The Coleman CXS+ 300 R looks like a standard turns-on-and-turns-off headtorch, but fiddle around with it for a minute or two and you’ll find it has loads of clever little functions and features.
It offers a number of different light settings, ranging from a 300-lumen full beam that reaches 50 metres, to a 20-lumen beam – for when battery saving is a priority – that covers five metres. There’s also a red light that can be used to prevent glare when map reading or when face-to-face with other people.
To cycle through these settings this is where it gets really clever. All you need to do is swipe your hand in front of the lamp.
And this is no gimmick. It handily removes the problem of having to locate and fiddle with buttons when you’re wearing thick gloves or when you’ve forgotten your thick gloves and have cold and numb fingers.
“The best news is that while headtorches with this amount of tech normally cost a fair whack, the Coleman CXS+300R comes at a fair price of £34.99.”
That said, you will need to use your fingers to turn it off and on, and also to activate one of the most impressive features on this torch.
That’s the REAX mode, which is activated by holding down the on/off button for four seconds. This is a reactive light technology that automatically adjusts the beam of the torch to suit the environment ahead and the needs of the wearer. For instance, if you’re looking at something up close, say, if you’re reading in your tent, then the lumens will decrease and the beam will widen. Then if you’re looking into the distance the lumens will increase and the beam will concentrate.
