User Review: Black Diamond Ion

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

Reviewed April 18, 2006 by MountaingirlBC

Rating:
Price Paid: $18

In my ubiquitous quest to lighten my pack weight, the Black Diamond Ion Headlamp was an exciting find. I was skeptical about relying on a such a tiny headlamp but much subsequent use has put my mind (and my back!) at ease.

Black Diamond describes the Ion as “The ultimate emergency backup light.” At 1oz you can definitely afford to throw it in your first aid kit as a backup to a more powerful light but in my experience, the Ion provides adequate illumination to leave the bigger, bulkier, heavier headlamp at home for most backcountry trips.

The Ion’s two SuperBright LED’s, powered by a 6v battery (included) offer proximity lighting at a range of 10-15m for 15 hours. The narrow, adjustable, elastic headband can be worn on your bare head, over a helmet, wrapped around your wrist, draped around your neck, or a tree branch, anywhere really. The head pivots, which is handy for anything from reading to late night blister treatments.

I used the Ion to hike out 16km in the pitch dark and while it didn’t light up the trail like a runway, it got the job done. This particular trail was a nice wide horse track with a gentle grade. I would not recommend using it for night hiking on trails with significant elevation changes or obstacles (rocks and roots for example) along the way.

During a winter trip where temperatures dropped down well below freezing, the Ion performed flawlessly.

When I accidentally left my Ion in my jacket pocket (which is very easy to do by the way... it’s so light and compact that you’d never even notice it in your pocket) it ended up going through one additional test. After a full wash cycle and tumble dry, it’s still working perfectly.

My only problem I have ever had with this product is finding it. It’s so small that it’s very easy to lose. To prevent this on trips, I keep a safety pin on the headband and keep it pinned inside my first aid kit when I’m not using it.

For around camp and in the tent, the Ion is all you need. And with a price tag of $18, you can afford to lose one once in a while.