I was able to test this headlamp out during a variety of conditions. The first time I used the Axle I was coming back from my evening hunt in the pouring rain. I decided to clip it to my brim and that was a mistake. Ever drive through a blinding snowstorm in the dead of night? That’s what it looked like. I switched to the red L.E.D. and that didn’t help at all. So, I pulled it off the brim, attached it to the head strap and put in on over my cap. That helped, but I still had a hard time seeing, even with the head angled fully. I think having it on the brim gave me the best light, but impeded my line of sight. The rain didn’t help either, so I knew to test it after the rain stopped.

Back in camp I tried it out on my pocket. That was pretty cool. It was nice being hands free, flipping a switch (which I will get to later) and having a strong beam of light. Without the rain I could see well enough to get around. It seemed like I was able to see a wider area instead of a focused area in front of me. That would be good in some ways, like looking for a large object out in front of you, such as downed game. I also think this lamp would be great when you are field dressing an animal. The clip is strong and would hold fast to your hat or the angle bracket on the head strap.

The headlamp is not bulky and packs well because it is a flatter headlamp. This was a plus for me as I am always trying to reduce clutter in my pack. It is also lighter than most headlamps. I did like the way the head swiveled silently and easily. I was able to use it for a variety of up close tasks where the Axle was a major benefit. My older headlamp is a much bulkier.

One of the things I truly disliked about the Axle is the on/off switch. It can flip on or off way too easily. At one point on the second night, I looked over at my pack and I saw a red light glowing from inside. Inside, the Axle was bright as can be. I have another headlamp where you have to press a button to get it to turn on. I have never had it come on by itself in my pack. You can see the on/off switch well in this photo. The next day I had to get something out of my pack and when I looked inside, the light was on again.

At $37.50 I think this headlamp is a bit overpriced until the on/off switch design can be fixed to where it won’t come on so easily. I think I will be sticking to my original headlamp that has features like a push on/off button, adjustable angled head, and the different types of light: flashing, half the L.E.D.’s on and full L.E.D. lamp. Sure, there are cool features on the Axle like the angled head and red L.E.D., but the headlamp I got for less-than half that price at Target in my pack works better for me. I will just have to forgo the red and green L.E.D.s for now. The headlamp I am using has a brighter light and I have the peace of mind knowing that if I am camping for a couple of days the batteries won’t burn out from the light turning on when I don’t want it to. I would like to have a light like the Axle 2×3 that is brighter and has a tougher on/off switch. That is a headlamp I would buy.