Two headlamps worth lining up side by side. They score within a hair of each other, so it comes down to the details below.
| BioLite Dash 450 | Black Diamond Spot 400-R | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 73✓ | 73 |
| Max lumens | 450 lm✓ | 400 lm |
| Weight | 2.8 oz✓ | 3.0 oz |
| Beam distance | 90 m | 100 m✓ |
| Max runtime | 60 h | 225 h |
| Price | $70✓ | $80 |
| Battery | Rechargeable | Rechargeable |
| Water rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: Dash 450 in blue, Spot 400-R in amber. A blank spec is never counted as a win. Runtime is shown for context and is not scored, since makers publish it at different brightness levels. GearScore is the overall rating (0 to 100); re-weight it on the full headlamp comparison. Prices are current MSRP.
The BioLite Dash 450 and Black Diamond Spot 400-R take different routes to the same job. They are close enough that this really is about which handful of specs you weight most.
The Dash 450 is brighter (450 vs 400 lm), 7 g lighter, and $10 cheaper. The Spot 400-R is a longer beam (100 vs 90 m). Their GearScores land within a couple of points (73 vs 73), so neither runs away with it.
Pick the Dash 450 if you care most about brightness and low weight, which makes it the better call for your priorities. Pick the Spot 400-R if longer throw matter more to you, or you are focused on your priorities.
The BioLite Dash 450. It is brighter (450 vs 400 lm) than the Spot 400-R.
The BioLite Dash 450. It is 7 g lighter than the Spot 400-R.
They are nearly tied at 73 and 73 on the default algorithm, so re-weight the score to your own priorities to break the tie.
It depends on your priorities. Go with the Dash 450 for brightness, or the Spot 400-R for longer throw. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.