Black Diamond Icon Headlamp

I compulsively bought this headlamp for the night scenario portion of a Wilderness First Responder course. It was a good excuse to buy a nice headlamp I hadn't realized I needed. My headlamp easily out-shined everyone else's. This sucker allows you to look halfway down the mountain...or at least that's what it feels like.

I ended up using it a lot while teaching outdoor education in Colorado. I brought it along for a back-up light during night hikes, in case the moon failed us. When the moon did fail, the Icon was an explosion of light along the trail. No tripping was caused by not being able to see. My only issue with it is that the battery pack and the strap over the top made it rather awkward to wear around my neck while I wasn't using it. This could obviously be solved by wearing it on my head where it's designed to go, but why would I do that?

I've recently started using it for bike commuting. I was able to loosen the straps and shove it over my helmet, which works great. However, if I was to use that set up for something more intense, there would be issues. Someone has posted an ingenious way to 'cement' the Icon to a helmet. But no matter how you have it rigged to your helmet, it functions almost better than a car headlight. It ensures you won't be launched over the handlebars by an unseen pothole and drivers will definitely see you.

If you want a headlamp that has great battery life for the amount of light you get out of it and works for pretty much everything, this is it. If you want something small and light to jam in your pocket, pack or glovebox, this is probably not the light for you.

I just received this headlamp in the mail from Backcountry.com. First impression: the construction does not seem to be the best quality. I am skeptical of how it will hold up to wear and tear. As far as light goes, it is awesome. I need this head lamp for spotting creatures at night for research and I have been disappointed with some of the LED lamps out there. The center 3 watt does not disappoint. It is very powerful and the three power settings are great for times when I don't need as much power. The side LEDs are very bright as well and provide great peripheral lighting. I wish there was a setting to combine the two types of lighting but it is not that important.
I have not field tested it yet but I think it is just what I need. I will add more after I have put it to the test. I only gave it 4 stars because I think it could have been built a little more rugged.
*side note: the actual green color is much brighter than the green seen in the picture on the site.

As everyone else has said, this light is super bright. When hiking on some pretty technical trails I only use the lowest setting on the LEDs. I use the higher setting and/or center bulb (beam) to check something out or spot the dogs when they go exploring off trail. For around camp or in the tent I would actually use a much smaller headlamp that is less bright. This one is awesome for any kind of night adventure; whether its just seeing where you are going or a true safety need. I was skeptical at first of having "set" settings instead of a focusing beam like I've use on other headlamps. I've found that the 6 different settings are more than enough adjustment. One reason I chose this headlamp over other similar ones was the weight - lighter than most in its class. This is the first time I've used a headlamp with a separate battery pack and I don't even notice it on my head - even during strenous hiking. Can't wait to use it XC skiing this winter - should be more than bright enough and secure and light.

...only not as hot. Or as heavy. I bought this with the rechargeable battery pack option, and it's amazingly bright. I can see the spot it makes on the ground a good 20 feet away in broad daylight, and at night it's just mind-boggling. Via some magical witchcraft, Black Diamond has somehow made the focused spot on the bright setting stay focused at any distance. On the flip side, the LEDs provide a good spread of light up close for cooking, reading, whatever. It fits my head really snugly, doesn't flop around when I move, and the top strap comes off for helmets, hats, or if you don't want to mess up your faux-hawk. I can't think of anything wrong with this.

Oh, and on a side note, ala2474331 is *ahem* an idiot. If you have an item from Backcountry, their return policy is NOT "sorry, now throw it in a burning barrel of garbage". Send it back, get your money back. Easy. Guess you're out 60 bucks now.

I went in to REI and ask the dude near the headlamps, "What's the best one here for general use" and he said, "No question, the Icon." So I thanked him, went home and ordered one of these up from here and I have to agree. I've ordered five more since for around the house and for a friend who also agrees this is the best any of us has ever tried. Keep in mind it's a little heavier but the multiple levels of both flood and spot and the incredible power of this headlamp is just perfect for everything I do. I still have several Zipkas around, my choice for the tiny option - but they aren't comfortable to wear and don't have nearly as many light levels. I actually like the battery on the back configuration for the balance and comfort. The Zipkas now are mostly used to strap on to something and not something I wear any longer.

I have gone on 3 different backpacking trips with 3 different groups with the Icon & everbody wants one of these now (YES, I SAID EVERYONE, SON)! The Black Diamond Icon Headlamp is the truth, my bro & his girly friend just the other day were way behind us on the trail during a night hike (their lights sucked) & they said they always knew they were close because they could see the damn sun leading them (really it was the Icon) a mile a head of them...it's almost too bright (even on the lowest mode) for reading in the tent etc., but it's great (the best I've used) for night hikes & I use the tiny & light Black Diamond Gizmo Headlamp for reading & as a great backup light! YOU WON'T BE DISSAPOINTED, JUST BE SURE NOT TO SHINE THIS LIGHT IN THE FACES OF YOUR FELLOW HIKERS, THEY WILL BE BLINDED FOR A GOOD 30 SECONDS. :)

