The Bilby 400 Lumen High Powered Silicone Headlamp | By Knog

We use personal headlamps all the time while camping, hunting, fishing or traveling overland. So I was excited when asked to try out a new design from Knog. The Bilby isn’t like any headlamp I’ve ever used and I wasn’t sure about the design when I first opened the box. But after fiddling with it a bit, I was pretty intrigued. An upcoming overland trip to Costa Rica would be the perfect time to put this little headlamp to the test. So I eagerly packed the Bilby along with a few other items to test into my suitcase and off we went. Due to the Bilby’s built-in USB charging capability, I didn’t need to pack an additional charging cord.

Bilby in Costa Rica

Once on the ground in Costa Rica, we made our way to the Pacific coast and slowly travelled north over the course of several days. Navigating the muddy washed out roads in our FJ Cruisers, we camped on some of the most beautiful pristine beaches along the way. This time of year however, the sun sets around 5:20pm. So operating in total darkness became a fact of life around the camp. Although Nomad America equipped us with lanterns for the campsite, the use of headlamps to safely get around was necessary. One of the first features I came to appreciate about the Bilby were the 5 different LED’s optimally placed for their intended purpose:

“A high beam to see by, 2 elliptical beams for mid and wide beam angles, a red light for night light purposes and downlights for reading. Within each mode there are four brightness settings. On the brightest setting, the Bilby has a range of up to 100 meters.” ~knog.com

Whether we were exploring the beach, cooking, packing up for the night or chasing off Howler Monkeys, there was a light mode for every occasion. Besides an array of forward facing LED’s, there are a few small downward oriented LED’s for reading. As well as a red LED to preserve precious nighttime vision. Plus, within each of the 5 LED modes, the user can adjust the brightness to one of four settings. Further customizing the light for its intended purpose. Additionally, the Bilby features a special ‘boost mode’. Allowing full power from two LEDs simultaneously for up to 10 minutes. This was useful while searching for fresh water sources along the beach at night.

Bilby Specifications:

• Dimensions: H: 250mm x W: 150mm x L:28.5mm
• Weight: 90 Grams
• Charge Time: 4 Hours
• Max Lumens: 400Lm
• IP67 rated: Waterproof to 1m and dust-proof.
• MSRP: $64.95 Amazon

As you can see, the Bilby doesn’t follow the traditional headlamp design. The entire light housing and band is integrated into a silicone halo. That both houses the rechargeable LED pod and acts as the headband. The medical grade silicone headband can be adjusted with a small plastic toggle on the back yet still allows stretch much like an elastic band. The entire LED pod can be removed from the silicone housing and recharged via USB-A. Unlike traditional rechargeable headlamps, the Bilby uses no cords. So no more packing, potentially losing or breaking a charging cord while traveling.

Final Thoughts:

Although I love the various LED modes and brightness settings, it takes awhile to get used to their order as you scroll through the modes. I found the brightness settings very helpful when dialing in the amount of light needed for a specific task. And really liked the downward facing LED’s for reading or performing handheld tasks. With the use of both buttons, I electronically adjusted the arc of light by 20 degrees up or down which was really nice. My only complaint is with the adjustable strap. While adjusting the silicone strap, the plastic toggle popped off the end of the band more than once. And locating that tiny black piece in the dark was no easy task. Additionally it was very difficult to get back on. It’d be nice if it was retained some other way. Overall, I’d still highly recommend this headlamp.

For more great gift ideas for the adventurer on your list. Check out the Knog website for headlamps, accessories and an array of LEDs for bicycles.