BioLite Range: Headlamps Unicorns Wish They Had
Unicorn safety has become a matter of national concern. Fortunately, there’s a solution at hand: headlamps that have up to 500 lumens of brightness and a beam distance of up to 100 meters from BioLite. With a light weight of just 2.6 ounces (75g) and budget-friendly prices starting at $39, they’re not just for unicorns. The new BioLite Range headlamps deliver advanced features, including an IP67 waterproof/dustproof rating.
It’s widely known that unicorns have a problem controlling those big things growing from their foreheads. After dark, they frequently spear their kindred inadvertently. That’s one of the reasons they’re so rarely seen—they’re at the animal ER most of the time, getting blood transfusions. Equipped with the right headlamps, however, they’re able to navigate the landscape at night without accidently poking each other.
BioLite Energy, our favorite innovator of renewable energy solutions, just introduced the Range HeadLamp Series, a lineup of USB-C charged headlamps. Shutterbug had a chance to try one out for a few weeks prior to launch, and all we can say is “Wow!”
The Range Series comprises three models with names that reflect the lumen output: Range 300, 400, and 500. Range 300 features a one-button design with an efficient and dimmable all-purpose white spot, while the Range 400 and Range 500 feature both white and red-light modes controlled by a two-button interface.
All three headlamps feature IP67 waterproof ratings. See chart above. IP67 means the headlamps are dust tight and can be submerged in water up to one meter deep for up to 30 minutes. In other words, they fear no storm.
Additionally, all are fed via USB-C using a rapid charging technology that delivers a full hour of runtime from an eight-minute charge.
Watch the official BioLite Range HeadLamp YouTube Video here.
In the Field
The BioLite Range 500 HeadLamp is very comfortable and actually looks pretty cool. It’s surprisingly small and light, but really punches a beam a long way through the darkness. My neighborhood is teeming with white tail deer who dine on everyone’s floriculture throughout the night. I wore the Range 500 to chase them off multiple times. Perhaps they thought they were being pursued by a unicorn.
The light’s lens can be tilted forward, which makes it easy to light your path or make camera adjustments comfortably at chest level. The highly adjustable headband is soft and supple. It provides a reflective strip on the back for extra nighttime safety. The headlamp fits in a jacket pocket easily.
The Range HeadLamps charge via USB-C. Full charge takes around 80 minutes, but you can get about one hour of light with an amazingly short eight-minute charge. The battery in the 400 and 500 models boasts 1634 mAh. Three LEDs indicate battery status, so you’re never left in the dark.
Be smart if you travel through darkness for more than a five or six hours: carry a compact and powerful BioLite Charge 100 Max power bank (read our review here) for an extra 25,000 mAh.
I did not wear it in the rain (or the shower, for that matter) but with an IP67 rating, I wouldn’t hesitate (and I’m notorious for not exposing “water resistant” technology to any harsh environments out of absolute fear).
Conclusion
We like these headlamps—a lot. Go for the Range 500. It’s worth the extra dough to get the extra mode (the 300 and 400 offer Spot and Strobe; the 500 adds a Flood Mode).
Perfect for hikers, bikers and outdoor travelers of all kinds, the headlamps are a godsend when the power goes out at home. In low-power mode, the Range 500 and Range 400 provide illumination for up to 200 hours (the 300 runs for up to 100 hours).
Have you ever changed a tire at night? Don’t you think you should have a BioLite Range HeadLamp in your glove box?
Price & Availability
The BioLite Range 300 is priced at $39.95, and the BioLite Range 400 costs $59.95. The model we tested, the BioLite 500, costs $69.95. They come in an assortment of colors (see their website for details) and are available now from BioLite Energy. All are protected by a 3-year USA Limited Warranty.
—Jon Sienkiewicz
