A headlamp is one of the most important 10 essentials for backpacking, hiking, fastpacking, trail running, climbing, and any other kind of outdoor adventure sport. Using your smartphone as a flashlight doesn’t cut it. But the days of carrying extra AA and AAA battery-powered headlamps are history. USB rechargeable headlamps have become ubiquitous and convenient because they can be recharged using the battery packs that most backpackers carry. Dual-power headlamps, ones that can be powered by a rechargeable battery or AA/AAA batteries, are also handy if a “wall recharge” is not available.
Here are our top 10 picks for the best headlamps for backpacking and hiking. Be sure to check out our advice below about what to look for when buying a rechargeable headlamp for backpacking, hiking, trail running or climbing.
1. Petzl Actik Core Rechargeable Headlamp
The Petzl Actik Core headlamp is a rechargeable, multi-beam headlamp that provides 600 lumens of power to light the way during dynamic outdoor activities like running, hiking, and backpacking. It comes with a 1250 mAh CORE rechargeable battery (included) and is also compatible with 3 AAA alkaline, lithium, or Ni-MH rechargeable batteries without the need for an adapter, which is a great convenience. It has 2 beam patterns (flood or mixed) and three white brightness levels, including a red lighting mode and lock and a center-mounted pivot that lets you orient the lamp in the desired direction. A battery charge indicator shows the battery level each time you turn the headlamp on or off. The headlamp has an average run time on high (600 lumens) for 2 hours and on low (7 lumens) for 120 hours.
3. Black Diamond SPOT-R Headlamp
3. Black Diamond Storm 500-R Rechargeable Headlamp
4. Nitecore NU33 Rechargeable Headlamp
The Nitecore NU 33 is a very bright 700-lumen rechargeable headlamp with a larger-than-average 3000 mAh lithium-ion battery (equivalent to 9 AAA batteries) for long-lasting power. It has a primary white LED with 3 outputs, SOS, a beacon with a high CRI auxiliary LED, and auxiliary red LEDs with a tilt adjustment making it ideal for night hiking, trail running, and camping. The NU 33 has a built-in power indicator and lock to prevent accidental activation, it is IP66 water-resistant and includes a USB-C cable for recharging. It can run for 9 hours on high and 147 hours on ultra-low.
5. Black Diamond Astro 300-R Headlamp
Black Diamond is not known for making headlamps with trivial (easy-to-remember) controls, but the rechargeable Astro 300-R breaks the mold. This single-lens single-switch headlamp has a white lite and three brightness levels: high, medium, and low with full strength, dimming, and strobe modes. It’s powered by a 1500 mAh Lithium-ion rechargeable battery that recharges with a micro-US charge port and has an IPX4 rating stormproof to withstand rain and sleet from any angle. This headlamp also has a digital lockout to prevent accidental activation. The headlamp has an average run time on high (300 lumens) for 6 hours and on low (6 lumens) for 140 hours. A dual-power model (the Astro) is also available that includes three AAA batteries and is compatible with a rechargeable BD 1500 Li-ion battery and charger for maximum flexibility.
6. Fenix HM 50R V2 LED Rechargeable Headlamp
The Fenix HM50R V2.0 is a high-powered LED headlamp that puts out 700 lumens of light. It comes with a removable 16340 lithium-ion battery with 700 mAh of power and an onboard USB-C compatible charger. If you want, you can carry extra 16340 pre-charged batteries (or CR123A) and you also can recharge them in the field from a battery pack or solar panel. The tilt-capable headlamp can be removed from the headband and carried like a flashlight or used as a task light. The HM50R has four brightness modes: turbo, high, medium, and low, a battery indicator, and two beam types: spot and flood. The V2 version also has a new lock function and a red mode. The HM50R has a durable aluminum body (not plastic) and is waterproof.
7. Nitecore NU27 Multi-Color Rechargeable Headlamp
The Nitecore NU 27 is ideal for trail running, night hiking, or trail riding because it can cast a bright 600 lumen beam that can reach distances of up to 134 yards ahead. With its new Multiple Color Temperature (MCT) LEDs, the NU27 lets you switch between warm, neutral, and cool light modes which are optimized for use in fog, rain, or general outdoor environments. Each color option has 5 brightness modes and red light, SOS, and beacon modes are also included. With an 850mAh rechargeable battery, it can achieve a maximum runtime of 57 hours on its lowest setting. It also has a USB-C port for easy charging, taking only a little more than an hour to reach full power. A power indicator lets you know when to recharge, and the lockout mode prevents accidental activation.
