Which headlamp?

[TheJason]

I have a Black Diamond rechargeable. Can’t remember the model, I’ve had it for several years now. I was skeptical about the rechargeable at first, but that thing is absolutely awesome.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I need to get another primary lamp in the rotation. Almost all of the lights that I like the features of are rechargeable, but the battery life makes me nervous. It's not unusual to have a lot of nighttime hiking between a recharge. Probably need to bite the bullet and try one, I'm sure it'll be fine.

 

[MTLabrador]

I have a Petzl swift (I think) rechargeable, initial brightness is very good but the battery life sucks.

I also have a Black Diamond storm that I’ve used a lot and I like, but it doesn’t have as much horsepower as I want for route finding and identifying scary bear noises in the dark.

Lately I’ve been using the Black Diamond along with a small handheld Streamlight Protac HL for when I really need to light things up. We had a few people looking for a blood trail or dead bear in a miserable tangle of deadfall recently and having the super bright light was very handy.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I have a Petzl swift (I think) rechargeable, initial brightness is very good but the battery life sucks.

I also have a Black Diamond storm that I’ve used a lot and I like, but it doesn’t have as much horsepower as I want for route finding and identifying scary bear noises in the dark.

Lately I’ve been using the Black Diamond along with a small handheld Streamlight Protac HL for when I really need to light things up. We had a few people looking for a blood trail or dead bear on a miserable tangle of deadfall recently and having the super bright light was very handy.

I like the horsepower of the Swift RL, but don't think I can do the battery life if it's that questionable. I LOVE my Mammut X Shot but it's not gonna last forever, it's already 8 years old. I had a string of bad luck with BD so it's been hard to go back, but it's been several years so probably not fair to write them off. Maybe a combo is the way to go...

 

[MTLabrador]

I like the horsepower of the Swift RL, but don't think I can do the battery life if it's that questionable. I LOVE my Mammut X Shot but it's not gonna last forever, it's already 8 years old. I had a string of bad luck with BD so it's been hard to go back, but it's been several years so probably not fair to write them off. Maybe a combo is the way to go...

The nice thing about the Streamlight is I can also keep a couple spare CR123s in the pack and not worry about burning through a rechargebable battery. I probably wouldn’t carry it if I was backpacking in familiar country or country with friendlier bears, but it’s nice in grizzly country. @EYJONAS! was impressed with how well it worked when we really needed to see.

 

[Shangobango]

Anybody else tried Nitecore? I bought a rechargeable awhile back and have been nothing but pleased.

 

[EYJONAS!]

The nice thing about the Streamlight is I can also keep a couple spare CR123s in the pack and not worry about burning through a rechargebable battery. I probably wouldn’t carry it if I was backpacking in familiar country or country with friendlier bears, but it’s nice in grizzly country. @EYJONAS! was impressed with how well it worked when we really needed to see.

I felt like we were on a black ops mission.

I now own one as well

 

[Lean Elk]

Diamond Back Spot and Cat Eye for flood light.

 

[mojoman]

Black Diamond! Just choose your weight and lumens you want and they prob make it.

 

[Bowildee]

Stingray industries… 100% the best

 

[The Hedgehog]

Let me help you guys out: best headlamp on the market today

I carry that and 2 spare batteries, maybe overkill. It's like having a spotlight on your head, the only downside this summer to using it on high beam, was the swarms of moths that would attack you.

I have several fenix headlamps, they are really the top of the line. I've used a ton of petzl, had a mammut and black diamond as well. Fenix is the best, hands down.

 

[Trial153]

I have a FENIX HM50R however I am thinking of upgrading to a Felnix HM61R MULTI-USE HEADLAMP

 

[Schaaf]

I have a couple black diamond headlamps and have no complaints.

I also have an el cheapo energizer head lamp that my aunt and uncle got me in 2000. I am confident you could leave that in a lake overnight, dry it off, then pour gasoline on it and light it on fire and it would still work. It’s my oldest piece of gear I think.

 

[ILbowhntr]

Black diamond storm

I have two of These. Very happy with them.

 

[brocksw]

LED lenser

 

[Boarmaster]

I have two Black Diamonds. No issues.

 

[Kentuckyshiner85]

For me a headlamp is considered a vital peace of equipment. I don't advise anyone that is going remote to carry gear that may crap out on them when needed to most. I carry a surefire and then a Black diamond storm as a backup with spare batteries for both. I'm thinking of cutting the surefire out do to the battery life but is just so dang tuff. And the lithium batteries do better in the cold.

 

[BenInMT]

I like my Fenix other than the red lights are not very bright

 

[Islander]

I like my Fenix other than the red lights are not very bright

I think this is by design. There are some great studies that show red light that is too bright dramatically harms night vision. I read at least study one that showed that people with red lights will often turn them up bright enough that a dim white light would let them see better and maintain better night vision. I stopped seeking out red lights after I learned that and just run Zebralights or my little Manker EO2H AAA on sub-lumen settings at night.

 

[amo16]

Black diamond storm

I've got a few of these and honestly I'd never buy them again. Battery life is not very good even on lower settings, and the feature where you're supposed to tap the light to go to max brightness is always malfunctioning and causing your light to going max power when you don't want it to.