Whether you're logging miles on the trail or kicking back with a good book in the tent, the Mammut TR1 headlamp/Ambient Light set lets you choose the right kind of light for the task at hand.
Fantastically off putting
Pros: Lightweight, Multifunction, Bright, Adjustable Beam, Comfortable head band, Long battery life
Cons: Locking mechanism
Best Uses: Hiking, Car Camping, Day trip, Backpacking
Describe Yourself: Avid Adventurer
Was this a gift?: No
For someone that is used to the messy light patterns of other headlamps it can come as a real shock when you turn on the TR1. I bought the TR1 because I had seen it on clearance for quite some time and I decided to give it a shot and upgrade from my coleman headlamp that has lasted me for over a year of hard abuse. I needed something that was bright affordable and preferably a multi-tasker. I was going to buy the Black Diamond Orbit Lantern but thought "why do that when I could get a headlamp that is also a lantern."
I immediately went in to the bathroom which has no windows to try out the TR1 and I just so happened to have my Coleman ready for comparison. Upon first impression the lighting patterns are weird to say the least. Yes I should have known what to expect after reading the reviews but the ambient light has a way of catching you off guard. If your used to the messiest of light patterns then be prepared to be amazed by the fantastic light distribution, it's essentially a perfect circle of evenly distributed light.
My primary concern was that this light just wouldn't cut it in the outdoors. I needed something that could throw some light. Now don't get me wrong I will probably always be thrown off by the way the light shines but the headlamp does it's job in allowing you to see out in the dark, be forewarned that the 20 meters might just be a tiny bit generous, I'd go more along the lines of 15 meters (your mileage may vary). The low beam setting works perfectly when you want to do the task at hand and the high beam is amazing when nature calls in the pitch black of night.
On to the fun stuff. I like my gear to serve more than one purpose end of story. If my gear can do multiple things it eliminates the need for another piece of gear entirely. The TR1 manages to do this beautifully. The headlamp feature is obviously not going to burn as bright at a dedicated headlamp but it's definitely something you can hang in your tent and rummage through gear or even something that you can play cards with. Don't make the mistake of putting the headlamp on with the lantern attachment though, it will cause your eyes to hurt and temporary blindness (I like to test my gear from all angles). Oh and one more thing, the headband is very comfortable.
The one and only thing that I absolutely did not like about this light is the locking mechanism that prevents the light from activating or deactivating. I just found it to be an unnecessary feature given how sturdy the on/off button is and the mechanism is also rather sensitive and it could cause problems if you need to turn on your light in a hurry (for those things that go bump in the night).
Overall the only thing that kept this product from five stars is the locking mechanism, other than that it's a great little light and one that I would get before they're gone especially at their current price point.
(legalese)
