20 Best Headlamps For Ultra Running (2023 Updated)

I had been using my camping headlamp for runs, but got tired of the weight, bulk, and need for a hat bill to keep it in place. This was the perfect replacement! I came in at 13 grams lighter, and with its narrower headband it soaks up less sweat, making it even lighter post run than my previous headlamp.

The sprint 225 has a smooth swivel adjuster (for up and down) that doesn’t click like others, making it more customizable because it doesn’t have to sit in the next groove available. I also like it’s light modes.

It has an easy on for medium and high, but a customizable adjustment for anything from max to dim if you hold the button down. An additional light mode that I like is the ability to lock it off, for times that it’s in your pocket or bag, you don’t have to worry about it cutting on and burning battery.

In addition, this is my first black diamond lamp, and I would have to add that the light from this lamp let’s off in a unique way that I think provides an almost natural viewing experience at night. Meaning, there are no spotlight points, everything is evenly lit up.

think, artificial sunlight wherever you look. Overall, I love this headlamp as it perfectly fit the neiche that it was made for. They now have a loyal fan for future lamp needs!.

This headlamp is sweet. It’s really, really – no seriously – REALLY light. It’s a also, rechargeable. I will never buy a non-rechargeable headlamp again. Idk if it’s waterproof or not, but I’ve definitely gotten it soaked before and it’s been fine.

I love how it’s not over engineered. Like there isn’t a strobing-red-light-paired-with-a-siren-noise-because-you-will-(eye roll)“definitely-need-that-in-an-emergency”-function. The power tap and lock functions are the only special features, and both are actually a useful and non-extraneous.

Overall, this headlamp is just a light that can be bright or dim. The bright setting is plenty bright for climbing, running, navigating 4th-5th class terrain. I’ll throw two in my bag in case my partner forgets theirs, and because it’s so light and simple, it’s the perfect backup.

It’s reliable, with a long battery life. Its all you really need.

The chief benefit of this light is its size and weight. I was able to throw it in a bag without thinking about it and even run with it in a tiny running-shorts-pocket and almost forget it was in there.

Without committing much space or effort, you can have a decent lighting solution for many uses. Because it’s a flood light, I found it necessary to have it on the higher levels at all times to feel secure in using it for trail running.

It did an excellent job of providing a small bubble of light all around me, but of course, this isn’t always as useful as a directed beam. That said, the weight/size was very noticeable, or rather almost not noticeable on the run, which is a big change from my other headlamp that I can feel try to bounce a bit with each step.

In addition to trail running, I used this in my garden now that the days are getting shorter. It made the task effortless: because of the brightness and the way the light was broadly cast, I was able to see clearly wherever I looked without effort – not exactly “just like daytime” but certainly with an effortlessness that’s uncommon with headlamps and flashlights (having to adjust the angle of this, hit the button for that lighting mode, etc.

). There aren’t a lot of lighting modes/options, but I suppose this also contributes to its general ease of use. The battery life isn’t spectacular, largely because it’s just so small a unit and, as mentioned, I kept it at or near the brightest setting all the time.

Though, the rudimentary 3-LED battery meter made recharging obvious and easy. All told, this is a solid little light that you’ll be very glad you can reach for in a pinch. While it might not be my first choice for any particular task, it’s been solid for pretty much every application I’ve needed it.

Brighter light or a focused beam or longer batter life might be nice, but these would likely also increase the bulk of the object, which would detract from its greatest strengths: that it’s a powerful, little light!.

I paid full price as I noticed FNT trail runners were using this for their multiple day and night pursuits. I have two Petzl Actic headlights that I like but I thought I lost both of them in my disorderly lifestyle and used that excuse to upgrade to this way expensive gadget.

Immediately impressed with the longevity of the battery and cute adjusting band. Bought in Aug. I found my other headlights but was glad still I got this one. Then two months in I noticed that padding of forehead pad was falling apart /- then edges of padding on the band.

From carrying in my soft down coat perhaps but only two months?? I could live with that but then the esteemed battery started doing weird things. Fully charged I’d leave in car for two days and it’d be almost dead for no reason.

Also the on-off lock is not secure– several times I’d find my light on after I locked it to put in pack or pocket. My Actics with no locks were far less likely to accidentally turn on although they did once in awhile.

I also only had the choice of a black and white unit which would get dirty very quickly. I switched back to Petzl from Black Diamonds due to the later failing after 2 or 3 years — planned obsolescence I think–but I’d doubt this one would last a year.

Great concept and incredible powerful light I am still tempted to try again next time with a recommended case that Petzl supplies. But more likely try another high intensity non name brand light for less money.

The active adjustment light worked well and even low setting was enough most the time whereas my Actics require middle setting to be good enough. If you get one be conscious it’s fragile headband wears quickly.

My first and only return to REI so I didn’t do it precipitously.

Me: 2 years of using the lamp for trail running, skiing, biking, camping, scrambling, and mountaineering. Pros: Lightweight and waterproof Long lasting battery Way brighter than the average headlamp Comfortable headstrap, adjustable, and soft Rechargeable and battery meter convenient Cons: -adaptive light feature is poor, doesn’t work well in fog or in cold weather, it will dim if the beam hits your breath or fog.

It also dims in heavy snow and not ideal for mountainous conditions -No flash mode for SOS. No red light for tent reading and retaining night vision -Cant replace batteries in the field easily. Swapping specialized batteries in the field is tedious and impossible at times.

Takes specialized expensive batteries. I’ve had to take a spare headlamp with AAA batteries for multiday expeditions -Quite an investment It’s been a reliable headlamp. But not my go to favorite headlamp compared to my black diamond models.

The only drawback of this product should be the price. Unfortunately, that is not the case. It’s impressively bright and a great proof of concept for the reactive lighting. The entire point of the reactive lighting is that you will not blind yourself while using this lamp, but you will blind others.

This headlamp is unusable in a group. It would be perfect with a red light setting, but, without that, it’s unusable in my application. I hope Petzl takes the feedback and flushes this product out a little bit.

