Black Diamond Zenix

John Burley
Reviewed: 08 May 2006

EXCELLENT ALLROUNDER

great battery lifespan, ease of use, fit, brightness to weight ratio, versatile with two power options

creates some pressure points if worn directly on forehead

I bought the BD Zenix about 18 months ago and despite regular and occasionally extended use I still haven't needed to change the batteries! I have been thoroughly satisfied with my Zenix for a wide range of uses and situations. It has been great on the hills (I used it recently for a night time descent of a volcano and it was more than adequate for distinguishing black rocks from black dust!). It has been great for night-time running as it is light and fits very securely. The low-power mode is quite enough light for camping and general use, with the high power mode for when you need better clarity. But it is not just during outdoor persuits that have I have found myself reaching for it - it has been a great help for working in my roof eaves etc. The single button operation is easy to use and so far completely reliable. The button is located in such a way that the lamp folds over the switch when packed away... preventing the light from being inadvertently switched on in your bag... very well thought out. While fundamentally an excellent product, it has a couple of minor weaknesses that are probably true of many other models and brands but should be mentioned nevertheless. Having the battery pack at the back of the head does make it balance better than the single-unit models, but it makes me worry a little about wiring & connections... time will tell I suppose. Whilst running with it, I have found that the lamp unit digs into my forehead slightly and leaves it pressure marks unless I wear a hat. The light also scatters a little around the lens, so if you wear glasses (as I do) it creates some undesirable reflections. Again, wearing it over a cap solves this one so it isn’t a big issue. Highly recommended.

Chris Gilbert
Reviewed: 27 May 2005

LIGHTWEIGHT L.E.D. HEAD TORCH

Comfortable with or without wooly hat, light weight, good range for an L.E.D. torch, long burntime and a nice, even light pattern.

I'm not sure if not having the power of a Xenon torch is a weakness but it doesn't so I'm mentioning it. I've never needed that sort of power but if you do and don't mind the extra bulk and weight then this torch probably isn't for you.

Extremely good little head torch. Perfectly suitable for night walking. I had it on superbright all night (about 10 hrs) with no noticeable dimming whilst friends faffed around changing batteries on Xenon torches. The beam as mentioned above is not especialy wide but I found it perfectly good and the light cast is flawless with no rings or imperfections to trip you up. The weaker light option (using the two secondary L.E.D.s), is very useful for when you need a wider, softer beam or when you just don't want to blind people.

Ptarmigan
Reviewed: 03 February 2004

ALL LED TORCH WITH 35M BEAM OR 15M CLOSE UP LIGHTING.

A 35m beam with claimed battery life of 12-15hrs.

140hrs of 'normal' LED lighting.

Light (128g with batteries), compact and nicely balanced on your head.

Positive switch mechanism with little chance of getting accidentally switched on in your bag.

Nice battery compartment.

The 35m beam is a little narrow compared with the beams you get from more conventional torches.

The main attraction of the BD Zenix is the possibility of a 35m penetrating beam of light but with battery life at LED type levels. The beam is provided by a single 'HyperBright' LED housed in a reflective chamber and focussed by a lens. The beam does indeed penetrate 35 metres, although it is quite a narrow beam compared with that from something like a Petzl Zoom.

More conventional close-up long-life LED lighting is provided by a pair of 'SuperBright' LEDs. The light from these is good, but not quite as good as the light you get from a Petzl Zipka or Tikka's 3 LEDS.

BD claim a battery life of 12-15 hours using the 'HyperBright' LED and 140 hours using the 'SuperBright' LEDs. I have not been able to test this myself; if I do manage it in the future I will update this review or add a new one, depending on what the site allows me to do.

Taking into account that the Zenix uses 3AAA batteries, rather than 3-4AAs like the BD Gemini or Petzl Myo, you do seem to be getting a good beam/battery life/weight combination with the Zenix. You get a weight and performance close to that of a Tikka but with the option of a 35m beam when you need one without it chewing your batteries up in minutes.

The other aspects of the torch, like the head harness, switching mechanism and balance are all excellent. Battery changes are a doddle too, no need to find a 5p piece to get the case open.

All in all a great headtorch unless you really want the power of a full-on halogen bulb.