This thing puts out crazy amounts of light! I've had a BD Vectra IQ for years, and came to really rely on the halogen spot for those times I needed more than close-in task lighting. I always assumed that an LED just wouldn't do the job, but the 3 watt lamp just cuts through the darkness far better than anything I've ever used, and it doesn't drain the batteries nearly as fast. The adjustable super-bright array also gives you plenty of light for travel, cooking, poking through your gear.... The only thing I noticed when comparing my old lamp to the Icon was that the plastic on the battery compartment does indeed seem to be considerably less substantial in comparison to the compartment on the Vectra, and there's no water tight gasket, but so far, it hasn't been a problem. We'll see if battery corrosion becomes an issue. Still, for the price/quality/performance, this is the headlamp to own.

I bought this headlamp for the 3Watt LED, but when I recieved the light, I quickly realized this is more than just a headlamp for projecting a long distance beam. The 4 "super bright" LEDs will light up your entire work area whether it be a campsite or working on your car in the garage. I purchased the headlamp to use when I go duck hunting. I needed a spot light that allowed me to keep my hands free. It has been great. Being an ultra light backpacker so I was a little conserned that the headlamp might be too heavy for backpacking. I really like the red, yellow, and green LED battery meter on the side. I have also purchased the rechargable kit. I have used this light for everything from hiking at night to oporating a boat to doing projects in the garage. I do not endorse many products, but this gets a big thumbs up.

I got this as a gift (my Petzl myo-belt broke) and I will say that it does provide more light that the petzl did. I use it for trail running mostly on a hilly fire road that is in rather poor shape, so I worry about a ankle roll. I have had no problem with seeing the trail, no rolled ankles. It does lose intensity pretty fast so I am glad I have the rechargable battery pack, I recharge after every other run. The "half click" to adjust the light is somewhat tricky, but I always leave it on full so not a problem for me. I only wish that it had the option of being able to keep the battery pack in your jacket to help keep it warm (a big plus of the petzl myo-belt). All in all, even though the power fades somewhat fast it is a solid unit.

This is my first headlamp. I purchased it for camping/canoing. Hands-free lighting on a camping trip is extremely convenient and this lamp serves that purpose great. The 4.5 watt LED's on the lowest setting make it easy to sneak into a tent without waking other occupants and the highest setting on the 3 watt spot is as bright or brighter than any flashlight I've ever owned. It is a bit heavy but the center (removable) top strap keeps it securely on your head if you opt to leave it attached. The battery power indicator is a nice plus but I've yet to have to replace the batteries- but then again, I'm using Sanyo oneloop rechargeable batteries. Because of its weight, I wouldn't purchase this lamp for a child, but highly recommend it for anyone willing to compromise a little extra weight for a lot of extra light.

I put an order in for this because everyone said its the best!
It was a piece of junk the minute it came out of the box.
First off its very bulky and heavy also the lamp has one button that
has like five modes good right wrong! you have to access them with half touch then hold for like 5 seconds
and so on. It is near impossible to master or even get to each mode! Trust me if you have this on
in the dark you will cry! The lamp also broke when I tried to tighten the strap!
Went ahead and ordered the recharge but said to say never made it that far.
I would never feel good about someone having this on at night you may get injured .

I purchased this light in my search for the best headlamp for me to use. I am a locksmith and need a lamp that is bright in close quarters even in the daytime.

After using this lamp in three nightly outings to try it out it started to malfunction. It would change settings indiscriminately and ignore button selections.

Because I threw the paper work away, I could not return it and ended up dropping it in the burning barrel with the rest of our trash.

I bought this product with high expectations because I own a great deal of Black Diamond equipment (to include the Spot headlamp which is phenomenal). I used it once. I never dropped it, crushed it, abused--I did nothing to it except use it properly. After one use, the button malfunctioned: it didn't turn the light on or off. In addition, the strap easily comes unattached to the battery pack. That kind of reliability isn't compatible with the nighttime ice climbing I like to do.

On my first use in Acadia, normal bumping of the light caused it to shut down. Tapping it again and cycling the switch got it working again. I'm just glad I wasn't in a place where I couldn't use my hands when I really needed the light. I'm in the process of contacting Backcountry and Black Diamond. We'll see what happens.

For about a month it works great,then it just stops working.Then I replaced the first one and it stoped working a little over a month later!The battery holder on the back where the straps attach break also.If they made it more durable it would be a good product otherwise!

Puchased 2 of these they fell apart now my replacements do not work they turn on and suddenly shut off new batteries and still the same problem my other light is a princeton and it works great

Great little light. It is a little bulky but well balanced - I guess this would be "to be expected" with the amount of burn time you can get outta this thing. As others have noticed, I noted as well that the settings and different modes were difficult to access and program. Other than that, the performance of this little guy is stellar. just study things out before you take it on a trip.

I used this lamp for one battery charge before returning it. The light dimmed too much as the batteries aged. The replacement Apex is much nicer. Voltage regulation makes a big difference.