A mode memory option would be fantastic! For now, I’ll stick with one of the Black Diamond offerings and use a high powered flashlight when I need a long distance spotlight.

The best $20 you can spend on a headlamp! The past 3 years I have been using the larger unit with the battery pack on the back and it is great for running on the trails but I was looking for something smaller for when I run in town.

This unit is perfect! I use the red light to get ready in the morning and not bug my wife then kick on the headlamp for running out on the streets. I could not believe how light it is compared to the larger version.

The fact that it is rechargeable and waterproof for the $20 I picked this up for is unbelievable. This is also my goto for taking my Scouts on camping trips. I can throw this in my pocket when not in use and at night on my tent floor I can find it because of one little unknown feature.

The 2 buttons for the 2 different lights are glow in the dark and it was a fun surprise to see this!! Such a simple feature but one that I cannot believe isn’t on every single headlamp out there. I do worry about the cover for the charging port holding up over time but with the customer service I have had from Foxelli in the past I know they will take care of it if something happens.

This now makes for my 3rd Foxelli headlamp (all are still in use) over the past 3 years and I am as pleased as can be.

So far so good. Only used it a few nights, but I really like it so far. Pros: Very bright main light. Red light is very bright too. Intuitive controls. Headband is comfortable, adjustable and it holds it’s position.

Under $20 is a really good value for a rechargeable headlamp of this quality. Comes with two charging cables. Cons: concerned about how long the cover for the charging port will last. Also, a bit fiddle to pop it open.

Micro-USB is starting to become dated. Charging cables are a bit short. Unknown: durability Conclusion: Despite the minor quibbles, this looks to be a great value for a rechargeable headlamp.

Who needs batteries? Not you, if you buy this headlamp and don’t need to use it for hours on end. This is a great little piece of equipment. I really like the two button approach compared to the single button on my other Foxelli Headlamps.

It makes getting the modes right much easier. Otherwise it works pretty similar and represents a great value for something you can use over and over without buying new batteries all the time and having to store them somewhere else.

I use headlamps camping, working on stuff around the house, biking at night, etc. This absolutely fits the bill for all those cases and it really affordable to boot. If you need one, grab one!.

I could not wait to try it out. There are two in the box, hurry and get your AAA batteries they are not included. The strap is adjustable for small heads. I go out to the backyard from the side of the house that is not lighted very well.

I don’t want to use the floodlights and disturb my neighbor, so this works perfectly. My little headlight; lights up the stepping stones nicely. I really have been finding an excuse to put it on to go outside in the evenings.

Great GearLight, I am delighted.

This black light works great. We moved into our new house recently and we were told to check for scorpions once in awhile. I bought this black light to locate scorpions and sure enough, it does the job.

They light up like a candle. Unfortunately, the light shows more than just scorpions. We found one room having small patch spots where pictures may have been hung and another where the carpet needs to be replaced.

This was a good purchase.

At first I thought they didn’t work – I got batteries out of my stash, they turned on, but they faded quickly. Over and over. THEN I realized that,while the batteries were not used, they were not new, so I opened a new pack of batteries and put them in.

Worked great, nice and bright. I bought a few more – I have a farm and the days are short, so folks have to go out with animals sometimes when it’s dark.

I had high expectations for this headlamp as I watched video after video about it plus already having a meh experience with a petzel headlamp I was looking forward to this one mainly because of the vast illumination possible combined with very good battery life.

At least they were good battery life claims. It claims to be able to last 4 hours on the highest setting but I’m not getting anywhere remotely close to that. On the highest setting for a for minutes, the magnesium around the unit gets surprisingly hot, like almost burn your fingers hot.

Now there’s a safety feature on it where if it detects a certain temperature is reached, it automatically drops down to the next lighting level to not allow it to overheat. While this feature is nice, I don’t expect the unit to get red hot in a matter of minutes on the highest setting only to decrease the lumen setting which semi defeats the purpose of having the high setting even available.

If I had both beams on the lowest setting, I imagine the battery life would be good but it’s not very useable at that level except for emergency lighting. I used it the other night on a full charge with the spot on level 2 and the flood on high.

I did a 25 minute run, and the battery was down to 2 out of 4 lights. So it would’ve died in less than 1 hour if I kept that up. I purchased a couple extra rechargeable batteries and a pack of CR123a batteries to have as backup.

I do love the band and the adjustable knob works really well! The clicking adjustment of the trajectory and angle of the beams is very nice too. So there are some things I do like about it but again, battery claims are VERY exaggerated and beware of using the max lumen mode, be prepared for some hot metal on your forehead!.

I use head lamps in a number of situations for work, attics, crawlspaces and working under the truck and cars. I have a number of hand held and headband flashlights and they always seem to be out of juice or just weak beams.

I got tired of spending $30 – $60 plus dollars on flashlights that are subpar. I bought the “Fenix HM65R-T Trail Running LED Headlamp”, extra battery, charger and bag. The bag is camo, this was a red flag to start with but bought it to store everything in one place: Pro: It contains everything in one bag.

The color red, easy to find or see. Con: the bag is camo, you drop it, say good by to your $100 – $150. The light was brighter than most of my other lamps, more crisper. The headband kept slipping off my head, but this was the first time using it, so I need a little more time to make those adjustments.

The first job I used it on, confirmed that my older flashlight was adequate for the job but the Fenix HM65R was better and I didn’t have to guess at what i was looking at. I need more time with it. I gave it a 4 star, based on the first job out.

The price maybe a little high but the light itself appears to be well built. I need more time to test the battery life, recharging, headband stretch. I read the other posts about the head band being small, this was fixed on my unit, adjustment is good.

The light itself is awesome. I go for pre-dawn long runs with the middle setting of the spot (400 lumens) and rarely need more. Battery life is exceptional. It will last all night. The flood is good without the spot for looking through your vest/pack, tying shoes, etc.

The headband is the one drawback. The Boa-like adjuster dial is not necessary. Boas are great for cycling shoes and snowboard boots, but, why is it on this? The long strings will dig into your head no matter how you size it.

