Battery life with NiMh cells is ok but not outstanding – on anything more than low beam it drains within a few days of normal use, and on high beam you could see the batteries depleted in only a few hours.Ĭhris Townsend picked up on an issue here in his review: “The specifications that are emphasised on the packaging and the website are those for use with alkaline batteries that last longer and give a brighter light. However, being able to charge the torch directly is a great feature for general use – you can use an ordinary phone charger or powerbank. The ReVolt comes with three rechargeable cells that can be charged directly in the unit via a Micro USB port, concealed beneath a rather fiddly waterproof cover that can be a faff to close properly when wearing gloves. While there are several pre-set levels that will be enough for most people, you can also hold the top switch down then release for fine-grained brightness control – a nice touch. The control system allows precise control of brightness. It works ok if you’re wearing thin gloves but not with thicker gloves on. I was initially dubious about the touch panel in challenging mountain conditions, but it has worked fine for me even in sub-zero conditions or when wet. With some practice it’s easy enough to get used to this, however. The top button switches between modes and is used to lock the torch, while tapping the side toggles between the current mode and maximum brightness (although it doesn’t do anything when in red mode or strobe mode). Although I found this a little confusing at first, it isn’t too hard to get used to. Most headlamps I’ve used in the past have used a single button or dial to switch modes, but the ReVolt has two controls: a large rubber button on the top, and a touch-sensitive panel on the side. While most of my impressions are positive, it isn’t without some drawbacks. I have been using the ReVolt since late summer in a variety of situations from hillwalking and backpacking to Alpine mountaineering. In short, unless you have specialist needs – much lighter or much brighter – the ReVolt will probably tick most of your boxes. It’s waterproof too, and it can be powered either by rechargeable batteries or replaceable AAA cells. The beam can be broad and dim for camp use, red for map reading, or focused and bright for off-path night navigation. It’s compact, fairly lightweight, easy enough to use once past the initial learning curve, and can be configured to suit the task at hand. The ReVolt is a good headlamp offering a broad range of features, making it suitable for most purposes.
Alex Roddie has used this lamp extensively over the last few months.
Our Gear Editor Chris Townsend tested this headlamp for the November 2017 issue of The Great Outdoors, concluding that it was one of the best tested in that issue – with one flaw. The Great Outdoors Awards 2017 SHORTLISTED – Camping category Alex Roddie tests a versatile headlamp, great for everything from general use to big, cold mountains