20 Best Headlamps For Trail Running (2023 Updated)

I found out about these headlamps from a buddy on a winter climbing trip to Cochise. During a descent from one of the formations we found ourselves rappelling frozen cliff bands, scrambling 4th class downclimbs and winding our way through a maze of decent trails.

Without his headlamp we’d have been stressed. Instead it made for fun memories. Shortly thereafter I bought two for myself and my significant other. Since then I also bought one for my mom who often looses power during storms where she lives.

It has served me well working in the field as a science tech, guiding, boating the Grand Canyon, reading in my sleeping bag, and for early morning dog walks before work. The rechargeable battery has kept numerous batteries out of the landfill and me brightly bounding my way through the dark for the past several years.

After a decade long hiatus from backcountry activities I decided to get back into backpacking last year. I needed to upgrade some of my gear including a headlamp. I went with the Petzl brand due to name recognition and reputation.

So far I’ve been very pleased with the lamp after use in a few trips. I get several nights out of the mid range light setting before recharging is required. I rarely use the brightest setting but at-home testing of this setting confirms an approximate two hour burn time.

I also like the interchangeability of the CORE rechargeable battery with three AAA batteries. Apparently one gets longer burn times with the latter but I have not tested as the CORE battery serves my needs fine.

I pair this with the Petzl Noctilight carrying case for in camp use. I would recommend this accessory as it serves as a great lantern alternative, storage case for the headlamp, and also is large enough to store three AAA batteries as well as a short recharge cable in addition to the headlamp itself.

Love multitasking camping gear! MEC doesn’t appear to carry the Noctilight any longer but not sure if it may be available elsewhere. In any event, as to the headlamp itself, it works great and I would think provides more than enough light, both in terms of brightness and burn time, for most backcountry endeavours.

No hesitation in recommending this product.

Full charge on the battery upon arrival and then tested. Using this lamp strictly as a tool during Bike maintenance, I don’t consider these lamps as an adequate light for night riding. The strap is comfortable and stays in place and the light adjusts downward enough to give you a good view of your work space.

The 1 main issue I have, is that the lamp is basically useless on it’s lowest brightness setting. I didn’t expect it to be adequate really, as this is not a really high Lumen lamp, but the low setting is probably never going to be used by me.

Medium is OK, but being an old(er) fart, I like light. so high beams it is! I got 72 minutes on the supplied rechargeable battery, pretty good, but I’ll be keeping 3 AAA’s nearby whenever I’ll be doing a major service.

Don’t really need the Red lamp functions, but they seem adequate for the uses it’s designed for. Overall I’m happy with the lamp and with my contact with MEC Support! I have big plans for the offseason, new tyres, cassette & chain, front fork lower leg re-lube, upper leg seals and all pivot joints and bearings/bushings re-greased, so this little lamp will get a good workout! If something comes up, I’ll repost about it, but so far so good!.

This is my second purchase of this. The first one I lost on the side of a mountain. I took it back packing/snowshoeing and we got into a cabin late at night. It was a good 200 feet off the trail, in the trees, and fortunately I had this headlamp because mine was the only one bright enough to actually see the cabin at that distance.

Otherwise we would’ve just kept hiking through the snow past it. I’ve always use the CORE battery with it and brought AAA spares. It’s always been a very dependable lamp for me. I like it so much I bought one for a friend.

As far as headlamps go, it stays on well and I like the adjustable direction to go up and down. The band is a bit uncomfortable. But I think all headlamp bands are.

Has 3 intensities. Allows variable ratcheting in an arc down & up. Saves frustrating repositioning a hand-held every few seconds to use both hands loading & finding things in my over-packed camper/cargo van.

Headband secures well, not uncomfortable. however with n95 mask neck & crown bands, the bill of a ball cap and glasses, repositioning either requires more attention than I’d like. But no headlamp would be a “perfect” 5 of 5 stars!.

Works a treat. Good beam distance. It has the three different beam strengths and a red led light. Easy to switch on and cycle through the different beams. To switch colours you have to hold the button down at the beginning.

