With a function quite similar to the SnowMiner headlamp from Snow Peak, where a silicone dome creates ambient light from your headlamp while inside a tent, the TorchGlo hopes to bring the same functionality to any headlamp. Created as a senior project by Stanford student Kenny Krotzer, TorchGlo is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to help realize Kenny’s product design vision.
The TorchGlo attaches to any headlamp and diffuses the beam of light into a pleasant, warm ambient glow. Your headlamp straps clip into the housing for a more sturdy attachment point. The silicone dome weighs 2.4 oz. and can easily squish down in your pack.
A removable acrylic lens sits at the base of the silicone dome in order to diffuse your headlamp light. The silicone then tints the diffused light into a warm, orange hue similar to a campfire. This is where Kenny believes the TorchGo excels over the SnowMiner and other products such as LED lanterns—most people complain that the white LED lights most often used in these products are just too harsh.
When not functioning as a headlamp diffuser, the TorchGo’s 1/2 cup size can be used to help you cook your backcountry gourmet meals. As it is made from all silicone, it can also double as a pot holder when cooking.
With one week to go, Kenny is about 1/4 the way to his goal. If you are interested in testing out a TorchGlo for yourself, a $20 pledge gets you one of the first production models, shipping sometime in September. For a $50 pledge, you will receive three different color TorchGlo units—orange, orange swirl, and gold.