After an hour, it really gets to you. Unnecessary gimmick that detracts from an otherwise excellent product. Customer service was responsive, but didn’t do anything. I would have been happy with a replacement band without the Boa knock off on it and even would have paid for it.

To end on a good note—you’ll never find a better running headlamp based on pure functionality. Period.

Rechargeable is the way to go if you use a headlamp very much. Too many uses to mention. I have several headlamps which I rotate when working. Were remodeling currently and I have one on most days. Different models have pros and cons.

This Energizer Vision rechargeable is just OK. Light is bright and three separate white lights are spot or flood. A second push button controls red light on constant or flashing and a nice green light for night use like red but slightly brighter.

I like it. There are some things I dont like. First, most multifunction lights go to off from your chosen illumination on the next button push if its been on for several seconds or more. On this unit you have to push the button repeatedly to cycle through the choices to get to off.

Very annoying if youve experienced the simpler functionality. Also, several similar units have a short attached cable tucked alongside the headstrap with standard USB plug for plug-in charging, so its self contained.

This one, however, has a connection on the light to plug in a micro usb cord (included) that then plugs into a USB charger. An inconvenient extra to keep track of. All in all, its an OK light (love the green for nighttime outdoor activity!), but as more rechargeables become mainstream they could tweak this nice unit to be a good one.

I decided to give this product a try after I realized I needed a hands-free solution to see in the dark for my job. I’ve used it about 3 or 4 times now and so far, it hasn’t let me down yet. Charging is easy with a red light/green light system, a few different lighting settings and it’s not too irritating wrapped around my head.

The battery lasts long enough for me to complete a shift so I can go home and charge it. The light beam is fairly powerful but for $30, I would think it would be a tad stronger. That’s my only criticism.

It’s a bit overpriced by about $10. This is a minor gripe since the thing is operating exactly as I need it to.

The Energizer Vision Ultra rechargeable headlamp is amazing. I have never used one before and thanks to Home Tester Club I got to try it and I’m in love with all the different functions of the light.

Even though it mentions 7 different modes I could only make 6 to work, maybe there is something I’m missing or I got a defective one, who knows. I really like that the lamp is adjustable to your head size and very comfortable.

I have worn it for a couple of hours and it never hurt my head. The item came with enough battery that i havent been able to check the battery life but I have used it for 3 days now in hour intervals and so far I havent needed to recharge it.

The price is on the steep side so I’ll definitely wait until it is on sale, I would not pay more than $20. One thing that surprised me was that I couldn’t find any instructions inside the package so beware of that, you might need to get online to look for more information.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend it.

It’s a good headlamp. I’ve had several headlamps and they don’t last forever which is why I got this one. I’ve had it several months and it’s great. Generally, lights can be finicky in flashlights and headlamps because they move around a lot and the terminals in the lamp that connect to the batteries get either rusty or somehow bent so they connect poorly.

My previous headlamp was the Black Diamond Spot which was very good but that’s what happened to it. It lasted past the warranty period which was good. When it stopped turning on consistently this was the problem.

I tweaked the terminals as did a few well intentioned folks at REI to try to fix it but once it happens it’s very hard to get it right again and obviously once you’re in a situation where you need a headlamp and you know you need to mess with batteries in your headlamp to get it to turn on when it’s already dark then you know it’s worth it to buy another one.

One important thing that I think should be borne in mind: do not run with your headlamp on unless you specifically have a headlamp made for running. The jostling motion of running can be hard on it and wear it down in one way or another much faster.

The other thing that can be frustrating about lights in general besides a short lifespan is short battery life and having to change the batteries too often. I got the Storm 400 because it’s sturdy and it takes 4 AAA batteries.

Yeah, it’s a lot of batteries, I know. It is not intended for running and you won’t want to while you’re wearing it. It’s pretty chunky but the reliability and many different settings on it are great.

If you like to look at nocturnal animals when you’re out camping or backpacking like I do then the 3 different color lights (red, green, and blue) will be great for lower brightness “night vision. ” The fact that it’s also waterproof is huge for when you’re out in the backcountry and you can’t just run under some shelter when it starts to rain.

If you like being outside at night in any way whatsoever without running, you don’t want to worry about your light when it’s raining, you want a headlamp that will last with good battery life, and you want different color lights, then get this headlamp or be prepared to face a life of darkness.

If I could have implanted in my body like a cyborg, I would.

I really wanted to take this thing out into the wilderness on a backpacking trip for my test period, but unfortunately life had other plans! A work trip and a wedding booked up the two weekends after I received the item, so I instead had to use it around the home – for things like walking the dog at night and vacuuming my car in a dimly-lit garage.

Let’s start with what I liked. I love all the features, to include the red lamp, strobe (the red lamp can also strobe, which is nice), and the dimming feature (simply hold the power button to dim/brighten).

The head band is very easy to adjust, and I had no problems getting it to stay snug on my head. This thing is also very bright – much more so than the lightweight (rechargeable) Black Diamond that I normally carry on overnight trips.

It will be really handy to use in situations where you need a very powerful lamp and also need your hands free. The ability to swap between rechargeable and AAA batteries is also such a great feature.

It allows you to regularly use the rechargeable battery, while not worrying about it dying while out in the woods (if you carry extra AAA batteries that is). Now on to what I didn’t like – The instructions are kind of confusing, and only use images to explain how to use the headlamp.

It wasn’t too hard for me to figure out because I already have a Black Diamond and most of the features are the same, but a first time user might have some problems figuring out how to use the headlamp.

Maybe some written instructions would help? Second, the lamp can get quite warm if used on full power for an extended period of time. Lastly, I found the “tap” feature (to cycle quickly to full brightness) very finicky.

Sometimes it would work with a light touch, and other times it would take a few taps before it worked correctly. It was honestly a little frustrating to use. Overall, I would still recommend this headlamp.

It’s on the heavy side (74g with the rechargeable battery; 80g with AAA), but the versatility and brightness are really worth it to me.

