View Full Version : Warning: REI selling old PT EOS at new price
Just a head's up - REI is selling the old 25lumen PT EOS in place of the new 50lumen version. Since REI doesn't use PT's lumen rating in the specs - it's hard to know. Summary - if you order a PT EOS from REI right now they will ship you last year's model. Your best bet to get the new PT EOS (which has been out since September 08) is to buy from brightguy.com or some other dealer that is up front about the product version.
moonshiner
03-31-2009, 22:06
thanks
I just checked REI's site - they're still showing the old PT EOS. This means they're still selling the OLD at the price for a NEW. Shame on REI. Again, if you want the new PT EOS, which is 2x as bright, you need to buy from brightguy.com or someone else that is honest.
Why not post it in the "write a review" section on the REI site. Probably make them update the product.
Fiddleback
04-22-2009, 11:32
'Honest' may be a poor word choice. They show the product, they show the price...it seems like a pretty straight forward transaction to me as long as they don't represent the product as the new model or having the new features.
Now...I would hope and expect REI to drop the price on old models and I wonder if 'they' know of their 'mistake'. In the meantime, they have a liberal return policy and I'm sure they'll accomodate a refund.
FB
'Honest' may be a poor word choice. They show the product, they show the price...it seems like a pretty straight forward transaction to me as long as they don't represent the product as the new model or having the new features.
Now...I would hope and expect REI to drop the price on old models and I wonder if 'they' know of their 'mistake'. In the meantime, they have a liberal return policy and I'm sure they'll accomodate a refund.
FB
If you ordered a PT EOS from REI, would you expect them to treat you fairly and deliver to you new product?
Think about that.
Why not post it in the "write a review" section on the REI site. Probably make them update the product.
Good idea. I'll try it. We'll see if it ever shows up in the reviews.
What is a PT EOS?
Princeton Tech EOS is a 1watt, 3 level + blinking headlamp. The old version produced 25 lumens, the new 50 lumens. This is the best all-around headlamp on the market today. "New" is a newer LED technology - more light for the same power. The new version sells for $34 at Campmor, brightguy.com, and for $25 on Ebay. REI sells the old version for $44.
Fiddleback
04-22-2009, 19:59
If you ordered a PT EOS from REI, would you expect them to treat you fairly and deliver to you new product?
Think about that.
Sure. I'd expect to be sent an unused product as it was shown online/in the catalog for the price listed. That's my point. If that's what happened in your case, it was most certainly an 'honest' transaction. If instead, they represented the product as the new model when in fact it wasn't, then you have a beef. But, IMO, it's still a little harsh to brand them as dishonest without knowing what was behind the 'error'.
For as long as I can remember, I've always considered same ol' products at new, higher prices as...higher prices.:rolleyes: Seems to me they're everywhere these days.
FB
RedneckRye
04-22-2009, 21:41
As much as it pains me to defend a big box chain store.....
The old EOS and the new EOS are exactly the same headlamp.
Only the info on the packaging and the method that Princeton Tec is now using to determine the brightness of their headlamps has changed.
As it was explained to my by the Princeton Tec sales rep that came into the store where I work, the major headlamp companies (Princeton Tec, Petzl, Black Diamond, etc) have begun to use a standard test to determine brightness so that it is easier to compare lights of different brands. Used to be that head lamps were rated in lumens or watts or distance of useable light, depending on whose packaging you looked at.
Princeton Tec used to test their lights by shining them on a black wall from a specific distance (I don't know what that distance was) and metering the light. A pretty solid test for a directional light source like a headlamp.
The new test is one that is the industry standard for light bulbs of all types. The bulb (or headlamp in this case) is placed into a sphere and the light is measured inside that sphere. This makes sense for a lamp in your living room where you are interested in 360 degree lighting, not so much for a directional light like a headlamp.
With the new standardized test, the same Princeton Tec light miraculously puts out almost double the light.
No change to the light from 2008 to 2009, just a new way to test the light output.
The "OLD" lights are no different from the new ones, just the numbers on the package.
Maybe Princeton Tec should charge more for their "NEW and BRIGHTER" headlamps.