Only slightly annoying thing is that to change the colour after the light has been switched on for a while you need to switch it off and then back on, and hold the button down.

This is a well made, easy to use and well designed headlamp. Rectangle design with easy to use one button control. Runs on three triple A’s with easy access to battery compartment. The control button is easy to find on the unit.

Hold it to dim or brighten. The unit has a small mode button on the top of the unit that moves the light through the standard light, strobe of red light option. The bright led light should serve you well in most conditions.

Completely unscientific, but I easily had 25-30 yards of lighting on the high setting. I usually use the red light setting inside shelter and found it was a little dimmer than I would like but served the purpose.

Battery life seemed reasonable. Completely unscientific experiment with three duracells let it run constant for a good 7 hrs. with still enough battery to run red. Minor annoyance was the head strap.

Easy enough to use. The adjustment has an alternating adjusters with one on the outside and another on the inside of the strap. Over a hat no problem, wearing it without and the inside adjuster starts to become annoying.

Overall, good choice if you are looking for a headlamp you can count on.

I bought this for my husband, who often goes for dawn patrols that start/end in the dark. He needed a very bright light for the downhill, and this light does just that! Once you figure it out, the app and light are easy to use.

You can add multiple “profiles” for different activities (climbing, skiing, etc) through the app, which have some preset understandings for how the light should work and adjust in different conditions.

That being said, sometimes it would be nice if this light would work like a “simple” headlamp and just have a button for on / off and different modes (low, medium, high light, strobe, etc). Took one star off for initial setup being more cumbersome than we’d prefer.

I use to have older rev of the lamp and very happy with it for years. Got this lamp a month ago and at first was working well. It paired with my phone fine. Then while using the lamp, it would not turn off.

I unplugged the battery to turn it off. Then the light would not turn on at all. I went to the app to reset it started to work. Then I tried to use it again it would not pair to my phone any more. It still works in the default mode, but I can’t turn off the red light any more or change any of the modes.

Imagine this happening at the top of the mountain in -20C, the light suddenly refuses to work and you have to fiddle with your phone. Totally useless product!.

Never again will I buy a Petzl headlamp. I had the 1st gen NAO and the battery eventually quit charging. However, Petzl has now decided to change their battery design so I have to buy a complete new headlamp.

I am now left with a perfectly good headlamp and no way to power it. Petzl no longer sells replacements for the 1st gen. Great move Petzl, you have lost a once loyal customer. Black Diamond here I come.

I was a bit skeptical about how good/bright this light would be given the size of the lamp. It is bright enough for what I’m using it for. I think I’d like something the can adjust for more brightness at a greater distance for trail navigating.

Plenty of thorough reviews exist on-line that come from a runners perspective. I have never had a headlamp of significant quality so I’m hoping this one will last more than a year!! I’m using it for getting around an off-grid cabin, camping, hiking etc.

I was also attracted to the battery life, and different back-up options with the Ultra, as well as the ‘wireless’ design of this model. The larger battery pack is a little bulky for behind the head but not a deal breaker.

I like the rechargeable aspect as well. So far I’m pleased and enjoying hands free illumination again!.

Just got this, so maybe it will grow on me. The front light is a little awkward as only the left side has padding where it rests against your head making it unbalanced and uncomfortable. Not too bad right now as I’m wearing a hat in the subzero temps, but I’m not looking forward to the summer nights.

The battery pack is a also little uncomfortable and overall it is nowhere near as comfy as my LEDLenser H7 (has a fantastic spotlight but became too dim recently) or my old Petzl Tikka XP (not as bright but still going strong).

Still need to fine tune the strap adjustment, seems either too tight or way too loose. The lighting isn’t bad, the two lights creating quite a wide field of view so it lights up maybe more area than I need for trail running.

I haven’t worked out the controls yet. There is only one button and it cycles through a variety of settings, so I’ll have to recheck the manual on quite how the sequence actually works. Also forgot that you need to open up the battery case to turn the rear red light on.