I use my headlamp almost daily, not only for my camping adventures but my day-to-day morning and nighttime hikes with my dog. I was very impressed with the options on this headlamp. The only drawback I could find is the integrated battery which can’t be replaced.

The manufacturer does mention on their website the longevity of the battery and mentions a 1000 or more times of recharging. The features are many for this small and compact headlamp. Its headband is comfortable with a small profile, so you hardly know it’s there when wearing it.

The light intensity I was able to sample side by side with other competitors and the intensity was equal. The biggest difference is the focus of the beam. The competitors was a bit more focused, where the 400-R is a wider more peripheral beam.

Regardless of your interest there is ample light when in max. The dimming function was what I was impressed most with. With the leading competitors brand it has a step down staging affect each time you press the button, whereas the 400-R can give you whatever light intensity you prefer by simply pressing and holding the button.

The button itself is designed so its raised feature has an ease of locating aspect to it. This makes it much easier to find your button if you are wearing gloves. The mode button was recessed a little so it was a bit more challenging with gloves, but given the raised button for the on off light intensity adjustment, which is right next to it, I easily got used to its location.

A unique feature for this device is the touch sensing min max option. With this feature you simply graze your finger (doesn’t work with gloves very well) on the bottom right side and it takes the beam in whatever mode (red, single beams and combined beam) and adjust to max or min with each touch.

This actually helped to save on my battery life once I got used to it. The tilting of the 400-R is on par with other leading brands but has a tension type vs a ratcheting action which gives you whatever angle you want with ease.

The memory function took a little figuring out. I thought there was a button pressing code but it really just came down to whatever mode or intensity you leave off on the light will return to that intensity when you turn it on again.

This feature is nice because you always can have your fine tuned preferred adjustment. The SOS function was a bit of a disappointment. You have to use the touch feature for the SOS yourself and it is very difficult to get the right sequence right, plus if I was trying to get a rescuers attention wouldn’t I want to have a brighter light? The waterproof function was by far the biggest standout for me.

Other competitors headlamps don’t give very many choices for waterproof features at this level, and especially at this price point. This is by far the best feature in my opinion. I used this light in the poring rain and it stood up just fine.

The battery life goes fast in the max mode. I would say about 3 hours by my estimates. In summary this small, lightweight, full of options headlamp is a win!!!. and at this price point makes it by far a leader in this category of headlamps! I look forward to making this my primary headlamp for future adventures and hope the more than a thousand charges holds true.

Being factory sealed, there would be no way to replace the battery unless you RMA’d it. which would help prevent it from being yet another filler for the landfills. Thanks’ Black Diamond for this one! (PS I tried to video the comparison on my GoPro but it was too dark for the results to give you much perspective).

The Swift is great for trails, especially if you’re coming down in the dark, but just don’t expect the battery to last for a long camping trip. 1. Light: the swift has 2 options – a wide dispersal lighting and narrow focused beam all with 2 intensity options.

I find that the options are quite nice and relatively easy to switch between. So if you need to see the whole trail easy, if you only want to see what’s in your backpack you can also manage that. The negative is that there’s no red light( aka woke up in the night and have to answer nature’s call) option.

I did not notice much from the reactive lighting, but I also tended to bring out the lights when it’s too dark to see out of habit. 2. Band: the Swift has a pretty comfy band, with easily adjustable loops, and the slight cushion behind the lamp itself is nice.

I found the double adjustments in the back easy enough with gloves on, but didn’t really try to adjust with the band on my head. 3. Tactile: I’d say the Swift is pretty easy to fumble the lights on/off with gloves on.

The option to lock the light on/off function is nice, but difficult to maneuver with gloves on. 4. Battery life/indicator. The swift has a very easy to read battery indicator. Which is quite helpful since the battery life is not that long.

Like I said, it will last at least 8 hours to get you off a mountain. But if you’re planning to take it along for a long camping trip without ability to recharge it, you might have to plan to use it sparingly.

It’s nice that the swift is rechargeable, but likely also why the battery doesn’t last too long. Older non-rechargeable headlamps use the usual AAA and thus last quite a bit longer and much easier to ‘recharge’ if you just bring some spares.

I bought myself such a flashlight. High quality, comfortable, bright. I would like to replace the soft and tight fit on the head, while jogging, the flashlight does not jump and the weight is not felt.

The brightness is good, I have enough when running in the forest at night. The battery lasts a long time, you can buy a spare battery for long-term events. The charge indicator is very useful, there is no need to count the number of blinks.

Of the minuses, I did not like the fact that when it is blocked, the flashlight does not turn off, I see no reason to keep the switched on blocked flashlight on my head. The Active light function works nicely.

The main beam turns on only in the 3rd power mode.

First, the light is *solid* and not some flimsy, cheap-o piece of junk mad in China. This light will and has already taken a lot of abuse from me in my work (I’m the maintenance man for a trailer park and we are *constantly* repairing trailers and under them replacing water pipes, etc).

This light gets loads of sweat on it in the summer months, plus mud and water and rust and dirt and grease, etc, and this winter will get a break from some of those things, heh. The *light* this thing puts out is *ASTOUNDING*! I use the medium flood the most often as I’m almost 60 and my sight isn’t as good as it once was and I need light far more often than I did 20 years ago.

This setting truly does last all day long. I can leave it on even when I’m not needing it and it would still be running just fine at the end of my day, so believe me and the company when they say this setting lasts 22 hours.

it does! The ‘higher’ settings of the flood or the spot will literally hurt a persons eyes if they were to look into it. The brightness will let you get whatever work done in any dark place you need as there will hardly be shadows anywhere.

One can even turn on *BOTH* the high setting spot and high setting flood simultaneously and light up the neighborhood, lol. This is literally one of the best purchases as a tool I’ve made since I started work as a construction carpenter 40+ years ago.

I’d tried a cheaper priced headlamp made by Energizer before this and that thing ate the AAA batteries like they were going out of style. I was going broke from using that headlamp. This headlamp is saving me all kinds of money and heartache.

