In the following article, ATRA gear wrangler Sarah Barber reviews the Biolite Dash 450. Product was provided for the test and review at no charge.
According to available data, the average time of sunrise in the northern hemisphere during the month of February is 7:15 am. Maybe a little earlier if you’re on the East Coast. So if you’re a morning exerciser and you have to be at the office by 8 am, you’re running in the dark. In case you wondered, the average time of sunset is 5:30 pm, so becoming an evening athlete won’t fix things if you clock out at 5 pm. Even after several months of winter, we outdoor endurance junkies are still at the mercy of the weather, but we shouldn’t be at the mercy of natural light.
Innovative illumination
Although the company Biolite focuses on innovation in illumination, they do a lot more than just light up the night. With a goal of empowering people while protecting our planet through access to renewable energy, the company is committed to ensuring that we all have a bright future. In my little corner of the world, the future is tomorrow morning before sunrise—I need to know that I won’t be tripping over rocks or being spooked by shadows while I log my morning miles on trails. As such, I leapt at an opportunity to test drive the Biolite Dash 450 Rechargeable Headlamp, the latest weapon in an arsenal against the lingering seasonal darkness.
There’s nothing more frustrating than outrunning the weak glow of a headlamp that just isn’t capable of the job it’s being asked to do. Any pace quicker than a shuffle demands a luminous beam that exposes what’s right in front of your feet, what’s at the periphery, and what’s ahead in the distance. The Biolite Dash 450 leaves nothing in the shadows. Instead, I felt almost conspicuous about the laser emanating from my forehead like a new breed of cyclops. Ever been to a football stadium at 11 pm? Imagine the same kind of flood lights, but without the players and fans, and you now have a sense of what I was experiencing. Unfortunately, the lifespan of that level of luminosity is also right on par with the football stadium in that it only lasts about as long as an average NFL game—three hours. But if that’s the price of exceptional brightness, I’ll pay it.
Lightweight
The Biolite Dash 450’s patented 3D SlimFit construction integrates the electronics directly into the headband for a wrap-around shape that molds to your head and eliminates all bounce. The front light source is only 10 mm thick, which is roughly the width of your pinkie finger. And tipping the scales at a mere 78 grams, the Dash 450 barely weighs more than the Clif Bar in your pocket. Clearly, Biolite had runners in mind when doing the R & D on this torch.
The Dash 450 also has five different front lighting modes: white spot, white flood, white spot-flood combo, red flood, and white strobe…in case you wear it to a rave. That’s not a typo—I do mean “rave” rather than “race.” Its two rear lighting modes, red flood and red strobe, are a brilliant safety feature for trail runners who venture onto pavement from time to time and encounter motorized vehicles. Reflective details on the band remind me that the only thing more important than safety is comfort.
Moisture-wicking headband
Luckily, Biolite nailed the comfort factor with the headband, as I barely noticed its presence. Also, I perspire a lot, even in the wintertime, and the moisture-wicking fabric kept the sting of sweat out of my eyes. Instead, my eyes were free to focus on the trail. Even after three hours of use, the Dash 450 doesn’t completely give up—like any smart ultrarunner, it keeps something in reserve, and in this case that’s another hour of just enough light to get you to the finish line.
Quick charge
Always ahead of the curve, Biolite equipped the Dash 450 with the USB-C compatible charging interface for an easy energy reload no matter where you are. In fact, it recharges faster than most of us do after a hard workout, achieving its full capacity to light up again in just two hours. Also, it can easily be paired with an external battery source (Biolite makes a small power bank in the Charge PD Series) for a real-time boost of brightness when you need it the most. And as for bang for your buck, the Biolite Dash 450 is unbeatable in its class. More dark days ahead? I’m not afraid. The dark should be afraid of me!
Biolite Dash 450: MSRP $59.95
Colors: ocean teal, midnight grey, ember fade
Editor’s Note: Read more articles and reviews from Sarah Barber here.
