Vont Spark LED Headlamp Camping Review & 3 Year Update

Disclaimer: Vont sent this product to us for free for a review. That does not affect our opinion about the product. In this article, we list both what we like and dislike. Read more about this here.

Review Of The Spark LED Headlamp By Vont

Vont makes some of the most popular headlamps and lighting gear for outdoor use and the Spark LED headlamp is one of their best products.

We recently had the opportunity to check out just what makes the Spark LED headlamp so great and a hit among camping enthusiasts.

In this review, I’ll start by listing the main features of the Spark followed by my opinion and final thought on the Spark headlamp.

Related Product: Check out the Vont LED Camping Lanterns (click to view on Amazon) for more outdoor lighting options.

Main Features

3 Year Update: We’ve been using the Vont headlamps for over 3 years now, and they still work fantastic. Vont has made a few updates to the model, but the quality and overall performance is still the same.

Vont Spark LED Headlamp

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Overview

7 Light Settings
White & Red Lights
Up t0 90 Hours
45° Tilt
Waterproof
200 Lumens Highest Setting
3 AAA Batteries
1.83 oz Weight
Rechargeable Option Available (click to view on Amazon)

The LED Light

The Vont Spark looks like your standard headlamp for outdoor use but it has some extra features that push it ahead of its competitors.

The first most notable part of this headlamp is the different beam settings.

Like many headlamps, there are different strengths of white light. The Spark has a low, medium, high, and strobe setting which can be accessed by clicking the single button on the top.

A lot of headlamps do this but after playing around with the settings for a while I realized that Vont added a timer feature on the headlamp.

When you are on one setting for around 5 seconds the next click will simply turn off the LED light.

No more having to keep clicking to cycle through the beam settings to get the light to turn off. It’s a fantastic feature and not something I was expecting from the Spark LED headlamp.

Vont Spark Headlamp looking across a river at night.

The bright white light will illuminate up to 200 lumens on the highest setting which is plenty of light to see a good deal ahead of you even in total darkness.

The beam is more focused than other headlamps I’ve tried and you can see pretty far.

The less focused parts of the beam cast a nice big area of light so not only can you see something in the distance you can also see a lot of what’s in the immediate area.

On the low setting, the white LED light will stay illuminated for up to 8 hours and 3 hours on high.

This is pretty standard for AAA battery-powered LED headlamps and from my experience, the numbers are pretty close to that.

You may be able to squeeze a few more hours out of high-quality batteries but you should expect around 3 hours on high.

Always bring extra batteries when you are planning on using any headlamp for a long time.

Another unexpected but very usable addition to the Spark is the red light mode. In addition to the main white LED light, there are also two small red lights on either side.

You turn on these lights by holding down the button for around 3 seconds.

Red lights on Vont Spark LED headlamp. The white light is in the center.

The red LED lights have 3 settings: low, SOS, and strobe. You cycle through these by clicking the button consecutively once in the red light mode.

To get out of the red light mode and back to the white light simply hold down the button for around 3 seconds and the Spark will switch back to white.

The red lights are convenient for rear lighting on a bicycle or even as a safety light for walking at night. Another cool thing about the red mode is it doesn’t take nearly as much battery as the white LED light.

According to Vont, the red light can even stay on for up to 90 hours. It’s a good option to have in case of emergency and you need a distress signal.

Batteries

The Vont Spark LED headlamp requires 3 AAA batteries, which are not included with purchase.

Design Features

The Vont Spark is made for comfort and usability. The multiple light functions make us useable for more than one activity but there’s more to the Spark than just the LED light.

The strap is pretty impressive, it’s thick, stretchy, and really easy to adjust. We have no problem adjusting the headlamp to fit my small head vs. my husband’s large one.

The light housing is super light even with 3 batteries inside. It’s much lighter than our other headlamps but still feels sturdy and durable.

The push-button on top is responsive and easy to find which is just as important as a good strap.

The LED light housing can tilt a full 45 degrees which is perfect for making the light shine right in front of you.

I don’t have to bend my neck to get the light to focus in the right place when I’m walking in the dark.

The Spark is advertised to be drop-resistant so I put it to the test by dropping it from head level (5′ 4″) onto the floor over and over again with the light on full brightness.

The light never stopped shining and the only thing that happened was the light housing fell out of the bracket that connects it to the strap.

At first, I thought it was broken, but it turns out it is supposed to be removable.

All I had to do was snap it back into place and the Spark LED headlamp was good as new.

When drop testing the Vont Spark the light came off the strap but it was easy to snap back into place.

Now for the most controversial part of the Vont Spark LED headlamps, the waterproof feature.

To be fair Vont does say that the Spark is waterproof which to some means they can withstand any amount of water.

If you continue reading Vont does specify that the headlamp is IPX5 waterproof which is the key to understanding just how waterproof these headlamps are.

IP Codes are used to rate how protected an electronic is by its casing from dust and water. When it comes to water the last digit is what’s important.

The Vont Spark is rated IPX5 which means there’s a waterproof rating of 5. According to the IP scale, an electronic with a rating of 5 should be able to withstand water from a nozzle from any direction.

