The Knog Bandicoot 250 is an ultralight headlamp that manages power, comfort, and affordability all at once. Michael Lanza of The Big Outside called it a 'great all-around value' for backpacking, hiking, climbing, and trail running, citing 250 lumens of brightness at 2.1 oz. It recharges, operates simply, and uses a silicone housing that stretches to fit most head sizes. The reading lights angle too far downward for comfortable reading while lying down, according to some users. Outdoor types who want a light, reliable source will be happy; anyone needing maximum waterproofing should keep looking.
Full review
Seven LEDs across five modes at 250 lumens
Seven LEDs sit in one module: a 200-lumen spot, 50 lumens of ambient flood, a 4-lumen red and 6 lumens of downward reading light, plus a combo mode running spot and ambient together for the full 250. Runtimes stretch from 8 hours at maximum to 32 hours on red. The Big Outside rates the spread well for backpacking, where the low modes get far more use than the headline number.
A silicone band that fits 30 to 70cm
There is no fabric strap and no separate battery pack. The light module is molded into a silicone band that stretches from 30 to 70cm, so it fits over a bare head or a helmet. It does not bounce when running and does not catch in hair, which are the two things that make a conventional headlamp irritating. The matte silicone does collect dust and can leave a temporary mark on the forehead.
Nine days on the John Muir Trail
Michael Lanza of The Big Outside carried it for a nine-day, 130-mile stretch of the John Muir Trail and found the output adequate for camp and trail work throughout, with charge to spare. At 2.1 ounces it is light enough to survive a pack that is being weighed obsessively. The IP67 rating covers dust and brief immersion, the right level for rain and a dropped light rather than for swimming.
Visible flicker at close range
Pulse-width modulation is visible to people who are sensitive to it, and it is the most consistent criticism the light attracts. At distance it goes unnoticed; on close work, a bike hub or a tent zip or a page, it can be unpleasant and gives some users headaches. Anyone who already knows they react to flicker in LED lighting should treat this as disqualifying rather than minor.
A sealed battery and a desktop app
The battery is internal and not replaceable, which puts a ceiling of a few years of heavy use on the whole light, and charging from empty takes about 4 hours over USB-A with the module popped out of its band. Mode order and brightness are customizable through Knog's desktop ModeMaker software, genuinely useful for setting a light up before a trip and also a dependency on software outliving the hardware.
Reading lights aim too far down
The reading LEDs point steeply downward, which works standing up and does not work lying in a sleeping bag, where the beam lands on your chest rather than the page. It is a small miss on an otherwise well-judged feature set. For fast night riding or technical trail at speed, the 250-lumen ceiling is also lower than the job wants.
Strengths
- +250 lumens of brightness with 100+ foot range suitable for hiking and trail running
- +Ultra-lightweight at 2.1 oz./59.5g, comfortable for extended wear
- +Rechargeable with USB plug-in charging, no cords needed
- +Adjustable silicone housing fits head circumferences from 30-70cm
Watch-outs
- −Reading lights are angled too far downward for comfortable reading
- −IP67 rating offers limited waterproofing (1 meter for 30 minutes)
How it compares
The Knog Bandicoot 250 is significantly lighter than the BioLite Range 500, which weighs 2.6 oz versus 2.1 oz, and offers better adjustability with a silicone housing. However, it lacks the 500 lumens output of the BioLite and doesn't feature the gesture control of the Sofirn HS21.
Rating sources
“It’s powerful, rechargeable, lighter than most competitors, and cheaper than many.”
“The Knog Full-Monty Lighting Setup: Blinder X 2300, R-150 & Bandicoot 250 — I'm willing to wager that when it comes to technological progression, few bike components or accessories have advanced as much as lights in the last twenty years.”
Our 4.5 score is the average of these published ratings. Ratings marked * were derived from the reviewer’s written analysis or video transcript — the publisher didn’t print an explicit numeric score, so we inferred one from their own words. Click through to verify. More about methodology.
