By Donald
With a retail price of just $40, the Black Diamond Spot is a very affordable option for the dedicated trail runner. It features a 1-watt LED direct beam that penetrates 70m, or 3 high-power LEDs that produce a floodlight of 47 lumens across a wide field of vision. The entire unit weighs 85g (3.0 oz) including the 3 AAA batteries for operation.
The Spot’s casing is ultra-compact, measuring just 2.27” x 1.7” x 1.4″, with sleek curvature and a stylish black-and-silver color scheme. Atop the casing is the only button you need to use: the simple all-in-one control that’s big enough to use even with gloved fingers. The entire unit has IPX4 water resistance, so you can use it in any harsh conditions you encounter.
Pressing the top button repeatedly scrolls you through 3 brightness levels as well as a strobe. This can be done in either the spot or flood mode, so in total the Spot gives you 6 different brightness levels and 2 strobes between the two settings. The beam can be angled for precise placement by the ratcheting tilt mechanism of the casing.
Battery life for using the LEDs (the most efficient mode) on the high setting is 100 hours, which is outstanding. One potential drawback about the Spot lamp is that it’s not “officially” compatible with rechargeable batteries. Although both the company webpage and the user’s manual indicate to use alkaline batteries only, I’ve heard reports of people using rechargeable batteries in the Spot without problems. Fortunately, even if you stick with regular alkalines, they’ll last you through several long-duration runs before needing replacement.
Spot’s candle power is more than adequate for paved roads or smooth trails, but like most other single-casing headlamps, is probably not quite enough for highly technical trails. Another potential difficulty for hardcore trail running is that changing from spot to flood mode is impossible without turning the bulb off, which might make footing tricky if you’re trying to switch on the fly. Otherwise, the Spot is a very solid, durable multi-purpose headlamp that is small enough to tuck into a pocket once the sun comes up.
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Black Diamond Spot Store Page>>
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