Headlamps

Featured review by Asher Krell

I recently went camping at Desoto State Park in North Alabama and got to try out the Ledlenser MH10 in exchange for a review as a member of another site. