WE’RE HERE TO HELP

It’s true. We have a lot of different lights. The choices may seem a little overwhelming at first, but a few simple questions will help you narrow down the options.

1. Will you use the light for an activity that matches one of our four divisions? (Outdoor, Dive, Industrial, or Tactical)
2. Do you need hands-free (headlamp), hands-on (flashlight), area (lantern) or “be seen” (marker/strobe) lighting? Or do you need a helmet-mounted light (check Tactical or Industrial), a bike-mounted light (see Outdoor) or something else (check Accessories)?
3. What activities will you use the light for?
   • Fast-moving and/or varied terrain activities (trail running, mountain biking, backcountry hunting, escaping yeti, etc.)?
   • Higher lumens may be best for you – focus on lights with 200+ lumens.
   • Not-as-fast-moving activities in less varied terrain (road running, hanging around camp, low-key hiking, fishing, etc.)?
   • High-lumen lights with a low flood setting or dimmability will work, or lights under 200 lumens.

4. What are your fuel needs?
   • Alkaline: The battery type that fuels most of your electronics. Do you carry other gear that uses a specific battery type? Sticking to one type of battery (e.g. AAA) makes it easier to stay prepared.
   • Rechargeable: Feeling green? Have a regular power source to plug into? Shop rechargeable options.
   • Lithium: Planning to spend a lot of time in extreme cold or heat? Lithium batteries are smaller and lighter than most alkaline batteries and can often withstand extreme temperatures.

A lumen is a unit that measures light, as derived by the International System of Units (SI). It’s also how we measure the light output of our products. Lumens are important, but lumen count isn’t the only factor that affects brightness. The quality of the reflector and how long the light maintains its lumen count before the battery begins to drain will also influence brightness. See our note on regulated lights under the “Bulbs” tab in our Tec Defined section.

Lumen counts can be a matter of preference, but here’s our rule of thumb: if you’re doing a fast-paced activity, covering varied terrain, or you REALLY want to nail that starry Instagram photo, look for products with 200 lumens and higher. If your activities are more moderately paced, cover somewhat consistent terrain, or are focused around a campfire, for example, 200 lumens or less will do the job.

At Princeton Tec, we preach the gospel of light discipline: whenever possible, do what you need to do (safely), with as little light as possible – without giving yourself a headache. This approach helps to preserve the peace of the outdoors at night, while also preserving the integrity of your friends’ eyes when you look directly at them while wearing a headlamp (see also: why do I need a red LED?).

A red LED emits a different light wavelength than a white LED, making it a little easier on your eyes. The red light is helpful for a few reasons:

1. You won’t blind friends, relatives, and strangers when you look directly at them, headlamp blazing.
2. You can see the stars more clearly.
3. It guards against nighttime honey badger attacks. Seriously – red light enables you to focus on a close task, yet your eyes adjust much faster when you look up into the dark. Next time you’re whipping up mac ‘n cheese around the campfire and you hear rustling in the woods, you can see whether it’s a honey badger or a buddy carrying firewood. On a serious note, military and law enforcement personnel have long used red light to preserve night vision and decrease their overall light signature in many different situations.
4. It’s less disruptive to wildlife.

We also produce several other LED colors (green, blue, UV & IR), but they may not be available in all of our products. Some outdoor products do have various light color combinations, but most of our specialty light colors find their home in the Tactical product line. Light color usage and preferences can be highly subjective, but we do have a quick guide here, on our Tactical Overview page.

• If you have a question about the warranty, please see the following question.
• For any other questions, please reach out to our Customer Service team at questions@princetontec.com, or our Marketing team via direct message on Facebook.
• Our Customer Service and Marketing teams are located at Princeton Tec HQ, live and in-person, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am through 5 pm (EST).

At Princeton Tec we take pride in our products but we know that from time to time you may encounter an issue with one of our lights – whether it’s due to general abuse that comes with the territory or due to an error on our end. (Which we work very hard not to make.)

And sometimes, your boat sinks and when you bring it to the surface several months later, you discover that your sunken Princeton Tec flashlight still works – after you scrape the barnacles off the lens, of course.

