Best Headlamp for Backpacking
Me rocking my Black Diamond 325 Spot headlamp
Introduction
The only thing worse than being lost in the woods at night, is being lost in the woods without a light source. A headlamp, a light source that you can secure to your head is especially useful as it allows both of your hands to remain free to provide stability while hiking, to allow you to set up camp more easily in the dark, and allows the light to follow your head movements so it is always pointing at what you are looking at. In this post we’ll go through what makes the best headlamp for backpacking or the best headlamp for hiking based on your own needs.
Even beyond camping, hiking, and backpacking, a headlamp is useful in many circumstances in everyday life. When not on the trail I keep my headlights in the car just in case the car breaks down at night or I need to pack up a tailgate at night after a sporting event. You really should pick up a headlamp if you don’t already have one, so I put together this guide to help with your choice.
At the end I will get my ‘One Big Recommendation’ I have for a headlamp. Too many options just make things harder and if it doesn’t fit what you need you can arm yourself with this information and search for the one that meets your needs more effectively on your own.
Key Points to Consider
Rechargeable or Not
All the headlamps I am aware of on the market today are battery powered by either standard batteries such as AA or AAA or by a rechargeable lithium ion battery like the ones in your cell phone.
The benefits of a rechargeable battery are that you can top it up before each trip without buying brand new batteries. You can charge them via external battery banks or solar panels during the day if you have one and can offer a greater energy density in a smaller package so they are brighter and last long even though they are smaller.
The disadvantages of a rechargeable headlamp is that the battery will degrade over time (like your cell phone) so when it does all the money you saved on new batteries will be spent on replacing the headlamp. If you are going on longer trips you'll need a way to recharge the headlamp on an ongoing basis whereas traditionally powered headlamps you can bring extra batteries or pick them up at most any store along the way.
In order to get the best of both worlds I prefer a headlamp that uses traditional batteries but use rechargeable versions of those batteries so I can be at 100% charge when starting each hike but also have the option to replace them with regular batteries if need be.
Weight
The weight of the headlamp matters for 2 reasons: 1) you will be carrying it around with you all day long and every ounce adds up to a pleasant or not so trip 2) The heavier the headlamp is on your head the less comfortable it will be wearing it and the more it will want to jump around as you are hiking.
The trade off in weight is usually in battery life and/or how bright the headlamp can go. Some heavier headlamps try to get around this issue by moving the energy source to the back of the head and only have the bulb on the front.
This is not to say that the lightest possible headlamp is your best option. Determine first how long you’ll need the lamp to last and the amount of light output you’ll need from it. If you are planning on hiking through the night every night, you may need to deal with a heavier headlamp since that is your only option and it is better than trying to hike through the night unable to see anything.
Battery life
Battery life is the most critical element of a headlamp and should factor in heavily with your decision. Do you always get up after sunrise and are in bed before sunset and will only use the headlamp for emergency circumstances - you likely can choose a lightweight headlamp with limited features. On the other hand, if you plan on hiking ridge lines all night long and NEED it to illuminate both down trail and your peripheral surroundings then you’ll need a heavier, more functional light.
Battery life is also dependent the setting you are using the light with. Even the most basic headlamps these days often have a high and low power setting. Take this into account before choosing to avoid getting a light you thought would last for 12 hours and going out after 4 because you misread the battery life light output equation.
In my experience, on a typical trip I use a headlamp on low power to see around camp in the morning and at night for about 2 hours per day and on high while hiking or doing specific tasks for about 1 hour per day if we are looking to push as many miles as possible. Being conservative then, on a 3 day, 2 night trip, so long as the light has a 9 hour life I will be ok without additional batteries or a way to recharge the light. I use my recommended headlight (obviously) and I’ve never on a section hike come close to running out of battery life so long as it was fully charged when starting.
If you think your experiences may vary, adjust accordingly.
Light output
Light output is measured in lumens. The lumen is the SI derived unit of luminous flux, a measure of the total quantity of visible light emitted by a source per unit of time (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumen_(unit)). You may be more familiar with watts as measure of light output as that is how most home light bulbs are advertised (25W, 40W, etc) though that is not directly tied to light out. Depending on the bulb type, the amount of watts needed for a specific output in lumens varies. Most hiking headlamps use LED lights as they require much fewer power in watts for the equivalent amount of light output. For example, you would only need 3 watts for 200 lumens of output in an LED bulb vs. 25 watts for 200 lumens in an incandescent bulb.
