Black Diamond Vectra IQ Headlamp - 2007 BCS

Definitely better than prior versions. Very light, comfortable. The batteries seem to last much longer in this version. Black Diamond makes the best headlamps. I've had petzl and others, but BD is superior!

Service by BC: awesome service with great delivery time, it took 2 days for it to get to my door, thanks.

Product: solid lamp that is REALLY bright and is light on the head, nice and comfy to the point where it dont feel like anything is on your head after a few minutes of wearing it. its storm proof and has a battery indicator and a "find me light" which is dead healpfull to spot it at night time in the camp or in your backpack as the little find me light blinks every 3 seconds while the lamp is switched off, it uses next to no power and will blink for around 5 YEARS, without changing batteries..
i like its dimming feature also.. so on any of the settings weather its a LED setting or the Xenon setting you have 3 different brightnesess to choose from.

BOTTOM LINE, buy this lamp and it will not let you down.

first off, GRREAT service and delivery time.. took only 2 days on free shipping to get to my door. thanks.

solid lamp that is REALLY bright and is light on the head, nice and comfy to the point where it doesn't feel like anything is on your head after a few minutes of wearing it. it's storm-proof and has a battery indicator and a "find me light" which is dead helpful to spot it at night time in the camp or in your backpack as the little find me light blinks every 3 seconds while the lamp is switched off, it uses next to no power and will blink for around 5 YEARS, without changing batteries..
i like its dimming feature also.. so on any of the settings weather its a LED setting or the Xenon setting you have 3 different brightnesses to choose from.

BOTTOM LINE, buy this lamp and it will not let you down.

this light is fantastic in any situation. cooking,pitching a tent, or finding your way to your PBR in the dark is a breeze with BD's vectra iq headlamp. it is so comfortable and bright, it is a must have for any outdoor enthusiast.

The Vectra is a pretty sweet lamp, it's bright, comfortable, and holds up in a downpour. My only beef with it is that when using the xenon bulb, be prepared to change the batteries often! The 14 hr rating isn't true its more like 3 or 4, when using the L.E.D setting it lasts a lot longer. Also my buddy bought the Black Diamond spot, it seems to be brighter, its smaller takes less batteries and lasts longer. I prefer both xenon and L.E.D. So I prefer the vectra over others.

In a word, Fantastic. The LEDs are indeed super-bright and for general use, the LEDs are sufficient to light your way. I have a Soliras as well and compared to that, the difference in the LEDs are amazing - well 2 vs 4 so go figure. The reflector does an excellent job of optimizing the light and the "Find Me" light is an added bonus. I normally don't use the main xenon light but that is really bright as well. Better value for money than the Soliras I believe but with that light, you are basically buying the rechargeable battery with a brighter beam.

Would definitely recommend the Vectra IQ to anyone wanting a bright light and excellent proximity lighting. If you need a further reaching light and a rechargeable battery, go with the Soliras. I couldn't decide which so I bought both.

I highly recommend this product after comparing it with the Solaris which I also have.

Strengths:
Memory mode
4 Leds (very bright)
Find-Me light
Excellent reflector
Bright main xenon light.

No weaknesses that I have seen. I use this lamp when I go night skiing. If the slope is sufficiently lit, I use the Leds and otherwise the main beam. I use the Solaris if it is really dark or when my batteries are low. The Solaris is a good backup light in this case.

Definite Buy. Value for money.

I haven't been able to find another headlamp which can match the features of the Vectra IQ for this price. I'm not a big fan of any sort of proprietary, impossible-to-replace-unless-you-pay-nearly-the-same-price-as-that-of-a-whole-new-product, rechargeable battery pack. You can find AA batteries pretty much anywhere. The three straps and concave battery box have proven comfy for prolonged periods; at least on my melon.
The combo "Find Me" and battery life indicating LED are great. It even reports the remaining juice separately for each of its seven modes. Obviously you'll be able to go a bit further with the 4 LEDs on "Strobe" than with the Xenon bulb on "Max".
Seems plenty sturdy too. Definitely one of the least ill-conceived pieces of kit I've purchased in a while.

