Looking for a lightweight, pocket sized solution to lighting up your run, then look no further. The LED Lenser Neo weighs in at just 88g (with 3 AAA batteries) and is super small, but it still punches enough light out to allow you to see. You can choose your own fashionable colour too from blue, green, pink or yellow but I wonder why we need the colours when you are only ever using this in the dark! But colour choices matter to me regardless!
This little head torch is ideal at this time of year (March) when the seasons are changing and you might just make it out in daylight at the end of the day but your run might end in darkness, or alternatively you start out in the dark but its light within a short time. The Neo is so small it fits into most of my running kit pockets which is great or wraps easily around my wrist when it’s no longer needed. You could obviously keep it on your head as it’s so light you don’t know it’s there anyway but I hate the imprints it leaves on my forehead, especially when I have to go to work after a run so to be able to get it off my head and into a pocket is vital.
The head torch is a sleek and minimal design so very little fuss and easy to use, switches on at the touch of the soft button at the front above the beam with 3 different light functions; full light, or lower power and a blinking function for safety purposes, it also has an optional flashing red light for the rear battery compartment which is great for making you seen by others such as fellow runners, cyclists, drivers and dog walkers. Not to mention the rear red light is a must in such races such as Transvulcania and Transgrancanaria.
For the technical aspects this light gives 90 lumens with a 10m beam distance so it’s not going to give you the best visibility but it’s enough for most runs, especially in and around your local streets and trails, and even for full on races where there is a lot of ambient light from other runners. Whilst it lights up the way it doesn’t blind any oncoming people or your running companion when you turn to chat to them. The battery life should give you 100hrs of burn time, which I haven’t tested completely as I’ve been using it over the winter but the battery hasn’t worn out yet, but it’s certainly going for a long time so far!
I will be sticking to the Neo for most of my night time running locally and those times when I need to take a head torch as mandatory kit for a race so being so lightweight is ideal, but for those big races where I know I am going to be out in the mountains for the entire night or maybe 2 then I would opt for a heavier head torch with more lumens, but this is why Led Lenser have a full range of different levels of head torches to pick from, one for every occasion.
RRP £24.99 http://www.ledlenser-store.co.uk/neo-series-t657
**The team at Led Lenser generously gave me this head torch to try out for them.
Running Dutchie 