Very easy to forget to do that. I’m hoping some of the features such as the ability to switch between AAA and rechargeable, a longer power cable and cold resistance will make this a worthwhile product in the long run.

It´s a very well build torch and wistands wet conditions really well (heavy rain, humidity, sweet, etc). I also like the red flashing light at the back, i find it very usefull when running on the road.

It´s also very light and the battery works well for daily runs of 1h. After 1h20m at max setting, it seems to slowly diminish the intensity of the light. You might have to use a larger battery or AAA settup for longer runs.

The brigtness of the light it´s ok but I find that in narrow steep trails sometimes I would need a bit more illumination specially when exploring new tracks I´m not familiar with. All in all, a great tool, I have used it daily and I´m very happy with it.

Best, Pep.

This light is very well balanced. It distributes the battery to the rear of the head strap and so there is no discomfort. It adjusts easily so should fit most heads. It also come with a rechargeable battery pack, so there should be no reason to not hit the trails.

That is if you can’t find the AAA’s. Plus the extension cable allows you to store the battery pack in a pack or jacket if preferred. That makes it even lighter.

Primarily I use this headlamp while running at night is combination with a waist light. I find the waist light helps to reveal contours on the road trail, while the headlamp lets me see specific items.

The flashing rear-light makes me more visible to cars. I like the easy to control dimmer on the light as well as the ability to tilt and adjust the angle as I run. The strap across the head is removable, but I recommend keeping it attached while running because it stabilizes the light and keeps it from sliding down your face without having to overtighten the head strap.

Bonus, the headlamp is very useful to illuminate things while doing home improvement projects that require the electric to be turned off, or in nooks and crannies of the house.

As my first foray into the world of quality headlamps, I have to say, this is quite the piece of technology. The light is insanely bright – I had the misfortune of looking directly into it as I turned it on for the first time and yeah, I was seeing spots for a while! Definitely brighter than I need for normal nighttime running on the road or trail, but it’s nice to know that it has that kind of juice if I need it! I was curious as to the battery life as I believe that the manual showed a 2 hour battery life at full strength.

I’m happy to report that mine laster 3. 5 hours. As far as comfort goes, this is good for what it is. There is a “tail-light” and battery in the back so it’s not going to be the lightest in the world, but once used to it, was perfectly comfortable.

There is a removable top strap which I think is not comfortable or necessary so I removed it, and there was not too much weight or bounce thankfully. I think I would definitely recommend this one as a nice headlamp that is full of features: Dimming, strobing, good customizable fit.

Clearly good quality and I expect it will last a while.

They’ve improved the headband over the years a d this one stays adjusted properly and fits nicely. I love the lightweight. I do wish there were two brightnesses on the red light. Pretty intuitive controls.

Pretty bright. Wish you could charge it without opening the batter compartment, but I’m sure that would add weight. At least the battery compartment opens with a simple tab instead of screw off cap. Makes it faster to access for charging.

I don’t have the product but I believe I’m going to purchase it very soon. I currently have total of 12 Nitecore lights. With that said I love all of my Nitecore lights along with all of the funny videos they have posted.

They are being less boring and while they are presenting the product info. Of course that everyone has their opinion but this shouldn’t bother anyone in this scale. You go guys! We love those videos!.

Pros: Hybrid battery option for flexible power sources Firm strap doesn’t slip easily. Bright lighting options Cons: Strap is not that comfortable – a woolly or chook helps Color temp of lights mismatched – looks bad.

Red lamps are way too bright to be useful for night, dark-adapted vision.

This lamp had to have been designed by a runner. Everything about it is perfect for those of us who run in the dark. It is ultra simple to use. A small child could figure it out. Also the buttons are easy to push and you dont have to stop to change brightness or turn it on or off.

The straps are easy to adjust and the fit and balance is phenomenal. The battery charges through a USB port so you just plug it in when you take it off. I dont know how long it takes to charge because I leave it plugged in overnight.

And, of course, the brightness is more than adequate and long lasting. I simply love everything about this headlamp and would buy one again without ever considering what else is available.

