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Black Diamond Ion Review

A good quality & lightweight product, but wedged in between the ultralight e+LITE, and the better Tikkina
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Black Diamond Ion Review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $25 List
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Manufacturer:   Black Diamond
By RJ Spurrier ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  May 28, 2018
49
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#23 of 27
  • Trail Finding - 35% 3.0
  • Close Proximity - 20% 4.0
  • Battery Life - 15% 6.0
  • Weight - 15% 8.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 6.0

Our Verdict

The first version of the Black Diamond Ion was the first micro headlamp we ever used. At the time, it was hard to believe a light could be so tiny and still cast a decent beam. We immediately bought one and took it everywhere we went — even climbing El Capitan-in-a-day (as a just-in-case item). We like the safety advantage provided by packing a micro headlamp in case something goes wrong — truly micro equipment like the latest crop of tiny headlamps never get in the way, and are sure to be appreciated in an emergency. The latest version of the Ion is almost twice as large as the first. This additional bulk increases basically all of its performance attributes. However, the additional performance is not enough to edge out our Top Pick Petzl e+LITE for ultralight applications.
REASONS TO BUY
Light
Small
Relatively inexpensive
Good battery life
REASONS TO AVOID
Below average lighting

Compare to Similar Products

(change comparison)
 
black diamond ion
This Product
Black Diamond Ion
Awards   Best Buy Award
Best Headlamp for General Purpose Use
  
Price $25 List$29 List$24.95 at REI
Compare at 3 sellers		$14.89 at REI
Compare at 3 sellers		$19.00 List
$18.18 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line A quality & compact light that is relatively lightweight, but the Tikkina and e+LITE are strong competitionA good value that offers basic functionality, slightly better than average performance, at a good priceThe $20 Tikkina is a great light around the campsite, for general use, in your thingy drawer, or car glove boxOur favorite budget light if your needs are limited to close proximity workA good light, but not great, sold at an attractive price, but the Tikkina is a better value
Rating Categories Black Diamond Ion Yalumi LED 140-Lumen Petzl Tikkina Black Diamond Astro Energizer Vision HD
Trail Finding (35%)
3.0
6.0
5.0
3.0
3.0
Close Proximity (20%)
4.0
5.0
4.0
7.0
5.0
Battery Life (15%)
6.0
6.0
7.0
6.0
6.0
Weight (15%)
8.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
Ease of Use (15%)
6.0
9.0
10.0
9.0
9.0
Specs Black Diamond Ion Yalumi LED 140-Lumen Petzl Tikkina Black Diamond Astro Energizer Vision HD
Measured Beam Distance 44 m 94 m 62 m 38 m 45 m
Claimed Distance 38 m 90 m 55 m 35 m 40 m
Measured High Mode Run-time (ANSI) 7.4 hrs 4.3 hrs 3.5 hrs 4.8 hrs 8.7 hrs
Claimed High Mode Run-time 6 hrs Not specified 60 hrs 20 hrs 8 hrs
Measured Low Mode Run-time 115 hrs 47 hrs 223 hrs 95 hrs 74 hrs
Claimed Low Mode Run-time 180 hrs 100 hrs 220 hrs 80 hrs 8 hrs
Measured Weight 1.9 oz, 53 g 2.7 oz, 77 g 2.9 oz, 83 g 3 oz, 86 g 3.1 oz, 89 g
Battery Type 2 AAA 3 AAA 3 AAA 3 AAA 3 AAA
Water Resistance IPX8 waterproof beyond one meter IPX4 splash proof IPX4 splash proof IPX4 splash proof water resistant
Manuf Claimed Lumens 100 lumens 140 lumens 150 lumens 150 lumens 180 lumens
Beam Type flood/spot flood/spot flood flood, dimmable flood/spot
Red Light yes yes no no no
On Switch Lock no no no yes no

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Black Diamond Ion is a good quality light, that comes in a compact size that is easy to pack, and relatively lightweight.

Performance Comparison


black diamond ion
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Trail Finding


This light does not have the most impressive score, until you consider how small it is. As compared to larger lights like the Petzl Tikkina, the Ion's trail finding performance is lackluster. But, it trounces on the ultralight Petzl e+LITE.


Beam Distance Photos
Beam photo of Black Diamond Ion
Beam photo of Petzl Tikkina

Black Diamond Ion
Petzl Tikkina

Close Proximity


The Ion offers below average close proximity lighting. This is an area where the e+LITE stands out, and is a much better choice.


Battery Life


The Ion is above average on battery life earning a 6 of 10 score.


Weight


The Ion is relatively light at 1.9 ounces or 53 grams, and compact.


Ease of Use


The Ion is fairly easy to use, but only a bit better than average. Basic functionality is easy enough, but we found accessing advanced features switching between red and white lighting easily confused with lock-out and dimming functions, and thus a bit hard to get right even with practice.


black diamond ion - black diamond ion in action while hiking in the dark.
Black Diamond Ion in action while hiking in the dark.
Credit: Jediah Porter

Conclusion


The Ion is a good light that comes in a small and lightweight package. Overall, in compact emergency lights, we prefer the Petzl e+LITE because it is just that much smaller, and thus a better choice for those looking for an ultralight solution. If you are on a budget and don't mind a slightly larger headlamp that weighs another ounce, we would go with the Best Buy winning Petzl Tikkina which offers better performance at a lower price, and yet is still pretty darn small and light.

— RJ Spurrier
 
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