TreeLineBackpacker

The Range 500 is a lightweight, fast charging headlamp with a uni-body lamp/strap design. I’ve been using it for the last two months and I came away impressed. My review:

The Range 500 offers 500 lumens of output powered by a 1634 mAh Lithium-ion battery. This provides about 200 hours of runtime on low, or about 6 hours on high in moderate temperatures. The unit weighs 2.6 oz (75 grams), retails for $70, has a 3 year factory warranty, and features tilt, and features both white and red LEDs with steady on and strobe modes.

Using the Range 500 has been mostly a treat. The headlamp is lightweight, comfortable, and easy to adjust and use. The headband sits comfortably against the forehead, with a soft padded band that curves naturally around the skull. The unit and band are molded seamlessly together, which eliminates pressure points and seams that would otherwise cause friction. The band adjusts easily with a single point of adjustment that generally requires two hands to do so. The band easily accommodates a wide range of head sizes. I’ve found the unit mostly stays in place when worn snugly, but can slip when little tension is applied to the band. Usage is simple enough with one power and one cycle button. Holding the power button locks the unit while taps adjust the brightness, holds dim the unit, and tapping the cycle button rotates between modes. The buttons are wide and easy enough to use in the cold, rain or with gloves which is a nice bonus. A side LED display shows how much charge the battery has left.

Charging is fairly quick for a headlamp, with about 10 minutes giving about an hours worth of charge in my testing. It takes about 80 minutes for a full charge, but an 80 percent charge only takes about a half hour. The charge port is hidden behind the tilt mechanism and easy enough to access. There is no weather cover, which is a little odd considering tilting the unit exposes the port to the elements, but I haven’t had any issues so far.

The light output has been great for such a small unit. It provides a soft, wide, nicely diffused glow that works up close and at normal hiking distances. It’s gentle enough for reading on low but plenty bright enough for hiking in the dark, while foggy or in the rain. The advertised 6 hours of runtime on low seems about right, with it losing about an hour of runtime in cold weather in my testing.

Overall

The Range 500 has been a fantastic lightweight headlamp. It is built well, easy to use, and provides good illumination and run times given the $70 price tag. It’s comfortable, easy to adjust, and mostly stays in place when adjusted properly. Aside from a missing weather cover on the USB-C port, I really can’t complaint about the unit. It just works, feels great, and looks great at a fair price. This alone makes it easy to recommend.

Highly Recommended

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Big thanks to Biolite for sending this over for review. I reached out and they were happy to provide me sample for testing. We couldn’t do this without their support.

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