2.6 oz.
300
AAA/rechargeable (sold separately)
Gets the job done for just $20, or $40 with a rechargeable battery.
Not super water resistant and few lighting options.
If you’re searching for a basic headlamp that’s handy at night as well as at home The Black Diamond Astro 300 delivers. At just $20, the Astro produces a highly practical 300 lumens, with the strobe and dimming modes, and is able to last for 4 hours on the highest setting (140 hours at low). It’s also light at 2.6 pounds and with the compact size it’s light enough to go without being noticed in your pocket or in your pack and makes an excellent backup for emergencies too. You could spend a significant amount of money for a more powerful or last-for-longer headlamp, however the Astro is an excellent price and is sufficient for the majority of hikers, campers and backpackers.
The Astro was updated in spring 2022 and the new version is equipped with black diamond’s dual Fuel technology, giving the capability to run using either AAAs or a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (purchased separately at $30). This is an enormous advancement over the old version, in terms of its versatility and is a affordable cost for a rechargeable headlamp (on the contrary the rechargeable Astro 300-R is only $40, despite not having an AAA compatible headlamp). It is important to note that even with a low-cost product, there are some inherent disadvantages in terms of performance and features the Astro’s IPX4 rating means that it can’t be able to withstand submersion however, it doesn’t come with proximity and distance lighting, or an red light mode, as you can see in the Spot above. However, simplicity is a great feature for many uses, making it difficult to top the Astro’s mix of performance and price.
