Field Tested: Streamlight BearTrap 360 & Headlamps

Anyone who bowhunts knows how important having good lighting is. Well, I just tried out a terrific trio of lights — two headlamps and a multipurpose light from Streamlight® — and I was beyond impressed by both the quality and functionality.

The first, the BearTrap 360®, is an awesome, versatile, rechargeable utility/work light that’s perfect for many functions related to the bowhunting lifestyle. For starters, it features a sturdy base; vice-like, spring-loaded clamp design; and integrated magnets, all of which combine to allow you to attach the light to almost any surface. Plus, it has a pivoting body that can be rotated 360 degrees horizontally and 270 degrees vertically, letting you easily adjust and direct the light to where it’s needed.

With three spot and three flood modes, the BearTrap 360 ensures you have the coverage you need, no matter the focus or the job. The flood’s high setting provides an exceptionally bright 2,000 lumens with a run time of 2.5 hours on a single charge, while on low (575 lumens) it can run up to 8.75 hours. The spot setting, which provides a more concentrated beam, can run for 4.5 hours on high (1,000 lumens) or 12.5 hours on low (325 lumens). To switch back and forth between the two modes, simply hold in the large operating button for a few seconds once the light is on — it’s that simple.

The first time I used the BearTrap 360 was during a power outage at my house. While my 30-foot-long kitchen was pitch black, turning on the BearTrap allowed me to illumine the entire room. When it comes to this light, the applications are almost endless. You can use it for more detailed jobs such as arrow work or making adjustments on your bow, especially if you’re set up in poorly lit areas; brighten your hunting closet or storage area; keep it in your vehicle in case of emergencies, or even use it while field dressing game in the backcountry. The light weighs 2 pounds, 5 ounces, measures 7.62x6.5x3.12 inches and has an IPX4 water-resistance rating. It’s made from durable thermoplastic with a gasket-sealed lens and is impact resistant to one meter.

As for headlamps, Streamlight offers several options for bowhunters, including the Bandit USB® rechargeable and battery-operated Enduro Pro®. The Bandit USB is a lightweight, 1.3-ounce headlamp that offers up to 180 lumens on high, plenty bright for most bowhunter needs, and can run up to 9.5 hours on low. With only one button, it’s easy to operate, and it comes in two options — white LED light only, or with either white/red LEDs or white/green LEDs, with the low-density colored lights perfect for situations where you’re concerned about spooking game. One other great feature of the white-light-only model is its flash mode, something that might come in handy if you need others to find you the woods. The Bandit USB comes with a charging cord, headband and a visor clip that allows you to attach the light to a ball cap bill if desired.

If you need a headlamp that offers options, it’s hard to beat the Enduro Pro. This versatile light offers white LEDs with choice of red or green LEDs depending on the model you choose, spot and flood beams, and it tilts up to 45 degrees, perfect for those situations where you need more light right in front of you. If you want a brighter, more concentrated light that reaches out into the darkness, the spot beam provides 200 lumens on high, while the flood beam (135 lumens on high) is perfect for situations where you may want to cover a wider area (think searching for a downed deer) or you prefer softer lighting such as walking or for up-close work. Like the Bandit, the Enduro Pro’s red or green LEDs offer very subtle lighting (.08-.37 lumens) for those situations where stealth is of the utmost importance.

At only 3.4 ounces, the Enduro Pro is still lightweight, but it also has a more substantial headband than the Bandit. It measures 1.85x2.19x1.45 inches deep; can run from six hours on high to 38 hours on low; and it operates on three AAA batteries that are inserted by simply popping open the back of the headlamp — no tools required.

---