If you can afford the initial cost, and if you’re not trying to survive on a disability check and can get a spare Fenix battery, do so! You *WILL* be extremely happy with your purchase. I’ll never buy another brand or model, since I’m sure this one will last me several years even getting beat up as it will.

I’ll eventually get me a spare battery for it but I won’t *need* one for a looong time. Thank you Fenix for such an amazing product and for being Made in the USA!!.

I have a tone of various headlights from over the years from backpacking and climbing. Petzl, Black Diamond, etc. They all have the same issue of weak floodlights that may be good for staying on trails of close up work like map reading, rope management, and general camp task.

But when I’m home I also heavily rely on my headlights when working around the house at night in the garden. And they all have the same issue of weak yellowish lights that chew threw batteries but don’t provide me enough illumination when I’m digging around my tomato plants in the evening.

Well this summer I was digging around picking tomatoes and put my hand right on a giant bull snake I didn’t see because the yellow hue of the light didn’t make him stand out clearly. So I upgraded t to the HM65R and WOW even on low flood the light is brighter than any of my current Black Diamond headlights.

Having the ability to have both flood and spot modes running simultaneously is very helpful as well. So far the battery life has been fantastic lasting for about 2 weeks of evening use this summer while watering and tending the garden a few hours each night.

I can’t wait to use this light more on the trails to see how much greater range and field of vision it give me vs my previous lights.

I have had this headlamp for about 2 and half years. This is the best headlamp on the market in my opinion. I use it for everyday tasks around the house or at night. I am also on a volunteer fire department and have used it on wildland fires at night as well as most recently on a search for missing hikers in a national forest.

During the search I was constantly flipping between the different light modes depending on the situation at the time and used it constantly for 4 hours straight and never had an issue. This light has never let me down and I highly recommend it to all of my friends and family.

I have been a Fenix customer for over 10 years and Fenix is the only brand of light I will buy. Thank you for making an amazing product that works when having lighting is sometimes the difference between life and death.

It’s impressive how even the light is with no bright spots or harsh edges. This is a great option for night runs on well-defined trails. Since the Sprinter 500 only has one flood lens, it’s not the best if you are trying to route find out in the distance.

Even with 500 lumens, the flood light won’t reach as far as a 300+ lumen spotlight. A few nitpicky observations: The coiled cable that runs from the light to the battery pack in the back bounces and is a bit annoying at times when it hits the top of my ear.

The light housing is very light and minimal which is great for comfort, but the light sits so close to the forehead that as a person who wears glasses the light reflects a little off of my top glasses rim which is a bit distracting.

Other headlamps with batteries in the front housing the LED sits far enough forward that I haven’t had an issue with reflection on other headlamps.

I really wanted to like this headlamp. I mean, it works great out of the box. Lightweight, very bright light, nice taillight. However, this is my 2nd unit after returning the 1st one. I though I had a defective lamp, but the same issue is happening on my 2nd one.

I tend to sweat a lot when running. The rear battery compartment is not sweat proof at all and it causes a short. This causes the red tail light to stay on after you turn off the power. I opened the battery compartment after my running and could actually see moisture in it.

It is advertised to be rainproof from any direction. Very disappointed. I had the previous model, the Sprinter 275 and had no issues.

I love this light. My previous Black Diamond headlamps (Spot 350 and even the previous revolt 350 to a degree) had a very focused beam (they were supposed to). This can be a bit disorienting when running creating a tunnel effect.

The Sprinter 500 has a very even light across about a 120-160 degree arc or cone, that lights up the whole trail in front and to the sides. Even at about half power, it was bright enough to comfortably run through tough terrain, lighting up stumps and rocks on the ground as well as low branches above, with plenty of warning to dodge.

I did run this light a few times at full power and it is BRIGHT. At full power I received comments from oncoming runners and hikers to tone it down. (for the purpose of the headlamp, that’s not a bad thing).

I can’t speak to battery life yet, although at max to medium power, it ran for at least 3 hours before hitting one blue light. According to the manual this is 10-20%, I believe. I appreciate the dual fuel system and all my experience so far has been with the BD-1800 rechargeable batteries.

The only thing I’ve noticed so far, is the two side adjustment buckles can work their way loose and it takes some practice to get and keep a snug fit. I haven’t tried it without the top head strap, but it could probably work without it, at least for hiking.

High quality product which is Light, compact and seems robust. Battery life (rechargeable) is great so far, even in cold temperatures though I carry the Silva AAA battery case on longer outings, just in case.

Highest setting is more than capable for technical descents and single track. Medium setting good for everything else and the lowest setting good for map reading, camping, get you home but I wouldnt rely on it over technical ground unless you have no choice.

Other lights may claim a 500+ lumen output but the TR4 makes great use of its output by having one lens flooding the close and mid ground and another lens projecting further ahead and at a higher angle; this gives excellent coverage with no breaks or dark spots where the lenses overlap.

Light where you need it! The battery pack can be placed in a bag/pocket via use of the supplied extension cable which is a nice touch but so far Ive had no issues with the battery being secured on the head strap.

For longer events/outings then I plan to fit the battery packs in my vest so I can quickly change from one pack to another by simply disconnecting and reconnecting the cable. I havent used the supplied rear Tyto light on the hill but have quickly tested it in the garden.

Great to be seen and you shouldnt go unnoticed. Attaches securely to my trail vest too. Again, quality is very high. Having tried other range topping lights from LED Lenser and Petzl; the TR4 is by far my favourite and would be an ideal choice for trail/fell running with the Ultra variant giving you more convenience/run time for long distance events.

I’ve used this for a short time now and coming from a petzl tikka rxp (now Reactik), I have a few gripes about the Silva. The way the light is constructed, it sits only a short distance off the forehead and the flood light illuminates your brow and nose and can create a bit of interference to your vision.

After an hour or so, I didn’t seem to notice it as much but occasionally when the terrain got worse and I turned the beam down a little to get a better view up close, I noticed it again. Also, I don’t think the rechargeable battery pack is worth the extra $70 as it is quite bulky and attaches poorly to the headband such that it bounces and is quite distracting.

