If you’re wondering how to choose a headlamp for your kit, you’ve come to the right place. A headlamp is something that every person should have in their bag, whether or not they plan to be out after dark. Even if you think that you’ll be back well before dark, come prepared with a headlamp in case the unexpected happens.
Choosing a headlamp isn’t as easy as you might think. There are literally hundreds of brands with all different kinds of headlamps. Here are several features that are important to consider when choosing the right headlamp.
Main Features of a Headlamp
Lumens
Lumens measure how bright a light is. Generally speaking, the higher the lumens, the brighter the light. The downside is that the more lumens your headlamp emits, the faster it will consume energy. Also, too bright of a light can hurt the eyes of your friends in camp.
Headlamps usually start around 15 lumens, and they can go up to over 1000 lumens. Generally speaking 100-200 lumens is a great all-purpose headlamp. However, if you’re doing something where precision and light are incredibly important (such as climbing), consider going for something between 300-500+ lumens.
Some headlamps have the option to change the amount of lumens that the headlamp will output. This can help conserve battery when you don’t need the maximum output of light.
These are headlamps with over 300 lumens:
- Nitecore HC65 1000 Lumen Rechargeable Headlamp
- BioLite HeadLamp 750
- Petzl Tactikka +RGB 350 Lumens Headlamp
Beam Type/Distance
Headlamps generally come in two different beam types. The first type of beam is called flood. These headlamps create a large area of non-focused light coming from the headlamp. Flood light headlamps can be great for lighting up an area like a campsite or an attic.
The second type of beam is called spot. Spot beam headlamps are great for viewing objects that are further away. The beam acts like a flashlight, and it will light up wherever you point the beam. These types of lights are great because they illuminate only the area that you are looking at, and can go much further distances.
Many more expensive headlamps come with the option to adjust the beam from flood to spot.
Beam distance is also important. Most headlamp manufacturers will state the beam distance on their website. Beam distance will tell you how far away the headlamp can create light.
These are adjustable light headlamps:
- Nitecore NU25 360 Lumen Rechargeable Headlamp with Triple Output
- Black Diamond Cosmo 300 Headlamp
- Petzl Tactikka + 350 Lumens Headlamp
Run Time
Run time is a very important part of picking out a headlamp. Manufacturers will state the run time of the headlamp, which will tell you how long you can expect the light to operate.
Many headlamps come with the option for rechargeable batteries, or AA, or AAA batteries.
These are headlamps with up to 70+ hours of run time:
Weight
If you’re using the headlamp for backpacking, weight is an important factor to consider. Headlamps can weigh as little as a couple ounces, or as much as a pound or more. Look for a headlamp with a good weight to lumens to run time ratio for backpacking.
Even if you’re using a headlamp for regular day hiking, it’s nice to have a lightweight headlamp to keep the weight of your pack down.
These are headlamps that weight less than 3 oz.:
Other Features to Consider
Red Light Setting
Many headlamps come with a red light setting, which helps when using your headlamp at night. Red light doesn’t affect your pupils like white light does, so it puts less strain on your eyes to see at night. Some headlamps even have a green light setting as well, which is very similar to the red light setting.
Constant Output
Many manufacturers don’t state whether their headlamp has a constant output, but if they do, this is a bonus. With regular headlamps, the light may only put out 50% brightness if the batteries are at 50% charge. With a headlamp that has constant output, it will continue to put out the full capacity of light, until the batteries die, and then it will abruptly turn off.
Weather Sealing
It is always beneficial to have a headlamp that can afford to get wet. You never know when a rogue rainstorm will come through and soak your gear. Some headlamps can take more water than others can. Obviously, more waterproofing doesn’t hurt.
Tilt
Having the ability to tilt the headlamp is much nicer than you’d think. Usually, you’ll want to tilt the headlamp down so that it lights up the ground in front of you.
How to choose a headlamp is all about knowing the use of the headlamp and picking the one with the right features. An ultralight backpacker will need a much different headlamp than someone who wants to work in the attic. Look at your needs, as well as your price range, and browse some of the most popular brands to pick out the perfect headlamp.
Article and Photos by Austin James Jackson
Austin James Jackson is a landscape photographer and outdoor enthusiast based out of Portland, Oregon. He loves teaching others how to photograph landscapes and leads workshops in the western USA.
