Are you a fan of outdoor activities such as mountaineering, camping, hunting etc? Know that for your safety or for better visibility, you need a headlamp. Only, we do not choose this accessory at random. In the guide that follows, you will have the ranking of the best headlamps, but also useful advice on how to choose one. Already, we offer Milwaukee Electric Tools 2111-21 which can provide up to 475 lumens. You can reload this model if you ever run out. Then you can also get Petzl Actik Core which you can easily wear on your head since it weighs only 75 g.
Buying Guide – How to Choose a Good Headlamp?
For any outdoor occupation, the headlamp is one of the essential accessories in the night environment. You must therefore choose it with care for your safety when going out at nightfall. Your choice will depend on the characteristics of the lamp, but also on your needs. Read our buying guide for the best headlamps.
Choosing a headlamp: how it works
How to buy a better value for money headlamp? Before choosing from the many headlamp models, it is important to know its composition and thus master the different technical terms displayed on their boxes. The first part that composes it is its power supply. Some models use a rechargeable battery while others use batteries. Apart from its power supply, it also consists of a printed circuit. The latter is intended to manage the brightness. The last part that makes up a headlamp is obviously its lamp. The most recent models use an LED lamp which has the advantage of being energy efficient and durable.
LED headlamps for outdoor brightness
Increasingly widespread on headlamps, the LED bulb attracts consumers for its resistance, its durability, but also for its energy efficiency. How to buy a new headlamp then? Even though LED lighting looks alike, there are still two distinct models such as focused models and focused leds. For the first model, it aims to produce light at a short distance. For focused LEDs, they have the advantage of emitting powerful light over several meters. Note that to meet everyone’s needs, some lamp models offer both types of LEDs on the same headlamp.
For information and for more precautions, know that the lights diffused by the LEDs differ. Indeed, the diodes used project a blue light which varies for each model. Some are risky to the eyes while others are risk free. To differentiate them, there are four main categories rated from 0 to 3. The smallest category remains without risk for your eyes while group 3 has a high risk even for short durations. To avoid any accident, manufacturers are required to display the risk category on each box.
Choosing between a battery-powered or rechargeable headlamp
Even if the rechargeable models are famous these days, their battery-operated colleagues are still in the race. Indeed, some of them guarantee nearly 200 hours of use, which ensures long night trips while being lit. As a result, the autonomy of battery-powered models is twice as long as those that use a battery.
In addition, battery-operated headlamps have the advantage of being rechargeable. This avoids having to buy batteries every time. But to put the competition on an equal footing, some manufacturers offer hybrid headlamps that work with both types of power supplies. This will allow you to use batteries when the battery is flat, but you cannot recharge it.
Lumens, the indicator marking the power of a headlamp
The power used on a headlamp is fixed in lumens. This power determines the comfort provided by the light during your night getaway. The higher it is, the more powerful the projected light will become. So take into account the lumen output of your device when buying it. If you plan to go camping, a model with around 100 lumens will be enough to light up your nights. On the other hand, for those who practice mountaineering and require fairly powerful lighting, a headlamp greater than 200 lumens is preferable.
Note that the lighting distance is not associated with the power in lumens. This is the shape of the beam that your lamp causes.
The importance of checking the beam width as well as the lighting distance
You should know that the light beam is related to the lighting distance of your lamp. As a result, you will find wide beams as well as focused models on the market. To differentiate between them, be aware that a wide beam is ineffective if you use it to determine a nearby object. But it is useful if you are hiking at night. Before choosing a headlamp, make sure you know your needs to determine the ideal product for you.
Autonomy
Everyone knows that the autonomy of a lamp decreases over time. But this may vary depending on its use. If you use your lamp with maximum lighting, for example, this autonomy can quickly decrease (a few hours only). On the other hand, a model that can be adjusted with low light can be used for days.
The 5 Best Headlamps (Reviews & Tests) of 2022
During your outdoor activities: forest getaway, camping, mountaineering, exploring caves, etc., you will need a headlamp. Find below how to choose the best headlamps of 2022.
1. Milwaukee Electric Tools 2111-21 Rechargeable Headlamp
What is the best headlamp on the market? Need efficient personal lighting for your hard hats? Milwaukee offers you to buy its high performance rechargeable headlamp model. A bright red color on a compact design, this product has been designed with good quality materials promising greater durability. The body as well as the lens of the Milwaukee headlamp are resistant and waterproof. These are made with fairly light plastic material, but their weight still reaches 220 g. To ensure its attachment to the helmet, the equipment has a rubber cord with a non-slip surface and adjustment clips included.
With TRUEVIEW peak power, the lamp can generate up to 475 lumens of light output. Therefore, it provides the amount of light needed for good visibility. In addition, its beam is capable of reaching a distance of 52 m from its base. Functionally, it can produce 5 levels of convenient flood or task lighting, adjustable from a control button anchored to its body.
Milauwkee’s lamp, which is also less expensive, is created to withstand various external shocks. Its base material is therefore of high quality, but above all waterproof.
The lamp provides a satisfactory level of lighting. Its luminous flux can adopt 7 different positions and is able to switch at an angle of 210 degrees.