(though you also get the red light) The 3AAA battery pack sits more comfortably and does not move around though it can come unhooked if you adjust the fit while wearing the headlamp with a hat on. Other than those, it’s a nice lightweight and very bright light.

I like the simplicity of it. I’m still not sure I’m going to keep it though or might try and trade for the cheaper model without the rechargeable pack and get rechargeable AAAs for it. And finally. it does not come with 3AAA batteries as listed, unless mine was an anomaly.

Been using this torch for about a month to run on morning trails with my dog. Its bright for sure. Puts out a spot through the middle and lower light to the side. I’m using it in unlit areas away from main roads and haven’t at any point felt I need something brighter.

I normally get a couple of runs before charging. The torch probably lasts far longer than that but I dont risk it. That said it comes with a spare battery pack in case you do get caught out. I normally wear over a buff but the weight isn’t noticable.

The only comment is that it’s a bit tricky to position on days I tie my hair back but that’ll be trial and error. Photo of the light it gives out on a darkened path.

My family moved to the mountains into the forest and at night it is completely pitch dark. I got this Fenix headlamp because I’ve had great experiences with the PD35R, so I thought I’d give a hands-free light a try.

I use this headlamp everyday (every night). It has helped immensely when trying to tie tarps in the middle of the night in a rainstorm with the wind blowing everything around like mad. It has helped me find lost items along the path to the car.

The simple on/off operation of a wide/soft color beam, and a separate long throw spot beam, of which both can be used independently or simultaneously, makes it perfect to construct the exact lighting environment for any given situation.

And the quality of this headlamp is absolutely top-notch.

The maximum setting is bright, the controls are easy to use, though actually reading the manual is needed to figure them all out. The charging indicator could be more intuitive, but it was easy enough to charge.

The rear light are nice, I have never had a headlamp with those. An unexpected feature I like is that you can dim the light to any level you want – it does not have set levels like most headlamps. Then, a single tap on the right side of the light toggles between max bright and the level you selected.

I really like both the continuously adjustable light level and the toggle back and forth, it made it my new favorite headlamp. Really good for selecting a light level that works while saving battery and then boosting the brightness quickly/briefly in harder stretches of trail running, which is what I use it for.

Some description made it seem like there were only two light levels and strobe, which would have been limiting. I disliked the rear strap attachment as my main negative. It pops out too easily in my opinion.

It does re-attach rather easily though, so not enough to dock from the rating. It has exceeded expectations, which was nice because it was not the cheapest one around.

This is my third BD Sprinter headlamp. I love the distribiuted weight ot the two-peice design and there are not many good alternatives on the market. Great improvement over the previous generetion. This lamp can be charged using any mini-USB charger, no craddle or proprietary cable is required! Be careful though, this lamp is only splash-proof, and cannot sustain prolonged exposure to water (rain) or get submerged.

Battery unit will take water via USB port and it’s rubber cap doesn’t protect it well enought. The elastic headband quality could be better. The band is quite short for a 6″ male head (it does stretch though over time as the band wears out but previous generation had a longer strap).

After a year of use the band frayed a bit (I wish they included a spare). Top strap comes detached often and then the plastic part it attaches to (on the battery unit) just broke off. Wearing it on the head (with a hat or not) makes the elastic band take some sweat every run and smells bad, but taking the band off the unit for washing and putting it back is a major hassle.

I hope BD will improve these in the next generation.

I bought this to extend the times of day I could run. It is snug on my head and stays on tight while running. It doesn’t move around. I turn the brightness down just enough to see in the darkness but not blind any oncoming pedestrians.

You look extremely nerdy but safety is worth it.

Adore this light. Always wanted a cool bent neck light, and when I had the money I got one of these. Bright and wide enough to light an entire work space, and basically turn daylight on in most rooms.

Magnetic bottom is very strong but has a hard time with rods/round surfaces. The clip is hard to get onto softer fabrics, but holds on decently. In the two years I had my first one, I only had to clean the contacts once and that was about all I had to do.

Eventually that one stopped charging through the magnetic port but since the cell is removable, I was able to charge it in a universal charger. Fenix replaced it quickly, though the button on the new one seems smaller and more fussy, but maybe it’ll break in.

Both never went on accidentally, and the extra lockout is nice, but I almost never use it. I go maybe a month and a half between charging back up to full from solid red, I use it most often on low for looking around and eco as a night light while on devices to keep bugs away.

The other settings are helpful working on drains and under cabinets free hand or head lamp mode. The headband is nice and comfy and the perforated design really keeps the sweat down. Hopefully the holder gets tweaked, I broke off both of the upper arms, but it still clicks in and the strap retains it.

I also took off the top strap, which I think wasn’t adjustable/long enough to fit my head the way I like. I would personally like the beam to be tightened up some, as even though it’s 1200 lumens, it’s very diffused, but the splash can also go into your eyes/reflect off glasses in headlamp configuration, if it’s pointed somewhat low.

Aggressively wide splash with very soft hot spot in the white, red has a circular hotspot that you can barely see. I wish they were less expensive, I’d love to have one in all my kits, though you really do get what you pay for.

The HM61R has many great features. The white light has a more diffused light pattern than many of the Fenix headlamps in the past. Most have had a wide beam with a small and sharp bright spot in the center.

I find this pattern to not be ideal. I find the more diffused pattern of HM61R a good balance between peak brightness and a more uniform pattern. The “ECO” level is a nice feature. It is bright enough to read with and it has a 300 hour run time.

I look at it as a nice backup feature for emergencies where you cannot recharge. Speaking of emergencies the HM61R will work with two cr123 batteries if you need very low temperature operation. The turbo mode is very bright The red light modes also could be a life savers in an emergency and useful to the star gazer.

There are a few features that are less than ideal. The head strap could be a little bigger in circumference. I typically wear an extra large hat. I really had to push the adjustments to their limit to get a comfortable fit and that’s not over a knit cap.

I general don’t like tight fits. Fenix looks to be changing to a reflective and thinner more breathable strap design. The problem with the new design is it provides little padding. This makes the interface between the main part of the light that contacts ones forehead a little uncomfortable.

