Customer Reviews

Black Diamond Icon Headlamp

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I work nights at a railroad. Typically we use the standard issue 6volt lantern for lighting and signals. I need to see id numbers and the train cars themselves at a distance. I judge all lights vs the railroad lantern with the halogen bulb- Bright and 8 hours+ usable light.
Well I can toss my lantern. The Black Diamond Icon surpasses the lantern in both brightness and burn time. I've used the same batteries for 10 days(3-4 hours per night). The 3 watt spot is a brighter and more focused beam. I'm able to read id numbers further away. The four led area light is bright enough for work up to about 100ft.Both the beam and area lights have 3 levels of brightness which helps with battery life. I also have the added bonus of both hands free. So far pouring rain, splattered mud and subzero temps haven't fazed it. I have two nit picks... The on/off switch is on the bottom of the lamp which makes it cumbersome to operate with a baseball cap on and the lens on the beam scratches easier than I thought it would. That's just nitpicky though. I highly recommend this light.

We need very good light, >100 lumens, for our work, which involves looking deeply into horses mouths while providing dental care! It is very dirty, physical and difficult work. We have gone through so many headlamps in the last several years I shudder to think of the money spent. After thorough online review I selected this lamp based on all features but with a slant towards strongest lumenosity vs. price.
Wow, this lamp is awesome, providing plenty of light while strongly holding it's position on my head whether I wear a hat or not. The fit is very comfortable despite the battery pack. The weight is nothing to worry about as I can wear it for hours with no discomfort. The batteries are clipped firmly in place by a very well made, xlnt fitting door. I purchased the rechargeable battery pack as well and have used it in addition to the regular batteries. Both work great. I can even use the pack while it is charging which makes the light even more useful for my circumstances. The charge port is well hidden and quite dust and saliva proof! Lots of dental dust and saliva get all over this lamp. It remains to be seen how it holds up after months of all this abuse but the headlamp seems to be made very well. I have high expectations based on what I have experienced so far. I never felt like anything was "cheesy" about the "Icon" when I removed it from the box, fitted it to my head, and began using it under my rather un-ordinary circumstances. I can honestly say, if this lamp holds up to the abuse I have put it through, then a few crashes on my moutain bike, several clunks in the head while rock climbing, or the dust of a night ORV ride should be no problem.
I love the Icon and highly recommend it! In fact, I'm buying more for the practice today!

I'v used this head lamp for the last several years whilst traveling throughout Africa on safari --in all sorts of conditions and have found it to be excellent --I even use it to walk my dogs back home --its been great! I use rechargeable batteries and particularly like that this headlamp is then very environmentally friendly. Its very bright and has two settings and works great both as a head lamp and as a handheld

I'v also suppled about two dozen of these to friends doing wildlife research in Kenya. The recharge their batteries in vehicles and using portable solar panels --if it works in Africa it pretty much works anywhere --

I enjoy competing in 100-mile trail ultra marathons. These races usually take me about 30 hours to finish, so there's plenty of running done at night. As I've learned more about what it takes to execute a race well, I was refered to the BD ION as the "best in class" for headlamps. I've run 3 races with it now and love how balanced and light it feels. It's by far the brightest lamp I've used and has significant battery life. I would recommend this lamp to anyone as I feel it will be the last one I will ever need to purchase.

I got this headlamp to replace a Princeton Tec Apex headlamp ( which I liked a lot until the battery "springs" got too weak to hold the batteries tight - that was after about 4 years of nightly use and numerous battery changes ). So far I like this headlamp. My main uses for it are walking my dogs at night, and finding my way around my house during a power outage. I didn't find any problems with the "button" as other reviewers seem to have had ( yes, it would be hard to use with gloves or mittens on, but what headlamp wouldn't ? ). I did prefer the Apex buttons - it had one for the center beam, and another for the outer leds. Otherwise functionality is pretty much the same - press fully to turn on, partial presses to decrease intensity, last press for strobe. The center beam is BRIGHT - a bit brighter than the Apex, but doesn't seem as focused. What I mean by that is the Apex seems to "throw" a longer spot beam, while the Icon seems to light a wider shorter area with its spot beam. I have seen reviews that say just the opposite, but I compared them side by side. I could see much further with the Apex, but had a wider "field of view" with the Icon. The outer leds do a good job of lighting up the area close-up. I did find the batteries fit awfully tight ( plan to get the rechargeable kit so I don't have to change batteries ), but found the battery compartment very easy to open and close. And I didn't find any "gap" around the battery compartment as one reviewer stated was a problem ( maybe the batteries weren't all the way in ? ). It looks to be fairly durable to me, but I won't be in any position to bang it on rocks or the like. According to reviews I have read on other sites, the reviewer on this site who found the plastic to be "brittle" is not unique in his opinion. This may not be a headlamp to use in "harsh" conditions. All in all, it's a good headlamp for my purposes and compares quite favorably to the Apex ( though I think the Apex is a bit better - would have got the Apex Pro, but found the CR123 batteries a disadvantage ).

I really like the versatility of this headlamp.

I got it for rafting and walking at night. For rafting it's great around
camp and with a couple button pushes, I can see how things are doing
around the rafts down by the shore. When I'm walking at night the
lowest light level is plenty bright and if the dog barks, I can
almost instantly see what he is seeing. (I walk in canyons between
houses in my town and on moonless nights it is very dark.) The only
disadvantage I have discovered is that the lowest light level could be
less intense. It is way more than I need for reading.

Black Diamond Icon headlamps are fantastic. I had my previous one for 5 years and it was going strong (until my dog chewed it up). The amount of light output is amazing for a headlamp and the alternate LEDs and adjustable levels make it marvelously flexible. The additional band over the head definitely keeps it in place. I often have my head upside down while working and this headlamp stays on. The other positive about the Icon design is the rear location of the battery compartment. This counterbalances the weight of the lamp, keeping the headlamp secure on your head. There is one problem with the newest model. The battery compartment is a little too small and it is difficult to get the batteries in the first few times. (I almost returned the headlamp.) Keep trying and they will squeeze in.

I've owned one for almost 2 years now. I purchased it because it is not bulky when worn over a hat. The beam of light is bright enough to see at long distances. Mine has held the charge for well over 6 months now.

I bought this as my first lamp for caving. The battery life is top notch, and the light output is nice. The problem is the LEDs provide nice broad light, but it only penetrates ~7 feet {in a cave, ie total darkness}. The middle lamp penetrates a good 20-30 feet, but the beam is very narrow. With no way to have both lights on, I find myself clicking between the two settings quite frequently as my space changes from narrow [LEDs for broad view] to deep [middle lamp for penetration].

Hiking to the site, I've had the same issue. . . its either seeing where you're going, or seeing where you're foot is landing.

All of this said, I'd buy it again, unless I came across a spare ~[...] bucks for the next tier up.

Extremely bright! I went caving with some friends with it the day after I received it. My light was the brightest out there. The LEDs are great for moving throughout the cave, the main beam is great for highlighting features in different rooms. Definitely worth the purchase. I can't really comment on battery life, but I didn't notice any dimming over the course of a 7-hour caving expedition. Fits well over a helmet, but needs a little duct tape to keep it there. Really happy that it uses AA batteries. Would highly recommend!