Headlamps

[Seesfar]

As an occasional user, I’m sure I have missed discussions on this topic so forgive me for asking again, but what headlamp checks all the boxes for you? And why?
thanks

[rhjanes]

Nitecore NU25 from Litesmith. Rechargeable, several light settings on both White and Red. Lightweight. From Litesmith there is an option to have an even lighter head elastic.

[Seesfar]

Nitecore NU25 from Litesmith. Rechargeable, several light settings on both White and Red. Lightweight. From Litesmith there is an option to have an even lighter head elastic.

Thank you. I will research it!

[smkymtns]

And one of the best features of the NU25 is you can press and hold both buttons to ‘lock’ it so it doesn’t accidentally turn on in your pack. I prefer the normal head band but very happy with these headlamps.

[Time Zone]

And one of the best features of the NU25 is you can press and hold both buttons to ‘lock’ it so it doesn’t accidentally turn on in your pack.

I second the importance of such a feature, having experienced battery run-down a couple times (in 10 yrs). However I'm not a fan of rechargeables unless they're easily and economically replaceable. Since rechargeables lose capacity as they age, regardless of use (some battery chemistries lose about 50% life over 3 yrs), in many cases this results in the item itself being disposable rather than a long-term purchase. I also like being able to swap in fresh batteries as needed.

However, headlamps can get enough wear and tear on them (esp. the button) that the unit itself and the battery might age at the same rate. In that case it's not a big deal.

[rhjanes]

Many of the good headlights for hiking/camping, seem to have a "Lock" feature. And if you go with a battery powered one and it doesn't have a "Lock", just remember to remove the batteries when packing in the morning. Also have a place to put the headlight within reach at night but still away from you so you don't somehow turn it on and it runs down over night.
Another neat feature on the NU25 is you press and hold the "R" (Red) light button and the "W" (white) light button will flash. three flashes means 50 or more charge left. 2 flashes means 10 to 50 percent charge left. 1 flash means 10 percent or less charge. The light also will "depower" as it runs down on power. Meaning you can't turn it on high if the charge is below 10 percent. I use my NU25 almost nightly as we have a dog who loves to roam our half acre yard until midnight. I go out to find his toys, him, things needing "removed" that he left for me.

[LoneStranger]

Only drawback I've found with the NU25 is that it doesn't insulate the battery much. In cold weather and by cold I mean below freezing, it needs body heat or the battery won't be there when you need it.

I reviewed it several years ago and was amazed at how long it will run on low power. As rhjanes noted, it won't let you run it dry on higher settings. That little bit of battery it saves you will last a long time on the low setting. That is a nice feature to keep you from being stuck in the dark trying to recharge by feel.

If you are interested you can find the full review here https://www.trailspace.com/gear/nite...5/#review40349 but this snippet will give you an idea of how little power it uses on the low setting:

The low setting is where things got interesting. While the output dropped over time the lamp refused to stop putting out useful light. Testing went on for weeks and each night I'd shine the light around a dark room and see well enough to do camp chores. I finally turned the lamp off after 664 hours (over 27 days!) of continuous use and found that there was still enough charge in the battery to turn on the high output lamp.

I am still using that same unit three years later. Both lamp and battery seem to be fully functional, but the strap should probably be replaced

[One Half]

Many of the good headlights for hiking/camping, seem to have a "Lock" feature. And if you go with a battery powered one and it doesn't have a "Lock", just remember to remove the batteries when packing in the morning. Also have a place to put the headlight within reach at night but still away from you so you don't somehow turn it on and it runs down over night.
Another neat feature on the NU25 is you press and hold the "R" (Red) light button and the "W" (white) light button will flash. three flashes means 50 or more charge left. 2 flashes means 10 to 50 percent charge left. 1 flash means 10 percent or less charge. The light also will "depower" as it runs down on power. Meaning you can't turn it on high if the charge is below 10 percent. I use my NU25 almost nightly as we have a dog who loves to roam our half acre yard until midnight. I go out to find his toys, him, things needing "removed" that he left for me.

That's awesome! I never knew that but I just gave it a try. So cool!

[rhjanes]

That's awesome! I never knew that but I just gave it a try. So cool!

I've got sort of bad eyes.....reading that fine print of the owners sheet was a struggle. I went and looked up those percentages. I have two NU25's and use one almost nightly out with our rumbustious dog. I use the feature and when it's at "one blink" for a few days, I recharge that one and switch to the other one. Based on the testing comments above, at that low-batt mode it would continue on low light for a good while.

[cmoulder]

Another great feature of the Nu25 is that it (the latest model anyway) has a USB-C charging port.

They've done that with the latest InReach Mini, so it seems electronic gadget makers have finally, and thankfully, settled upon a standard for plugs.

