Black Diamond Spot 350 Headlamp Outdoor Head Torch

Product Information

If your headlamp uses replaceable batteries, follow the manufacturer's recommendations for replacement intervals. Store spare batteries in a safe, dry place, and keep them warm in cold weather to maintain their performance. Dispose of used batteries responsibly, following local recycling guidelines. Always follow the manufacturer’s battery recommendation (e.g., alkaline, lithium). All of our recommended headlamps support alkaline and lithium batteries, but note that this isn’t true for all headlamps. Some headlamps, especially older models before the LED bulb, use bulbs that can't handle lithium batteries. However, all of our winners support lithium batteries. Most of the headlamps we recommend offer focused and directional lighting, which is handy for illuminating specific areas or objects like your cook pot or where you think that mouse hiding under your tent may be. You can adjust the angle and intensity of the light to suit your needs, whether you're examining gear, reading, or navigating uneven terrain. Improved night vision The rechargeable CORE battery that comes with the Actik Core is a USB-rechargeable lithium battery that fits in the battery compartment. The CORE battery can be removed and replaced. This means if you carry an extra battery, you don’t have to worry about pass-through charging. You can charge one battery at night while using this Petzl headlamp with the other battery inside. It’s the convenience of AAA batteries without the weight or waste.

The most powerful of Petzl’s compact headlamps, the Petzl Swift RL shouldn’t be overlooked by those looking for a high-end light. This lamp features the same Reactive Lighting tech as the Nao RL above, which is not only convenient for adapting to the environment hands-free (think of it as the photochromic lens of headlamps) but also optimizes battery life throughout the charge. In standard Reactive mode, you get a minimum of 7 hours of burn time and up to 275 lumens of light, which is sufficient brightness for navigating trails and even more complex terrain. Compare that to the top-ranked Actik Core, which lasts for 7 hours at 100 lumens, and the contrast is obvious: The Swift RL is a much more powerful lamp for just a small 0.4-ounce weight penalty. Please also consider sharing it using one of the buttons at right and leaving a comment or question at the bottom. Thank you, I really appreciate it. One of the most significant benefits of a headlamp is that it provides hands-free illumination. This is a huge benefit over a flashlight. This allows you to perform various tasks, such as cooking in camp, reading maps, setting up camp, or even hiking or climbing, without the need to hold a flashlight. Enhanced safety

Our Verdict

Treeline writer Kate Hoch has used its predecessor, the BioLite 750, for the past year climbing and mountaineering in the Cascades and Pacific Northwest, including Mt. Shasta. For these kinds of trips, being able to see farther out is essential for smart route-finding decisions. In addition, many ultramarathoners enjoy trail running with a brighter headlamp, especially when they are likely to hallucinate or become sleep-deprived enough to see things in the dark. Headlamps make you visible to others when you're out after dark. This can be beneficial if your group is separated or for safety when encountering others. This is useful whether you're hiking, running, cycling, or camping. This visibility enhances your safety, reducing the risk of accidents and ensures others can see you in low-light conditions. Precise illumination

Accidental drops or impacts can mess with the headlamp's internal components and the lens. Most of the headlamps we recommend are pretty rugged and are designed to handle some dropping. However, sometimes a small drop at a weird angle can cause more damage than a bigger drop onto a part that is designed to take more wear. For those who enjoy nighttime adventures like night hiking or wildlife photography, a headlamp is arguably the most important gear item. We’ve found that the headlamp that throws light the farthest distance isn’t always the best for every activity. For example, Gadget Review estimates the distance needed for casual hiking to be 150 feet, where trail running is 30 feet, hunting is 350 feet, and caving/mountaineering is 400 feet. (We were skeptical of the 30 feet, but after interviewing several trail runners, most said having a very bright light immediately in front of them for foot placement choices was more important than distance).Lumen count: Lumens are a measure of the quantity of light emitted from a light source. For reference: 1 lumen is 10 times brighter than moonlight; a flashlight offers about 20 lumens. But when you’re buying a headlamp, you don’t want to just go for the highest lumen count possible. “A lot of lumens can be attractive to many and feel fun. However, there is the trade-off with weight, low run-time, and price,” said Victor Kabo, the co-founder of Bookman Urban Visibility, a Swedish company that makes bicycle lights. Lumen count also doesn’t tell you much about the actual light quality, either: From an optics perspective, the beam length and the shape both impact a light’s output more than the lumen number. Based on our experience and research, we’ve found you don’t need more than 300 lumens for everyday tasks, and often 200 will do just fine. (Running a 400-lumen headlamp at 200 will also make the battery last longer.) We looked at headlamps that offered at least 200 lumens (except for the headlamps for kids).

For minimalists and true ounce-counters, our favorite ultralight headlamp of 2023 is the Nitecore NU25 400 UL. At just 1.6 ounces, the Nitecore secures via a streamlined elastic headband, is surprisingly bright with a 400-lumen max output, and is rechargeable via micro USB. We’ve also found it incredibly easy to operate (cryptic toggling between modes is a common issue with headlamps), with one button for the white beam and one for red, and the battery seemingly lasts forever. All told, as a high-powered emergency light or for those trying to keep their load as light as possible, the NU25 UL is a bright and relatively cheap option. When turned on, the brightness of the rechargeable battery and AAA batteries is the same. However, with the rechargeable battery, the brightness is generally constant during the burn time. This is a perk compared to standard batteries, where the brightness gradually decreases as the batteries are drained. BD’s PowerTap technology—found in other BD headlamps—allows you to simply tap the right side of the casing to cycle between max brightness and whatever dimmed level you previously set. The brightness memory technology means the Spot350 turns on in the mode and brightness level you last turned it off. Still, our one issue with the Nitecore NU 25 is battery life. When using the max light output of 360 lumens, it only lasts 0.5 hour–which is the lowest time of the headlamps we tested. However, in low light mode, it runs for 160 hours, which is better than some other rechargeable headlamps, like the BioLite 330. Still, it’s lower but in the general ballpark of AAA battery headlamps like the Spot 400.Often, headlamps with the most beam distance require more juice from batteries. Most headlamp companies will tell you lumens and distance in their specs. However, brand-reported numbers may be faulty. See our graph representing distance for more information on distance thrown. BATTERY LIFE — ANSI FL1 STANDARD The average headlamp features a range of lighting modes, including spot, flood, colored, and strobe lights. The default setting for most lamps is their powerful LED spot beam, which focuses the light at a distance rather than casting it wide around you (the max distance these can reach is listed in the "max beam" section of our comparison table). While not necessary in all circumstances, a long-distance beam can be helpful for looking far down a trail, trying to spot an anchor while rappelling, or even for extreme uses like caving. A proximity beam illuminates the area right in front of you The Tikkina has 2 hours of battery life at max power (250 lumens), 9 hours of battery life at standard power (100 lumens), and 120 hours of battery life at low power (6 lumens). This is less than most of the other headlamps we considered, which is to be expected given the budget cost of the Tikkina. Still, it’s competitive with other headlamps in this price range and is good enough for casual use.