Distance 1500 Headlamp

The Black Diamond Distance 1500 is the head torch you want when the finish line is still a long way off and it is already dark: a sealed, rechargeable light built around a swappable battery pack, a low-riding cradle that stays put at a run, and a 1500 lumen boost on tap for the moments you need to see a long way ahead.

Who it's for

Trail and ultra runners heading into a night section, fast-packers who keep moving after sunset, and anyone doing big link-ups where the torch is on for hours. Think of a 100 km race in the Blue Mountains that starts and finishes in the dark, or a Victorian high country traverse that runs long. The Comfort Cradle sits low on the back of your head and spreads the load with padding, and the top strap clips on for technical ground or comes off when you want it lighter.

Brightness and runtime together

You get four levels. Low gives 15 lumens for reading a map or sorting food at an aid station. Medium puts out 300 lumens, the setting most runners settle into on single track. High gives 800 lumens and runs for 1 hour 40 minutes per battery. PowerTap is a tap on the housing that jumps to the full 1500 lumens when you need to pick out the next marker or read a junction.

Output is held steady instead of fading as the battery drains, then the light drops to a reserve mode that still gives you usable light to finish on. Carry a second battery pack and the swap takes seconds: it clicks on magnetically and you can do it one-handed without breaking stride.

Beam shape

The multifaceted lens mixes a focused beam that throws down the track with a smooth, even spread close in, so you keep your depth perception over rocks and roots without harsh shadows. Beam reach is 117 m on PowerTap, 95 m on High, 45 m on Medium and 5 m on Low.

Out of the box PowerTap boosts for 10 seconds, then eases back to your chosen level to protect the battery. Switch the torch into Temperature Mode and it will hold maximum output for as long as it can stay at a safe operating temperature.

Charging and battery

The Distance battery pack charges by USB-C in about 1 hour 45 minutes, so an aid station power bank or a car charger at the trailhead will top it up. There is no need to run it flat first, and charging stops by itself when the pack is full. The pack sits at the back of the band and has its own red rear flasher, which makes you visible to anyone coming up behind on a road section.

Mounting

The Distance 1500 is helmet compatible, so it moves from a running cap to a climbing or ski helmet for an alpine start.

Weather resistance

The Distance 1500 is rated IP67: dustproof and completely sealed, tested to keep running 1 m underwater for 30 minutes, with no drying out or maintenance needed afterwards. A downpour on an exposed ridge or a slip in a creek crossing will not stop it.

Looking after it

Lock the torch before it goes into a pack or a vest pocket so it cannot switch itself on. If you ski tour, keep PowerTap off in avalanche terrain, because full output can shorten the range of an avalanche transceiver, and hold the torch at least 50 cm from your transceiver during a search.