Cosmo 350 Headlamp

The Black Diamond Cosmo 350 is a simple, tough head torch that runs on whatever power you have: three AAA cells from any servo or supermarket, or Black Diamond's rechargeable BD 1500 pack when you can plug in. It is bright enough for walking out after dark, gentle enough for the tent, and waterproof enough to shrug off a soaking.

Who it's for

Campers, bushwalkers and anyone who wants one torch for the camp kit, the car glovebox and the kitchen drawer. The dual-fuel design is what sets it apart on a long trip. On a week on the Australian Alps Walking Track or a remote paddle with no power, you carry a few spare AAAs and never worry about finding a USB socket. At home, the rechargeable pack saves buying batteries.

Brightness and runtime together

There are three levels, and runtime depends on the battery you choose:

• High, 350 lumens: 3 hours on AAA alkalines, then 30 hours of reserve light; 5 hours on the BD 1500, then 2 hours of reserve.
• Medium, 175 lumens: 6 hours on AAA alkalines; 10 hours on the BD 1500.
• Low, 6 lumens: 200 hours on AAA alkalines; 225 hours on the BD 1500.

Low is the setting for reading in the tent or a midnight trip outside, and at 200 hours a set of AAAs on Low will outlast almost any trip. The built-in battery display shows the percentage remaining, so you know when to swap cells before you are caught short.

Beam shape

The multifaceted lens gives a clean, even beam that reaches 64 m on High, 45 m on Medium and 10 m on Low. A separate red LED, with its own dimming and strobe, keeps your night vision intact and saves blinding the people you are camping with. A dual-button layout means you can go straight to red without flashing white first.

Charging and battery

Three AAA alkaline cells come in the box. The rechargeable BD 1500 lithium-ion battery and charger are sold separately and slot into the same compartment. With alkalines fitted the Cosmo 350 weighs 79 g; with a BD 1500 it weighs 73.5 g; the light alone is 46 g.

Weather resistance

The Cosmo 350 is rated IPX8 and tested to keep working for 30 minutes at 1.1 m underwater, so a dropped torch in a creek or a night of rain is no drama. Water can get into the battery compartment if it goes under and the torch will keep running, but open it up and dry it out completely afterwards.

Looking after it

Use the digital lock before the Cosmo 350 goes into a pack or pocket so it cannot switch on by accident and drain the batteries. Take alkaline cells out if the torch will sit unused for months.