If you love the outdoors but work during the day, it’s sometimes necessary to venture into the darkness. Particularly for those of us determined to extend the camping, hiking, and climbing season, shorter days and increased darkness present a pressing problem.

Though there are a variety of great light sources on the market, if you are active outside at night, holding onto a lantern or flashlight can be cumbersome. There is also the added safety hazard of a light that only illuminates around the user, making it hard to see others if you are more than a few feet away. So when Interstate All Battery Centers offered to send ActionHub the 3W Cree Q3 LED Focusing Headlamp to review, I leapt at the opportunity.

As I removed it from the packaging, the first thing I noticed about the lamp was its heavy-duty construction. Unlike other headlamps I’ve seen that lay flat, this light is large and protrudes away from your forehead for added range. The lens is protected by a hard metal outer that can endure a drop or two, and because this rigid outer extends beyond the lens itself, cracking even the curved outermost layer of glass seems highly unlikely.

Following the theme of durability, the rest of the design focuses on using tough materials to ensure a lamp well-made for rugged and unpredictable outdoor conditions. The AAA batteries are encased in a hard plastic that, though sturdy, opened simply by pushing the buttons on either side of the unit. When ready to close, the cap snaps back into place just as easily and appears to seal relatively tightly. Though I wouldn’t suggest submerging it completely, this seal did keep the batteries safe from light rain and dew drops present during the early morning hours.

As this was one of the only times I have used a headlamp, it took me a while to get used to the elastic straps that ran around my forehead and over my head. But both straps were easy to adjust and tightened to a size that was secure on my small head. Conversely, my dad was also able to adjust the straps to fit his head, truly making this a one-size-fits-all headlamp.

Once I got it situated, I was impressed that the lamp was extremely comfortable over an extended period of time. Though it was a little heavy, I soon got used to the extra weight and was able to climb trails without annoyance. When I was ready to take it off, I was happy to see that my forehead was free of the red marks or irritation that other headbands sometimes leave.

The best part was the 120 lumens of light, which illuminates in three modes—high, low, and flashing. These can easily be switched between by simply pressing the power button on top of the headlamp. But no matter what mode I used, the brightness was impressive. I found that even using the lamp on low illuminated the trail fully. This is a great feature considering the lamp can run for a solid 20 hours in this mode before needing battery replacements.

For more intensely dark conditions, like cutting though deep wilderness, the high or flashing modes are useful not only because they make it easy to see stumps and obstacles, but also because they alert others to your whereabouts. I didn’t have to worry about losing my hiking partners because they could easily follow the bright, blinking light ahead of them. In these high-energy modes, the duration of light decreases to about five hours, but that was more than satisfactory for my adventures.

Though there are just two options, another great feature is the focus, which allows users to concentrate the light into a narrower beam. I could also adjust the angle of the entire lamp vertically with the help of an added positioning joint. The hinge has six click-stops, ranging from straight ahead to straight down. This was an added bonus when descending mountains because I could see the area below me without straining my neck.

Perhaps the best part about the headlamp is the most obvious. Completing an outdoor activity in the dark is way easier if you aren’t holding a lamp in your hands. It gave me the ability to easily move around obstacles or fight through the brush without the risk of dropping and losing my flashlight.

For the price of $29.99, you will have a hard time finding a more affordable headlamp for your outdoor pursuits. Competitors like Black Diamond and Princeton Tec retail similar models in the $100 range. The 3W Cree Q3 LED Focusing Headlamp is a great way to free up your hands and provide your nighttime outdoor adventures with some much needed illumination.

Quality

Well designed for outdoor use, the materials provide a sturdy product.

Reliability

This headlamp offers superior brightness for five hours while on the highest setting, and 20 hours on the lowest setting.

Price/Value

For $29.99, this LED headlamp is one of the more affordable options on the market.

Referability

This is a great lamp for hikers and climbers.

Image courtesy Interstate Batteries