Was looking for the next step up in Petzl headlamps from my old Petzl headlamp from about 5 years ago. The old headlamp still works and is great for the twilight darkness of the midnight sun in the summertime but I needed something a little brighter for my winter adventures.

This headlamp’s brightness is perfect for hiking in the dark, doing chores outside like shoveling and feeding the sled dogs. Have also used it to do some work on my car in a really dark-lit spot. Also did some caving/spelunking with the headlamp and was not disappointed, even the deepest parts of the cave felt safe with this light.

I also love the rechargeable battery in this headlamp! I’ve had this for several months now with pretty heavy use and have only had to charge once, but it sure beats having to dig out some AAA from the junk drawer that may or may not work or heading to the store before going out.

Love petzl headlamps, have used them for years for backpacking and they are great quality, long lasting, and trustworthy. Recently upgraded to this rechargeable model (and awesome that it comes with the battery, not all of them do) and took it out on a multi day snowshoeing/backpacking trip.

Love all the extra features of this headlamp, especially that is has a wide range of brightness options and of sizes (fits my husbands average sized male head, and fits my ridiculously small head). I did have a small panic set in as we were setting up camp and dusk was quickly approaching, went to turn on my headlamp and it wouldn’t turn on.

I thought maybe it got switched on accidentally in my pack and ran out the battery, so I quickly changed to my backup AAA batteries. Same thing, wouldn’t turn on. My husband was able to get it to turn on by pressing very firmly.

The following day the same thing happened, but when I pushed firmly it still wouldn’t turn on. Had to hold the button down for several seconds before the headlamp kicked on. I’m assuming this was due to sub freezing temps (17-27 F) and the battery needed to warm up, but I didn’t have that issue with my previous Petzl headlamp and my husband’s older model Petzl turned on right away.

I might be nervous to have it on a solo trip in those temps, which probably isn’t common for most. Just thought I’d share in case anyone finds themselves in a similar situation. Other than that I’m happy with it, it is very easy to turn on/off when not in freezing temps.

I’ve been using mine for a month, and even though I haven’t taken it camping yet, it is great for working under the house, walks at night, finding “lost” items behind furniture, and reading in the dark.

Comfortable and light weight. It has good battery life with the rechargeable as well as with 3 AAA batteries, I like the red beam for wildlife walks at night. I also purchased the case that doubles as a lantern (with the headlamp inside), is very waterproof, and protects the headlamp inside my purse or knapsack.

I just had to return a Tikka Core that I bought for someone as a gift, returned due to a problem with the battery contacts, and I decided to spend $20 more to get him the Actik instead. Brighter and seems more dependable too.

Excellent bit of kit, lightweight and comfortable.

TranslateShow in original languageHar tidigare använt Cross Trail 3X och den nya lampan get en skönare ljusbild över hela området.

TranslateShow in original languageSmidig och lätt lampa som funkar fint vid löprundan i höstmörkret.

Black Diamond Storm 400 Headlamp Great headlamp! I bought this headlamp a year ago for a three week long trip that included eight nights of camping in the Four Corners region of the American southwest.

Upon returning, I have also been using this headlamp regularly to provide lighting for doing jigsaw puzzles! I like and use this headlamp so much I decided that I better buy a second one as a backup.

To my dismay, I discovered that the Storm 400 has been discontinued and replaced with a new headlamp that uses an alternative rechargeable battery technology. Fortunately, I was able to find a second Storm 400 on clearance at Black Diamond’s home website.

Here’s the thing. No doubt, the newer battery technologies have advantages. I’m not saying that they don’t, but the AAA battery technology used by the Storm 400 works very well as it is. If something ain’t broke, why “fix” it? My point is that I have already made a commitment to AAA and AA battery technology.

I own a number of devices that use this technology, I own a large supply of rechargeable AAA and AA batteries as well as the necessary charger to maintain them. And, this technology works very well and I have enough experience with this tech to know what I can expect from it.

