| Black Diamond Ion Headlamp In my relentless pursuit to lighten my backpack weight I’ve been looking for lighter alternatives to my current gear list. Last month I was in my local REI store and spotted the new Black Diamond Ion Headlamp. At 0.9 ounces, it’s the lightest headlamp I’ve seen anywhere, and at only $19.95 I figured I could hardly go wrong! The headband is a single slim half-inch elastic strap that adjusts with a slider to fit over a climbing helmet or a hat and is so light it feels weightless on your head. The headlamp can be tilted up, down or straight ahead to illuminate whatever you need with its two super-bright LEDs The headlamp comes with a single tiny six volt battery, in a size that I’ve not seen available anywhere but Radio Shack (and the salesperson had to dig to find one.) REI online has the Black Diamond replacement silver oxide battery in stock but it was not in stock at my local store. The lamp will take: Duracell 28L (lithium) Duracell 28A (alkaline) Black Diamond 6-volt replacement (silver oxide) Radio Shack 2cr 1/3 N (lithium) Kodak K28L (lithium) Be sure to carry a spare or two if you plan on being on the trail more than a few days. You are unlikely to find replacement batteries in little trailside shops! To replace the battery you must unsnap the lamp body from the swivel assembly and insert a thin coin in the slot provided and twist, splitting the lamp body in half. Lithium batteries will weigh a bit less, burn longer, and be more resistant to the cold. The power switch works with a hard click and is unlikely to come on accidentally in your pack or pocket. The LEDs are not replaceable, but with a life expectancy in the thousands of hours this should never become an issue. The two halves of the lamp body have no o-ring between them, so the lamp cannot be considered waterproof. It you get it wet, remove the battery as soon as possible and let the lamp air dry to prevent shorting. There is no shielding between the LEDs and your eyes, so the lamp produces some glare. This can be remedied somewhat by wearing the lamp high on your forehead or above a cap brim. Tommy Chandler, Customer Service Rep at Black Diamond tells me he is aware of this problem and has advised the designer, but doesn’t know if any changes in design are planned. Hopefully the next generation will address this problem. The lamp is certainly bright enough for campsite chores and even for night hiking on well marked trails. (White A.T. blazes showed up clearly) I would not like to depend on it off trail. As with all headlamps, being so close to your eyes, it produces very little shadow, affecting depth perception. Also as with all head lamps, it tends to attract flying insects into your face!!!! Overall, a very nice little unit that I now carry with me everywhere!! |
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