Wesley Littlefield 11.25.25
I’ve been wearing the Knog Bilby 400 Headlamp for the past 4 months on early morning kayak fishing trips, camping, and cleaning dove after evening hunts. It’s been through warm, muggy mornings, cool, foggy mornings, a little rain, and being crammed into my backpacks.
Specs & Features
- 400 Max lumens and up to 330 ft beam distance
- At the maximum 400 lumens, you get 5 hours of runtime. At the lowest setting, you get 105 hours of runtime.
- IP67 rating (Waterproof to 3 ft)
- 7 modes with varying brightnesses (Boost Right, Boost Left, Spot, Mid, Wide, Red, Reading)
- USB rechargeable
The Bilby 400 has a maximum of 400 lumens with a beam distance of 330 feet. With an IP67 rating, it’s fully waterproof up to 3 feet deep. The built-in USB rechargeable battery runs for 5 hours on the brightest setting, but Knog claims you can get up to 105 hours on the lowest brightness setting. The 7 modes include Boost Right, Boost Left, Spot, Mid, Wide, Red, and Reading.
Beam Pattern & Brightness
The Knog Bilby 400 headlamp does a decent job of lighting up where I’m looking. I love that it has several different modes, each with multiple brightness levels, so you can finely tune what you need for the specific activity. I’ve been able to go on early morning walks through my dove field, clean dove after sundown, and tie on my fishing tackle before sunrise while wearing this headlamp.
Rating:
8 / 10
Comfort & Fit
I’ve found this head torch to be very comfortable. I’ve nearly forgotten I was wearing it multiple times because it’s lightweight and doesn’t pinch my head. The strap is adjustable, so I’ve dialed it in to fit my head perfectly while wearing a hat. The strap is pretty stretchy, but I could see someone with a large head running out of enough strap (I have a pretty small head)
Rating:
9 / 10
Controls & Ease of Use
I found the buttons to be a little confusing at first. I needed to use it a few times before I figured out and remembered exactly which button to push to turn it on and adjust the brightness. Finding and pushing the buttons with lightweight gloves isn’t an issue, but with thicker gloves, I could see where one would struggle. It does have a lockout feature to help prevent it from turning on while in your bag, which is nice. However, it also doesn’t turn on with a single tap; you have to press and hold the button for 1-2 seconds. To turn it off, you must hold the button for 3 seconds.
Rating:
7 / 10
Battery Life & Charging
The battery has held up very well so far, and it charges pretty quickly. However, I’m not a fan of the USB charging. I found it frustrating that it doesn’t come with a charger; luckily, it plugs into readily available USB sockets. I typically get 6-7 hours of continuous use on a charge because I use the brighter settings. If I were to go on a multi-day hunt where electricity wasn’t available, I would definitely need a way to recharge it, such as one of my large batteries I use with my camera gear.
Rating:
8 / 10
Durability & Weather Resistance
I’ve dropped the Knog Bilby on the ground, crammed it into my backpack with my shotgun shells, and it’s gotten splashed while kayak fishing. It’s held up well, and I don’t have any doubts about its waterproof rating or durability. I’ll continue to use it for deer and waterfowl hunting this winter.
Rating:
9 / 10
Versatility & Use Cases
This is one of the most versatile headlamps I’ve ever used. It’s bright and rugged enough to track game and dimmable for reading in my tent. My dad uses his while running and fixing water leaks in low-light situations. I also wouldn’t hesitate to use it for a basic car repair on the side of the road at night. It’s not the best for long distances; the 330-foot beam just isn’t enough, but any activity within that range is well-lit.
Rating:
8 / 10
Value & Competition
For a headlamp in the $75 range, it’s at a solid price point. It’s of much better quality than the entry-level headlamps I’ve used in the past and is on par with other headlamps in this price range in terms of durability and brightness. I would recommend it to outdoor enthusiasts who need a versatile head torch.
Rating:
8 / 10
Overall Rating
While I was initially a bit flustered about how to turn it on and adjust the settings, this headlamp has seen its fair share of use and performed admirably. I love that it’s waterproof and it has programmable modes with Knog’s Modemaker app, so you can customize it to your needs. Any serious outdoors person will find the Knog Bilby 400 very helpful in most situations.
Rating:
8.1 / 10
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