Even though there are still a few weeks of summertime left, we’re at the point in the year when the morning runs are dark our evening group runs are encouraging bringing a light just in case. There are also still plenty of ultras left in the year that will have a dark start. Just a few days ago, BioLite released a new Range series, improving on their popular OG headlamp that debuted back in 2018.
Notably, they’ve upgraded the battery technology. No longer do you need to search for AAA batteries – wondering if the ones in the junk drawer are old or new – nor are you looking for a proprietary cable. It’s a USB-C, everyone’s favorite that’s making it’s way to being universal. We love to see it.
Not only did they improve on that aspect, but they also engineered the series to have a fast charge, giving rapid-charge technology we’ve grown accustomed to in our other electronics. Just 8 minutes of charging gives 1 hour of runtime so even in a pinch you can plug into your external battery pack and get a few more miles in.
The 500 lumen model gives you 6 hours of run time (no pun intended) on high and 200 hours on low mode. It also has a built-in 1 hour reserve mode so you’re never just…left in the dark (pun intended!).
There are 5 modes: white spot, white flood, white strobe, red flood, and red strobe, making this great not only for running, but running trails where you need more visibility, walking the dog when you need just a safety light, or setting up camp when you roll in at 2 AM because you got a flat tire and you have to set up the tent without waking everyone else up and blinding them in their sleepy stupor. Hypothetically.
The technology is a big improvement over other headlamps available, but they’ve also been thoughtful about how the thing actually feels in practice. The body of the headlamp has a soft touch material which feels silky and acts like rubber.
The hinge feels smooth and without the hard plastic body, it feels like a quality light, rather than a creaky, brittle piece of gear. Additionally, the buttons are obvious without being intrusive with an eye toward being “glove-friendly”.
The headstrap is moisture-wicking and easily adjustable and the entire thing weighs only 2.6 oz. The light body is relatively low-profile to prevent bounce and the strap is adhered to the body, rather than clipped, for a seamless (i.e. no headlamp forehead indents!) fit. Oh, did I mention it has an IP67 rating? Waterproof for the PNW fall, winter, and spring and dust-tight against the PNW summers.
You can choose between Midnight Grey, Slate Blue, or Spark Red and it’s now available for $69.95 from BioLite directly or from REI. You can check out the Range 300 and Range 400 at slightly lower price points / color options with the same upgraded features.
BioLite Range 500 $69.95
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