ozark trail backpackWe tested the Spot 400 with AAA batteries and the BD 1500; we also tested the new Black Diamond Spot 400R, a variation of the Spot that you recharge using a Micro-USB cable. You have a choice of two beam shapes and two colors. The Spot 400 has three LED lights, two white and one red.The main “spot” LED throws white light far down the path in front of you, which is useful when you are hiking or walking your dog at night. We could see trees (and other neighborhood dogs) at a distance of about 100 meters.
Make sure to let a friend or family member know what you’re doing and where you’re going. Tell someone how many days you’ll be gone and approximately where you think you’ll stay each night. Physically check in by filling out a backpacking card at dedicated trailheads. Also, learn the seven principles of “Leave No Trace” to keep the backcountry beautiful.
Do keep in mind that this degree of water protection is intended mostly for accidental exposure, not intentional underwater adventures. When we removed the Spot from the bucket, the battery casing was filled with moisture. After we left it open overnight to dry, the headlamp worked as well as it had before the water test. Hitting a good drive is required to give yourself a look at the green on this long uphill par 4. Avoid the fairway bunkers and favor the right side.
This hydration compatible backpack has a connection for a water bladder built in to the design. It also includes loops to hang your trekking poles when not in use. I’ve had this pack for 2 years and I’ve beaten the living daylights out of it and it still performs just as well as the day I bought it. It was the perfect size bag to hold water bottles and a few other important things in it.
The Spot’s highest setting is 400 lumens, which we found we didn’t need most of the time. For dog walks and evenings at camp, the middle setting (200 lumens) did just fine. (This also made the battery last longer.) The lowest setting is 6 lumens, which is bright enough to read a map by.
The Spot 400’s main button, which turns the headlamp on and changes its brightness, sits slightly higher than the top of the headlamp’s body (the 350’s button sat flush). This small improvement is surprisingly helpful when you need to find the button quickly with your finger. The Spot also has a PowerTap function; find the small starburst icon on the side of the light and touch it to immediately bump the power up to max, and then touch it again to revert to low. Costing only $20, the Black Diamond Astro matched the brightness of our top pick in our tests, despite its lower lumen count. We got 10 hours out of the battery on high, the same as our top pick, and the settings are simpler.