Gear Review: Mammut Lucido TXlite Headlamp
The Mammut Lucido provides the steadiest light.
Lightest & Cheapest | Steady Burner | Best Light Quality | Brightest | Best All-Around
Steady Burner
After thru-hiking the 211-mile John Muir Trail without replacing the Lucido’s batteries, a tester concluded: “You couldn’t land a chopper with it, but it’s good for trail hiking and camp chores.” And it’s steady: After 10 hours, the Lucido’s beam retained the highest percentage of its initial distance.
Credit a highly efficient single-bulb design. It also has several unique features. A clever switch guard prevents accidental turn-ons, and you can hold the switch down to check battery life (three blinks is full, one is empty). The Lucido shoots a defined, circular swath of white light within a larger, dimmer circle well-suited to lighting the trail ahead. Swivel it all you want: The LED housing’s balanced in-bracket design won’t jostle out of place. Bummer: The settings aren’t all intuitive, and the detachable battery cover is easy to lose.
> Batteries 3 AAAs
> Weight 2.6 oz.
> Price $50
> Infomammut.com
Instant Lantern
Where campfires aren’t allowed, clip the Mammut Ambient Light onto the Lucido TXlite to transform it into a hillbilly chandelier with enough illumination for a poker game. (1 oz., $11; mammut.com)