
The headlamp weighs just one ounce, not including the headstrap, which I recommend ditching for a lightweight shock cord.”- Owen Eigenbrot Details The two-button system also makes it super intuitive to use. “The NU25 has all the features I look for in a headlamp: rechargeable, water-resistant, crazy low weight, a lock-off feature to prevent it from turning on in my pack, and multiple brightness settings including two red light levels and a diffuse CRI LED. Zero means no ingress protection, and six means it keeps out everything up to and including fine dust particles.īest backpacking headlamps: Nitecore NU25. An x means there’s no data, while a number between zero and six represents the level of protection.

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The x in that code represents solid particle ingress protection. Only the best headlamps for thru-hiking are this waterproof.

Many headlamps come with a red light setting for use around camp or on smooth footpaths where you don’t need a lot of illumination to navigate safely. They create a tunnel vision effect that can persist even after switching the light off. Bright white LEDs can blind fellow campers and impair peripheral and night vision (including for the wearer). Other people’s headlamps are super annoying. Should my headlamp have a red light setting? Meanwhile, flood lighting casts a more diffuse beam that’s most useful for up-close tasks, like camp chores. Spot lighting is helpful for night hiking. A spot pattern is a narrow, focused beam of light that can illuminate things a long way away. You should also pay attention to your headlamp’s beam pattern. The exception is if you want one headlamp that works for adventure sports (trail running, mountain biking, climbing, etc.) in addition to hiking. Drives up weight and price while gobbling battery. Above 400 lumens: probably overkill for backpacking.200-400 lumens: useful if you want to throw a long beam into the woods (“what was that sound?”) or search the ground for something you dropped.10 lumens and under: enough for camp chores and getting up to pee in the dark.That way, you can toggle between lumen outputs depending on your needs, conserving battery. Most backpackers want a headlamp that offers a range of brightness settings between five and 200 lumens. Eight to 10 hours of moderate (50-100 lumen) output on a single charge is adequate for most people. If you plan to do a lot of night hiking, you’ll need more battery capacity than someone who just needs sporadic light around camp. You should also consider battery life when shopping for a headlamp. That way, you can instantly swap out dead batteries and get back on track. If you’re the type to run your headlamp to zero accidentally, you’re better off with a AAA-powered headlamp. You’ll also swap the weight of extra AAAs for yet another charge cable.Īlso worth noting: powering a rechargeable lamp takes time and requires forethought and planning. You’ll pay a premium for this feature, however. If you have a battery bank in your pack, you’ll virtually never have to worry about running out of juice. Rechargeable headlamps eliminate the need to carry spare batteries. What is the point of a locking feature on a headlamp?Īre there waterproof backpacking headlamps?

How much should a backpacking headlamp weigh? Petzl Swift RL | Brightest / Best Battery Life Quick NavigationĬoast FL1R | Best Ultralight Camp Headlamp

There are several features to consider when shopping for the best backpacking headlamps, from weight to battery life. Whether you’re a consummate night hiker or you just get up to pee a lot in the middle of the night, almost every thru-hiker needs convenient, hands-free lighting from time to time. Your headlamp might be tiny, but chances are it’s one of the most crucial pieces of gear you own.