First – have you tried turning it off and back on again? We’re mostly kidding. Try removing and then reinstalling the batteries. If that doesn’t work, try a fresh set.

Still having an issue? Please contact our Customer Service team by phone (1-800-257-9080) or email (warranty@princetontec.com). Customer Service is located at Princeton Tec HQ, live and in person, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am through 5 pm EST.

To make the process a little easier, please be ready to provide your light model, date of purchase, and a brief description of the issue you’re encountering – or include those details in your email. We can often ship the parts you need to get your light up and running ASAP. For other issues, we may ask you to ship your light to us.

Don’t throw out that light! Many of our products can be repaired with a simple replacement part. If your light has broken plastics but still functions, there’s a good chance we can help. Give the Customer Service team a call at (1-800-257-9080) or email (warranty@princetontec.com) for assistance.

To file a warranty claim for your Princeton Tec product, call (1-800-257-9080) or email (warranty@princetontec.com) our Customer Service team for assistance.

If we determine that your light needs to be sent back to us for repairs or replacement, we will give you a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number. Note: no warranty work can be completed without first obtaining an RMA number from Princeton Tec. (Sorry!)

Once you receive your RMA number, ship the defective product back to the Princeton Tec address provided.

If possible, we will repair the light. Otherwise, we will replace your light with an identical product or, if the product is no longer available, a comparable product. We will then ship the repaired or replaced light back to you. Average turnaround times during non-peak seasons are 2-3 weeks.

Our Customer Service team is located at Princeton Tec HQ, live and in person, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am through 5 pm (EST).

Many technology-related answers can be found in our Tec Defined section. If you still can’t find the answers you need, give the Customer Service team a call at (1-800-257-9080) or send them an email (questions@princetontec.com) for assistance. Our Customer Service team is located at Princeton Tec HQ, live and in person, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am through 5 pm (EST).

Many of our lights can be “locked out,” allowing transport in bags or pockets without risk of the light accidentally switching on.

The Vizz, Byte, and Axis headlamp models have a lockout function. Depending on the version or model, the lockout can be engaged and disengaged by either sliding a lock switch on the battery door, or by holding down the on/off button for a few seconds, or by “triple-clicking” the on/off button. The Product Manual will show you the correct method for your model.

Did you know your Princeton Tec headlamp came with a tool? If you’ve ever attended an event where we hand-build headlamps, you probably do; it’s one of our favorite things to talk about.

All Princeton Tec headlamps come with our Headstrap Tool, which is a plastic molded, curved-edge piece on the side of your headstrap buckle. This tool can open battery door latches or thumbscrews. Like a good friend, it’s always there when you need it.

While we’re talking about headstraps, if you’re going to take a crazy awesome selfie while rocking your Princeton Tec headlamp, can you make sure the logo is right side up? Eric, our Creative Director, dies a little every time he sees one upside down.

Nope. Sorry! We would have to swap out the product’s core module, which doesn’t usually go well.

We’re not always looking to expand our Field Ambassador team, but we love to connect with great people. If you’d like to learn more, we’d be happy to hear from you. Send an email to questions@princetontec.com with the subject line “Field Ambassador Team.” Please include your name and a little background about why you want to be a Princeton Tec Field Ambassador. Bonus points if you include photos of dogs, jeeps, largemouth bass or really good burgers.

Yes, but none of us have ever met the Jersey Shore cast (well, almost positive on this one). However, there is a good chance most of us have met the Jersey Devil while exploring the Pine Barrens.

The classic “What Exit?” joke doesn’t really apply to us, since we’re located in the southern portion of the state. And while our buildings are in industrial corridors, we’re also a short drive away from great spots for hiking, fishing, trail running, steer roping (hello, Cowtown Rodeo), off-roading, mountain biking, surf fishing, paddling and most other outdoor activities you can imagine.

Elevation gains in our part of the state top out at about 380 feet, so there is that.

Princeton Tec was born in the central part of the state and has slowly moved south over the past 40 years. Our HQ is now located in Pennsauken (right across the river from Philadelphia, PA), and we have a plastic injection molding facility and tool shop down the road in Berlin, which is right outside Wharton State Forest.