The test is done for 3 minutes with water being sprayed from 3 meters (10 feet) away.

The Vont Spark can withstand rain and showers but not being dropped into water for a long time.

Basically, the Vont Spark LED headlamp is rated to withstand heavy rains and getting splashed with water. But it’s not fully waterproof in the sense that it can be dunked underwater for long periods of time.

The IPX5 rating is very common with headlamps and you have to get into the more specialized gear before you will find a fully waterproof headlamp.

I did spray water on the Spark for a few minutes using the shower and there was a little bit of water in with the batteries but all the main electrical parts were fine and the light survived.

If you do accidentally drop your headlamp in water for more than a minute I would suggest turning it off immediately, taking out the batteries, and letting it dry for a day before using it again.

My Review Of The Vont Spark LED Headlamp

What I Like

I like the easy turn off feature. You usually don’t get this level of design in an affordable headlamp like the Spark but it’s there and it works well.

I dislike having to cycle through all the modes on headlamps just to turn it off and being able to turn off the light with one click is really nice.

I also like the red light mode, it comes in handy when biking.

I put both of the headlamps on my helmet and have the white light forward and the red light in the rear for extra safety. It’s a handy feature and it greatly increases the things you can do with one headlamp.

The strap is decent and the headlamp is so light you barely feel that you’re wearing it. I have a sensitive head and comfort is something I look for in camping gear.

What I Don’t Like

While it’s pretty common for headlamps to use batteries I wish Vont would design a USB rechargeable version.

Batteries can be annoying to pack on long camping trips and being able to use a solar panel with a USB port to charge the Spark would come in handy.

It’s a feature I would love but I don’t hold it against the Vont Spark LED headlamp for using batteries, it’s just something I wish was different.

The waterproof rating is adequate for a headlamp but some water got into the batteries when I did the shower test.

The seal on the back of the lamp could be slightly tighter but it’s still not a deal-breaker, especially if you consider how budget-friendly the Spark is.

The main complaint I’ve read about the Vont Spark LED headlamp is the lack of instructions that come with them.

The box does give you some information but there isn’t anything about how to go from the white light mode to the red one (to change modes hold down the button for 3 seconds).

Including more detailed instructions would be a nice touch.

Vont Spark headlamp illuminating a large tree at night.

Durability

From my drop test and shower test, I’ve found the Spark LED headlamp to be quite durable and good enough for having in the RV or taking on a hike or bike ride just in case.

It should still work even after falling off your head and it will be able to withstand rain.

Portability

What can I say, it’s light weighing only 2.5 oz (71 grams) batteries and all, and the light housing is pretty small.

The total width being 2.38 inches and height 1.7 inches, and the strap doesn’t take up much space. It’s barely noticeable in a backpack or even a small fanny pack.

Usability

The 200 lumens LED light is bright enough for regular camping use and the different light modes make it great for low light activities like reading or high light things like mountain biking or running.

The red lights are a great emergency feature and good for walking at night or having on the back of a bike.

Conclusion

Considering everything about the Vont Spark LED Headlamp I would say that I’m a fan. I like them more than my other kind of headlamp and it has been fun testing them out.

The headlamp I dropped and put in the shower still works and looks like new.

I’ve been using them for a few weeks to pack up camping gear at night and exploring has been easy with the Spark because it’s bright and casts a focused beam so I can see long distances.

I would suggest these to any camper or RVer looking for some good headlamps for everyday use or even mountain biking and hiking.

Other Vont Headlamps

Vont Rechargeable LED Headlamp

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When we got our Vont headlamps, the only option available was the standard 3 AAA battery kind, now Vont has released a rechargeable version of the Spark headlamp.

All the basic features are the same. Even the up to 90 hour battery life hasn’t changed.

The only difference is the rechargeable version doesn’t require batteries. It also comes with a USB-A to USB-C charging cable.

I recommend this option if you can afford it.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Vont Spark Headlamp

Does the Vont Spark have a lockout mode so it won’t turn on by accident?

The Vont Spark doesn’t have a lockout mode but the button needs a good push to turn on so the odds of it turning on in your pocket or backpack are pretty low.

If you want to be extra careful the battery housing is super easy to access and you can remove a battery before packing away the headlamp.

How long does the battery last?

It all depends on the quality of batteries being used. You get what you pay for when it comes to those. Dollar store batteries will only last a few hours compared to high-quality ones.

Because of the battery issue, you will get different numbers from different people but even with cheaper batteries, you should expect to get at least 3 hours of light on the high mode of the Vont Spark LED headlamps.

Will the Vont Spark fit a hardhat or bicycle helmet?

The Spark can adjust to a very small or very large size. We put it on my husband’s extra-large mountain biking helmet and it fit no problem with some adjustment room to spare.

Vont Spark LED headlamp on an XL mountain biking helmet.

How many lumens is the Vont Spark?

200 lumens on the highest setting.

How do you turn on the red lights?

To turn on the red lights hold down the button for 3 seconds at any time, it will switch to red mode.

To get out of red mode and back to the white light you have to hold the button for 3 seconds again.

Can the red and white light be on at the same time?

No, they cannot.

Have any more questions about the Vont Spark LED headlamp? Leave a comment below.