Black Diamond Spot Headlamp Long Term Report

Andrew Henrichs

March 12, 2006

Biographical Information

Name:  Andrew Henrichs
Age:  25
Gender:  Male
Height:  6’ 2” (1.88 m)
Weight:  190 lb (86.2 kg)

Email address:  a_henrichs@yahoo.com           
City, State, Country:  Glenwood Springs, Colorado, USA

Backpacking Background

   Most of my backpacking has been in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming, as well as the desert in the southwestern US.  I’ve gone winter camping several times, but I still prefer backpacking in the warmer months.  Most of my trips are 2-3 days, but I have taken several trips of 5-6 days.  This past summer, I was fortunate enough to have thru-hiked the 476 mile (766 km) Colorado Trail over 35 days.  Recently, I have been leaning towards the lightweight side of the spectrum. 

Product Information

Manufacturer:  Black Diamond (www.bdel.com)

Year of Manufacturer:  2005

Listed Weight (without batteries):  1.8 oz (50 g)

Listed Weight (with batteries):  3.0 oz (85 g)

Weight as Delivered (without batteries):  1.75 oz (49.6 g)

Weight as Delivered (with batteries):  3.25 oz  (92.1 g)

Bulb Types:  One-1 Watt HyperBright LED, Three SuperBright LEDs

MSRP:  $42.95 US

Product Description

    The Black Diamond Spot is a lightweight headlamp.  It features both one HyperBright LED and three SuperBright LEDs.  Each LED has four lighting settings.  These include three brightness levels per LED type and one strobe setting per LED type.  For more information, please refer to my Initial Report. 

Field Use

    I've tested the Black Diamond Spot on several overnight backpacking trips in southern Utah, as well as many nights while skinning up and skiing down the local ski hill.  The elevations on my trips ranged from approximately 5000 ft (1500 m) to nearly 10000 ft (3000 m).  Temperatures ranged from -10° F (-23° C) to 55° F (13° C).  I tried to keep switching the types of LED settings I was using for various tasks.  This let me figure out what setting worked the best in various situations.  While both the HyperBright and SuperBright LEDs provided significant close-range illumination, the brightest setting of the HyperBright LED proved to be most useful for traveling on a night with little or no moonlight and sparse snow cover.  When using the brightest HyperBright LED while traveling on snow, the reflection off of the snow was just too bright; I actually found myself squinting.  The exception to this was when I was skiing down the ski hill in the dark.  I found the  HyperBright LED on the brightest setting to be most useful for this activity, as it provides the most illumination.  With the HyperBright LED on the brightest setting, I could easily see and avoid rocks, stumps, trees, thin spots, and odd slope contours.  I discovered that the brightest HyperBright LED setting makes a great lantern.  I would simply hang the headlamp from the ceiling of the tent or tarp, and the area would be flooded with light.  The two lower HyperBright LED brightness settings seemed to work best while traveling on a night with significant moonlight. 

    I found the brightest SuperBright LED setting to be most useful when traveling over snow at night or while getting camp ready.  It provided plenty of illumination to select a site, pitch a tarp, and cook meals in the dark.  I generally found myself switching to one of the lower SuperBright LED settings when performing more close-range tasks such as eating and reading. 

    I found that the brightest HyperBright LED setting illuminated approximately 140 ft (43 m).  The brightest SuperBright LED setting illuminated a distance of 60 ft (18 m).  Both of these measurements were obtained using fresh batteries.  The manufacturer's illumination specifications for the HyperBright and SuperBright LEDs are 131 ft (40 m) and 49 ft (15 m), respectively. 

       Initial testing while wearing fairly thin gloves presented some challenges with the on/off switch.  I occasionally had a difficult time finding the switch on top of the headlamp while I was wearing it.  Due to that fact, it made switching to the other brightness settings frustrating, as the necessary half-depression of the button usually turned into a full-depression, turning the headlamp off.  After more use, I became more familiar with the headlamp and this became less and less of a problem.  While using the headlamp with bare hands, I never had any issues with the on/off switch. 

    As for comfort, I'm still very happy with the fit of the headlamp.  I have yet to discover any pressure points.  I wear it for nearly an hour while skinning up the mountain, and it's never uncomfortable.  I've worn it for several hours at a time while in camp, and have had no issues with comfort.  Other than the fact I have a spotlight emanating from my head, I could almost forget that it's there. 

    So far, the Spot seems very durable.  It's sat in the top lid of my pack on several outings, and has yet to show a single scratch or crack.  I've also played with the pivot point, trying to find a position where the headlamp won't stay put.  I haven't found one yet.  The pivot point remains quite snug, and the Spot always stays at the angle I set it at.  I still get nervous when I open the battery compartment.  As stated in previous reports, it involves pivoting the headlamp beyond 90° until the compartment opens.  It takes a fair amount of force, but all of the parts are holding up will to the wear and tear. 

   I didn't run into any precipitation on any of my treks.  As a substitute, I turned on the Spot and stuck it under a running showerhead.  I held the Spot under the running water with the beam pointed towards the showerhead for 30 seconds and then held it pointed away from the showerhead for 30 seconds.  I turned the Spot off, dried the outside of the unit and opened the battery compartment.  I found three minute specks of water inside the battery compartments, and I think all splashed into the compartment when I opened it.  Based on this, I believe it would take an extraordinary amount of precipitation to short out the Black Diamond Spot. 

    I've let the Spot burn for approximately 24 hours on the brightest HyperBright LED setting.  The intensity of the beam drastically decreased, but it was still adequate for close-up use.  According to Black Diamond, the bright setting of the HyperBright LED has a functional burn time of 20 hours.  They define functional burn time as enough light to tie a knot and set up a rappel or see your feet while climbing.  I would assume that most users would be able to notice a decrease in the intensity of the light and replace the batteries as appropriate before a big trip. 

    Overall, the Black Diamond Spot headlamp is pretty impressive.  It's small, relatively lightweight, and provides great illumination.  I think that this headlamp has earned its place in my pack, despite the fact it is slightly bulkier and heavier that my other headlamp.  It has proven that it is versatile and functional.