Home Page
Expert Help

How To Choose A Headlamp

Headlamp Features To Look For

Behind food, water, and shelter, a light source is a must-have item on most adventures. Headlamps are the main source of light on all camping trips, and while their mission might be simple there are a ton of options out there. You can choose what beam type, battery life, and lumen output best suit your needs. Whatever your adventure, our Gearheads are here to steer you to the right light. 

Lumens

The term “lumens” is used to quantify the amount of light being put out by a light source. Lumens are not to be confused with ‘watts,’ the amount of energy required to power the light source. Headlamps can range from 15 on to up 500+ lumens. Headlamps at the lower end of the lumen range are great for use at campsites and in groups, as they won’t be so bright as to irritate the people you’re with. On the other hand, if you’re caving, climbing, or in any other situations when lighting up large areas is critical, you’ll want to look at the other end of the range, at headlamps that offer an output of 200-500+ lumens.

As the life of the batteries decreases, the lumen output does as well, dimming your lamp. To help extend the battery life and light output of select headlamps, many models have either a dimmer or a feature to go between different modes that adjust the amount of lumens being output; LED bulbs make this possible.

Headlamp Beam Types: Flood & Spot

We like to break up headlamp usage into two categories: in and out of the tent. For example, if you plan on hiking, climbing, or setting up camp at night, you’re going to need a more powerful headlamp than you would for just reading in your tent.  

Luckily, there’s a beam type for each case. Flood beams, (also known as wide beams), are ideal for in-tent activities. These lights will cover wider ground, but typically don’t project light very far. Alternatively, spot—or narrow—beam lights are ideal for out-of-tent moments, like hiking into camp after a late evening hike. These lights will act just like your car’s high beams, allowing you to see far into the distance. 

Most headlamps can switch between flood and spot modes, so if you plan on doing a little bit of everything, we recommend finding a headlamp that can do the same.  

So just how far can that light go in spot mode? The beam type and lumens determine the distance that the light from your headlamp can travel. Most companies measure distance by meter, and often give a range of distances depending on your light’s mode. For example, a lamp that has three modes—high, medium & low—will give three distances, like 100m, 45m, and 9m. 

Headlamp Modes

In addition to different beam types, headlamps can also provide a number of different beam modes:

  • Flash or strobe to preserve battery life or signal in emergencies
  • Boost or zoom mode provides a high-intensity beam for short period of time
  • Different levels of brightness–at a minimum high and low, and some will offer more options in between
  • Red light mode is good for use in the tent without disturbing others or for viewing wildlife or stars. Red light is used because it does not cause the pupils of a human eye to dilate, so you don’t lose your night vision.

Headlamp Burn Time & Battery Usage

Headlamps are useless if they’ve got no charge. Burn time ratings have slightly changed over the years. Companies realized that your light is no use to you if your beam isn’t bright enough to see, so “burn time” doesn’t necessarily mean time until there’s no light left, it’s the time until there’s not enough light to see.  

The new standard classifies the light of a headlamp as “dead” light when it’s operating at only 10% of its total brightness potential. Meaning you can still have hours left of light, but it’s not going to be bright or very useful. 

USB-rechargeable, lithium-ion batteries are growing in popularity among top-shelf headlamps, but for the most part, many mid and lower-tier lamps still use good old-fashioned AAA batteries. Just because the batteries aren’t rechargeable doesn’t mean it isn’t a premium light. Some headlamps can go for 50-100 hours on max light using AAA batteries, and when those batteries dry up, they’re easy to swap with spares. However, if you find yourself using your headlamp all weekend, every weekend, you might want to invest in a rechargeable one, which can be charged off of a cache battery.  

Additional Headlamp Features To Look For

There are some great features to be aware of when picking up the proper headlamp. In some cases extra functionality isn’t necessary but there are situations where these added elements come in handy:

  • A dimmer function is great when trying to conserve battery life or trying not to irritate people at a camp site.
  • The tilt feature is great for tilting the headlamp to illuminate the ground while walking. Instead of needing to look at your feet, you can tilt the headlamp down to illuminate the path.
  • Light sensors that adjust the lumen output based on the amount of light bouncing back- light sensors provide the user with the ability to dim or increase light output automatically based on the setting without the user needing to continually adjust the settings.
  • Lock-out features are key for storing a headlamp in your pack while on a trip. Nothing is worse than having a headlamp turned on inside your pack, draining the batteries.

 

Keep in mind there are a lot of features and performance levels to choose from. Knowing the intended settings for use will make the selection process easier since not all headlamps perform the same. Certain features may not be required for your emergency kit, while others may be absolutely necessary for your 24-hour endurance race. Below are some features to look for, based on your intended use:

  • Running: Light weight, high beam distance
  • Trail biking: High beam distance, spot beam
  • Camping: Water-resistant, red light, rechargeable batteries
  • Climbing: Tilt feature, spot beam
  • Hiking: Water-resistant, lock-out, light sensors, tilt features

We hope we’ve shined some light on the differences between headlamps! If you need any more information about headlamps or anything else relating to hiking, camping, or backpacking chat with a Gearhead online or call at 1-800-409-4502.