Field Report

Black Diamond Cosmo Headlamp
Field Report - August 1, 2006

Tester Information:
Name: David Heyting
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Height: 6’ 0”, 1.83 m
Weight: 205 lb, 93 kg
Email: deheyting@yahoo.com
City, State, Country: Snoqualmie, Washington, USA

Backpacking Background:
I have been hiking and backpacking for over 15 years. A great deal of the backpacking that I do is related to mountaineering and rock climbing in the Pacific Northwest. When not climbing, I’m a hiker that tries to go light to be able to push more miles. My main areas of exploration are the Washington Central and North Cascades. However I have also done lots of hiking in the British Columbia Coastal Range as well as the Oregon Cascades. I am also an avid adventure racer and compete in several races each year ranging from 2 hours up to 24 hours in duration.

Product Information
Manufacturer: Black Diamond
Model: Cosmo
URL: www.bdel.com
Listed Weight: 2.8 oz/ 80 g with batteries 1.6 oz/ 44 g without batteries
Tested Weight: 2.9 oz/ 82 g with batteries 1.7 oz/ 48 g without batteries
MSRP: $29.95 US
Country of Manufacturer: USA
Date Received: 05 17 06

Product Description:
The Cosmo is a compact and lightweight headlamp that features four SuperBright LEDs that provide bright close range lighting. For more information please see my Initial report

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Photo courtesy of Black Diamond

Field Conditions:
I have been able to use the Cosmo in a variety of different terrains over the past two months while being able to test the functions of the Cosmo in a variety of different uses – from nighttime glacier climbing, to orienteering and finally to camp life. During this period I was able to test the headlamp at elevations ranging from sea level to over 14,000 ft (4,267 m). While climbing Mt. Rainier in Washington, I used the Cosmo as my main light source while leading my rope team to the summit. I also used headlamp while making an alpine start, climbing in the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness, which is near Steamboat Springs, in the Colorado Rockies. The Cosmo was also used while doing multiple nighttime orienteering and trail running practice in the Central Cascades. The headlamp also served as my camp light while camping in dry climate of Eastern Oregon. The temperatures during my testing ranged from 40 degrees up to 95 degrees F (4 c to 35 c). I had hoped that the temperature during my Mt. Rainier climb would allow me to test the headlamp at some colder conditions; however the weather was extremely warm during that trip.

Summary:

The Cosmo has preformed wonderfully and has been able to provide a steady lightweight source of light.

Field Results:

In testing the Cosmo I wanted to be able to push its limits by not only taking the headlamp into various terrains and elevations, but also to use the headlamp in a variety of uses. During my testing I found the Cosmo to be lightweight and comfortable to wear. I also found that it was easy to attach to my climbing helmet. The on/off button was easy to use, even with gloves on. It was also easy to adjust the direction of the light by tilting the headlamp. This was easy to do on the fly, with or without gloves on. The Cosmo provides a great light. I was impressed by the way the headlamp was able to light up the peripheral while still maintaining a solid straight beam with which to see. This made it easy to trail run and navigate with as the Cosmo provided great lighting around my feet. A couple times I did wish the Cosmo could emit a focused beam straight ahead to see a little bit further in the distance. The Cosmo does a great job of lighting up the tent or a wilderness restroom for that matter. During the testing, I found myself mainly using the brightest light during the testing as I never really had the need to use the other setting. I had the light on continually for well over 20 hours during my testing and I did not notice any reduction of light output during the two months. I did find myself really enjoying the weight and size of the Cosmo as during the past two months, I have taken the Cosmo on all trips (even day trips) as part of my survival gear.

Test Plan:

For my test plan I outlined five main factors to review as well as looking at how field conditions and activity choice affected the function of the Cosmo.

Here are the five factors and the results:

1. Visibility – How much light does the light actually put out?
The Cosmo provided great lighting for each activity that I did. I felt that the light provided great side lighting, without sacrificing very much in terms of straight ahead focused beam power. This was great for the camp site or while trail running.

2. Best intended use – Under what conditions does the Cosmo excel?
I felt the Cosmo excelled in all conditions that I was in as well as in each activity that I performed. I used the Cosmo for camp life, glacier climbing, trail running, and orienteering. I felt the Cosmo functioned well for each discipline and is a very well rounded headlamp.

3. Burn Time – How long do the batteries last?
Currently I am at over 20 hours and the Cosmo has shown no noticeable drop in power.

4. Ease of use – Is the headlamp easy to use in all conditions?
The single switch button was simple to use and easy to access even with gloves on. With only one strap to adjust to change the length of the headband, I found it easy to adjust the size to move from my head on to my climbing helmet.

5. Comfort – Is the headlamp comfortable over a long period?
I thought the headlamp rode quite well. I used the headlamp, directly on my head, with a baseball hat on and with a climbing helmet and felt the Cosmo was comfortable in each case.

I felt the Cosmo performed well over all activities that I performed during the past two months. As far as conditions go, the Cosmo performed well in all cases. I felt I was able to provide a good test of performance at elevations with my trips to Mt. Rainier and the Colorado Rockies. In all cases elevation seemed to have no impact on the Cosmo. As far as weather conditions go, I experienced great weather during my test – hot weather did not seem to have any impact on the Cosmo. However, I did not have the opportunity to test the Cosmo in either extreme cold or in a rainy atmosphere, which I would like to do.

Thanks to Black Diamond and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to test the Cosmo.

Read more reviews of Black Diamond gear
Read more gear reviews by David Heyting

Reviews > Lighting > Headlamps - LED > Black Diamond Cosmo > David Heyting > Field Report

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