Black Diamond Storm review

The Storm is Black Diamond's new all-mountain lamp, replacing the older Storm 500-R. Black Diamond lists 550 lumens from a waterproof and dustproof housing, with an integrated Li-ion battery that charges over USB-C, an upgrade from the micro USB on older BD lamps. The control layout is the reason to pick it: one large button turns the lamp on and adjusts brightness, and a second switches between low, medium and high, both sized for gloves. It adds red, green and blue night vision modes and a peripheral white light for close work such as rigging a rappel. Mode Memory brings the lamp back at the last brightness, and the digital lock stops it turning on in a pack. At $79.95 it costs less than the Petzl ACTIK CORE. The weakness for buyers comparing numbers is the product page itself, which gives no weight, runtime or IP figure, so we scored performance conservatively.

Who it is for

climbers and mountaineers wearing gloves

Price

$79.95 at the Black Diamond US store.

Regular price $79.95 USD
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• 550 lumens with waterproof and dustproof housing
• Integrated Li-ion battery charged over USB-C
• Two large buttons: one for power and brightness, one for low, medium and high
• Red, green and blue night vision modes plus peripheral white light
• Mode Memory and a patented digital lock

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Large buttons work with gloves on
• Strength: Three colored night modes, more than most lamps here
• Strength: 3 year warranty from Black Diamond
• Weakness: Black Diamond's product page does not list weight or runtime
• Weakness: No option to run on AAA batteries
• Weakness: Water rating is not stated as an IP number on the page

Key facts

• Price: $79.95
• Max output: 550 lumens
• Weight: Not listed on the product page
• Battery: Integrated Li-ion, USB-C
• Warranty: 3 years

Where it ranks

Black Diamond Storm is No. 6 in our Best Headlamps verdict.