By taking a modular approach, Silva’s new Free models make it possible to achieve the perfect lighting solution for almost any scenario.
A headtorch is an all-season hiking essential. Navigating off the summit on a dark winter night, rummaging around in a tent for a lost sock on a wild camp, or summoning help in the event of an accident and an unplanned stay on a hillside, there are all sorts of uses a headtorch can be put to. But all these uses require slightly different features. A torch kept in a summer daypack for emergency use can be compact, lightweight and relatively low-powered, whereas a lamp for long periods of night nav in cold weather will require a brighter light and a heavier duty battery. You could, of course, have different headtorches for different times of the year and different purposes (it’s certainly no bad thing to have a spare), but what if you could have one torch to do everything?
While it’s perhaps a stretch to say that Silva’s new Free headlamp is a ‘one-torch’ solution, it is an exciting new take on this dilemma. The Free is actually a headtorch system, with interchangeable lamps of varying brightness, a range of powerpacks, and even a selection of mounting options that make it possible to fix the lamps to handlebars, a GoPro mount, or just make it more comfy. The idea is that you buy a complete headtorch (including a lamp, battery pack and strap) – probably the model that best matches your most regular use – and then you can add extras to the kit. For example, you may purchase the Free 1200 XS with its 1200 lumen lamp and 2.0Ah battery for general summer hiking, but add a 3000 lumen lamp unit for use when cycling, and a 5.0Ah battery for extended night illumination.
It’s a great system and, more importantly, the light output from these lamps is superb. If there’s a downside it’s that the system soon starts becoming quite expensive once you add extras, and there are much lighter-weight alternatives available if you count the grams going into your pack. We’re not entirely sold on the reliability of the mount fixing, though on test we never actually had a lamp unit detach from the strap. Overall, though, the Free is well-designed and solidly built. Is the whole greater than the sum of its parts? Let’s take a closer look…
