Product Review: Dland 1000 Lumen LED Headlight

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

I received this headlamp at Christmas and have been using it for about a month now.

It has three settings which I have named

1. Set Things On Fire
2. Rather Dim, Actually
3. Let's Induce Epilepsy!

Setting one is great for doing things at night, but beware of "light splash". Setting two doesn't have that problem by virtue of being substantially less bright, and setting 3 is basically a strobe version of setting one.

I compared this light's output to a flashlight of known power (my 420 lumen Kel-Tec CL-42)  and discovered the following:

• The dim setting is actually brighter than 420 lm when zoomed in to spotlight mode, but not by a whole lot; when zoomed out, the 420 lm light was brighter. From this I infer that the "dim" setting is probably 500 lm. 
• The bright setting is noticeably brighter than 420 lm in flood mode, and definitely brighter in spot mode. While I'm not sure if it's actually 1,000 lumen, it's demonstrably brighter than 500 lm and likely 750 lm at the least. 
• The strobe mode has the same output as setting one. 

http://amzn.to/2EbwW1Q

The Good

• It is comfortable to wear, which is slightly surprising given the weight of the light in front and the bulk of batteries to the rear. 
• The battery case has a red light in the back which illuminates when the light is turned on, making it easier for buddies to find/follow you in the dark. 
• The light is adjustable from spot to flood and angles up and down to conveniently illuminate the ground in front of you at ranges from "where your feet are" to "twenty feet ahead". 
• It comes with two 18650 lithium batteries. 
• The battery case is also a battery charger and comes with three input devices: a wall outlet, a car port, and a USB cord. 
• The price. $15 for a comfortable, bright headlamp is great. 

The Bad

• The battery lifespan is pretty abysmal on "bright". After 2 hours of use, the light output quickly diminished; the bright setting was dim and the dim setting was practically nonexistent. 
• It's very, very easy to dazzle yourself if you get too close to a white or reflective surface. Even adjusting the light with your hand can cause light splash if your hand intersects the beam. 
• It's also very easy to shine the light in someone's eyes while talking to them. What is an annoyance with a regular flashlight is absolutely painful with a high-lumen beam. 
• It might make for a good tactical light if not for the dual faults of being mounted to your head and requiring you to take a hand off your weapon to turn the light on and off. 

My Verdict
The battery life make it a no-go for bug-out bags, but the price and performance are excellent for bug-in preps, especially if you have additional 18650 lithium batteries charged and ready to go.