8. Nitecore NU25 UL Headlamp
The Nitecore NU 25 UL is a 400-lumen ultra-lightweight headlamp with three beam types (spotlight, floodlight, auxiliary red) optimized for outdoor use. It has a built-in 650mAh rechargeable battery that can achieve a maximum runtime of 45 hours (6 lumens) with an integrated USB-C port that fast charges to full in only one and a half hours. A power indicator tells you when it’s time to charge while lockout mode prevents accidental activation. The ultralight band is highly reflective for enhanced visibility, including glow-in-the-dark bands for visibility without ambient light.
9. COAST RL10R Dual Power Headlamp
The COAST RL10R is a 750-lumen dual-power headlamp that includes a rechargeable power pack but can also be powered by 3 AAA batteries. It has red and white modes, a battery meter, and a digital lockout to prevent accidental drainage. In addition to a front lamp, it sports rear red safety lamp with an optional strobe for high visibility. What sets it apart from other headlamps is a light control wheel that lets you control the intensity of the front beam, much like a dimmer switch. The front light also has a hinge so you can tilt it to align the beam with your gaze. This headlamp is an amazing value and quite reasonably priced.
10. Petzl Bindi Ultralight Headlamp
How to Choose a Rechargeable Headlamp
Here are the most important features and considerations to evaluate when comparing different rechargeable headlamps.
Battery Capacity
Check the capacity of the headlamps you’re interested in to see how much power, measured in mAh, they can hold. If you plan on using a headlamp on a multi-day trip, it’s useful to bring one with a large battery capacity so you don’t have to recharge it from a portable power pack. Smaller-capacity batteries are fine for short runs, but you will also have to recharge them more frequently, which can be a hassle if you use them a lot.
Dual Power Headlamps
Most rechargeable headlamps bundle in a cold-resistant lithium-ion battery, although there are also dual-power headlamps that can also be powered by old-school alkaline or lithium-ion batteries. If you already carry a USB-enabled power pack to charge your other electronic devices, then the latter is probably unnecessary, although it might be useful if your power pack runs out of juice and you can’t recharge it. This isn’t a priority for me, but some people prefer having the ability to switch to regular batteries as a contingency.
Headlamp Headbands
All of the headlamps listed above have battery packs that are integrated with their light sources, so a single headband strap is all that is needed to wear them. Multi-strap headlamp headbands are only necessary for very heavy headlamps or ones with remote battery packs that are carried separately from the light source and linked by an external wire.
Headlamp Tilt
If you plan to trail run or hike at night, it’s important to get a headlamp that tilts in its strap bracket so you can direct the spot or floodlight onto the ground and out front, ahead of you.
Lumens/Light Output
The latest generation of LED lights available in headlamps are very powerful and the lumen outputs often exceed what’s required for nighttime use in camp or even for nighttime running. Anything headlamp with 150 lumens or more should be sufficient for general-purpose backpacking and hiking. When purchasing a headlamp, the maximum light output is much less important than the length of time the headlamp can burn on low power, since that’s the setting you’ll use most often in camp or in your tent.
Red Light Mode
Headlamps with a red light mode are good for preserving your night vision if you want to read in your tent or star gaze. They also help you avoid blinding your companions in camp or around the campfire. The red light mode also uses far less energy than white light modes and is a good way to conserve your battery power between charges.
Headlamp Weight
While gear weight is important, it’s often less important than a headlamp’s features, efficiency, or battery life. For example, if you need to carry a heavier power pack to recharge a lighter weight headlamp more frequently, you probably haven’t saved as much weight overall as you might like. Focus on your needs, if you know them, and let that guide your decision as to which headlamp you select.
On-Off Lock
Headlamps with manual or digital on-off locks are useful to prevent the accidental activation of a headlamp when it’s packed. I won’t buy a headlamp without one, but that’s just my personal preference.
Battery Indicator
Some sort of battery indicator is useful on a rechargeable headlamp so you know when to recharge the battery and when it’s finished recharging. Without it, you’re more likely to try to use a headlamp that is out of power when you need it.
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