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 HeadLamp 425 | Black Diamond Spot 400-R | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 73✓ | 73 |
| Max lumens | 425 lm✓ | 400 lm |
| Weight | 2.8 oz✓ | 3.0 oz |
| Beam distance | 85 m | 100 m✓ |
| Max runtime | 60 h | 225 h |
| Price | $60✓ | $80 |
| Battery | Rechargeable | Rechargeable |
| Water rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: HeadLamp 425 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 HeadLamp 425 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 HeadLamp 425 is brighter (425 vs 400 lm), 7 g lighter, and $20 cheaper. The Spot 400-R is a longer beam (100 vs 85 m). Their GearScores land within a couple of points (73 vs 73), so neither runs away with it.
Pick the HeadLamp 425 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 HeadLamp 425. It is brighter (425 vs 400 lm) than the Spot 400-R.
The BioLite HeadLamp 425. 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 HeadLamp 425 for brightness, or the Spot 400-R for longer throw. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.