I will likely add a little padding to make the light more comfortable. I also find a more balanced design (battery in the back) more comfortable but that would limit other features.

For a 700 lumen it’s not anywhere as bright as my cheap 400 lumen 18650 battery light. I don’t know if it’s because of the battery or overrated lumens. My other light uses a cheap overrated 18650 battery but it’s still 1.

5-2x brighter and reaches farther than this Fenix. This light is good for close range short jobs, not hours long. It’s comfortable to wear. It has 4 brightness and 2 red light settings. 4 brightness levels are easy to cycle through.

Green red battery level indicator in the push button. Build quality seems ok. I don’t know if usb-c charging port cover protects the port enough against water or the port itself is protected. I wanted usb-c in light charging and this light meets my requirements.

I wish it was brighter and the battery had a higher capacity. I charge it more often than i prefer. For the price it needs to come with 3 batteries. It’s good for short walks in parks or very familiar trails but i wouldn’t use for anything that requires long range, good brightness, long battery life.

If you don’t need usb-c port and in-light charging battery, any brand that uses AAA or AA will be just as good. I use rechargeable eneloops for other devices but it’s hard to find a headlamp that uses AA which i have plenty.

I didn’t want anything with built-in battery packs as those go for the same or more money as this light. For what this lamp offers it’s overpriced.

I’ve owned this headlamp for about 9 months now. I use it almost daily for outdoor chores, working on vehicles, household repairs and renovations, etc. The light is bright (too much so sometimes for close-up work, even on the low setting), focusable, achieves good run-time on a charge, and overall is fairly durable–with one caveat: the angle adjustment hinge mechanism is weak and wears out with relatively little use (mine began flopping around within two or three months).

My “fix” is to wear the headlamp over top of another hat, such that the lamp portion rests on the brim of the hat, and can’t flop completely down. This works, but it blocks the lower portion of the beam to an extent.

If this were a $10 light, I wouldn’t expect too much durability — but for what this one costs, I do expect somewhat better longevity. If HF is able to get the hinge design revised to improve on this weakness, I’d definitely buy another.

As it is, I can only recommend it as a very light-duty product, even if the rest of it is sturdier.

Let me do the math for you. The best Overdriven leds do not get 200 low, they get 100 lpw or less. So, at 900 lumens, they are likely driving it at 10 watts, off a battery (3. 7 x 4. 4ah) 16 watt hour battery= 1.

6 hours. The linear driver is 70% efficient, and the lens loss is 30% (wide) – 70% (narrow). It is marginal on heat sink, so more losses there. So, it should only be able to get 70% x 1. 6hr= 1. 13 hours on high, with a real out the front lumens of around 70%*900*80%(generous heat loss), which is 500 otf lumens for 1h, at best, less if you focus to throw.

This is why running it on low, (higher led efficiency and less heat loss, likely 30% juice) offers nearly the same lux, but 3. 33 hr runtime. Of course what really happens is that at the 1hr or 3 hr mark, the led has dropped to 50% output, probably under 100 lumens on low, but the eye adjusts, and should be intolerable for any detail work by hour 6.

two good 1850s, same weight and form factor, should be 7 amp hours, nearly 2x the 4. 4 aH that they offer us. We can buy 2x18650s xml T6 bike lights all day long from China for under $17 each, with throwier reflectors with less than 10% ptf loss, and, with a neutral tint, not this ugly washed out cool tint.

For a beginner, who only knows the plastic camping junk sold in Walmart and home depot, this is 4x better. And it is better than many wow factor lights, because it was designed for work, not brief search and rescue.

I make my own headlamps 2s18650, zero lens loss, near zero heat loss, 200 lpw led, dial dimmable and 92% efficient constant output drivers for over 4000 lux flat out for 10 hours. It boggles my mind how fast losses add up on corner cutting lights.

The led has ring segments and not like the Cree leds I have seen. If you need to see really well, expect 3 hours of detailed vision. If you need just to make out outlines and walk navigate, it will last all day.

Are there better options at a cheaper price, yes, but none locally. Could they have included a quality battery, instead of the cheapest 18650, yes. Should they have avoided the ugly 6500+Kelvin tint for a 5300 to 5700 Kelvin neutral tint, yes, because there is little lumen drop and a big boost for clarity.

Will this make for a good entry level light for tradesmen who only currently know about dim Coleman, coast, and other clamping lights, yes. Battery swapping does not work with employees, so getting flat output over 10 hours is important.

But for some cognizant individuals of their limitations and lots of backup cell packs, it will work, especially for lone wolves, working alone. It could fill the gap, when waiting for something better to come in the mail.

I’e had a lot of headlamps over the years. This thing is bright as hell. blinding to anybody that catches the light beam. Even on the low setting it’s brighter than most and the battery lasts prtty long time on the low setting.

I wish this used the same batteries as the magnetic stick light that harbor freight sells. Then I could just swap out the batteries and keep it moving, as I have a seperate charger for 18650 batteries.

There are 2 battery packs, one for rechargebles and one for AA batteries. When the rechargeable runs out I’ll charge those while I can keep going with AAs in the other pack. They really should include 2 rechargeable packs with this setup, that would be the best of both worlds.

Still an awesome light. A bit bulky, but strong light for hours.

Over the last 20 years, I’ve owned three Petzls, and they’ve been fantastic. I love the benefits of field rechargeable gear using my small solar panel, and so tried this Black Diamond product. The first one I bought cracked after six months of use; I did not abuse it, and I assume it to be defective in manufacture (or design).

I returned it, and the MEC staffer said she sees lots coming back with this. The replacement had a faulty Mini USB plug and I couldn’t fit a charging cable into it. Also, on both units, the rubber USB cover never stayed in.

HOWEVER, the most frustrating aspect of product was the user experience. I don’t carry the manual with me, and I could never remember how to switch between normal and red light modes. I’d try a maddening combination of short and long presses, half laughing and half cursing at the absurdity of it.