Not only that, but in the event that I need alkaline batteries as emergency replacements, those are readily available at any Walmart, Home Depot, supermarket or chain drugstore anywhere in the country.

Why invest now in the unique battery technology used by the Storm 400 replacements, a technology that should it fail for any reason, there is no “work around” that will enable one to keep on going? The Storm 400 headlamp itself is a brilliant piece of engineering.

The lamp case is water resistant/waterproof to about three meters. The headband is a soft and very comfortable chamois type fabric. This headband may be removed for washing. The angle of lighting for the lamp is adjustable on 5 click stops.

The lamps themselves put out plenty of light and there are three lighting functions; narrow beam, wide beam, and wide beam with a choice of three colors; red, green or blue. I find the red light function to have real utility and use it at night when preservation of my night vision is desirable (which is most of the time).

All three lighting modes are dimmable. There is also a well thought out “insta-touch”, instant High Beam function. It takes a little practice to “touch” the lamp correctly in order to actuate this, but this function is so useful that practice has made my execution of this function flawless.

I especially like the SOS function (another “touch” function) which is a subroutine of the strobe function which this lamp also possesses. After hiking western trails, I can easily imagine how an SOS light could conceivably be of real use.

The lamp uses 4 AAA batteries. These batteries are easy to swap out for fresh ones. I have read about some people having trouble extracting the 4th battery from the compartment. There is a little trick to this.

Mentioned nowhere in the headlamp instructions is a tiny little lever built into the battery compartment immediately adjacent to that battery #4. One must give that tiny lever a flick with one’s fingernail and the 4th battery will be partially lifted out of its channel.

Without knowledge of this “secret lever”, which is very difficult to see, being it is tiny, black in color and buried at the bottom of a black battery compartment, it is indeed difficult to extract that battery #4.

The newer battery technology recently adopted at Black Diamond has no doubt enabled them to make a slightly lighter weight and more compact headlamp. And I am well aware that saving weight is something of a fanatical cult philosophy among backpackers, but this older version Storm 400 is a great headlamp and Black Diamond should consider putting it back into production.

Arrived as advertised, works great, very bright headlamp. Bought mainly for working in tight spaces and in the attic. Also works great when working on firearms when you need some extra light.

I needed a head torch for running as I only had old Petzl ones for hill walking. All I can say is that for the size and lumens this is amazing. It provides more than enough light for running off-road or walking, comfortable on and doesn’t move when running.

The light unit is adjustable so can be angled and has three modes. A great purchase.

I used it for around 11 months and travelled with it for more than 15000 KMs. Since past few months it hasn’t been working properly. Occasionally it works well and sometimes it doesn’t. So when I went to claim the warranty for this product, it was working at the showroom but it ditched me a couple of times while it was needed in the dark.

Also one thing that mine doesn’t work with new batteries of any other make except for Geonate. I tried it a couple of times. So I would recommend going for a more powerful and preferably Micro-Usb charging one from the next time.

this is the second of these torches we have bought. The first recharged via mini USB, this model now uses 3xAAA batteries. Both have pros and cons depending on if you are somewhere that it can be recharged or not! Haven’t yet fully challenged the battery life of this one so can’t comment on how long it will last, but potentially more useful being able to just carry spare batteries if off grid for more than a week or so.

Last night, we had a severe Thunderstrom/tornado warning. The power went out. I had to get dressed in the dark for work. I was using my flashlight, and then switched to the headlamp. I was impressed with how much light the headlamp gave off.

It worked great with the opening of the garage door. The headlamp was out of the way, and I could use both hands. It was like having a lamp in the bathroom and bedroom. Now that we are in Winter and the days are longer, I am going to keep the headlamp handy.

I love this light! But not for any outdoorsy thing. I use it when I knit and crochet. The adjustable light allows me to focus precisely on my stitches, and the head strap is quite comfortable. I see a whole new market for this little gem!!.

Light is bright and throws a wide arc of light. The up and down angle of the light can be adjusted. Easy to use controls. Great for shoveling snow. No charging cable included but not is issue since most of us have several cellphone chargers hanging around.