Most hiking headlights will have an output of 100-400 lumens which is more than adequate for most situations you will encounter on the trail.
Lamp Adjust-ability and Output Angle
In addition to light output, adjust-ability of the lamp to direct the beam downward depending on situations is something to keep in mind. When using the light it is often ideal to have the light adjusted slightly downward on the trail vs. parallel to trail to see where you are stepping. If you plan on hiking in the dark for a long time, being able to adjust the light down instead of raking your head forward will save a lot of neck pain. This feature is less necessary if you are only bringing the headlamp for camp situations or as an emergency as it does add weight.
Similarly to adjust-ability of the lamp itself, the angle of output of the light can also be a helpful feature. Wider ‘flood’ lights output light in a wider beam which is useful for illuminating a large area such as a campsite and makes it less likely you'll blind you hiking buddy when looking at them. A more focused ‘spot’ light is more helpful for seeing further down a trail to anticipate obstacles.
I personally use a headlamp more often than I’d like and think having the functionality of both a flood and spot light or at least a high and low output setting are necessary.
White & Red light
Red light is not used because night vision can’t see it, it is used because it allows you some visibility while preserving your own ‘night vision’. Your eyes adjust their sensitivity based on the availability of light. You can test this by going from a very light room to a dark room and waiting for about 20-30min. While paying attention you should notice that over time you will be able to see more and more in the darker room. Fun fact, this is also why pirates wore eye patches so when they go below deck they have one eye that is always adjusted to the dark not because they all got their eyes poked out.
Some headlights will also have a red light option in addition to white lights. I like this option as I prefer to use red light when going to the bathroom at night, walking around camp at night, and getting ready in the morning if the sun is still not up yet.
Comfort on head
Headlamps are useful because they allow you to go about your business with minimal interference. If the lamp is too tight, itchy, or causing a rash you are probably better off just holding a regular flashlight.
What you can do when shopping online is to ensure the headlamp will fit on your head or is adjustable enough to fit, even if you have a wool cap on.
It is harder to see material but ratings and comments are usually telling if the headlamp has known comfort issues.
Waterproofing
If you are hiking in the dark, at some point it will also be raining. You really should have a headlamp with at least IPX4 waterproof rating.
The IP Code, or Ingress Protection code, IEC standard 60529, sometimes interpreted as International Protection marking, classifies and rates the degree of protection provided by mechanical casings and electrical enclosures against intrusion, dust, accidental contact, and water. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code)
The first number or X denotes the dust proofing of the item from 1-6 with 6 being the most dust proof and X denoting there is no data to specify a rating. The second denotes how water proof the item is from 0-9 or an X if there is no data.
IPX4 rating means that “Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.”
You can’t go swimming with it or submerge it in water without risk but it will be fine (so long as you keep it closed) in all the rain you can stand hiking in.
ONE BIG RECOMMENDATION
Black Diamond Spot 325 Headlamp
Some sites have lists of 5,7 or even 10 recommended items. This is usually because they are trying to sell you something or increase their ad revenue not because they want to actually help you. While I do use some affiliate links to help support the content produced here, I only give you recommendations on items that I actually use and think you should also without having to calculus and a yellow legal pad to figure out which is actually best. If there is ever an issue that you have with an item I recommend, please let me know and I will do all I can to help you as well as reconsider the item being recommended.
MSRP: $39.95 US
Bulb Type: LED
Distance: High: 80; med: 60; low: 8 meters
Brightness: High: 325; med: 160; low: 6 lumens
Battery Life: High: 4 hrs.; med: 8 hrs.; low: 200 hrs
Battery Type: 3 AAA
Waterproofing: IPX8
Weight: 3 ounces (with batteries)
BOTTOM LINE:
The Black Diamond Spot 325 offers the ideal combination of features that most people will use in an affordable, rugged, and compact package. Combined with rechargeable AAA batteries and a battery charger and this lamp offers unmatched versatility no matter what adventure you are heading into. Unless you only plan on using the headlamp for emergencies and want to shave an ounce off your base weight or need 1000 lumen output for hours on end, this is the headlamp you should add to your backpacking kit.
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