Black Diamond Equipment - SpotLite 200 Headlamp - Octane

Former mountaineering guide, current Search and Rescue worker and avid outdoorsman here! I was really disappointed with my Petzl E-lite when it managed to sustain water damage and ceased functioning even with the battery compartment closed and in its little plastic case so I started looking elsewhere for a backup headlamp. I've used every brand of headlamp you can find- Princeton Tec, Petzl, Mammut, Nitecore, Surefire, Streamlight, and many more. There is only one brand I trust in my rescue kit and take with me everywhere and that is Black Diamond. They are the best out there for efficiency, ease of use and reliability.When I saw that they had a pared down version of their lights, it was a no brainer. I run either a Spot or Storm headlamp as my primary so a backup that uses the same interface AND the same batteries was a really great addition. This only weighs a tiny bit more than the lighter options and having the Black Diamond durability, water resistance and simplicity has made carrying this well worth it. I'm also fond of the lockout feature, which is not a feature seen on many lamps and really should be.Realistically, this is not the most powerful or most efficient light. There are tradeoffs everywhere. However, this hangs easily around your neck, tucks into a pocket well and is simple to deploy when your primary goes down and you either need to fix it, change batteries or loan a light to another party member in a pinch. I've never been let down by a BD headlamp despite being outside year-round in the wet Pacific Northwest and this light has been no exception.

Bought this for my mother-in-law to wear on her walks. It’s exactly what we needed. The only reason it’s 4 stars is because the color is pretty cream instead of white, but that’s not a big deal. Great little headlamp.