AZJ_Jerky
04-22-2009, 21:58
Princeton Tech EOS is a 1watt, 3 level + blinking headlamp. The old version produced 25 lumens, the new 50 lumens. This is the best all-around headlamp on the market today. "New" is a newer LED technology - more light for the same power. The new version sells for $34 at Campmor, brightguy.com, and for $25 on Ebay. REI sells the old version for $44.
I wouldn't call it the BEST...It's good yes, but the EOS, while better than some headlamps in some areas, is not as good as others in other areas....Oh well...They are just headlamps anyway.
Skidsteer
04-22-2009, 22:09
As much as it pains me to defend a big box chain store.....
The old EOS and the new EOS are exactly the same headlamp.
Only the info on the packaging and the method that Princeton Tec is now using to determine the brightness of their headlamps has changed.
As it was explained to my by the Princeton Tec sales rep that came into the store where I work, the major headlamp companies (Princeton Tec, Petzl, Black Diamond, etc) have begun to use a standard test to determine brightness so that it is easier to compare lights of different brands. Used to be that head lamps were rated in lumens or watts or distance of useable light, depending on whose packaging you looked at.
Princeton Tec used to test their lights by shining them on a black wall from a specific distance (I don't know what that distance was) and metering the light. A pretty solid test for a directional light source like a headlamp.
The new test is one that is the industry standard for light bulbs of all types. The bulb (or headlamp in this case) is placed into a sphere and the light is measured inside that sphere. This makes sense for a lamp in your living room where you are interested in 360 degree lighting, not so much for a directional light like a headlamp.
With the new standardized test, the same Princeton Tec light miraculously puts out almost double the light.
No change to the light from 2008 to 2009, just a new way to test the light output.
The "OLD" lights are no different from the new ones, just the numbers on the package.
Maybe Princeton Tec should charge more for their "NEW and BRIGHTER" headlamps.
So basically REI is only guilty of selling it at a higher price than other retailers?
Stunning.
As much as it pains me to defend a big box chain store.....
The old EOS and the new EOS are exactly the same headlamp.
Only the info on the packaging and the method that Princeton Tec is now using to determine the brightness of their headlamps has changed.
As it was explained to my by the Princeton Tec sales rep that came into the store where I work, the major headlamp companies (Princeton Tec, Petzl, Black Diamond, etc) have begun to use a standard test to determine brightness so that it is easier to compare lights of different brands. Used to be that head lamps were rated in lumens or watts or distance of useable light, depending on whose packaging you looked at.
Princeton Tec used to test their lights by shining them on a black wall from a specific distance (I don't know what that distance was) and metering the light. A pretty solid test for a directional light source like a headlamp.
The new test is one that is the industry standard for light bulbs of all types. The bulb (or headlamp in this case) is placed into a sphere and the light is measured inside that sphere. This makes sense for a lamp in your living room where you are interested in 360 degree lighting, not so much for a directional light like a headlamp.
With the new standardized test, the same Princeton Tec light miraculously puts out almost double the light.
No change to the light from 2008 to 2009, just a new way to test the light output.
The "OLD" lights are no different from the new ones, just the numbers on the package.
Maybe Princeton Tec should charge more for their "NEW and BRIGHTER" headlamps.
Very wrong. PT upgraded the LED in the "new" EOS. The folks at candlepower.com tested it - it is 2x as bright. Everybody who owns both says that the new is much brighter than the old. And even REI acknowledges the increase in brightness with the EOS tactical, which is the same 50 lumen unit but with colored filters. As I said, you're very wrong.
RedneckRye
04-23-2009, 10:29
Very wrong. PT upgraded the LED in the "new" EOS. The folks at candlepower.com tested it - it is 2x as bright. Everybody who owns both says that the new is much brighter than the old. And even REI acknowledges the increase in brightness with the EOS tactical, which is the same 50 lumen unit but with colored filters. As I said, you're very wrong.
I'll return the favor of shouting "very wrong".
I just looked at the REI site for the Princeton Tec EOS
http://www.rei.com/product/775558
Then I looked at the Princeton Tec site for the EOS
http://www.rei.com/product/775558
The 50 lumen wonder light seems to be called the EOS II.
REI does not claim to be selling the new EOS II version.
I still can't believe I'm sitting here defending REI.
Very wrong. PT upgraded the LED in the "new" EOS. The folks at candlepower.com tested it - it is 2x as bright. Everybody who owns both says that the new is much brighter than the old. And even REI acknowledges the increase in brightness with the EOS tactical, which is the same 50 lumen unit but with colored filters. As I said, you're very wrong.
