Streamlight Bandit Rechargeable LED Headlamp
We all have those moments — too few hands and lack of built-in night-vision. Unless some miracle (or atrocity depending upon how you view it) happens, we’re dependent upon technology to help us struggle through whatever task is at hand.
For me it’s usually searching for a downed deer in the woods or cleaning a gun the night before a match in the garage. Holding a flashlight is unwieldy, if not impossible, and without some form of portable light I can only see a few feet ahead, and not clearly. Streamlight’s Bandit headlamp is intended for these situations exactly. At 180 lumens on high and 35 lumens on low, it isn’t intended for search and rescue, but for simplicity. Lightweight and low profile, the Bandit stands apart from more traditional bulkier headlamps at 1.3 oz. The Bandit Pro runs 2 hours on high and 9.5 hours on low and is USB rechargeable in 2.5 hours. The same external battery pack that powers your cell phone can also recharge your headlamp in the field. The Bandit is IPX4 weather-resistant and impact resistance tested to 2 meters. It isn’t a spotlight, but produces even diffused light ideal for seeing up-close or running/hiking.
It has a single push-button switch to change between three modes: high, low and emergency flash (180 lumens on high) or red/green light. The Bandit comes in five colors: blue, red, yellow, black and coyote. Coyote bandits do not feature the emergency flash, but offer an additional light color. They are available in white/red light and white/green light configurations.
The Coyote Bandit has options of White/Red light or White/Green light.
I’ve also had times I needed a headlamp but didn’t want the headache that comes with a strap around your skull. My favorite feature of the Bandit, besides USB rechargin, is it has both a visor clip and adjustable elastic headstrap. Another nice feature is the low battery indicator. The light will blink when there is approximately five minutes of light left. I greatly appreciate this feature — I’m notorious for running headlamps to the ground and thinking the diminishing light signals trouble in my eyes, not lack of battery.
