BLACK
DIAMOND EQUIPMENT MOXIE HEADLAMP
Tester
Information:
Name: Pam Wyant
Age: 52
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Weight: 175 lb (79 kg)
E-mail
address: pamwyant(at)yahoo(dot)com
Location: Western West Virginia, U.S.A.
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Backpacking Background:
I enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, including backpacking,
day-hiking, car camping, and canoeing. Most of my excursions
are confined to weekends, although I try to fit in at least one
longer backpacking trip each year, and have started section
hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT), accruing a little over 300 mi
(483 km) so far. My style varies with the activity, but since
becoming a lightweight backpacker, I've noticed I tend to pack
somewhat minimally even on trips where I have more space.
Still, I don't like to sacrifice warmth, comfort, or safety.
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Initial Report - May 5, 2010
Product Information:
Manufacturer: Black Diamond
Equipment
Model: Moxie
Year of manufacture: 2010
Advertised weight: 44 g (1.6
oz) without batteries
Measured weight: 58 g (2.05 oz) without batteries
92 g (3.25 oz) with batteries
Lumens: 15 max
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Product
Description:
The Moxie is a light weight headlamp geared specifically toward
women. I am testing the 2010 model, which is different in
appearance than the one shown on the Black Diamond website at the time
of this
report.
The body of the 2010 Moxie is an attractive pale blue color with a gray
back and hinge. The Black Diamond logo and name appear at the top
front of the lamp. The rear of the lamp features a hinged
attachment piece for the headstrap. The 1" (2.5 cm) wide elastic
head strap features a multi-colored pattern of light blue, medium blue,
fuschia, and purple. The strap has two plastic slide-style
buckles to allow for adjustment. One buckle remains stationary,
while the other can be slid back and forth to adjust the length of the
strap. I was rather surprised at how freely the buckle slid while
I was holding the headlamp in my hands, however once I placed it on my
head, the tension kept the buckles in place without sliding. The
strap will adjust from about 16" (41 cm) to 27" (69 cm), not including
the stretch of the elastic.
The headlamp features a large central LED, listed at 1/2 watt, flanked
by two smaller LED lights, one to each side of the larger LED. A
silver metallic material surrounds the actual lamps to provide
additional reflection, and the area is protected by a clear plastic
cover. The wattage of the smaller LED lights is not listed; Black
Diamond describes them as SuperBright LEDs in the online instruction
manual.
A purple push button switch is located on the top of the housing.
The switch is slightly recessed, but the center portion is raised to be
about the same level as the top of the housing. The button is
easy to push, requiring very little effort. This should make it
easy to switch the lamp on and off while wearing it, but I do have some
concern as to whether it will just as easily turn itself on inside my
pack if bumped just right, since it is so easy to switch on.
The Moxie uses 3 AAA batteries. The online instruction manual
provides a lot of information about battery life, based on the various
settings and which lamp is used, with a minimum stated time of 58
hours and maximum of 200 hours. The directions do go on to state
that battery life can depend on a number of factors, including brand
and freshness of batteries, temperature, and recovery time (basically
the rest time between uses). Information is also provided about
illumination distances (basically from 7 to 38 meters or 23 to 125
feet).
Trying it out:
The Moxie arrived unattached from the headstrap. I
found this a little surprising, but it was easy to assemble the strap
to the headlamp without reading any instructions, although they
are provided in the online manual if I had needed them. The strap
basically passes through a slot in the back of the strap holder hinged
to the lamp body. One neat thing I found out by reading the
instructions is that the lamp can also be attached to pack webbing or a
belt of similar width to the headband.
Figuring out how to install the batteries was a little trickier.
I looked the lamp over searching for a slot to give an indication where
it opened, but couldn't find anything at first glance. A closer
examination gave me the idea that it might open at the bottom, where a
tab of the light blue material fits into the gray backing. Sure
enough, by sliding my thumbnail under the tabbed area, I was able to
pop the bottom of the lamp open, as shown to the right.
Details of the hinge and how the strap attaches are also shown in this
photo.
The back comes off at both top and bottom once opened, but is held
together by small straps that appear to be made of a material similar
to old-fashioned 35 mm film. This can be seen in the photo below.
The battery compartment is marked with embossed + and - symbols so the
batteries can be properly inserted. I had to sort of tilt the
lamp to view the symbols very well, as they tend to blend in with the
shiny black plastic of the compartment. If I were changing
batteries in dim light, I would probably need to borrow a companion's
light or have a pinch light back-up to assist in viewing the markings.
The
batteries slid into place easily, and the back was easy to replace, by
simply sliding the top portion into place first, and then snapping the
little blue tab closed at the bottom. Then of course, human
nature took over, and staring at the lamp to see if it would work, I
pressed the switch. Yep - that big center LED sure worked
well. I was seeing spots in front of my eyes for about the next
hour!
