Initial Report

Black Diamond Cosmo Headlamp
Initial Report - May 21, 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. The Headlamp uses 3 AAA batteries, which are included with purchase. The Cosmo features varying degrees of burn time based on the user lighting settings. The Cosmo has four light-output settings: three brightness settings and a strobe illumination setting. It has an adjustable elastic head strap that can be taken on and off. It is also designed so that it can be directly attached to webbing on packs, harnesses and waist belts. It also features a tilt option to adjust the light angle.

Photo courtesy of Black Diamond

Initial Impressions:
Upon opening the Cosmo, I was impressed with the weight. It lives up to its billing as being light weight and small, without the strap the headlamp is about the size of a golf ball. Opening the headlamp to insert the batteries is very straight forward and the positive and negative spots are well marked and easy to find. The back of the Cosmo has a gray tab that is pushed down to insert the batteries. The tab is easy to find as the gray color contrasts with the cool yellow color of the rest of the headlamp. Closing the headlamp after inserting the batteries is not a difficult process. The angle of the light is easily changed, as the headlamp pivots to adjust the beam up or down as needed. The elastic headband is easy to attach and even easy to adjust. The fabric although not super soft, seems to ride fine when I put it on.

In turning on the Cosmo, I was impressed by the amount of light it puts out. In testing the beam at my house it easily illuminated rooms. It seems to provide a powerful straight forward beam, while at the same time giving off some peripheral lighting. This makes me think that it would nicely illuminate a tent as well as provide a solid beam for night travel. The on/off switch was easy to use – one button! This also controls the brightness settings. All in all lightweight, bright and easy to use!

Test Plan:

With my mountaineering and adventure racing background, I spend many hours traveling in the dark, whether it is on the trail looking for the next checkpoint or on a glacier pressing towards the summit. With these types of activities the headlamp plays a vital role in the success of the outing and is one of the most critical pieces of gear that one can carrying.

I plan on testing the Cosmo in a variety of terrains, starting with taking it on a climbing trip in the Canadian Rockies. On this trip, I will be able to test the Cosmo at elevations of above 10,000 ft (3050 m) and in colder climates. Over the length of the test, I plan on having a temperature range of 32 F (0 C) up to 85 F and (30 C). I will also be taking the headlamp with me on several trips into the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest, testing at elevations ranging from sea level to 9,000 ft (2740 M). I will test the Cosmo in a navigation course in Central Oregon Cascades (which has a much more arid climate than the Western Cascades) that will include some night navigation. It will also accompany me on a 3 to 4 day adventure race in Montana. With the race starting out of Bozeman, I will be able to test the abilities of the Cosmo during lots of nighttime navigation. Aside from the planned trips, I will also be using the headlamp, frequently near my “home turf” which is the Central Cascades of Washington. This area features moderate temperatures, a fair amount of precipitation and elevations ranging from sea level up to 6,000 ft (1800 M).

I have five factors which I intend to focus on in testing the Cosmo:

1. Visibility – How much light does the light actually put out?
2. Best intended use – Under what conditions does the Cosmo excel?
3. Burn Time – How long do the batteries last?
4. Ease of use – Is the headlamp easy to use in all conditions?
5. Comfort – Is the headlamp comfortable over a long period?

During these trips I should be able to focus on the five aforementioned items and be able to test in a variety of settings, at different altitudes, under varying temperatures, and with the wearer being under different stress conditions! Different factors such as elevation and temperature can have a significant effect on the functions of a headlamp. Thus I think the trips that I have set forth will provide ample opportunity to test the limits of the Cosmo.

I will also be looking at what types of activities are the best fit for the headlamp. For example the Cosmo might be a great light around base camp, but may lack the brightness required during intense night navigation. Based on the variety of activities that I will be performing the Cosmo, this is something that I will also be watching for.

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

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