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It pays to make a good and comprehensive packing list before you go camping – many things that are easy to forget, like headlamps, become the most valuable items you have when you go out into the wild and are designed to make life much easier. .
Headlamps are a must – not only do they light up the area around you, many of them come with SOS flashing, eye-friendly red illumination and great battery life to match. lighting up the space around you on the darkest of nights.
What to look for in a headlamp
When deciding which type of headlamp to choose, check the light output (measured in lumens), beam distance (you want something adjustable), battery longevity, and weight.
300 lumens should be good for general camping and nighttime reading, but if you’re venturing into dark circumstances (eg caving) you’ll want to look for 750 lumens.
The longer the battery life, the better, naturally. Some torches come with extra power packs and many are still powered by conventional AA or AAA batteries – be sure to check which version you have before you go and be sure to pack a spare set of batteries!
In terms of weight, the lighter the better, although of course there is a trade-off between power and beam length.
The aforementioned red lighting often helps during GPS reading sessions, or reading a book under a tent when a softer light is more suitable so as not to disturb your companion.
In testing these torches we have found that there is a trade-off you may have to make – longer beams and brighter light inevitably sometimes mean a heavier battery, more batteries to buy or generally more weight heavy – we noted torches that are lightweight and feel like a better fit for more active pursuit.
Waterproof headlamps
When looking at headlamps, consider if you’re heading into wet conditions and how wet they will be – headlamps have waterproof ratings that cover all eventualities.
IPX4 stands for splash-proof (great for walking or running), IPX6 can withstand a sudden shock of water (for example, if you’re paddleboarding or on a boat) while IPX8 can be submerged (if you find yourself in the drink, for whatever reason).
Here are some of the best headlamps we’ve tested for 2022.
BioLite 750 headlamp
Key Specs: Lumens: 750, Weight: 150g, Tilt Positions: 4, Light Modes: 8, Battery: USB Rechargeable.
Although on the higher end of the price spectrum, this option from BioLite really impressed with its 8 different lighting options and brightness capability of 250 lumens to 750 lumens at each end of the spectrum.
We liked the design – its snug construction and sweatband was comfortable to wear, it’s lightweight and easily adjustable to different sizes.
It comes with a red taillight and also has 4 adjustable recline positions, so you can always be sure of the right setup to light the way ahead.
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Petzl Actik Core
Key Specs: Lumens: 450, Weight: 75g, Tilt Positions: 5, Light Modes: 4, Battery: USB or AAA rechargeable batteries.
This Actik Core was designed for slightly more adventurous pursuits, and while it’s certainly not the brightest at 450 lumens, it’s built for ease of use and lightweight capability.
It’s super light when it’s not running on AAA batteries (you can also charge it via USB with the rechargeable CORE already in it), and we liked the lock feature, which means you’re unlikely to can accidentally turn it on and drain the battery when you don’t need it.
We recommend this option as the best bet for running at night in poorly lit areas, for example, or perhaps cycling to go along with your bike lights.
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Petzl Iko Core headlamp
Key Specs: Lumens: 500, Weight: 79g, Tilt Positions: N/A, Light Modes: 3, Battery: USB or AAA rechargeable batteries.
Built with a more performance-oriented approach, this Petzl offering focuses on its lightweight frame, while delivering an excellent 500 lumens of brightness.
We liked its flexibility – in normal operation you can charge it using the USB port, but when out in the wild you can also run it on three AAA batteries.
It’s a different design than what we’re used to with some of the more conventional headlamps on the market, but the thin headband and weight-conscious approach make it easy to wear and use for long periods of time.
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Petzl Tikka headlamp
Key specs: Lumens: 300, Weight: 82g, Tilt positions: 4, Light modes: 3, Battery: 3 AAA batteries.
One of the simplest headlamps on the market from Petzl, but still one of the best examples of value for money, with a clear and wide beam angle for good close-up illumination, long lamp life battery, a comfortable adjustable elastic fit and a nifty glow-in-the-dark reflector that means it can be found in the dark.
Ease is the name of the game – with one-button functionality and a lightweight design, you won’t go far wrong with the Tikka.
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Ledlenser H7R Core Rechargeable Headlamp
Key specs: Lumens: 1000, Weight: 259g, Tilt positions: N/A, Light modes: 3, Battery: USB rechargeable
This is a sturdy, well-built and robust headlamp offering dimming function, the ability to focus the light and three different lighting options.
It’s in the power stakes where this lamp really shines, if you’ll pardon the expression, and the light boasts an impressive 1000 lumens, which we found to be enough to light up our entire surroundings.
It’s an impressive piece of kit, but fans of lightweight, easy-to-package headlamps might think twice – we’d choose one of the more basic, cheaper and simpler models perhaps if we were in multi-day camps or evening runs or hikes.
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Alpkit Manta
Key specs: Lumens: 350, Weight: 210g, Tilt positions: N/A, Light modes: 4, Battery: USB rechargeable
We found this option from Alpkit to be great value and provided a good amount of light for the price.
Our only slight point of contention is that the light is a bit more focused than some of the others on the list, so during testing we didn’t experience as much illumination in our peripheral vision as some alternatives here, but the lens comes with twist focus which allows you to change the angle of the beam which helped a lot.
The eleven-hour battery life is excellent with a torch like this, and we never worried about losing charge when using it day in and day out.
It’s also comfortable – we found the rear battery helped keep the torch secure and well balanced.
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Source: www.bedfordtoday.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-03-25 14:53:50
