When I first bought my headlamp, I thought, here’s another cool camping accessory that I’ll use a few times a year for a very specific reason (camping). How wrong I was. My headlamp is in the top five of favorite things I own because of just how much I use it (too much, some might say). Sure, it performs excellently by the fireside and for star-gazing, but it’s great for everything, from reading in bed, walking the dog, and taking out the trash. Now, I’ve gone as far as buying two headlamps. One for home, and one to throw in my backpack, so I never have to go anywhere without it. Just in case.
Black Diamond Revolt
The Revolt from Black Diamond now comes with a rechargeable battery (but also works with AAA), so you never have to go into the wilderness unsure of what your charge levels are. It also has a six-setting battery meter that you can track the power levels on. It comes with a touch slider on the side so you can adjust for brightness, and it has a strobe setting for safety (or dance parties). Most importantly it is equipped with a great red-light setting that you don’t need to turn on the white light to use. This means you can keep your night vision, and enjoy the stars, while still being able to see where you’re walking.
If you’ve ever been camping at night, you know leaving the light of the fire to brave the dark unknown and what lurks amongst it can feel like a leap of faith. I, personally, rely on my headlamp a lot here. I need to be able to see where I’m going, and I don’t want it to suddenly lose juice. But headlamps, for the most part, can be extremely finicky. The strap can feel too tight or uncomfortable, or the button will accidentally get jostled in my pack and be left on all day so that by the time I grab for it, it’s out of charge. Black Diamond has recognized the problems with traditional headlamps and gone on to make one that excels at its purpose: being a tool you can always rely on. The strap is so comfortable, I sometimes forget I’m wearing it. At times, it just feels like I have this wonderful ray of light beaming whichever direction I’m facing. But most importantly, the nifty locking system means the light is never accidentally switched on, and I always have the 350 lumens I paid for. It’s so good and so nice to wear, I try to use it every chance I get. So far, I’ve ditched the light on my nightstand for my headlamp to optimize nighttime reading, and I’m not planning on replacing it. I’m sure I’ll come up with more fun ways to use it, too.
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