Comparison of Series Review 3: Become apart at night. Optimal lighting considerations for night runs [West Light Edition]
Written by Kohei Tsushima
The third light comparison review is West Light. What are the benefits of wearing a light on your waist? How do you put it on? While answering these questions, we will compare and review two of the most representative Westlight items.
table of contents
What to look for in Westlight
The headlamp illuminates the distance and the handlamp illuminates the spot. Many people are probably using this two-light system for night runs, but adding a waist light will brighten your feet, which was a blind spot, making it even more secure when running. The light source is placed even lower than the hand light, which makes it easier to grasp the unevenness of the road surface, and in mountains at night, the view you can see changes considerably depending on whether or not this waist light is present. Some people use waist lights instead of holding hand lights, and the fact that both hands are free is a major advantage when running in the mountains.
There are various light candidates, from those specially designed as waist lights to methods of wearing headlamps on your waist. When using the headlamp as a waist light, be careful about the belt size. Normally, something that is attached to the head is attached to the waist, so there is a possibility that the adjustment range will be insufficient. In that case, you will need to remove the light unit and attach it to a different belt, so check in advance whether the entire light unit can be removed, such as the trail runner 3 we will introduce this time, and the LEDLENSER MH10 we previously compared in the headlamp edition.
Impressions of the most popular West Light
UltrAspire Lumen 600R
Size/Weight★★☆ Irradiation power★★★ Functionality★★☆
As the Lumen 600R is made specifically for waist lights, it is functional and easy to wear. The outstanding brightness and unevenly diffused light illuminate firmly 15m from your feet. The angle adjustment can be adjusted up and down to a total of 180° in total, 90°, so it is fine even in situations where you want to illuminate directly below on a steep downhill slope. This adjustment range is important for waist lights, and sometimes when you try using a headlamp as a waist light, you can't illuminate directly below it.
Light distribution image
As UltrAspire handles a large number of backpacks, it fits perfectly. The light unit is a little heavy, but if you secure it firmly with a wide belt (compatible with 66-106cm) it will not sway while driving. There are 4 modes of brightness: 3 levels + SOS. These can be changed with just a button, so it is also useful to use them while changing the brightness on the downstream and upstream. The buttons are small, but they have a firm feel when pressed, so they are easy to use when wearing the gloves.
The dedicated rechargeable battery (18650 lithium-ion battery) sold separately allows it to be used for 13 hours in Medium mode (231lm), which is likely to be used normally. I'm grateful that you don't need to replace the battery overnight.
This is ◎
- Bright and unevenly diffused light
This is a shame
- I'm a little concerned about the size and weight
- price
SILVA TRAIL RUNNER 3
![SILVA LED Headlamp/Headlight Trail Runner 3 [Domestic Authorized Distributor Product] 37640](https://images-fe.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31EwSKROoAL._SS300_.jpg)
Size/Weight★★★ Irradiation power★★☆ Functionality★★☆
SILVA is famous for its compass, but this trail runner is a long-selling model in the lights. It is equipped with two LEDs of different color temperatures, and both light up to emit exquisite white light. The intelligent light features extremely wide and flat light distribution, and its small body and weight of 92g (excluding batteries) make it stress-free no matter where you wear it. In addition to light distribution that illuminates a wide area, it is often used as a waist light because it has a wide range of angle adjustments from top to bottom.
Light distribution image
There are three brightness patterns: Hi (250lm), Low (50lm), and flashing. Compared to the previous Trail Runner 2, Hi has been increased from 160lm to 250lm. However, it was difficult for trail runners to feel the brightness due to the lens, and I didn't feel that the brightness was as bright as the numbers were. The battery is 3 AAA batteries and can be used for 30 hours on the specifications of Hi, but since it peaks at the beginning, it gets darker, so I'm thinking about using it for about half of that. The unfortunate thing is that the battery case is difficult to open and it is difficult to replace the battery. This is something I wished it would be improved as before.
My secret favorite is the belt used in Trail Runner 3. The lining has a silicone anti-slip material, making it difficult for it to slip or sway even when worn over clothing. The entire set of light units can be easily removed, so it can be used not only for the waist but also for attaching it to the chest belt of your backpack.
This is ◎
- Light and small
This is a shame
- I want a little more brightness
- It's difficult to replace the battery
Conclusion
If you want to brighten your feet, the Lumen 600R is the perfect choice, but the weight and size of the product will inevitably give you a feeling of wearing something around your waist. If you are someone who puts gel or other supplies in your waist pocket, if you equip the Lumen 600R, the belt will be large, so that you will be sacrificed. On the other hand, Trail Ryle Runner 3 is just light and stress-free. It may seem like there is not enough brightness when used alone, but it is within the acceptable range if you consider it as an aid to illuminate your feet. The choices will vary depending on whether you want to reduce the brightness or lightness, but I think it's a good idea to place emphasis on this when you runners who start with the lights attached at Hasetsune or other places.
(Reference) Summary of evaluation results and spec comparison table
| Item name | UltrAspire Lumen 600R | SILVA TRAIL RUNNER 3 |
|---|---|---|
| image | | |
| Reference price (tax included) | 20,304 yen | 12,420 yen |
| Size/Weight | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Irradiation power | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Functionality | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Specs | ||
| item | UltrAspire Lumen 600R | SILVA TRAIL RUNNER 3 |
| Weight (with battery) | Approximately 150 | Approximately 121 |
| Catalog Maximum Light | 600lm | 250lm |
| Catalog maximum irradiation distance | 65m | |
| Maximum irradiation time (HIGH) | 13h (mid mode) | Approximately 30 hours |
| Catalog Maximum Irradiation Time (LOW) | Approximately 90 hours | |
| Waterproof level | IPX6 | IPX5 |
| Dimming | 3 levels + SOS | Strong, weak, flashing |
| charging | Dedicated USB battery (sold separately) | 3 x AAA alkaline batteries |
Tsushima Kohei
A runner who loves travel and nature. As I climbed the mountains everywhere, I walked all the way to Tibet to see Everest. I became a working adult and became addicted to running, which I started to relieve my lack of exercise, and was unable to satisfy myself in the full marathon and ended up running the Ultra Marathon (100km) and Ultra Trail (100mile). He is currently taking on the Grand Slam of a citizen runner (3rd marathon, 10th ultra marathon, complete the summit of Fuji Mountain Climbing Race), and is currently challenging domestic and international races to reach even greater heights! We post reviews of races and gears that we have run.
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