Quick Take
The list of products to light up your campsite is endless. A typical gear head might at any time have a lantern, a headlamp, a few different flashlights, and an emergency flasher at their disposal. A new product by Joby combines some of the most desirable features of these into one compact combo unit, the Joby GorillaTorch Switchback.
Joby Switchback Lantern and Headlamp
A 2-in-1 headlamp and lantern combo, the GorillaTorch Switchback contains five LED’s and can be adjusted among six light settings including flood, dimmer, spot and red night vision. It can be used as a traditional lantern, or easily converted into a headlamp, and has brightness up to an impressive 130 lumens. As a bonus, it also comes with the Joby GorillaPod, a flexible, lightweight stand for the lantern that can also be used with your camera.
The battery life is impressive. Running on just a couple of AA batteries, the GorillaTorch Switchback can run up to 72 hours at the lowest 5 lumen setting. The batteries are stored on the back of the headlamp strap, which is a bit different than most headlamps and took some getting used to during testing. With all of these features and technology, we were surprised to find that the GorillaTorch Switchback only weighs 8.8 ounces with batteries. And its ABS plastic construction provides the right amount of durability for camping.
At around $50, the GorillaTorch Switchback really packs a ton of features and operates quite well. To buy a lantern and headlamp of this quality separately, you’d be well over that price.