REASONS TO BUY
Light
Small
Relatively inexpensive
Good battery life
REASONS TO AVOID
Below average lighting
Black Diamond Ion Review
A good quality & lightweight product, but wedged in between the ultralight e+LITE, and the better Tikkina
Credit: Abriah Wofford
By RJ Spurrier ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ May 28, 2018
RELATED: The Hunt for the Best Headlamps
Our Verdict
The first version of the Black Diamond Ion was the first micro headlamp we ever used. At the time, it was hard to believe a light could be so tiny and still cast a decent beam. We immediately bought one and took it everywhere we went — even climbing El Capitan-in-a-day (as a just-in-case item). We like the safety advantage provided by packing a micro headlamp in case something goes wrong — truly micro equipment like the latest crop of tiny headlamps never get in the way, and are sure to be appreciated in an emergency. The latest version of the Ion is almost twice as large as the first. This additional bulk increases basically all of its performance attributes. However, the additional performance is not enough to edge out our Top Pick Petzl e+LITE for ultralight applications.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Black Diamond Ion is a good quality light, that comes in a compact size that is easy to pack, and relatively lightweight.
Trail Finding
This light does not have the most impressive score, until you consider how small it is. As compared to larger lights like the Petzl Tikkina, the Ion's trail finding performance is lackluster. But, it trounces on the ultralight Petzl e+LITE.
Beam Distance Photos
Black Diamond Ion
Petzl Tikkina
Close Proximity
The Ion offers below average close proximity lighting. This is an area where the e+LITE stands out, and is a much better choice.
Battery Life
The Ion is above average on battery life earning a 6 of 10 score.
Weight
The Ion is relatively light at 1.9 ounces or 53 grams, and compact.
Ease of Use
The Ion is fairly easy to use, but only a bit better than average. Basic functionality is easy enough, but we found accessing advanced features switching between red and white lighting easily confused with lock-out and dimming functions, and thus a bit hard to get right even with practice.
Black Diamond Ion in action while hiking in the dark. Credit: Jediah Porter
Conclusion
The Ion is a good light that comes in a small and lightweight package. Overall, in compact emergency lights, we prefer the Petzl e+LITE because it is just that much smaller, and thus a better choice for those looking for an ultralight solution. If you are on a budget and don't mind a slightly larger headlamp that weighs another ounce, we would go with the Best Buy winning Petzl Tikkina which offers better performance at a lower price, and yet is still pretty darn small and light.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Black Diamond Ion versus top competing products:
| Awards | |
|---|---|
| Price | $25 List |
Overall Score  |
|
| Star Rating | |
| Bottom Line | A good quality & lightweight product, but wedged in between the ultralight e+LITE, and the better Tikkina |
| Pros | Light, small, relatively inexpensive, good battery life |
| Cons | Below average lighting |
| Rating Categories | Black Diamond Ion |
| Trail Finding (35%) | |
| Close Proximity (20%) | |
| Battery Life (15%) | |
| Weight (15%) | |
| Ease of Use (15%) | |
| Specifications | Black Diamond Ion |
| Measured Beam Distance | 44 m |
| Claimed Distance | 38 m |
| Measured High Mode Run-time (ANSI) | 7.4 hrs |
| Claimed High Mode Run-time | 6 hrs |
| Measured Low Mode Run-time | 115 hrs |
| Claimed Low Mode Run-time | 180 hrs |
| Measured Weight | 1.9 oz, 53 g |
| Battery Type | 2 AAA |
| Water Resistance | IPX8 waterproof beyond one meter |
| Manuf Claimed Lumens | 100 lumens |
| Beam Type | flood/spot |
| Red Light | yes |
| On Switch Lock | no |
—RJ Spurrier
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