The Best Lighting For Needlepointing On The Go

The Products: 

I tested the following four lights purchased via Amazon Prime:

1. Lumos & Lumos Knitting (neck) Lamp – $49.95
2. Glocusent Original Neck Reading Light  – $18.99
3. Petzl ARTIC CORE Headlamp- $82.50 (note: the ARTIC model without the CORE rechargeable battery retails for approximately $35.00)
4. Petzl BINDI Ultra-light Headlamp – $40.95

The Product Specs: 

I started by researching the technical information on the manufacturer’s websites (yes, I am a geek mechanical engineer).  I was most interested in understanding the technical specs of brightness, battery life, recharge time, and weight/size.

• Lumos & Lumos Knitting (neck) Lamp
  1. Two lights with 3 different color temperatures: yellow(3000K), white(6000K), and warm white(4000K) and infinitely adjustable brightness
  2. 1000mAh battery that recharges in 2 hours with a standard USB plug.
  3. The website claims it “lasts more than 8 hours at one go,” but there is no mention of what the light brightness or color settings were used to achieve the results.
  4. Weight 5.3 oz (150 grams)
  5. Not water resistant

• Glocusent Original Neck Reading Light 
  1. Three color temperature modes: yellow (3000K), warm white (4000K), and cool white (6000L), with switching to 3 brightness levels
  2. 1000mAh battery that recharges in 2 -3 hours with a USB type C plug.
  3. The website claims battery charge will be for 8 hours of continuous use, with no mention of temperature or brightness settings used to achieve the results.
  4. Weight 4.62 oz (131 grams)
  5. Not water resistant

• Petzl ARTIC CORE Headlamp 
  1. 600 lumens with three lighting modes: 7 lumens, 100 lumens, 600 lumens.  The lamp also includes a red light designed for night vision.
  2. 1250mAh battery rechargeable with micro-USB type C
  3. Battery life is dependent upon the brightness setting used:
     1. Dimmest brightness (7 lumens) – 100 hours
     2. Standard brightness (100 lumens) – 7 hours
     3. Max brightness (600 lumens) – 2 hours
     4. Red light continuous (2 lumens) – 60 hours
  4. Weight 3.10 oz (88 grams)
  5. Water-resistant (splash)

• Petzl BINDI Ultra-light Headlamp 
  1. 200 lumens with three lighting modes: proximity (6 lumens), movement (100 lumens), and distance (200 lumens).  The lamp also includes a red light designed for night vision.
  2. 680mAh battery rechargeable with micro-USB includes charge indicator.
  3. Battery life is dependent upon the brightness setting used:
     1. Dimmest brightness (6 lumens) – 50 hours
     2. Standard brightness (100 lumens) – 3 hours
     3. Max brightness (200 lumens) – 2 hours
     4. Red light continuous (1 lumen) – 33 hours
  4. Weight 1.25 oz (35 grams)
  5. Water-resistant (splash)
  6. The headlamp includes two lock functions to prevent the lamp from turning on during transit or storage.

The Evaluation Setting and Process:

 I tested each light in complete darkness (there is no power on a tropical island). I needlepointed on the same two canvases with the same thread colors and stitches for each of the four lights. My first test was stitching on a 13-mesh canvas secured on a frame and clamped to my floor stand, stitching basketweave in an off-white color. The second test was sitting on the sofa stitching basketweave on an 18-mesh canvas in a medium blue color.

The Results:

Neck Lights (Lumos & Lumos and Glocusent)

• Difficult to focus light on the stitching area
• Provided general area lighting rather than specific task lighting
• Working in the shadow of my own hands was undesirable
• Comparable in size and weight

Headlamps (Petzl ARTIC CORE and Petzl BINDI)

• Focused light on the stitching area
• Followed my gaze, ensuring consistent lighting
• Rotatable for precise lighting placement
• Ample light is provided in the middle brightness setting
• Red light feature for night use without disturbing others
• Splashproof for added durability

Top Pick: 

Petzl BINDI Ultra-light Headlamp

• Extremely compact size, fitting easily into any bag
• Rotatable design to protect the on/off switch during transit

Field Notes:

I found it challenging to focus the light on my stitching area using the neck lights.  The neck lights provided a more general area lighting than a specific task light.  The Glocusent light is stiffer to articulate than the Lumos, so once it was aimed at the correct location, it tended to stay focused on the spot better than the Lumos.  I thought the lights provided by both neck lights were similar and would not choose one over the other.  

The Glocusent has a switch at the back of the neck to change the color shades of the light and the brightness is changed at the head of the lamp, whereas the Lumos has the same brightness and color options but all at each light head.  I tried to test a way to fix the light to the exact location I needed to stitch, including looping the Lumos over my ears instead of around my neck, which worked better than having it “floating” around my neck. In addition to being unable to get the light to stay focused on my stitching area, I found myself working in the shadow of my own hands, which was very undesirable.  I will say that I have spent a lot of time stitching with others in dark rooms and found that when I looked up from my stitching at a friend wearing a neck light, I would often be blinded looking into their lights. Both of the neck lights were comparable in size and weight.  The Lumos may have had a nicer feel on my neck.

I found the headlamps offered a focused light on the area I was stitching; as they were fixed to my head, they always followed my gaze.  I prefer a bright white light when I sew; both headlamps provide exactly that (no color changes).  Both headlamps could be rotated outward or downward so I could spot the exact location of my canvas regardless of whether I was sitting in a chair looking at a frame or curled up comfortably on the couch, stitching in hand.  I liked that the lights could rotate downward on my stitching; this would ensure that when I am stitching in a room full of friends, they are not blinded by my light when I look up at them. I did find that both headlamps provided ample light in the middle brightness setting, which would conserve some of the battery power.  The larger headlamp with the traditional head strap made me sweat after some time, and I would definitely put a crimp on any hairstyle.  The Bindi headlamp had a bungee cord that could be adjusted to fit; I had it very loose and could hardly feel it was on my head.  

Note: I have straight hair that is often tied up, so I am not concerned that the headlamp would cause my hairstyle to fail.

There were a few features on the headlamps that were not on the neck lamps that I think would be useful for traveling with stitching.  Both headlamps had a red light feature. As a sailor, I have often used the red light at night to prevent disturbing others. Both headlamps are adjustable for rotation to achieve and maintain focus in more than just stitching situations (i.e., walking outdoors).  Both headlamps are splashproof, so in the rare instance they got wet in my bag, they should both be acceptable. 

Two specific features beyond those discussed above make the Petzl Bindi my light of choice. First, it is tiny (it fits in the palm of my clenched hand) and small enough to fit into any bag. Second, the lamp can be rotated so that the carrying frame protects the on-off switch so that it cannot be inadvertently turned on.

Thank you for reading and following along! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments at JoAnn@IslandHouseNeedlepoint.com or on Instagram @Islandhouseneedlepoint.