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Outdoor

Black Diamond Spot 400 Headlamp

Ironclad
Ironclad
Typical: $35-50Confidence: medium

Why It Lasts

IPX8 waterproof rating (submersible to 1.1 meters for 30 minutes) with a triple-seal lens housing. The LED module itself has a 50,000-hour rated lifespan — far longer than the headlamp will see in normal use. The 400-lumen output uses a single Cree LED with four brightness levels; fewer LEDs mean fewer failure points. The single-chip design distributes heat more efficiently than multi-LED arrays. Black Diamond manufactures in Salt Lake City; their lighting team has been developing headlamps for technical mountaineering since 1957. AAA batteries are globally available — no proprietary charging system to fail.

Known Weaknesses

Standard AAA batteries drain faster than lithium in cold conditions — Black Diamond recommends lithium batteries below freezing. The lockout mode (hold button 2 seconds) prevents accidental activation in a pack but is easy to forget in the dark. The headband elastic stretches over time and can become loose after 2-3 years of regular use. The brightness boost mode (400 lumens) lasts only 1.5 hours before dropping to regulated output. Not the lightest headlamp in the category — competitors like Petzl Actik Core offer rechargeable batteries.

Durability Breakdown

Warranty
7.0
materials
6.8
communitySentiment
6.4
brandReputation
5.8
Repairability
7.2

Data Source

View community discussion →

Quick Stats

Overall Score68.0/10
TierIronclad
BrandBlack Diamond
CategoryOutdoor
Price Range$35-50
Confidencemedium
Data Points/5

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