I think the Vectra IQ Headlamp is one of the best headlamps I found in my week long research on headlamp products, it is stylish and use 4 AA batteries instead of 3 (although changing batteries is little difficult and needs to be made easier), the 4 LED diodes produce sufficient lightning with no artifacts and the xenon bulb is brighter than a 4D Maglite flashlight if not equivalent. I am pretty delighted with the purchase of this headlamp and I hope you will too.

I've had this light for about three months and just replaced the batteries after considerable use. The IQ part of this light is really tech. There is a LED light on top that indicates the level of the batteries, (Green, Orange and Red) as well as serving as an intermittent beacon, flashing every few seconds to let you know the battery level and where you left it in the bottom of your pack, car, closet. This light is friendly to your camp mates as it has the four SuperBright LEDs on the top of the reflector, which prevents you from completely blinding the unsuspecting person you turn to speak to. The reflector is also textured like a halogen headlamp, creating a nice even spread of light in both modes. With all the features this lamp offers, this thing is the only one you'll need. It's light enough for running at night and the Xenon bulb really throws a torch out there a ways. The zoom adjustment of the lamp in Xenon mode is essentially worthless, it really has no zoom. The Beacon or Strobe feature is cool (LED mode only), hope I never need it. Great all around lamp.

I bought the Black Diamond Vectra IQ headlamp for use in my jump kit for amateur radio emergency service use. When we get called out it's usually after a bad storm, raining, dark and the power is out. I can use this lamp on high power while I’m outside setting up an antenna, or switch on the LED for operating a radio in a dark room for hours at a time, or reading maps etc. With the battery pack in the back it creates a good balance on your head and you practically forget it's there. I also appreciate the blinking green LED locator on top because when I unzip my jump kit in the dark I can find my headlamp immediately. There is really nothing I don't love about this headlamp. I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

The lamp is extremely easy to use. Placement of control is perfect, and with three levels of intensity the battery life should be enhanced. The LED's are ideal for working close to an object, and unless you are target shooting at 500 yards, the xenon bulb will illuminate anything in front of you.

Great lamp, nice light from the LED bulbs, i like the way the lamp protrudes from the head and angle is adjustable so that your face isn't floodlit with light. Good on/off switch, means you don't need to toggle between xenon and led every time you switch on. The intelligent circuitry indicating the battery power remaining got a bit confused on a rare occasion, but overall a very useful function, as is the 'find me' blinking light. The battery case is a wee bit awkward to access, but sleek design and more important, it’s waterproof. The only major complaint is that the xenon bulb light isn't that bright using rechargeable batteries, but that can be overcome using conventional batteries, and the LEDs are so bright you hardly ever need to use the xenon beam. Overall a great lamp, very comfortable and a brilliant piece of kit. Highly recommended.

1 word WOW! This headlamp is simply amazing. Top notch technology,6 brightness levels,super burn time,& so light on the head you may just forget you're wearing it! I use it every snow fall up here in the Adirondacks to shovel snow & do snowblowing at night,putting the dogs out at bedtime & Yesterday when the lights went out(Very High Winds)to make breakfast & Lunch.HANDS FREE is the ticket! Versatile,easy to use, valuable Asset anytime you need light. I highly recommend it if you demand the best quality, features & price. Added Plus:Locator blinker to find the light fast(Burns for 5 years!)& to let you know how much battery power is left. Awesome in every sense of the word. Unmatched by the competitors. Try it yourself/You'll like(LOVE)it!Turn night into day. Yes, you'll be looking for excuses to use it!HEHE

This headlamp works great! Good light with the LED's or the single halogen. Only problem i have with it is that the green blinking light wears down the battery so when you go to use it almost all your juice is gone