I’m going to be honest here. When the Dorcy headlamp showed up, I didn’t really know what to expect. I didn’t know the brand, never tried their products, and the prices were very affordable. Usually, this doesn’t go over to well, but I decided to give the headlamp a go. Infact, I let every tester at my disposal give it a try. And the results were surprising.
About the Headlamp
Dorcy has produced the “41-2096 120 Lumen Headlight Broad Beam” at a surprisingly affordable $24.99. It’s a simple headlamp with 4 settings. Bright, dim, strobe, and off. There is a single button that toggles between each setting in that order. There are two models, one with a more diffused light, and another with a direct beam. Diffused lighting will be better for looking at maps and working with your hands, while a beam will be better for looking over a distance or hiking a long trail. There is a simple adjustable headband, and a slide off cover that protects the compartment for the 3 AAA batteries. It weighs only 2.9 oz. The lamp is rated at 120 lumens.
What I liked
Simplicity! I don’t need red LED’s, and I never have. I’ve tried using them, but I always go back to the good old fashioned white light. This simplicity, and a single button, cuts down weight, and reduces the amount of inputs it requires to utilize the device. The button itself has a great, responsive click to it, that’s quite satisfying and easy to use.
It’s very light weight, and you can barely feel it on your head. The band is very much comfortable. It’s soft, and stretches gently around your head to provide an even weight distribution, preventing pressure points.
The diffusion is soft, and usable up close, yet illuminates a wide area. The light is incredibly bright, especially for the weight. Despite being quite diffused (on the broad beam model) I was easily able to see at least 50 feet on a foggy night in the Smoky Mountains, deep inside a cloud. The light can be angled down to provide better foot lighting, or to avoid blinding your tent mate when you look at them.
I didn’t have a chance to test the headlamp in rain, so instead, I took it to the shower( life is fun like that). It survived a 15 minute 3 gallons per minute onslaught with no problems at all. Some moisture made it inside the battery compartment, but nothing even as significant as a full drop. Just a couple hints of moisture. This isn’t bad considering nothing in nature will ever come close to the 3 gpm downpour it had to survive. It’s safe to say this lamp will hold up in a light rain.
It’s cheap! At just around 25 bucks, it’s hard to beat the value here.
What I didn’t like
The shell of the headlamp feels a bit cheap. While I had no durability issues, the plastic is a very basic material, and the shell is artificially “fancied up” to look more sophisticated than it really is. Aesthetically it’s not much to look at, but doesn’t look bad either. A simpler design would have fit the lamp better.
The battery cover is pretty thin, and a bit flexible. At times it can be a bit tricky to get back on.
Overall
I was quite surprised, but every tester came out impressed with the little, affordable headlamp that could. Testers raved about the intense brightness that it could provide, lighting up the woods like a 60 dollar headlamp. It’s not fancy, it’s not flashy, but it’s bright, light weight, and affordable.
If you’re looking for a bright, light weight headlamp without breaking the bank, this could be a reasonable choice.
Recommended
More information on these headlamps can be found on the manufacturers website, listed below:
Dorcy 120 Broad, Dorcy Spot Headlamp
Thanks to the manufacturer for providing this product. For full disclosure, see our about me page.
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