User Review: Black Diamond Icon

Black Diamond Icon
Above: The current Icon, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed April 23, 2008 by Itsandy

Rating:

This is the best gear I purchased for my kayak this year. It has performed beyond my expectations. The long range light is great for open water and the low setting is great for rivers and in camp. I have used this in the Gulf of Mexico miles offshore and on many inland lakes and rivers.

The high beam seems to offend those on the wrong side of it and the low is enough for everything at the put in/take out and camp. You can see the yellow eyes of the alligators at fifty plus yards. The reflectors on bouys and markers at a hundred. Loading and unloading gear and setting up camp are a breeze with the low setting. After getting the straps adjusted, it is a comfortable fit for long paddling sessions.

Although the wearer can't see the battery meter, it is a big help to know the status of your light before it goes dark. There is enough warning that you should never experience dead batteries. The batteries seem to never die! I used this light every night on an eight day trip and never needed to change the batteries. This should be all the light anyone would need.