Black Diamond Iota Review
A budget alternative for night running use
Photo: Abriah Wofford
Price: $40 List | $24.88 at Amazon
Pros: Lightweight, rechargeable, well suited for night time running use
Cons: Below average beam throw, poor battery life, not competitive with general-use lights
Manufacturer: Black Diamond
Cons: Below average beam throw, poor battery life, not competitive with general-use lights
Manufacturer: Black Diamond
By RJ Spurrier ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ May 28, 2018
Our Editors independently research, test, and rate the best products. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Learn more
RELATED: The Hunt for the Best Headlamps
Our Verdict
The $40 list Black Diamond Iota provides night time and early morning runners with a much lower cost alternative to the amazing Black Diamond Sprinter at $80 list. But, that cost savings comes with a big reduction in performance. The Sprinter offers better lighting, is much more comfortable to wear when running, and includes a red tail light that makes you more visible to cars and might just save your life. Serious runners will be wise to pass on the Iota and buy the Sprinter instead. But, for the occasional runner on a tight budget, or someone who runs exclusively on trails, the Iota is a contender.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Black Diamond Iota | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | | ||
| Price | $24.88 at Amazon | $89.00 at Amazon | $50 List | $33.95 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $28.74 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Lightweight, rechargeable, well suited for night time running use | Bright wide beam, good battery life, durable design, rechargeable | Excellent trail finding and close proximity beam, waterproof, above average battery life | Excellent spot light capability, wide evenly lit flood beam, above average in most ways | Excellent brightness and beam control, often available online at discount |
| Cons | Below average beam throw, poor battery life, not competitive with general-use lights | Expensive, 18650 Li-ion battery is not included, heavier than average | More expensive, heavier than average, claimed battery life is very misleading | Below average battery life, claimed battery life is wildly misleading, single button hard to use, lame waterproofing | Average battery life, heavier and bulkier than most |
| Bottom Line | Offers good-enough performance for night runners, at half the price of the BD Sprinter | A stunningly bright light that offers impressive battery life. If you can afford it, it won't disappoint | You can't go wrong with the Storm, high performance, quality optics, and durable design | Offering excellent optics, a bright wide beam, and strong performance for the price, the Spot is one of our favorites | We used to love the Coast, but competing lights have stepped up, while the HL7 is unchanged |
| Rating Categories | Black Diamond Iota | Zebralight H600w Mk IV | Black Diamond Storm | Black Diamond Spot | Coast HL7 |
| Trail Finding (35%) | |||||
| Close Proximity (20%) | |||||
| Battery Life (15%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Ease Of Use (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Black Diamond Iota | Zebralight H600w... | Black Diamond Storm | Black Diamond Spot | Coast HL7 |
| Measured Beam Distance | 37 m | 121 m | 91 m | 94 m | 112 m |
| Claimed Distance | 40 m | Not specified | 85 m | 80 m | 119 m |
| Measured High Mode Run-time (ANSI) | 1.8 hrs | 3.1 hrs | 5 hrs | 2.9 hrs | 3.1 hrs |
| Claimed High Mode Run-time | 2 hrs | 2.9 hrs | 40 hrs | 30 hrs | 1.5 hrs |
| Measured Low Mode Run-time | 69 hrs | 232 hrs | 42 hrs | 9.7 hrs | 25 hrs |
| Claimed Low Mode Run-time | 40 hrs | 203 hrs | 120 hrs | 175 hrs | 70 hrs |
| Measured Weight | 1.9 oz, 53 g | 4.5 oz, 127 g | 4 oz, 112 g | 3.1 oz, 89 g | 4.5 oz, 127 g |
| Battery Type | Rechargeable lithium ion | 18650 rechargeable Li-ion | 4 AAA | 3 AAA | 3 AAA |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 splash proof | IPX8 waterproof to 2 meters, 30 minutes | IP67 waterproof to one meter and dustproof | Splash proof (dubious IPX8 claim) | water resistant |
| Manuf Claimed Lumens | 150 lumens | 1400 lumens | 350 lumens | 300 lumens | 285 lumens |
| Beam Type | flood, dimmable | flood | flood/spot | flood/spot | flood/spot |
| Red Light | no | no | yes, red/green/blue night-vision modes | yes | no |
| On Switch Lock | yes | yes (tailcap lockout) | yes | yes | no |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
The BD Iota is a good light for those who love to take regular runs at dusk, dawn, or at night. Its big advantage is that it sells for half the price at $40 of the light you'd really want for running, the Black Diamond Sprinter which costs $80.
Photo: Abriah Wofford
Likes
The lighting level of the Iota is pretty good when viewed for the special purpose as a runner's headlamp. The beam is wide, evenly lit, and lights up the path ahead sufficiently. While we much prefer the Sprinter's brighter and wider beam (as well as the Sprinter's rear tail light), the Iota is good enough to get the job done on well-defined trails, roads, and paths.
Beam Distance Photos
Black Diamond Iota
Black Diamond Sprinter
The Iota is pleasantly small and light at only 1.9 ounces or 53g. It is reasonably comfortable to wear when running, although the band is narrower than we'd ideally want to see (much narrower than most other BD headlamps, and it is no match for the stability and comfort offered by the Sprinter's balanced design and supportive top band.
The light's lithium-ion batteries are easily recharged using a micro USB charging cable. Rechargeable batteries are great for a runner's headlamp since it eliminates the hassle and cost of buying replacement batteries.
Photo: Abriah Wofford
Dislikes
Battery life is relatively short, at 1.8 hours in our test, which stacks up poorly against most general purpose headlamps but will meet the needs of most runners.
Poor beam distance makes the Iota a compromised solution for general-purpose use, where the ability to switch into spotlight mode is core functionality.
Beam Distance Photos
Black Diamond Iota
Black Diamond Spot
The Iota beam just doesn't stack up well against stronger general-purpose lights like the BD Spot (shown above, right), or even versus the $20 Petzl Tikkina.
No Rear Tail Light for Road Safety
We consider the red safety tail lights on the Sprinter to be a very valuable feature for anyone who runs on the road, a feature that could literally be a lifesaver. While those who run exclusively on dedicated trails may find the red tail lights unnecessary, if you run even part time on the road, or in an urban environment on sidewalks with frequent road crossings, we think the tail light makes the Sprinter well worth the extra $40 over the Iota.
Conclusion
The Iota does a good job at creating the budget light for runners. If you are a runner who frequently runs in the early morning, at sunset, or at night, the Black Diamond Sprinter is the light we recommend and think you'd really want to use. But, the Iota provides good-enough performance at half the price, and so if you are on a tight budget, it just be might be the right solution for you.
— RJ Spurrier