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The Black Diamond NightRay is a 5 LED headlamp with
6 modes of operation. The bezel and switching mechanism
are on the front of the user's head and the battery
compartment is in the rear. Both sections are attached
by a cable which wraps around the user's right side
and the unit uses a 3 point elastic fully adjustable
suspension system to attach to the user's head. Four
recessed LEDs flank a single lensed LED in the center.
The outer LEDs are housed in pairs inside silver colored
cavities. The bezel is vertically adjustable 90 degrees
and when pivoted all the way down the switch is protected
from accidental activation.
The first thing I noticed was the battery box. KUDOS
TO BLACK DIAMOND! They have changed their design so
that the battery box is now easy to access without having
to partially remove the straps. This is a big improvement
compared to the design of the BD headlamps I have reviewed
to date. However, waterproofing is completely absent
on both the battery box and the bezel.
The straps are elastic and are very easily adjustable.
No problems there. The strap attachment rings have gaps
cut in them so that the straps can be easily removed
for cleaning or replacement. The cable that runs between
the bezel and the battery box is held on to the straps
by two clips which are unnoticeable from a comfort standpoint.
The bezel contains the 5 LEDs, switching mechanism,
and output adjustment circuitry. There are 2 primary
modes, and each of these modes has 3 sub-modes. A firm
click turns on the headlamp in whatever primary mode
it was last on, in the "high" sub mode. These
two primary modes are all 5 LEDs on, or two side LEDs
on. A gentle press in on the switch and release so the
light turns off and then quickly back on, accesses the
"medium" submode. Doing the same again accesses
the "low" sub-mode, then the "blink"
sub-mode. Leaving the light on for 2-3 seconds in any
mode causes the next firm click of the switch to turn
the light off.
Output is in the form of a wide spill of light. On
the 2-LED mode you get two spots of light on either
side of your aiming point. A gentle wash of light fills
the gap in-between the spots. On the 5 LED mode, the
central lensed LED fills the space in the center of
your vision with a relatively bright and warm colored
wash of light while the four other LEDs augment the
illumination of the target subject. I did notice that
the center LED is not focused into a proper spot as
it should be by the lens. I tried adjusting the lensed
LED inside the bezel (easy to get to with a small Phillips
screwdriver) but whenever I managed to get it centered,
upon re-assembly it went out of alignment. Oh well.
It still produces a nice flood of light, just not a
distinct spot.
 
2 LED mode, 5 LED mode, all at 1 meter.
The switch is a simple click switch covered with a
rubber bladder. It rests under the bezel so most folks
will press it with their thumb when they grab the light
with their hand.
Black Diamond says in the instructions that this headlamp
is tested to IPX-4
water resistance and continues to work when sprayed
with water at any angle. I just personally find this
water resistance test a little silly. I mean, come on...
I can spray a $0.99 2-D Eveready with water from any
angle and it'll still work. Sure it'll be full of water,
but it'll work. Unless you enjoy disassembling your
headlamp and inspecting it inside and out for corrosion
before each trip, I'd do my best to protect this headlamp
from the elements. There are no visible seals in the
bezel or battery box.
Ergonomics: Comfy! Super lightweight.
  
For batteries this little critter runs on 3 AAA cells.
There is a thumbscrew in the back of the battery box.
Spin it off with your thumb (it has a retainer so it
doesn't get lost) and hinge open the compartment. The
lid is attached to the central strap while the rest
of the box is attached to the side straps. The box lid
can come completely off. Insert your batteries and close
the box. I found it was best to pinch the box shut so
it clicks into alignment and then tighten the thumbscrew.
Batteries are included. Battery life is advertised
as follows:
5 LEDs high: 60 hrs
5 LEDs medium: 80 hrs
5 LEDs low: 120 hrs
2 LEDs high: 100 hrs
2 LEDs medium: 150 hrs
2 LEDs low: 200 hrs
For the light readings in the table below, I took only
the high output readings for each mode.
What I Liked: Relatively durable.
Long battery life, Good output, Easy battery change,
Lightweight, Center lensed LED produces very warm light
relative to other LEDs which gives better color rendition.
What I Didn't Like: Not really
water resistant, Seems that center lensed LED is not
properly aligned
Conclusions: Decent little headlamp.
Good output, Lots of output options for battery conservation
or brightness when needed.
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