Review: Nextorch Trek Star

Hot on the heels of my head torch head-to-head comes another head torch review, this time the Nextorch Trek Star. I wasn't planning on posting another review so soon, but as this torch falls into the same sub-£15 category as those in the head-to-head, I thought it best to get it up quick before you all rushed off to buy one of the aforementioned.

The Trek Star is the big brother/successor to the Eco Star, and big improvements have been made in almost every area.

This version now makes use of three AAA batteries, but Nextorch have still managed to keep the weight down to a respectable 84g inclusive of these. Changing them is slightly fiddlier than on its predecessor; while still accessed via an end-cap, this end cap is screwed in place rather than being hinged. A tool to undo said screw is conveniently built into the headband buckle.

Maximum output has increased over 300% to 140 lumens, with an additional "mid" mode of 75 lumens accompanying the 6 lumen low output. Run times have also seen a huge increase over the Eco Star; 4 1/2 hours/12 hours/150 hours for the high/mid/low modes respectively.

Along with an increase in light output comes an increase in beam range, doubling to 60 metres, and the much-missed memory function has been added to this model, allowing the torch to turn on in the same mode that it was in when last turned off.

Red and SOS modes are still present, and all modes bar SOS feature a "soft start"- when the torch is turned on it ramps up to the chosen output level to give your eyes chance to accustom themselves.

Waterproofing has been increased to IPX6 rating, which should withstand a downpour but don't go throwing it in a lake.

The ability to pivot has been restricted by its triangular shape, but while the Trek Star doesn't offer the full 180 degree range of its little brother, its still capable of considerable upwards and downwards travel.

The Trek Star, like the Eco Star, is quickly and easily detachable from the head strap mount for hand-held use and both share the same strap and mounting.

Looking at the Trek Star's obvious competition (based on maximum light output), the Petzl Tikka+ is about the same weight and has an extra light mode, but is only splashproof (IPX4) and falls way short on run time.
The Silva Ninox II boasts better waterproofing (IPX7) and significantly higher run time, although it lacks a memory function.
Black Diamond's ReVolt is another worthy contender and a very close match, though its run times look like pure fabrication (300 hours in full output?! Come on....) and is only splash-proof. Spot, another Black Diamond model, is again very similar, with similarly fictitious run times and only splash proof.

While the above mentioned models all offer reasonable competition for the Trek Star, none manage to include all the features of the latter. But they still give it a good run for its money, right? Well no, not at all, and that's the thing. At the time of writing, all the above models are at least two-to-three times the price of the Nextorch, and try as I might I cannot find a similarly-specced head torch from a renowned manufacturer for anywhere near the Trek Star's price tag.

And that is why I say that not only is the Trek Star best in class, its the best in several classes above.

Nextorch Trek Star

Head-To-Head: Nextorch Eco Star Vs Black Diamond Gizmo

Today I thought I'd do a comparison of two sub-£15, similarly-specced head torches (head-to-head- see what I did there?), the Nextorch Eco Star and the Black Diamond Gizmo.

On paper these are very similar torches, and at a fleeting glance you'd probably not favour one over the other, but a more detailed look shows that one has the edge- so which will it be?

Both torches run on two AAA batteries, and have nothing between them in weight with the Eco Star tipping the scales at 61g and the Gizmo at 58g, both including batteries. But lets call that +1 to the Gizmo.

Both sport two white LED's, with maximum/minimum outputs rated at 35/4 lumens and 30/5 lumens for the Gizmo and Eco Star respectively. Another +1 for the Gizmo- or is it?

Despite having a marginally higher output, the claimed beam range of 15 meters for the Gizmo is exactly half that of its counterpart. Then look at the run times; The Nextorch trounces the Gizmo's respectable 6 hours/75 hours run time in high/low modes with a whopping 9 hours/105 hours. That's an extra full day and them some.

And it doesn't stop there- the Eco Star also features a red LED for preserving night vision. While both torches can tilt, the Gizmo is limited to approximately 45 degrees of downward movement; the Eco Star swivels 90 degrees up AND down, giving a full 180 degree range. And if that's not enough, it also detaches from the headband mount to use as a hand-held torch.

Both offer water resistance to IPX4 standards, which is more splash-proof than waterproof, and while the Gizmo features a dimming mode allowing you to dim the light anywhere between high and low outputs, neither torch features a memory function so the torch will always turn on full whack. More annoyingly in the case of the Eco Star, it always turns on in white light, having to cycle through high mode then low mode to get to red.

While Black Diamond added a flashing mode (they call it strobe, but its more like a steady beacon) for emergencies, Nextorch went one better and incorporated an SOS mode- hold the power button for 5 seconds and the light will flash out the SOS signal. In addition, the SOS mode can easily be accessed at any time, i.e. whether the torch is on or off, where the Gizmo's "strobe" mode requires an on/off/on sequence of presses; not ideal for moments of panic in an emergency.

Changing batteries is an altogether less-fiddly affair with the Eco Star, with a simple hinged cover allowing the batteries to be slotted into the end, where as the Gizmo effectively splits into two halves, held together with a flimsy-looking piece of plastic tape.

Talking of flimsy plastic, the Gizmo certainly has a "cheaper" feel to it, and well it should as the Eco Star claims to be made of glass-reinforced nylon (GRN), a polymer often used for knife handles and firearms. This enables the Nextorch to withstand drops of up to a metre (official rating- I haven't been throwing it on the floor to test this).

Aesthetically the Gizmo follows the conventions of head torch design, and while it doesn't push any boundaries it does seem more pleasing to the eye than its rival. It also features an auto power-off after two hours, but even this handy feature isn't enough to save it from an Eco Star battering.

The Black Diamond Gizmo is by no means a bad head torch, in fact for its meager price tag it packs a lot in- two light modes plus flashing and dimming function, a tilting head, long run times, water resistance and a very low weight.
But the Nextorch Eco Star goes that one step further- several steps in fact. The devil is in the details, so they say, and its when you start to look at the details that the Eco Star emerges as the clear winner.  

Nextorch Eco Star

Black Diamond Gizmo