picked up a little gadget that clips on to the bill of a hat and had 3 white LEDs in it. Found it at Walmart for about 10 bucks. Lately I found an improved version which has 5 LEDs, and I definitely plan on picking one up. Even though I don't typically wear a baseball cap (I'm a soft-felt brush hat kinda guy), I'll wear one to use the "hat lamp". It was in the sporting goods section at Walmart and was called something like "The Fisherman's Pal". It should also be with the other flashlights. I also have a stand-alone headlamp with an elastic band that has red and white LEDs as well as a regular incandescent lamp with reflector. I regularly use all three settings; the LEDs are bright but can't throw the light as far as the regular bulb, but the former use much less power. The only downside to the unit is it's pretty heavy, which is where the hat lamp comes in handy. And I get to choose what my hat says, unlike the product featured here! A while back, I picked up a little gadget that clips on to the bill of a hat and had 3 white LEDs in it. Found it at Walmart for about 10 bucks. Lately I found an improved version which has 5 LEDs, and I definitely plan on picking one up. Even though I don’t typically wear a baseball cap (I’m a soft-felt brush hat kinda guy), I’ll wear one to use the “hat lamp”. It was in the sporting goods section at Walmart and was called something like “The Fisherman’s Pal”. It should also be with the other flashlights. I also have a stand-alone headlamp with an elastic band that has red and white LEDs as well as a regular incandescent lamp with reflector. I regularly use all three settings; the LEDs are bright but can’t throw the light as far as the regular bulb, but the former use much less power. The only downside to the unit is it’s pretty heavy, which is where the hat lamp comes in handy. And I get to choose what my hat says, unlike the product featured here!

]]> By: Patrick Fitzgerald http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45447 Patrick Fitzgerald Wed, 04 Apr 2007 19:01:58 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45447 At my bachelor party the guys made me wear a hat with blinking LEDs that spelled "PERVERT"; however, my vision was pretty blurry so I can't comment on the effectiveness of the hat for lighting. At my bachelor party the guys made me wear a hat with blinking LEDs that spelled “PERVERT”; however, my vision was pretty blurry so I can’t comment on the effectiveness of the hat for lighting.

]]> By: sackofwetmice http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45403 sackofwetmice Wed, 04 Apr 2007 17:02:58 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45403 I picked up a similar hat at HD about a year ago for $14.99. It has come in handy for crawling through the attic or crawlspace, and especially for going outside on a winter night to get an armful of firewood. The hat doesn't seem any heaver than a regular hat to me, but this one is not rechargable. As for the dorkiness factor, most people who've seen me wear it thought it was cool. I just wish that it had a strobe mode for everyone who asks "what's that thing on the front of your hat" I picked up a similar hat at HD about a year ago for $14.99. It has come in handy for crawling through the attic or crawlspace, and especially for going outside on a winter night to get an armful of firewood. The hat doesn’t seem any heaver than a regular hat to me, but this one is not rechargable.

As for the dorkiness factor, most people who’ve seen me wear it thought it was cool. I just wish that it had a strobe mode for everyone who asks “what’s that thing on the front of your hat”

]]> By: SceneShopNinja http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45389 SceneShopNinja Wed, 04 Apr 2007 16:27:08 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45389 I bought one of the Craftsman LED hats a couple of years ago, it sure wasn't a replacement for a headlamp or a flashlight, but it was handy because I was always wearing it. The batteries in mine only lasted a few months. And I agree, you have to be pretty proud of your dorkiness to really pull it off. I bought one of the Craftsman LED hats a couple of years ago, it sure wasn’t a replacement for a headlamp or a flashlight, but it was handy because I was always wearing it. The batteries in mine only lasted a few months. And I agree, you have to be pretty proud of your dorkiness to really pull it off.

]]> By: nrChris http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45385 nrChris Wed, 04 Apr 2007 16:18:44 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45385 eschoendorff beat me to the punch. I have seen the Craftsman hat quite a few times at Sears, and almost pulled the trigger during one of the recent sales. I can't get past the dorkiness though. eschoendorff beat me to the punch. I have seen the Craftsman hat quite a few times at Sears, and almost pulled the trigger during one of the recent sales. I can’t get past the dorkiness though.

]]> By: eschoendorff http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45364 eschoendorff Wed, 04 Apr 2007 15:48:18 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/04/04/hot-or-not-kobalts-hat-light/#comment-45364 I've had this same hat by Craftsman for a couple years now. Craftsman's version was only 14.99. I really comes in handy if you don't mind looking like a dork. Here's a pic of mine: http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/eschoendorff/hat.jpg I’ve had this same hat by Craftsman for a couple years now. Craftsman’s version was only 14.99. I really comes in handy if you don’t mind looking like a dork.

Here’s a pic of mine:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/eschoendorff/hat.jpg

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