Bear Grylls Gear

Survive in the Wild With the Latest Gear

Which Black Diamond Headlamp Do I Have

5 min read

Fortunately, in an effort to aid the learning process, Black Diamond has released a short two-minute video on YouTube last month detailing its operation. In lieu of writing out meticulous instructions , I invite you to watch the aforementioned video as the visuals far exceed what I can illustrate on pen and paper. Have shown multiple people that the red light setting even exists on BD headlamps they’ve owned for years. I could see some confusion if you accidentally got it on this setting and didn’t know how to get it back to the normal lamp color. This headlamp provides multiple modes, including strobe, dimming, red night vision, and the like.

I used it in light rain and as a lamp for hot steaming shower. It can rain with cats and dogs, not a drop of water will get inside. This spring during an extended night travel stretch, I couldn’t help but notice my buddy’s lamp was putting out more light. “Black Diamond Spot”, well that’s odd as that’s what I’m using. Here is a little video where I step through the different modes except for the flashing mode I mentioned above. It’s light, tough as can be expected for such a lightweight compact light,and gives plenty of light for getting out of the woods.

Field Tested: Black Diamond Storm 400

The memory capacity will keep the previous light setting instead of going into the full power mode. Icon 700 will produce the brightest tracking experience with the 700-lumen output. When you click on links to buy products we may earn money to support our work. Learn how we create the world’s most carefully tested and objective gear overviews on our About page.

I’ve used this light for 3+ years mainly for an emergency light in my pack. One of my favorite lights that I’ve used and have logged some real miles with this on trails even in the rain up steep climbs. The photos suggest it might be fairly neutral, rather than the bluish cool white found in a lot of LEDs. R/flashlight members have a very strong preference about this, as it has a big effect on color accuracy, which has a big effect on the user’s ability to tell what they’re looking at.

I got it, put new batteries in and used it briefly, then took it on a trip a few months later and it was not very bright and the battery indicator was red. Keep batteries on hand and this lamp will not let you down. I have used this on 4 overnight trips, plus some day hikes where I end after sunset, and still havent replaced the batteries.

I would not buy this lamp if I had the purchase to make over again. I was unsure if I should have bought the 100 lumens product. I now know, for sure, my money was well spent on this one. BD cleverly incorporated it into the side of the lamp so the user or partner can clearly see the status.

It might be simple, but it could also be more complicated than you planned. The most common reasons for replacement are damage and discoloration due to oxidation. Replacing the lens on a headlight is one of the easiest auto repair tasks to do and requires nothing more than a screwdriver. The most important part of replacing a lens is to get the correct size lens for the vehicle.

From an off position in the desired mode, tap the power button three times in quick succession and the strobe feature will turn on. Handy for emergencies or to draw attention to your position. To access the red night vision function, click the power button and hold down for 3 seconds. When the red light comes on, release the power button.

How Do You Charge A Black Diamond Headlamp?

There is only one button that does all, on/off and adjusts the brightness. On and off is simple as is swapping between single and proximity lighting, what is not so simple is adjusting the brightness. The narrow — WAY TOO THIN — plastic catch, which is supposed to keep the headlamp securely at the desired set angle, is absolutely inadequate. I refer here to a portion of the same piece of plastic that the headband is woven through.

That may or may not have happened to me one night in the Grayson Highlands. I recently lost this exact black diamond head lamp. I appreciate some of its features, not present in their newer black diamond headlamps. If you still have it, and would like to sell it, I would gratefully purchase it from you, at the full price of a new lamp. We do basic, unverified runtimes to get a sense of the light’s stated claims. I say in the overview I was not impressed with the ReVolt’s overall runtime, but because it can recharge from a solar panel or battery block it didn’t ever matter on my trips.

And other headlamps have a second light or the battery pack on the back of the strap. If you need to wear a hat or helmet, the headlamp will need to fit around that layer. Some headlamps offer the ability for the user to program buttons and lighting on their own. As we said earlier, a few headlamps offer apps for a plethora of options. You’ll see some headlamps offer both rechargeable batteries and the option for AAA battery functions.

It wasn’t really that easy to operate and didn’t feel intuitive in the same way the power button on the top works. However, there could be a large element of getting used to using it which I didn’t really do. The next thing I should mention is something called ‘Power Tap Technology’. The idea behind this is that on the right side of the lamp itself, there is a little button which is activated by touch. When the light is on and you tap it and release, the lamp will be brought to 100% brightness.

The ones it comes with are not low self-discharge ones, so I have a set of those in there. “Traditional” outdoor brands — Black Diamond, Petzl, Princeton Tec — have a long standing reputation as quality providers. The white light setting is kinda weird in a way.

The ReVolt offers simple recharging via micro-USB, on a light at a reasonable price and with good all-around performance. Happily, there are lots of rechargeable options for headlamps today, and the ReVolt faces a lot of competition. The ReVolt also comes with a battery power indicator, which I’m a big fan of on any headlamp. If the meter shines blue, the digital lock has been engaged. If it shines green, the battery is more than 50% charged, if it’s orange, it’s 25-50% charged, and if it’s red, it’s less than 25% charged.

en_USEnglish