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Princeton Tec Axis 450 Review
Basics
Life at Princeton Tec began in 1975 when founder Bill Stephens developed a product called ‘The Bottom Timer’, which the brand says was the first fully automatic, waterproof stopwatch that tracked your time underwater.
Although this put the brand’s name on the map, the arrival of many competitors urged a pivot, and the brand soon turned to underwater lighting.
Naturally, this line evolved and today the brand manufacturers a range of lighting for a variety of uses, including both underwater and outdoor activities.
How we tested
Before testing anything, we weighed each head torch on our own scales and measured the light’s size to give an accurate understanding of how light it was and how well it packed away.
Each head torch was worn multiple times on walks in open terrain and on trails with closer features, such as hedges or woodland.
Much of the testing took place after dusk on the Cotswold Way and we conducted a controlled test in the same spot in an attempt to assess the distance and width of each light’s beams.
Comfort, weight distribution and ease of use was rated throughout testing, while we also tried using each torch when wearing thick mountaineering-style gloves, plus thinner gloves.
First impressions
On test here is the Princeton Tec Axis 450. It feels rather lightweight in your hands and is small enough that it can quickly be forgotten about when chucked into a rucksack.
The headband is wide enough to ensure it’s pretty comfortable, though there are softer/plusher options out there.
Brightness
There’s 450 lumens on offer here and they definitely excel more when used as a flood light as opposed to a spot light.
In the latter mode, and indeed in dual beam mode, the max distance you get is 35m, which is significantly less than many competitors.
However, in that dual beam mode, and the flood mode, the Axis 450 does a fine job of lighting up your surroundings in a similar way as the Silva does.
One area the head torch particularly excels is with its red light performance, which provides a nice wide spot on the floor in front of you and illuminates the trail well. It’s among the best on test in this regard.
Lighting modes
The Axis 450 can be used in the following lighting modes:
- Dual beam high: 450 lumens, 35m distance, 1.3 hours burn time
- Dual beam low: 330 lumens, 30m distance, 3.3 hours burn time
- Spot high: 240 lumens, 30m distance, 2 hours burn time
- Spot low: 55 lumens, 16m distance, 10 hours burn time
- Flood high: 100 lumens, 18m distance, 5.5 hours burn time
- Flood low: 30 lumens, 13m distance, 15 hours burn time
- Red high: 5 lumens, 7m distance, 28 hours burn time
- Red low: 1 lumen, 5m distance, 50 hours burn time
Is it easy to use?
Like with the Black Diamond, I admittedly had to turn to the instruction manual to make sure I was getting the most out of this head torch and utilising all of its modes.
As you can see from the section above, there are quite a few of them. They can be accessed by pressing the button on the side, with each press taking you into either spot mode, flood mode or red light mode.
From there, you need to twist the side dial to increase or decrease the lumens used. To get to dual beam, you need to twist the dial when you’re in flood mode.
All of this is doable while wearing gloves, but the tilting mechanism is quite stiff to operate and typically needs two hands, unless you don’t mind the unit digging into your head while leveraging it with one hand!
Batteries
The Tec Axis 450 uses a built-in Lithium Ion rechargeable battery, with a micro-USB port located underneath a hinged flap.
Resilience
An IPX4 rating ensures it’s resistant to splashes, like many other head torches we’ve tested as part of this test.
Truthfully, like some of the others, a higher rating would have been preferred for peace of mind in severe weather.
The torch itself feels fairly robust, though the plastic doesn’t seem as thick or durable as we’ve seen elsewhere (such as the Olight or Ledlenser MH4).
I also have a concern over the hinged flap that clicks down over the USB port, as this feels like a potential weak point that could break.
Is it good value?
So-so. The lack of significant distance and middling burn time hold it back from being a better buy, but the flood lighting is very good.
While this head torch has its merits, this is a packed market and I feel there are better options at this price point. A price point some £15 or more lower would seem more appropriate.
Best used for...
This head torch would be best for people hiking or camping that don’t need the beam to reach a significant distance.
Verdict
Great flood lighting and impressive red light performance, but price, lack of distance and middling battery life lets it down.
Facts at a glance: Princeton Tec Axis 450
- Weight: 81g
- Size: 6.7cm (w) x 3.2cm (h) x 4cm (d)
- Waterproof rating: IPX4
- Brightness rating in lumens: 450 lumens
- Lighting modes: 8
- Beam pattern: Mixed
- Red light function: Yes
- Red rear light: No
- Automatic beam adjustment:
- Battery type: Lithium Ion rechargeable
- Battery life: Up to 15 hours
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Also consider...
LEDLenser MH4 Review
Another great option on test is the Ledlenser MH4 head torch, offering excellent lighting performance and durability, making it suitable for hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities. It is reasonably comfortable to wear, and the red light performance stands out as one of the best among the tested head torches.
However, the limited modes and slightly higher price compared to its features could be improved for even better value.
Read our full review of the Ledlenser MH4.
Looking for more options? Check out our guide to the best head torches on the market in 2023.
