I can't help it. I'm always looking for cheap gear that outperforms the cost. Even though experience has taught me that higher quality gear is usually worth the extra money. It doesn't matter..I"m willing to waste a lot of money and time in pursuit of saving a little money.
How about a headlamp that weighs about 1 oz and costs less than $5? While strolling through my local walmart, I noticed this little gem. I couldn't resist.
Also available online:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Generic-20126-Ozark-Trail-Mini-Headlamp-20-Lumens/42424424
So here it is. 2 little LEDs, a simple switch with two positions - on and off, no angle adjustment and a lightweight, adjustable stretchy headband. Less than 1 oz with no batteries, and 1.1 oz with both batteries loaded. So far I really like this little thing. In fact, I should just stop the review right here and declare this the greatest deal ever.
1.1 oz total. Good luck beating that number. That is seriously light. To save extra weight, remove the headband and superglue the lamp to your forehead. This has the added advantage of making it much harder to loose. Added tip- Put the glue on the battery door, that way you can unscrew the light when not hiking, and you'll only have a little plastic circle on your forehead when not in use. You object "Hey...that's stupid...I'd look like a moron!" To which I reply "Yes, and it's practical and cost you almost nothing. Look around,there are plenty of folks with freakish, impractical body modifications...and they paid hundreds or thousands to get them." So skip the nose ring...and glue the battery door of your headlamp to your forehead...save money and weight.
Or, if you're one of those heavy battery carrying lemmings, you could just use one of these standard Black Diamond headlamps with 3 huge AAA batteries. 3.2 oz for one of these. (Don't worry, I bought it at the REI Attic Sale...don't start thinking I'm not cheap)
So there we have it, 1.1 oz for the Ozark Trail headlamp and 3.2 oz for the Black Diamond Headlamp. Clear win for Wal-Mart. Of course, one of you guys might point out that the Ozark Trail lamp is rated for 20 lumens, whereas the Black Diamond is good for up to 130 lumens. To which I reply...it's dark out...the big advantage is 20 Lumens over 0 lumens.
I suppose the only thing to do is to put them both to the test. If the Ozark Trail Headlamp is sufficient for hiking a trail I've never hiked, then who cares if the Black Diamond is technically brighter.
Test #1 - Hiking in Daylight
Perhaps no headlamp is even needed. We hiked up to Weaverton Cliffs above Harpers Ferry with no issue. Granted, it was the middle of the afternoon, but there was functionally no difference between the two headlamps during the daytime.
As we did this hike on Thanksgiving, we cooked up the traditional General Tso's Chicken with rice, and a few other appetizers. Headlamps were not needed.
Sunset was around 4:45, which meant that it got dark before we were back down to the cars. Both headlamps performed terribly, we couldn't see a thing. Careful analysis identified the performance of the headlamps on the trail was impacted by their being left in the car. Either headlamp would have been a dramatic improvement over hiking with no light. But we made it down, and learned a valuable lesson about...um...staying home on the couch for Thanksgiving?
Lesson Learned: Bring a headlamp.Even if you are hiking in the daytime. All 6 of us could have had an Ozark Trail headlamp on our head for the price of the Black Diamond. If you need a bunch of functional headlamps for a group, and don't want to drop a few hundred dollars...go to Wal-Mart...$5 a headlamp is great. Oh...and don't leave it in the car.
Test #2 - Hike 18 miles in the dark on mostly unfamiliar trail.
Since the initial test was hampered by, um...not bringing the headlamps, I ran a second test. For this test, i was dropped in Penmar on the MD/PA border of the AT, and hiked to the Cowell Shelter, 10 miles south. The next day, I hiked from the Cowell Shelter to the Crampton Gap Shelter, where I left my car, 20 miles total, 8 of them in the dark. 18 miles of headlamp based hiking. The first day, on a section of trail I'd never hiked.
To facilitate the comparison, I mounted both headlamps on my forehead. I forgot superglue, so I was not able to try the bandless configuration previously discussed.
This sign encountered early in the hike is correct, give or take 100 miles or so. Sort of like this headlamp review. The initial parts of the hike were quite easy, the Ozark Trail lamp throws a nice, broad, glowing light. Fairly similar to the lower setting on the Black Diamond headlamp, perhaps even a bit better.
By the time I made it to the top of the first big climb, I had switched exclusively to the Black Diamond Headlamp in Spotlight mode. The reason was simple. While I could hike with the Ozark Trail lamp, it did not have a bright enough beam to consistently spot the next blaze on the AT. Since this section was really rocky, it was sometimes hard to tell what direction the trail was going. While I could hike with the Ozark Trail headlamp, the spotlight on the Black Diamond was much better in these circumstances.
Of course...when you compare the switches, the Ozark Trail is a big win. On or Off. You know exactly what it will do. The Black Diamond has 3 modes, and you can even adjust the brightness. How? One button. It's stupid to put that many functions on one button. If I wanted one button...I'd have taped an iMac to my forehead.
But...like a Mac...keep mashing the button and sooner or later you'll figure it out.
Ah....daylight. The sun has more lumens than either headlamp. My recommendation is to sleep when it's dark, and hike during the day. When it gets dark, set up the hammock...and don't bother with either headlamp.
The Ozark Trail Headlamp worked really well for this type of section, where the footing was tricky but the direction of the trail was obvious. Of course, the sun works even better.
To facilitate additional headlamp testing, I decided to take a slow lunch and made some fried chicken poppers with buffalo chicken rice. Quite tasty. Then I made some instant coffee and ate a snickers bar for dessert.
The large tower made of stone, the other Washington Monument, was closed due to a lightning strike. Apparently they are concerned the tower could have been damaged. Um..ok...seems like they might be overthinking this a bit, but I guess they need to pay an expert to confirm the rocks are still sticking together in a big pile.
Taking pictures of headlamp beams with your smartphone doesnt work. Didn't stop me from trying though.
On the second night, I pretty much exclusively used the Black Diamond headlamp. From about 5:30 pm to 9:45 pm, I hiked with the spotlight beam. I noticed the beam started to fade, and the last two hours I was hiking on a little spot that wasn't as bright as the Ozark Trail lamp. What I liked about this was that the lamp kept going even though the batteries were shot. You can hike for many hours with reduced light when the batteries are exhausted. That's good to know, and might prompt me to skip bringing a spare set of 3 AAAs.
Conclusion: Ultra light, Ultra Cheap, but not Junk. I like that little headlamp.
Both headlamps have a role. For hiking a familiar trail, as a backup lamp, or for around camp, the Ozark Trail lamp is awesome. If you are hiking with a group (instead of alone) the Ozark Trail lamp would also be more than sufficient to follow the feet in front of you. But if I'm ever stupid enough to intentionally hike 18 miles in the dark again (and I'm sure I am)...I'll go with the Black Diamond. I think the extra 2.1 oz (and 110 lumens) are worth it.
