Lifesystems Intensity 580 head torch review: Thoughtfully designed, amazing value

The Lifesystems Intensity 580 is an affordable but fairly well-featured head torch for outdoor enthusiasts who want solid performance without breaking the bank.

With a maximum output of 580 lumens and a beam range of up to 70 metres, it’s bright enough for a wide range of outdoor activities – from hiking and camping to backpacking and trail use.

Despite its low RRP of just £35, the Intensity 580 includes some thoughtful features typically found in pricier models. Firstly, it offers hybrid power compatibility, running off either the supplied 1200mAh USB-C rechargeable battery or 3 x standard AAA alkaline batteries.

There are three white-light brightness settings and two red-light modes (steady and strobe), all easily cycled through using a single button. A rotating bezel lets you adjust the beam from flood to spot, which is particularly handy for transitioning between trail use and close-range tasks.

You also get a handy battery charge indicator on one side of the unit, so you’ll never be plunged into darkness without warning.

Its design is simple but functional: the main body is made from impact-resistant plastic with rubberised elements, and the adjustable headband has a non-slip inner grip.

Admittedly, it’s not the most compact or lightweight model at 102g, and it lacks finer brightness control and a button-lock function, but these are minor trade-offs for the value it delivers.

Overall, it’s a practical and reliable choice for anyone seeking maximum brightness per pound of your hard-earned cash. In fact, we think it’s an even better buy than last year’s ‘best value’ choice in our best head torches group test, the Alpkit Qark.

Design and features

The Intensity 580 is a refreshingly simple and straightforward head torch. The light unit is made of a hard, shiny plastic that is pretty robust, with grippy rubberised elements for added impact protection and easy operation.

It is IPX6 rated for waterproofing, which means it should withstand the heaviest rain (but not total submersion). The hinged rear of the unit pops open to reveal the battery compartment, which houses a removable lithium-ion battery pack but is also compatible with 3 x AAA alkaline batteries if preferred.

On the front is a big white CREE LED, protected by a chunky bezel and anodised aluminium housing, with two secondary red LEDs positioned off to one side. An adjustable hinged plastic bracket offers four positions of adjustment. It sits comfortably against the forehead and provides attachment points for the one-piece elasticated headband.

It’s very easy to operate, with a single button controlling all functions – just press to cycle through low (160 lumens), medium (300 lumens) and high-power (580 lumens) from the main white LED, plus red light (2 lumens) and red strobe modes from the secondary LEDs.

The rotating bezel allows you to adjust the spread and distance of the main beam, from spot to flood. This design feature does add a little bulk, but it’s extremely useful on the trail or in camp, giving you the versatility to switch between close proximity tasks and long-range illumination.

All in all, it’s a markedly similar design to the popular Alpkit Qark head torch, which has long been one of our ‘best value’ picks in this category.

Burn times are decent, thanks to the 1200mAh capacity of the supplied battery pack. The brand quotes 2.5 hours on high power (580 lumens) and up to 10 hours on low power (160 lumens).

The battery pack needs to be removed from the unit in order to charge it via its USB-C port, but this does mean you could plug it into a power bank and still use the headlamp with an alternative power source, since it will happily run on 3 x standard AAAs as a back-up.

The adoption of more modern USB-C technology also ensures faster charge times than the older micro-USB standard, and also means one less charging cable to carry (USB-C is the same charging standard used by the majority of modern smartphones).

Performance and comfort

At pretty much exactly 100g (the brand quotes 102g, but our test sample weighed 99g), the Intensity 580 is reasonably lightweight given its capabilities.

It’s a bit bulkier than some similarly-specced rivals, and a little front heavy, but not too unwieldy to be a practical companion either around camp or on the trail. It won't go on our list of the best running head torches, though.

The headband is easy to adjust too, ensuring a close fit. A siliconised print on the inner surface also stops it from slipping down your forehead.

Operation is very intuitive, since everything works via one large button sensibly positioned on top of the unit (though it is offset to one side, which means it suits right-handers batter than left-handers).

Pressing this button cycles through three levels of white light plus a white strobe mode. A long press turns on the red light and red strobe mode. Otherwise, that’s about it.

It’s a bit of a shame that there’s no button lock to guard against accidental operation if it gets knocked about in your rucksack. Also note that there’s no dimming function.

However, you do get a handy battery level indicator on the side of the unit, consisting of four blue LEDs that show remaining power, so at least you’ll never be plunged into darkness without much warning.

Its relative simplicity is no bad thing. In fact, we rate the Intensity highly. It’s excellent value and a solid performer for year-round camping, hiking and backpacking.

Price and competition

With a UK RRP of £35, this is a very competitively priced head torch, especially given its impressive 580-lumen maximum light output.

In this regard it’s a real rival to the very similar Alpkit Qark, which has been a perennial ‘best value’ winner for numerous years here at Trail magazine and LFTO. The reason for that was simple – up until now, at its £40 price point, there wasn’t much that could touch it.

However, we think the new Lifesystems Intensity 580 is the better buy. It does almost everything the Qark does but is slightly cheaper, with a superior waterproof rating (IPX6 vs IPX4), a higher-capacity battery with faster charging capability, and it has a battery level indicator (unlike the Qark).

As such, it covers all the essentials and most importantly is decently bright. Burn times are adequate, and hybrid compatibility ensures that even if the battery pack dies, it’s easy enough to swap it out for 3 x AAAs and keep on shining.

Of course, if you’re prepared to spend a bit more, you could look at the Petzl Actik CORE – which is even brighter (625 lumens) and also has hybrid compatibility for use with either Petzl’s lithium-ion CORE battery packs or AAA batteries). However, it has an RRP that is nearly double that of the Intensity 580.

Verdict

A practical and user-friendly budget head torch that delivers bright, versatile lighting and unbeatable value for money.

For more useful gizmos, check out our roundup of the best camping gadgets.

About the author

Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Snowdonia National Park, he’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek.

Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis.