User Review: Black Diamond Zenix IQ
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Rating: 
I would read e_|_green's review for the Zenix IQ headlamp with a very large grain of salt due to his/her outright lies and bias (for both of which I will provide evidence). Please note that the five-star rating I gave here is only meant to negate e_|_green's effects upon the prior average rating for this item, which was 4.5 stars.
e_|_green claims that the Zenix IQ "does not have a voltage regulator circuit to maintain LED brightness". This is simply untrue, as the "IQ" in Zenix IQ explicitly denotes a voltage regulator, explained by Black Diamond as:
"The IQ technology consists of circuitry that has a converter for boosting and regulating voltage or current from the battery pack. While regulating current, this converter provides Constant Illumination (CI) regardless of which lighting mode or brightness setting you are using—LED mode (HyperBright or SuperBright), xenon mode or any brightness setting except strobe."
e_|_green also claims that the Zenix IQ is "heavy and cumbersome due to its strap system and rear battery mount". Even disregarding the obvious advantages of the three-strap headband (stability) and rear battery mount (balance), it's curious that a comparable indictment is conspicuously absent in his/her review of the Princeton Tec Yukon HL (http://www.trailspace.com/gear/princeton-tec/yukon-hl/review/9209/ ), a headlamp which features a comparable three-strap mount, a comparable rear battery case, and is even ~40% heavier. You are invited to visit the link to see the discrepancy.
The rest of that review is filled with outrageously negative claims that probably sounds fishy to anyone, such as "barely bright enough for the inside of a tent" and reselling a $50 headlamp for $10 just because he deemed it to be "about all it's really worth." (Yeah, that's believable. Sure.) All together, this suggests a review (or even a reviewer) that should be given no weight.
My own opinion of the Zenix IQ is that it is a fine headlamp with some very thoughtful features. For me, the most appreciated feature is that it uses two AA batteries, instead an odd number or any number of AAA batteries. Being that many hand-held GPS units and higher-powered GMRS radios use AA batteries (my own gadgets being no exception), this has allowed me to standarize on AA batteries, reducing my overall pack weight and enabling battery cannibalization in emergencies. I use the Zenix IQ with Sanyo 2500mAh NiMH batteries.
Performance-wise, the Zenix IQ works exactly as advertised, which is to say that it can be run very miserly for maximum battery life (which I have not tried testing as in the realm of many LED headlamps it means almost a week of constant-on lighting.) At full blast, the Zenix IQ has no problem at providing enough light to allow you to resolve typical trail objects at 60 feet. It has worked well an emergency light for night-time mountain biking, although it needs to be said that there really is no substitute for a high-performance cycling-specific head/handlebar light system from makers such as NiteRider or Light & Motion.
Personally, I have had no gripes about the light. That said, I would like to see:
1) A detachable red filter lens to allow me to preserve my night-vision in the course of ambient-light night hiking.
2) A truly waterproof casing, as opposed to just water-resistant.
3) A separate button to adjust light intensity.
Where to Buy
Buy Online We found the Zenix IQ at 1 online store:
| Store | Product Description | Price |
 Teton Village Sports | Zenix IQ Headlamp | $47.95 | Buy Now |
You may also want to check availablity with these other Black Diamond retailers:
- Moosejaw
- Campmor
- Backcountry.com
- Altrec Outdoors
- Backcountry Outlet
- CampSaver.com
- REI
- RockCreek
- Ramsey Outdoor
- Oregon Mountain Community
- Massey's
- Gear for Adventure
- EMS
- Sierra Trading Post
- US Outdoor Store
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