User Review: Black Diamond Spot

Summary

Worked great with brand new batteries, however it would quickly diminish the battery. Carried on my Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2012.

This was a pretty good product, although I had a few problems with it.

First off, it drained batteries like nobody’s business. It lasted full-strength for maybe four days, and after that would slowly peter out. I think I replaced them probably every month or two, but that’s because I was stubborn and refused to replace them any sooner. When I did replace them, it was like someone turned on the sun though. I mean…dang. I’ll bet scientists in Japan were scared of an unexpected sun flare or something.

And for whatever reason the red light (which me and my friends affectionately nicknamed the “night pee light”), was just not that bright, no matter whether I changed the batteries or not. I don’t know if it was something wrong with just mine, or with the entire model but I do know that when you wake up in the middle of the night, and in the middle of the woods, you’ll probably want a brighter red light so that you don’t pee yourself from getting scared before you’re ready to go. That may or may not have happened to me one night in the Grayson Highlands. 

Worked fine in the cold and rain, also. The red light is just a nitpicky thing, this really isn’t an item you should worry about too much.