It’d eventually switch over, and I had no idea what’d finally accomplished that. To see if I’m just dumb, I googled the official instructional video. In my opinion, it’s hilariously complicated. Check it out for yourself.

Giving up, going back to a Petzl setup with extra AAAs.

Easily one of the best headlamps I’ve owned. Pros’ -able to charge via a usb -able to throw in triple a batteries when necessary -waterproof/submersible (being in the pnw this is a huge benefit). -love the features (red light, two different beams (wide coverage and focal), and love having the strobe).

The best part is the tap technology (touch the side of the headlamp and it automatically goes to max power). -headband is really nice and stretchy. -cons -price: bit steep but compared to some of the petzl headlamps that don’t perform as well i’d consider this to not be so much of a con.

-lack of usb-c (I mean come on the future is usb c, here in Canada I know we’re a bit behind the times but still the benefits of usb-c are greater, wish the BD engineers had future proofed this headlamp).

-long charge time (using the standard wall plug in charging should take a few hours 6-8 hours I wish this could be cut down but that the nature of the batteries being used. but using a proper battery charger I’m able to cut it down to about an hour.

Overall: I think this is one of the best headlamps on the market. Has everything that you need and nothing extra, BD has an awesome warranty and in all honesty this is the 2nd one that I own ( I always keep a spare in my car).

Would highly recommend.

I bought this headlamp after loosing my petzl over the winter. I was super keen on the recharging aspect of this headlamp, and felt that black diamond seemed to have a good reputation for quality. I haven’t even had a chance to use it in any outdoor capacity, only tests at home – I left it in my car for a few days this fall thinking it would be useful as I live in a remote area and am often using highway rest stops that have no lights.

The temperatures haven’t gotten below 5C and the battery drained without being turned on. It’s been on the charger in my house for over four hours and not finished charging yet. Theres no way I would trust this while I am outdoors – how long will it actually last in use when it already died without being turned on? Could I logistically charge it from my car or at camp if it takes more than four hours on a charger? I hope to return it and go back to a petzl when I am finally near a MEC store.

A great head torch. Small lightweight and versatile. Nice to have the option of conventional battery pack for when the rechargeable battery runs down, although it does last a good while. And bright? You bet.

Way brighter than my old favourite petzl head torch.

All around a great headlight. Comfortable to wear for both skimo and running – and stays in place, the lighting is great, and it is easy to change between light modes even with gloves/mittens on. Love that the battery is rechargeable.

I have had multiple headlamps that I hated, but I absolutely love this one!.

Simply fantastic, light and powerful. it remains to assess autonomy but. even in the lowest mode the lighting that is available is very good. Silva should consider making this same headlamp available with a red led mode at the front.

Whoever chooses it will not regret it. trekking, hiking, running, trail, bicycle is for everyone. Thanks for the service Runnerinn was 5 stars!.

I purchased the HL18R to replace my RoHS which lasted 5 yrs tillI dropped it 100′. The light has a yellowish tint that is not as bright, but helps with reflection off bright surfaces. I do like the SOS strobe feature for rescue situations.

Unlike my RoHS where the mounting posts are on the light itself instead of the mounting bracket its difficult to remove for use as a handheld light source. My headlamp is permanently fixed to my hardhat with zipties so the charging cord is to short for most outlets.

A old Android phone charger gives you more cord. All &all it is a good light not a great one. Now lets see how long it lasts. For you money Fenix is the best headlamp on the market from my experiance.

I switched to the HL18R after using an early model multi-LED headlamp purchased a few years ago. In contrast, it’s amazing how much light can come out of such a compact and lightweight package. I like the flood and the spot options.

They each definitely have their specific purposes, and I’ve used both modes. I’m very happy with it.

The spot and flood are both yellow light. Do NOT use this headlamp for work or hobby! Colors are distorted by yellow. I bought one and wasn’t able to return it.

After having purchased it I have found other headlamps that seem a bit better and for less money (such as Black Diamond Cosmo, and Petzl Tikka) but the plastic wrapping of this Pelican unit is IMPOSSIBLE to open without destroying the packaging.

so I guess I bought it as I cannot justify returning it to B and H with its container destroyed. It was frustrating that I could not find any detailed description of its red mode (meaning not on the Pelican website nor here).

In short, whereas others (like the Black Diamond) have multi-mode red LED, this only has one red mode. Disappointing for someone who will want it for astrophotography. But you can go straight to red mode IF you were in red mode during the previous on cycle.

It remembers if you were in white or red mode and that is the mode it goes to next time. However, it does NOT remember which white mode you were in last time (high, medium or low) – it always goes to the highest white mode when you turn it on, if you were in white mode the previous usage.

Pretty disappointing. Summary: I would not recommend it nor would I buy it again given what I now know.

I bought the Pelican Headlamp to help me with a specific task which required me seeing inside a sealed item to spot bent recessed connector pins and straighten them. Simultaneously holding a flashlight and a magnifying glass made the task very difficult.

The Pelican Headlamp focuses a bright light right where I am looking and leaves my hands free to do what needs to be done. Brilliant. Today I saw an unexpected benefit. The chain came off my chainsaw.

Rather than having my wife hold a flashlight while I reinstalled the chain (I’m not the most accomplished do-it-yourselfer), I put on my headlamp and did it all myself. Besides helping me, I’m sure it made life easier for may wife who would have been getting my disgruntled instructions as to where to shine the flashlight.

I’m sure I will find many uses for the Pelican headlamp. If I knew about this before, I could have saved beaucoup aggravation (my wife’s as well). The unit is lightweight. The focus can be adjusted up or down.

There are different levels of brightness. And the head strap is widely adjustable and would fit most size heads and helmets. The user can select red light rather than white to preserve night vision, but I doubt I’ll ever need this capability.

In summary, I love my Pelican Headlamp.

Works as promised. Lights work well, the bright light is bright and the red light is good – could be brigther but then it would defeat the purpose of maintaining vision in the dark. A little tight when opening up the battery compatment first time around but seems to work well.

I would buy again.