For a description and field notes of the Black Diamond Zenix LED Headlamp, please refer to my Initial Report and Field Report.

1. Black Diamond Zenix LED Headlamp Specifications

Zenix LED Headlamp complete with 3 AAA Energizer batteries - 4.9oz (140g)
**Claimed weight in literature is 4.5oz (128g)
Zenix LED Headlamp without batteries - 3.6oz (104g)
**Claimed weight in literature is 3.3oz (93g)
Zenix LED Headlamp with AAA Energizer batteries and over-the-top strap removed (lightest functioning setup - 4.6oz (130g)

Power and Longevity of 2 SuperBright LEDs: 50ft (15m) for 100 hours
Power and Longevity of 1 HyperBright LEDs: 115ft (35m) for 15 hours
**Manufacturer specifications for Power and Longevity
**Black Diamond defines Usable Light to mean you can: look inside your pack and find an item at the bottom; see your feet when climbing at night; see well enough to tie a knot and set up a rappel.

2. Black Diamond Zenix LED Headlamp Long Term Report

USE and LIGHTING
As noted in my previous reports, I have been searching for an LED headlamp that can do serious mountain work for a long time. As of this report, I believe the Black Diamond Zenix is as good a torch as can be found to handle just about any lighting task a mountain traveler could hope for. This is not a perfect headlamp, but in a market that seems to change by leaps and bounds every year, it sets the bar high for the next generation of LED headlights.

The Zenix continues to impress me with its brightness. The single HyperBright light, in particular, is a standout. Not only is it powerful, but the combination of this bulb with the focused lens cover provides a truly unique, intensely focused beam that is unusual for LED lights. I would absolutely trust this light to get me up a midnight climb. I have had a couple of traditional bulb headlamps die on climbs. Changing batteries - or worse, a bulb - at 2 a.m. on the middle of a dark glacier with cold fingers is stressful - and something that I have worried about on every climb since. That worry has essentially disappeared with the Zenix. I didn't use it on any 2 a.m. climbs, but I had it out in total darkness conditions enough to know that I wouldn't worry about it failing on me. The backup of the SuperBrights is some reassurance, but to be honest, I never even needed them in the backup role. I continued to rely on the SuperBrights for the vast majority of usage, and switch to the HyperBright for quick looks at the "big picture" or to spotlight. For 90% of my use, the SuperBrights worked exceptionally well, similar to many of the 2-4 LED headlamps that weigh around 3 ounces (85 grams) and dominate the LED headlamp market. But for that other 10% of the time, that extra bit of power is nice to have and the additional weight is relatively small.

The 100-hour claim on the SuperBright bulbs is believable in my opinion. I lost track of how many hours I used the Zenix, but estimate it at around 60 or 70. There has been no significant drop off in light. Perhaps if I tested it side by side with another one on fresh batteries I would notice some decline, but it's still certainly useable and I don't notice a major difference. With darkness not falling on Washington in summer until around 10:00 p.m., extended headlamp use hasn't been frequent. I used it intermittently throughout the testing period, using it just as I would normally. I thought about leaving it on to discharge the batteries just to find out how long they would go, but this seemed an unrealistic use of the headlamp, as I would never be using it for 2 to 4 days straight - about how long it can supposedly run. In my experience, batteries behave differently when run continuously or intermittently, so I thought it best to use the Zenix as I normally would use any headlamp. I look forward to the lithium AAA batteries that should be available in late fall or early winter for the first time. Not only should they perform well with the Zenix in regard to longevity and cold weather performance, but they should lighten the Zenix also.

FIT and FEATURES
After finding the perfect fit, the Zenix continues to be comfortable and secure with little or no re-tightening or loosening. It maintains its elasticity and size well. I continue to not use the over-the-head strap, finding it unnecessary. Removing it from the Zenix - a simple process that does not involve cutting the straps or irreversibly altering the Zenix in any way - saves about a 1/3 ounce (10 grams).

The Zenix is plenty tough. The plastic feels very solid, and a couple of drops have not affected it in any noticeable way. It's certainly more durable than a filament-bulb based headlamp, and this alone warrants a serious look by mountaineers and backpackers who rely on their headlamps for safety. We had an unusually dry summer in the Pacific Northwest, but I did get it in the rain briefly, and so far the waterproof claim holds true.

The switch that turns the Zenix on and cycles through the brightness settings is still solid and gives a reassuring "click". There is no doubt when it has been pressed, and it is extremely unlikely to come on by accident while bouncing down the trail inside a pack pocket. I have come to value the simple on and off cycle even more lately. I recently took a look at the newest breed of 3 ounces (85 grams) headlamps that boast more power and features. The multiple brightness settings - and strobes - are annoying in my opinion. As I cycled through setting after setting on light after light, I came to appreciate the Zenix more and more. For me, this is one case where simpler is better.

One of my complaints regarding the Zenix continues to be its bulk. It is much, much smaller than the big 4 AA bulbed headlamps I have used in the past, but it still makes its presence known. I don't mind the front piece so much - the actual lighting part - but the battery compartment often bothers me. When wearing a baseball cap - something I almost always do when backpacking - the fit is awkward. With the bill in the front, the headlamp doesn't work well because my path isn't lit due to the blocking of the light by the bill. With my cap on backwards, the battery pack tends to creep its way up my head and I find myself pushing it down often. The solution, of course, is to wear no hat at all, but the option of keeping my hat on would be nice. Maybe I just need a new kind of hat!

Overall, the Black Diamond Zenix LED Headlamp has proven to be well made, powerful, durable, and able to handle the jobs of a traditional bulb headlamp, but with the toughness and lifespan of LEDs. Perhaps the "Zenix 2" will be a bit lighter, have a smaller battery compartment, and an even more powerful HyperBright bulb, but for now, the Zenix shows just how far LED headlamps have come in the past few years, represents the leading edge of current designs, and gives a glimpse of where they may be going.

3. Contact and Background Information:

Name: Curt Peterson
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Height: 6'3" (1.91 m)
Weight: 270 (122 kg)
Email address: curt@boopants.com
Location: North Bend, WA, USA

I live in the Cascade foothills, just 20 miles (32 km) from the Pacific Crest Trail via footpaths leading right from my backyard. The vast majority of my outdoor activities are here in Washington State. During the summer I backpack and dayhike, and continue into the fall and early winter until the snows overtake the Cascades. In the winter, I ski 1 to 2 days per week, and backpack in the Central Washington tundra-like steppe at least once. Spring and early summer I usually climb, most often on the Cascade volcanoes. In addition, I try to go to the coast in Olympic National Park at least once a year, so the range of locations that I test gear is pretty broad. I hike on a forested trail each and every day with my dog, no matter what the conditions are.

I played football in college and like to evaluate products from a big guy perspective, as there is definitely a shortage of both gear and reviews from this point of view. I served on the Product Test Committee for Seattle's biggest outdoor gear retailer for a two- year term in the mid-90s, then guided backpacking tours with my wife in Olympic National Park for a few summers. I've been interested in the most recent shift to lightweight thinking for the past few years and really enjoy checking out new ideas and approaches to backpacking.

I'd like to thank BackpackGearTest.org and Black Diamond for the opportunity to test the Zenix.

Read more reviews of Black Diamond gear
Read more gear reviews by Curt Peterson

Long Term Report

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