Black Diamond Spot – Long Term Report

Personal biographical information:

• Name:  Josh Cormier
• Age: 26
• Gender: Male
• Height: 5’ 11” (1.80 m)
• Weight: 175 lb (79 kg)
• Email address:  swifteagle1 at hotmail dot com
• City: Los Gatos, California
• Date: 7-Mar-06

Backpacking background:

I joined the Boy Scouts when I was 11 and have been camping and backpacking ever since. I like to do challenging trips ranging from weekend to week-long in the Sierra-Nevada Mountains. I would classify my gear as mid-weight (be prepared), though now I am trying to move toward lightweight gear. I go backpacking at least once a year in the Sierra Nevada Mountains as well as monthly camping trips with the Scouts all over California.

Field information:

I tested the Black Diamond Spot in the High Sierra Mountains, elevation 6,000 – 8,200 ft (1829 to 2499m). The climate was cloudy with rain/snow all day long and slightly cold 30 – 50 deg F (-1.1 to 10.0 C). The terrain was mountainous with a smattering of trees covered by snow and ice.

I also tested the Black Diamond Spot in the Santa Cruz Mountains, elevation 500 – 1,200 ft (152 – 366 m). The climate was rainy and slightly chilly 50 – 60 deg F (10 – 15 C). The terrain was brushy with rolling hills and more mud and rocks than dirt.

My main method of hiking is mid weight leaning toward the light side. I like to use tents and all the necessary gear, but I get the lightest stuff I can. Having a flashlight that is lightweight, durable, and dependable is very important to me. I usually carry one headlamp and one small LED backup. Recently I have discovered the joy of night hiking, this is where a good headlamp with a strong beam is a must. Another important feature I consider important in a flashlight is the ability to use it to read. I like to read in my tent at night and have used some flashlights that are so bright I can hardly see the words on the page.

Product Information:

- Item Description: Black Diamond Spot Headlamp 

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

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

- Measured Weight with batteries:  3.09 oz (87.5 g)

- Color: Titanium

- Illumination Distance: 40 m (HyperBright 1-watt LED) 15 m (LED)
- Burn Time: 120 H (HyperBright on low setting) 150 H (LED on low setting)
- IPX Waterproof Standard: 4
- Bulb Type: 1 HyperBright 1-watt LED 3 SuperBright LED’s
- Battery Power: 3 AAA included
- Constant Illumination?: No
- Electronics for Brightness Settings? Yes

- Manufacture's web site: http://www.bdel.com

- Year of Manufacture: 2005

- MSRP: $42.95 USD

- Item Received: 31-Oct-05

- Initial Condition: The product arrived in new condition

- Item Completeness: The item was well packaged and included all required pieces and 3 AAA batteries

Field testing:

The Black Diamond headlamp has been my main flashlight since this testing began. Every time I think I might need a light, I grab it and put in into my pocket.

I recently used this light to read by on a camping trip. We were sleeping in a cabin that night and everyone else was asleep. I wanted to read but did not want to disturb anyone else, so I turned the lamp on to its lower 3 led setting. This gave me enough light to read comfortably but not so much that it disturbed the others.

I use this headlamp every night as I walk up the dirt road near my house to feed my horses. I turn on the Hyper-Bright LED to its maximum setting which provides me with enough light to walk at a comfortable pace. It also gives me enough light to feed without turning the barn lights on.

On the same campout where I used the headlamp to read in the cabin, I used it to help build a snow cave. While I did not actually use the light to build the cave, I used it to illuminate the cave I was building. It was 12:00am and a storm was building, it was cold 30 deg F (-1.10 C) and it was dark. My scouts were not going to get their cave finished in time so I decided to pitch in. One of their problems was getting a flashlight that could illuminate the cave so they could dig to see. I switched my headlamp to the brightest setting and crawled in, the lamp made it bright as day inside. I helped them dig, getting water and snow on my lamp in the process. The headlamp never faltered during that time and when we finished I checked it out, there was no water in the circuitry.

Recently I wore the headlamp on a run down a dirt road at night. This was a good test of the usefulness of the headlamp for night hiking. Though I was pounding down the road the headlamp showed no signs of loosening up nor did it change the angle I had it adjusted to. The light put out by the headlamp in its 1 watt setting was enough to see where I was going, but I would have liked more light if I were on a road I was unfamiliar with.

 In all my testing and use of this headlamp I have found it to be a handy, durable, useful, and lightweight flashlight. I will continue to use it as my main flashlight at home and in the wilderness.

Test results:

In this section I will answer all the questions I asked when I was preparing to test this fine product.

Dependability:

Does the headlamp headband stay tight?

 - The headband is in as good condition as it was when I first got it.

Does the headlamp headband stay in place?

- I never had a problem with it slipping down when I was walking, or leaning over a project I was working on.

Does the switch work consistently?

- The switch is hard to find with gloves on, but it worked consistently through the trials.

Does the hinge keep the light held in the current position even when walking?

-         I thought the hinge might wear down and allow the light to ‘drift’, this was not the case. The hinge held the light securely in position at all times.

Do the LED’s keep working after some rough use or accidental dropping?

-         I haven’t dropped it on anything other than the desk or carpeted floor, nevertheless the LED’s have consistently shined.

Does the lamp stay firmly connected to the headband?

 - The lamp has had no issues pertaining to is ability to stay attached to the headband.

Is the headlamp waterproof or water resistant?

 - I have worn it on top of my hat in the rain many times and have had no issues with the water getting into the circuitry.

Are there any connectors or closures that are liable to break?

- I have found no weak points that required my being careful with the lamp.

Efficiency:

Does the headlamp really illuminate to 131ft (40 m), using the HyperBright LED?

- When I tested this I realized that I needed a clearer definition of whet they mean by illumination. I had my little sister stand 131 ft (40m) away and shined the BD Spot on her. I could tell that a person was standing there and could even tell what colors she was wearing but could not see her very clearly.

Is the illumination to weight ratio efficient?

 - I feel this light provides an extremely sufficient amount of light for a lamp of its size and weight.

Do the batteries last a long time and how long?

- I am still using the original batteries that came with the lamp. They are still useable but for the full power that lamp can give out the batteries need to be changed.

Is the light good enough for reading?

- Its good enough for reading and them some, I read with it on the lowest setting.

Is the light good enough for walking around in the dark?

- Its fine for walking around in the dark, I would not want to be traveling to fast with it though as it can still throw off my depth perception somewhat.

Ease of Use:

Does the headband have to be so tight that it gives me a headache?

- No, I have never had this problem.

Is the headlamp heavy on my head?

- No, I usually forget that it is there.

Is the headlamp comfortable?

- Its passable, although it still leaves the BD logo imprint on my forehead.

HyperBright Brightness:

Can I use it to look for varmints in trees?

- I use it all the time to look for animals. It does not always illuminate the animal, depending on how close I am, but it certainly makes their eyes shine.

Does it provide enough light and distance for night hiking comfortably?

-         With the battery at full power, this provides enough light to hike at night with.

I’d like to thank BGT and Black Diamond for the privilege of being selected to test this Headlamp.