Biolite Headlamp 200 Review

Last Updated on February 29, 2020 by mountainswithmegan

The new Biolite Headlamp 200 is light-weight, rechargeable, and as cute as it is functional.

Biolite is a company that seeks to bring renewable energy both to outdoor enthusiasts and off-grid communities. They provide both lightweight backpacking equipment and household cooking and lighting essentials in the form of stoves, solar power, and lighting.

Biolite sent me a headlamp 200 to test out and review.

*I’m not being paid for this review and all opinions are my own. There are affiliate links in this post.

Fast Stats:

Weight: 1.75 ounces/ 50 grams
Price: $44.95
Battery: rechargeable via micro USB
Battery Life: 40 hours on low mode or 3 hours on high
Lighting Modes: white, red, and strobe
Beam Distance: 8 meters on flood or 50 meters on spot

Battery Life & Charging

The headlamp charges via a standard micro USB cable. This is convenient because I already carry a micro USB cable while backpacking to charge my camera and Kindle; I don’t have to bring any extra cords along.

You can tell when the headlamp is almost dead because it flashes red four times when turning it off. Keep the headlamp on low power mode while in use because then the battery will last about 40 hours. Low power is still pretty dang bright.

One of my favorite features is the locking mode. You can lock the light in off mode during the day so the headlamp doesn’t accidentally turn on in your backpack. My headlamp juice gets drained the most from getting turned on in my pack during the day, so this feature is important to me.

Fit & Look

The headlamp strap is wide and comfortable. It stays in place and fits over hats or without them. Even though the strap is wide, it is still thin and lightweight. It adjusts easily for the correct fit. My one complaint that goes along with the ease of adjustment is that the strap also loosens easily and I have to readjust it every time I put it on.

Since it’s rechargeable, there’s no bulky batteries taking up space. This means that the headlamp doesn’t bounce around or sag; it simply stays in place.

I also enjoy the color options that come with the headlamp. I went with teal, but they also have options for red, grey, and moss green. This headlamp managed to be both functional and good-looking to wear.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

Lightweight
Good price point
Rechargeable
Cute look and color options
Red light option for reading
Locking mode
Easily adjustable
Long life on low mode

Cons:

Have to frequently adjust strap

Final Thoughts

The Biolite Headlamp 200 is a good price for all of the features that you’re getting. Factor in that you’ll never have to buy batteries for it, and that increases the value even more. The pros on this headlamp far outweigh the cons.

With all of the desirable qualities that this headlamp possesses (rechargeable, red light and locking mode, comfortable fit), this is an easy gear purchase to make.

Biolite Headlamp 200 Review