LEDs have made considerable advances in recent years, and some of the newest ones have caught up with incandescent bulbs for brightness. The Apex Pro headlamp has a single, bright (three-watt) center spotlight flanked by four LEDs for area lighting. The focused beam on high power can nicely illuminate 50 yards of dark woodland trail ahead. The lower setting is more than adequate for walking along a dark path and extends battery life. The four lights on the sides light up an area that would cover a typical campsite, with a good spread of light for peripheral vision. On the lower setting, the area light is just right for reading. The area lights also have a flashing mode. The battery pack on the back of the head strap holds two CR123 lithium batteries. The whole rig weighs only 6.1 ounces and is well balanced on the head.
The headlamp regulates the draw on the battery so that the light stays at a constant brightness. A pinhead-sized light beneath the center spotlight flashes every three seconds to indicate the battery status: green while the batteries are at full output, yellow as they start to fade and red when it’s time to replace them. A nice benefit of that flashing light is that it solves the problem of groping for a flashlight in a dark tent.