Outdoors

Carbi aims to light up the world of headlamps

Carbi aims to light up the world of headlamps
The Carbi headlamp is presently on the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform
The Carbi headlamp is presently on the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform
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The Carbi utilizes a built-in accelerometer to determine the speed of the bike, so it can automatically adjust its beam accordingly – that beam is wide when the cyclist is going slower, but sharpens to a farther-reaching spotlight as they go faster
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The Carbi utilizes a built-in accelerometer to determine the speed of the bike, so it can automatically adjust its beam accordingly – that beam is wide when the cyclist is going slower, but sharpens to a farther-reaching spotlight as they go faster
The Carbi headlamp is presently on the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform
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The Carbi headlamp is presently on the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform
The Carbi has a battery life of 48 hours at 45 lumens, ranging to 1 hour and 40 minutes at its maximum output of 1,500 lumens
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The Carbi has a battery life of 48 hours at 45 lumens, ranging to 1 hour and 40 minutes at its maximum output of 1,500 lumens
The Carbi has a 150-meter (492-ft) Spot distance and a 210-degree Flood width
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The Carbi has a 150-meter (492-ft) Spot distance and a 210-degree Flood width
View gallery - 4 images

Headlamps are certainly handy when it comes to engaging in night-time outdoor activities, but some models do have their limitations. The Spanish-designed Carbi is designed to address those problems, plus it has a few interesting bonus features.

First of all, many headlamps suffer from the "tunnel effect," in that they only light up a narrow path in front of the user. And while the Carbi does have a spotlight setting, its wider floodlight setting is augmented by what's known as remote phosphor technology. This involves utilizing an ultraviolet LED to illuminate an overlying phosphor-coated panel. That panel in turn fluoresces, giving off a wide, even beam of visible white light.

Additionally, not all headlamps work well when doing double duty as bicycle headlights. However, if wirelessly linked via ANT+ to an accelerometer-equipped third-party device such as a cycling computer, the Carbi automatically adjusts its beam according to the present speed – that beam is wide when the cyclist is going slower, but sharpens to a farther-reaching spotlight as they go faster. Garmin's Varia headlight, along with some others, does the same thing on its own.

The Carbi has a battery life of 48 hours at 45 lumens, ranging to 1 hour and 40 minutes at its maximum output of 1,500 lumens
The Carbi has a battery life of 48 hours at 45 lumens, ranging to 1 hour and 40 minutes at its maximum output of 1,500 lumens

Specs-wise, the aluminum-bodied Carbi has a 150-meter (492-ft) Spot distance, a 210-degree Flood width, it can be immersed to a depth of 20 m (66 ft), it's impact-resistant to a drop height of 5 m (16.4 ft), plus it has a battery life ranging from 48 hours at 45 lumens to 1 hour and 40 minutes at its maximum output of 1,500 lumens.

The charge level of the lithium-ion battery can be checked via an LED display on the battery itself, or via a free iOS/Android app on a Bluetooth-linked smartphone. That app can additionally be used to change settings, remotely turn the lamp on and off, and perform other functions.

The Carbi has a 150-meter (492-ft) Spot distance and a 210-degree Flood width
The Carbi has a 150-meter (492-ft) Spot distance and a 210-degree Flood width

The headlamp weighs 73 grams, with the hard-wired battery adding an additional 128. For added functionality, the Carbi is GoPro-compatible, meaning that it can be used with existing GoPro chest, handlebar or other mounts (although a neoprene headband, a helmet mount and an elastic bike mount are included).

Should you be interested, the Carbi is currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign. A pledge of US$179 will get you one – when and if they reach production – with the planned retail price sitting at $358.

It's demonstrated in the following video.

Source: Indiegogo

Carbi Headlamp - Light Without Limits - Remote Phosphors - 1500 lm - Flood & Spot lighting - IP68

View gallery - 4 images
2 comments
2 comments
Nik
I can buy a water resistant, pocket led lamp,+ battery for less than $5. So, for $350+, I could buy 60 of them and a few rolls of duct tape..... which would light up the whole neighbourhood! I think they need to rethink their pricing policy.
ljaques
I would simply LOVE to pay $358 for a $25 headlamp. Where do I sign up?