Brighter is better. It scares away the Islamic terrorists and makes the infidels feel safer in the woods. :D
Seriously, why is a headlamp that is twice as bright better? To wake up twice as many hikers in a shelter? To burn through batteries faster? To see the bears lying in ambush in the dark? When is enough, enough?
PS: There is no such thing as "the best" anything when referring to a piece of gear.
ARambler
04-23-2009, 11:19
The Black Diamond Spot went through a similar "transition" about 6 months ago. I bought the new one at an EMS store because I was not sure what I would get on-line (seemed like the older model).
Auguments for a Labeling/testing Change:
1. The new Spot packaging was also very similar to the old.
2. You would expect several manufacturers to adopt a new testing standard, especially if it made them look so good.
3. Although white LED technology is improving, this is a pretty large improvement for a single generation improvement.
Auguments for a Real Improvement:
A. You would expect most manufacturers to adopt the new LED in this timeframe.
B. While the packaging difference was subtile, Based on the packaging and on-line descriptions, I assumed the Spot improvement was real. Also, Black Diamond continued to rate the light in distance (70m @ 0hr; 34m @ 10hr) not lumens. This is not obviously a "uniform labeling" change.
C. My new BD Spot appears brighter than the old EOS. This is qualitative, and the Spot has an advantage of being more focused, so the light is more concentrated, and the boundry is sharper, giving the light more definition.
D. I go with an improvement, but I could have been mislead.
Rambler
What am I missing? From the Princeton website, the EOS and EOS II both have 50 lumens, they both weigh the same, one seems to last a bit longer than the other in re battery usage, and one blinks and has a medium switch while the other doesn't.
http://www.princetontec.com/?q=cat_prod_compare/compare/act/2
Seriously, why is a headlamp that is twice as bright better? To wake up twice as many hikers in a shelter? To burn through batteries faster? To see the bears lying in ambush in the dark? When is enough, enough?Too much is never enough.
PS: There is no such thing as "the best" anything when referring to a piece of gear.I guess youk weren't at the Gooch Gap shelter two years ago when some guy critiqued everyone's gear, whether they wanted him to or not (wow, you're using a ***** rain jacket. I have the **** jacket and it .....) or even if they were listening (no one was). Amazingly, it always turned out his gear was the best.
Surely you must have met this guy at some point in your hiking career?
ARambler
04-23-2009, 13:22
What am I missing? From the Princeton website, the EOS and EOS II both have 50 lumens, they both weigh the same, one seems to last a bit longer than the other in re battery usage, and one blinks and has a medium switch while the other doesn't.
http://www.princetontec.com/?q=cat_prod_compare/compare/act/2
Right, both of these have the new LED.
wrong link below, try e.g.:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=220417
Rambler
I'll return the favor of shouting "very wrong".
I just looked at the REI site for the Princeton Tec EOS
http://www.rei.com/product/775558
Then I looked at the Princeton Tec site for the EOS
http://www.rei.com/product/775558
The 50 lumen wonder light seems to be called the EOS II.
REI does not claim to be selling the new EOS II version.
I still can't believe I'm sitting here defending REI.
Look again. The EOS and EOS II are different lights. Both are 50 lumen. EOS is 3 mode, EOS II is 2 mode and nasty industrial environment rated.
RedneckRye
04-23-2009, 23:23
Look again. The EOS and EOS II are different lights. Both are 50 lumen. EOS is 3 mode, EOS II is 2 mode and nasty industrial environment rated.
I've stopped caring about the great REI injustice / headlamp scam.
The headlamp I use most of the time is a 1st generation Petzl Tikka. Don't know its lumens, or watts, or what the folks at superbrightlight.com have to say about it.
I also have, but rarely use, a Tikka XP. It is a lot brighter than the old Tikka. Most of the time it is overkill bright. Usually I have it clicked to it's lowest setting so that I don't blind everyone else.
Keep up the crusade DLA, maybe you'll get an award.
Look again. The EOS and EOS II are different lights. Both are 50 lumen. EOS is 3 mode, EOS II is 2 mode and nasty industrial environment rated.
Okay, I stand corrected. Sometimes too much IS too much. Time to let this one go.