Headlamps

How to choose your hiking headlamp

Three criteria guide your choice: brightness in lumens, weight and battery life. A light, compact headlamp, around 50 to 100 grams, becomes unnoticeable on your forehead through hours of walking. Also look at beam range and the width of the lit area: a wide beam keeps your footing safe close to your body, while a long beam sweeps the trail further ahead. Each model is suited to a specific use, from night running to multi-day treks, and the right compromise depends on how you use it.

Lumens, battery life and lighting modes

Reckon on 100 to 200 lumens for regular walking, 300 or more for fast trail running or mountaineering. Battery life depends on the mode used: an economy setting lasts for many hours, while full power is best saved for technical sections. Red light, boost and dimmer modes add real flexibility depending on the moment of your outing. A well-designed model also shows a charge indicator to avoid running out at the wrong moment, along with a mode memory that switches the flashlight back on at its previous setting. In winter, think about a remote battery pack too: worn under a hat or in a pocket, it copes better with the cold and keeps its charge for longer.

Wearing comfort, headband and water resistance

Comfort comes down mainly to the headband: adjustable elastic, sometimes with an extra strap over the top of the head for the more powerful models. A tilting housing angles the beam towards the ground when reading a map. Check the water-resistance rating (IPX4 at the very least) so you can walk in the rain without worry. When camping or bivvying, a headlamp alone is often enough to handle every evening task, from cooking dinner to pitching your shelter in the dark.

Charging, batteries and use while bivvying or trail running

Two approaches exist side by side: a USB-rechargeable battery, cost-effective over time, or AAA batteries, which are quick to swap out in the wild when there's no socket to hand. For longer expeditions, a hybrid headlamp takes both. Light to carry, it slips into a pocket and can be recharged in the evening at camp, or from a power bank. The total weight of the system matters just as much as the weight of the flashlight alone.

Care and rechargeable camping lanterns

Rinse the headband regularly and charge the battery to around half before long-term storage to protect its cells. To light up camp once you've settled in, a rechargeable camping lantern gives off 360° ambient light, while a rechargeable flashlight concentrates a powerful beam for spotting trail markers in the distance. Browse all our hiking, trekking and bivvying gear.