One thing that appears to be different about the 2010 model is the way
it opens, since the online manual says the bracket can be rotated past
90 degrees to help open the door tab. I tried this, but couldn't
get it to work, and it felt as if the hinge would break if I pushed it
past 90 degrees, so I did not persist. Speaking of the hinge, it
appears to be very cleverly designed. It has small notches, and a
tab on the headstrap holder fits against the hinge in such a way that
it has a little resistance at each notch, which seems to help hold the
lamp in the desired position better than other hinged headlamps I have
used.
Another thing that seems different is the way the switch
operates. I could not get it to work in the manner described in
the online manual, which instructs using half depressions to adjust the
brightness. However I did find that holding the switch down
caused the lamps to dim incrementally, and when the desired level was
reached, releasing the button caused the lamp to stay on at that
brightness level. Although the manual describes a strobe mode, I
could not access that function.
Preliminary Impressions:
Having used a tiny pinch light over the last couple of years as my
primary backpacking light, the Moxie seems very bright to me. I
have grandchildren that may soon be backpacking with me, and I
occasionally lead beginner trips, so I think the Moxie will be very
useful on these type of trips where a brighter light than my minimalist
pinch light might be desired. In particular, I think it would be
especially nice if anyone become sick or otherwise needs help during
the night. So far, I'm pretty pleased with the light weight of
the Moxie for the amount of light it provides. I look forward to
getting it out in the field to see if I enjoy the extra light enough to
keep carrying it on every backpacking trip, and to see how well the
batteries last.
Summary:
The Black Diamond Equipment Moxie Headlamp may be light in weight, but
it doesn't sacrifice on brightness. The unit appears to be sturdy
and well designed, with some thoughtful features such as being able to
clip it onto pack webbing or a belt, a uniquely adjusting hinge, and an
attractive, feminine look.
Field Report - August 17, 2010
Field
Locations and Conditions:
Ramsey's Draft area of George Washington National Forest, Virginia, May
2010
~ 17
mi (27 km) overnight backpacking trip (hammocking). Night time
temperatures
ranged from freezing to the low 40 F range (0-5 C), with heavy
wind.
Girl Scout Camp Sandy Bend, Elizabeth, West Virginia, May 2010 ~
weekend (2 night)
tent camping. Overnight
temperatures were around 60 F (15 C), daytime up to around 80 F (25 C).
Girl Scout Camp Sandy Bend, Elizabeth, West Virginia, May 2010 ~
overnight lodge
camping. Overnight temperatures were around 60 F (15
C), daytime up to around 80 F (25 C).
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Cranberry, Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia, May 2010 ~ 25 mi
(40 km)
weekend (2 night) backpacking trip. Overnight temperatures were
in the 50 F (10 C) range, daytime in the 70 F (20 C) range, with high
humidity.
Girl Scout Camp Sandy Bend, Elizabeth, West Virginia, July 2010 ~
weekend (2 night) lodge camping. Night time temperatures in the
upper
70 F range (around 25 C), daytime up in the 90 F (30 C) range.
Girl Scout Camp Sandy Bend, Elizabeth, West Virginia, August 2010 ~
weekend (2 night) tent camping. Night time temperatures in the
lower
70 F range (around 20 C), daytime in the 90 F (30 C) range.
Girl Scout Camp Sandy Bend, Elizabeth, West Virginia, August 2010 ~
overnight camping in half cabin. Night time temperatures in the
mid-80
F range (around 30 C), daytime mid-90 F (35 C) range.
Use and Conclusions:
With day light extending into the later evening hours over the test
period, I have not really used the Moxie for any cooking chores or camp
set up. I have used it for late night bathroom trips, gathering
gear from the communal fire ring before bedtime, settling into my tent
to sleep (organizing gear, locating clean socks, taking out my
contacts, etc), and finding things in my pack or duffel.
I've also used the Moxie to walk a few girls that forgot to bring
flashlights to their tents at Girl Scout Camp, to check the fire ring
area for lost and found items or litter, and a bit of reading.
The Moxie has provided ample light for all of these needs, and doesn't
show any signs of the batteries dimming so far, as I would expect
with an estimated 12 or so hours of use so far. The switch is
convenient to operate, and I have not yet had it come on accidentally
either in my backpack or in my camp duffel.
The one gripe I have is the adjuster on the headband. It has been
very irritating to have to constantly adjust the headband every time I
put it on, as the adjuster does not stay in the same spot when removed,
but slides freely around. I would like to see a buckle that
retains some tension so I don't have to fiddle with the strap each time
I put the headlamp on, as I often lower my headlamp from my forehead to
wear it necklace style when I want to keep it handy, but don't really
need the light at the moment.