Because of its weight and its functions, this headlamp is reserved for exclusive use on a construction helmet.
2. Petzl Actik Core SS20 Headlamp
Where to buy the best headlamp? If you’re tired of low-quality, low-battery flashlights on the market, Petzl has an alternative to help you out. It offers a more upgraded version of headlamp. With a powerful brightness of 450 lumens, Actik Core SS20 provides a high level of illumination. With just a few clicks of its power button, the user can switch between 5 operating modes: low light, medium level, high level, red light mode and flashing red light mode. The Petzl headlamp thus offers great visibility in many circumstances.
In terms of autonomy, its Petzl CORE battery is rechargeable. The latter can be easily replaced by 3 AAA batteries if needed for longer use. Therefore, it is the ideal ally for “outdoor activities” such as hiking, mountaineering, trekking, camping and running.
Robust and lightweight, the device weighs 75 g and is easily worn on the head or over helmets using an adjustable size headband with a reflective surface. This equipment can also be attached to your bikes. The luminescent part of its cord gives it more visibility during night outings.
The Petzl SS20 headlamp is capable of providing high quality lighting with several power levels. Its battery gives it a decent amount of energy and it can be recharged or replaced with AAA batteries in case of failure.
Thanks to its weight and its attachment system, the device can easily be worn on the head or on different types of helmets.
With no protective seals, the Petzl headlamp is not waterproof enough to withstand heavy rain.
3. Black Diamond Storm Headlamp
Which headlamp to choose? Black Diamond is a brand known for its efficient and quality lamp technologies. Opt for its storm front model, the most efficient product in its range. This device is not afraid of the heavy showers of Canada, it has a hermetic and robust casing. And even if your lamp accidentally falls into the water within 30 minutes, its system will remain intact.
With a maximum output of 375 lumens, the Black Diamond headlamp is capable of illuminating up to a range of 100m. It offers 6 brightness levels from dim to very bright and a flashing light mode. The device also has a night vision mode with 3 color options: red, green and blue. The lamp is therefore ideal for better lighting during all kinds of outdoor activities such as mountaineering, hiking, camping… even in the most adverse weather conditions.
Black Diamond’s storm headlamp also features PowerTap technology which allows the user to go directly from any power level to its maximum level by lightly tapping on a touch sensitive area. The equipment also has a memory system that allows you to save the last intensity settings without going through all the other intermediate modes.
The Black Diamond storm front model has a sealed housing and a compact, quality lens.
The user can choose between 6 lighting modes including red, green and blue color variants.
This storm headlamp has a multitude of functions on a single control. This can result in wasted time finding the ideal light level.
4. Dewalrt DWHT81424 200lm AAA Headlamp
For effective personal lighting on all your jobs, the Dewalt DWHT81424 headlamp is a good alternative to consider. With a luminous flux of 200 lumens, this device to compare to others is able to bring a satisfactory amount of light in your workspace. A small comparison with its previous version DWHT70440 allows us to demonstrate that the manufacturer has doubled its power on this model. With its yellow and black construction site color, it does everything to impress potential customers. This product also has a great robustness on its materials. It resists the most adverse conditions: water, dust, external shocks. He is able to assimilate a 2m drop while remaining intact.
The device attaches to hard hats with an adjustable, two-way non-slip strap. With the help of this strong attachment, the equipment is more secure and does not risk falling as easily.
This Dewalt model, which is the best brand of headlamps, is powered by 3 AAA batteries and offers an autonomy of 24 hours in use at medium power and only 6.5 hours if it is used without stopping its maximum light.
Light, resistant, compact, inexpensive Dewalt DWHT81424 has all the specifications required for a high-performance headlamp. In addition, it provides enough light while keeping your hands free.
To facilitate its use, this headlamp is equipped with a motion sensor allowing it to turn on and off without much effort.
The device has a very affordable price and its quality / price ratio is more than profitable.
The batteries last for 24 hours and are not rechargeable.
5. Energizer Vision 400 Lumen LED Headlamp
Need advice or a price comparison to choose a practical flashlight? The Vision LED headlamp from Energizer is the solution for you. Whether for indoor use, to illuminate your works and all kinds of projects, for sports activities or for any outdoor activity, this device produces a perfect light to improve your field of visibility. . With a high output of 400 lumens, this Energizer headlamp is capable of illuminating up to a range of 85m. It also has the ability to pivot its housing forward to better adjust the direction of the light. This device has 2 red LEDs for night vision and 3 white LEDs for normal vision. It also offers 5 lighting modes ranging from focused to wide beam,
Made to last, this lamp is designed from compact and resistant material. It has a good seal that meets IPX4 standards. And she keeps her balance on her attachment point thanks to an elastic headband with adjustable waist. The torch has as energy source, a rechargeable battery which can be changed by 3 AAA batteries.
Enegizer offers a headlamp with multiple lighting options with night vision modes and different light intensities.
The device offers the possibility of varying its light intensity from 10% to 100% depending on the lighting required.
This technology helps the comfort of the user, it gradually increases the brightness so as not to have a direct effect in the eyes.
Since the controls are made from a single point and it takes several clicks each time to set the desired light level, the button can easily become fragile and cause problems with the proper functioning of the device.
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