I refrain from giving any gear too much praise, but I have to applaud Black Diamond for coming up with one of the best headlamps available on the market. The Black Diamond Spot Headlamp comes equipped with more features than your standard headlamp, yet its price rivals those without them. Before we get started with […]
Headlamp
Princeton Tec Quad Tactical Headlamp
I was shivering uncontrollably. My thin warm weather rip-stop Crye multicams did little to ward off the December chill in Northeastern Washington. It was 2030 hours, well past civil twilight this far north and it had been dark for four hours by this point. We’d been evading by moon and starlight and had settled into […]
Petzl ACTIK Headlamp: Capable of all of your adventuring needs
Petzl specializes in two categories: vertical environments and headlamps. This isn’t a surprise as the inspiration for the Petzl company began nearly a century ago when Fernand Petzl was exploring the Dent de Crolles in France, one of the deepest known cave systems in the world. Petzl dedicated himself to developing the technical gear required to […]
Princeton Tec SNAP Multi-Use Light
When I first received the SNAP from Princeton Tec in the mail, I didn’t know what to think of it. I have many lights to choose from and more than a few headlamps. I opened the box, without anticipation. The packaging was standard Princeton Tec (PT) fare, well diagramed, well packaged and the item of […]
Olight H16 Wave (WAS) The best headlamp on the market – Updated
Update: Approximately four weeks after publication of this article, the H16 Wave started to malfunction and became inoperable. I reached out to Olight to discuss the issues and they told me that they had not seen this type of issue before. Olight requested I return the light so they could look at the issue – […]
Princeton Tec Sync headlamp revisited: Still good
One of the most popular headlamps on the market for some time has been the Princeton Tec Sync LED Headlamp. There are plenty of sources praising the Sync’s versatility and simplicity, which also comes wearing an inexpensive price tag. I have seen multiple people using the Sync in both field training as well as on the […]
Petzl TIKKA headlamp: Compact headlamp for proximity lighting
Since 1975, Petzl — the company — has been building products stemming from generations of family exploration and mountaineering experience. While they have developed many product categories such as climbing harnesses, helmets, packs, and countless other devices and accessories — to me they are most known for their affordable and impeccable headlamps. The Petzl TIKKA […]
Streamlight Bandit | Quality on the cheap
There are a handful of companies I review regularly, who consistently release products that outperform my expectations on price versus performance. Streamlight Bandit is one of these few, regularly kicking out solid lights at a price that’s tough to beat. Plus, they always ship with batteries included. A small perk, but once you’re used to it, […]
Princeton Tec Impulse | A Lightweight Headlamp for your Hat
When you’re out in the woods, it seems the one thing you never have quite enough of is light. Either it’s not strong enough, focused enough or just not where you need it. Princeton Tec is constantly working to make the best, brightest and lightest light you’ll find, so you won’t ever be stuck in […]
The UCO Air Lithium Ion Rechargeable Headlamp
They call it the Air because of its weight; it weighs damn near nothing when you hold it in your hands. The second thing you’ll notice right out of the box is the head strap. All the other headlamps that I own, all have an elastic stretchable strap that hold the lamp secure to your […]