Edit: And having just returned from a trip where it was a bit of an issue, I should mention that the buttons on the NU25 are hard to operate while wearing Polartec 200 gloves.

[Seesfar]

Only drawback I've found with the NU25 is that it doesn't insulate the battery much. In cold weather and by cold I mean below freezing, it needs body heat or the battery won't be there when you need it.

I reviewed it several years ago and was amazed at how long it will run on low power. As rhjanes noted, it won't let you run it dry on higher settings. That little bit of battery it saves you will last a long time on the low setting. That is a nice feature to keep you from being stuck in the dark trying to recharge by feel.

If you are interested you can find the full review here https://www.trailspace.com/gear/nite...5/#review40349 but this snippet will give you an idea of how little power it uses on the low setting:

The low setting is where things got interesting. While the output dropped over time the lamp refused to stop putting out useful light. Testing went on for weeks and each night I'd shine the light around a dark room and see well enough to do camp chores. I finally turned the lamp off after 664 hours (over 27 days!) of continuous use and found that there was still enough charge in the battery to turn on the high output lamp.

I am still using that same unit three years later. Both lamp and battery seem to be fully functional, but the strap should probably be replaced

Wow!!!!
thank you

[Seesfar]

I've got sort of bad eyes.....reading that fine print of the owners sheet was a struggle. I went and looked up those percentages. I have two NU25's and use one almost nightly out with our rumbustious dog. I use the feature and when it's at "one blink" for a few days, I recharge that one and switch to the other one. Based on the testing comments above, at that low-batt mode it would continue on low light for a good while.

Thank You!
I like the sound of it. I hope REI carries it. But I’m doubtful.

[cmoulder]

Thank You!
I like the sound of it. I hope REI carries it. But I’m doubtful.

You can order direct from Nitecore.... or Amazon

[cmoulder]

... and it looks as if REI carries only Petzl and BD headlamps ...

[rhjanes]

Or order from Litesmith. When I ordered mine, I got the UL elastic which replaced the elastic band. They also sent me an UL toothbrush. Be careful on Litesmith. Easy to "add to cart....OH!! Add to cart....OH!!! Add to cart...."

https://www.litesmith.com/

[MtDoraDave]

I'm going to go a little different route... I like the Nitecore NU20 headlamp. It doesn't have a red light, it only has one light and one button. It has a plastic shield that covers the button when in its closed position, so it can't be accidentally turned on (well, can't is an "absolute" - but it would be extremely unlikely to accidentally turn it on).
I love its simplicity.
The low setting is said to be 1 lumen. I think it may be a bit brighter than that, but it's dim enough to not be offensive to others in a shelter while being bright enough to read a book at night. The medium setting is bright enough to night hike, while the high setting is good for when you hear something go bump in the night.

[Trash]

I like my Black Diamond Storm; waterproof, long battery life, light weight, red light mode (a must) as well as many low power/light modes.

[rhjanes]

I like my Black Diamond Storm; waterproof, long battery life, light weight, red light mode (a must) as well as many low power/light modes.

Also a very likeable headlight. And probably easier to replace when on a long trail. That said, lots are probably purchased along the longer trails from Target/Wally World and sporting goods stores.

[LoneStranger]

I like my Black Diamond Storm; waterproof, long battery life, light weight, red light mode (a must) as well as many low power/light modes.

That is my go to in cold weather. Load it up with lithiums and you are a worry free winter backpacker. Well, except for the freezing to death thing, but you'll be able to see well at least

[cmoulder]

I'm going to go a little different route... I like the Nitecore NU20 headlamp. It doesn't have a red light, it only has one light and one button. It has a plastic shield that covers the button when in its closed position, so it can't be accidentally turned on (well, can't is an "absolute" - but it would be extremely unlikely to accidentally turn it on).
I love its simplicity.
The low setting is said to be 1 lumen. I think it may be a bit brighter than that, but it's dim enough to not be offensive to others in a shelter while being bright enough to read a book at night. The medium setting is bright enough to night hike, while the high setting is good for when you hear something go bump in the night.

There's a lot to be said for simplicity and reliability. In very cold and/or wet conditions I like the ThruNite TH20 which uses a single AA lithium, although it will work with an alkaline battery as well. Impervious to cold (with lithium battery) and rain and has one button that operates easily while wearing gloves. No red mode, but it has a most handy attribute where it can be switched to max quickly and then back to the previous setting. And its intensity is infinitely (well, a whole bunch of tiny steps) adjustable between min and max.

The replaceable battery is more useful for night hiking, not that I've done a whole bunch of it for the past several years, however. But it's a heckuva lot more convenient to pop in a fresh battery than it is to recharge from a power bank. I have never tested for any sort of performance numbers, but let's just say it runs for a very long time at around 40 lumens, which is plenty of light for the usual camp setup.