Once adjusted, the strap is comfortable, and the Moxie seems to be well
balanced and at a good angle for walking when positioned with the hinge
closed, and can be adjusted to various angles to provide optimal
lighting for reading or close-up tasks. So far the hinge stays
securely in place when adjusted.
One plus that I have discovered is that the bright strap and housing
make the Moxie easy to locate in my pack or duffel.
Summary:
The Moxie provides nice bright lighting for general camp use, is
comfortable to wear, and easy to adjust the angle of the light.
The bright housing and strap make it easy to find inside the dark
interior of a pack or duffel. The adjuster on the headband
would be more useful to me if it retained the setting I like instead of
sliding freely each time the headlamp is removed.
Long Term Report - October 12, 2010
Field
Locations and Conditions:
Roaring Plains section of the Monongahela National Forest, West
Virginia, September 2010 ~ weekend backpacking trip with 3 mi (5 km) of
easy trail into a base camp, 13 mi (21 km) rugged day hike, and a 3 mi
(5 km) return trip to trailhead. Temperatures in the 40 F to mid
70 F range (around 5 C to 25 C). Dry weather, with high wind the
first night and high humidity the second night.
Watoga State Park, West Virginia, September 2010 ~ weekend cabin
stay. Temperatures in the 40
F to 80 F range (around 5 C to 25 C). Dry weather, low humidity.
Use and Conclusions:
With daylight still extending into the 7 pm range, I did not need to
use the Moxie for cooking or setting up camp, but used it to walk from
my tent to the communal campfire and back, for late night bathroom
trips, situating my gear in my tent, and a bit of reading and
journaling on my backpacking trips. On the weekend cabin stay it
was used for walking back and forth to evening programs and a large
group campfire, and to find a few small items in the interior of my
black duffel bag. I estimate I used it an additional 3 hours
during the last two months, and I have not yet had to change the
batteries. The light still seems amply bright, and I don't
anticipate changing the battery for several more weekend trips,
although I do carry a spare set 'just in case'.
The headlamp has been easy to adjust to suit the task at hand and the
hinge has continued to stay securely in place once I adjust the lamp to
the desired angle. The soft elastic headband is still very
comfortable, but as I've used it more it has become even more of an
irritant to readjust it each time I take the lamp off and put it back
on. This could so easily be solved by a different adjustment
system that would retain the strap position when the lamp is taken off
the head, and I am really surprised the freely sliding system was ever
used in the first place. I often found myself just holding the
lamp in my hand instead of putting it on, simply because I didn't want
to fuss with the strap to use it for a short while. One good
thing was that the strap was comfortable to wrap around my wrist or
wear around my neck when I didn't need light but wanted to keep it
close at hand.
The Moxie packs easily, and the bright color and shape make it easy to
find inside my pack or duffel even when the light is dim. The
weight is minimal for the good lighting it provides. I could
easily see to navigate paths for late night trips outside my tent, even
without my contacts in (and I don't see very far with them out, even in
daylight conditions.) Being able to adjust the light down for
reading was a plus so that the light wasn't glaring off white pages.
The on/off and dim switch is easy to operate, although it does not
operate exactly as the directions stated. Instead of half
depressions to adjust brightness, I found holding the switch down
caused it to cycle through what appears to be about 4 different levels
of brightness, and then gradually cycle back up to full brightness.
Summary:
The Moxie is a versatile headlamp well suited for backpacking and
general use whenever a task light is needed. The range of
settings from soft to bright is useful, the lamp is easy to operate,
and it is a nice light weight for the intensity of the light. My
sole gripe is the headband adjustment, which is particularly irritating
for occasions that I want to take the lamp on and off several times,
such as when changing clothes, sitting around a campfire, and of course
for those late night bathroom runs.
Likes:
Bright at full setting, can be adjusted down
Comfortable headstrap
Hinge retains setting well
Good weight for brightness of light
Dislikes:
Headband does not retain setting when removed
Follow up Report - November 5, 2010
Shortly after my Long Term Report, I received information from Black
Diamond that I had installed the lamp incorrectly on the headband, and
that the Moxie normally ships with the headlamp already installed on
the band. Sure enough, by switching the lamp's location, the
headband miraculously started staying in place when removed. Yeah!
I used the Moxie on one additonal overnight campout, with overnight
temperatures right at freezing, and the headband retained it's position
whenever I took it off. The batteries continued to be nice and
bright, and I did not notice any diminished light in the lower
temperatures.
With the headband issue worked out, I have to say I am perfectly
satisfied with this nifty little headlamp, and plan to use it for many
years.
Thanks to Black Diamond Equipment and BackpackGearTest.org for the
opportunity to test the Moxie!
Read more reviews of Black Diamond gear
Read more gear reviews by Pamela Wyant
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