Ultrarunner Sally Ford gives us the low down on the Black Diamond Sprinter 500 headtorch. The Sprinter 500 is designed for the early bird runner who tackles the trails before sunrise whilst everyone is still tucked up in bed or the runner who runs in the depths of winter.
The main features include:
- Rechargeable 500-lumen headlamp
- Dual-Fuel: Maximum flexibility to utilize either the included rechargeable lithium-ion BD 1800 battery or standard AAA alkaline batteries
- Micro-USB port included on rear battery compartment for easy recharging
- Red taillight strobe with on/off programmability for increased visibility
- Six-setting 3 LED battery meter
- PowerTap™ Technology for instant transitioning between full and dimmed power
- Variable dimming and strobe mode
- Digital lockout feature safeguards against accidental use when stored in a pack or pocket
- Perforated elastic headband with removable top strap
- IPX4: Storm proof—Tested to withstand rain and sleet from any angle
Like many of us if I’m going to carry on running through the Winter that means running In the pitch black. I live and run far from the street light of towns and cities so a bright headtorch is really important to me.
Firstly I was really surprised at how light this head torch is. Only weighing 105grams makes wearing this head torch super comfortable and won’t add too much weight to your running pack. Maybe that’s because I haven’t updated mine for several years and am used to a large battery pack but I barely felt it on my head and the strap over the top of your head prevents bounce.
It was really simple to get started and plugged directly into a USB charging point. The amount of battery charge left is indicated by three lights on the battery so there’s no danger of heading out into the night with barely any charge. I also loved the red flashing lights on the back of the battery pack. Great for urban running or dark country roads so you can be seen from behind.
Its 500-lumen beam (on the brightest setting) is fantastic and gives great visibility not only ahead of you but good peripheral vision too.
On the trails, it gave excellent visibility when used on high beam. By holding the power button down you can dim the brightness up and down, handy if you’re running with others and don’t want to blind them whilst looking at your route.
I wore it in very damp conditions and didn’t have any issues with performance, it claims to be stormproof and resist rain from any angle.
On full beam, the only compromise is the battery lasts about 4 hours, less if it’s really cold. For longer races, you can overcome this by toning down the lumens to extend battery life or carrying some AAA batteries with you, as it can run off three of these if the rechargeable battery dies. Because it is so lightweight I’d be happy carrying batteries as a backup as part of my kit.
In conclusion, a bright, lightweight headtorch is best suited to everyday training and races where you don’t run for long periods in the dark.
You can purchase the Black Diamond Sprinter 500 by clicking here.
Article was written by Sally Ford for Ultrarunner magazine.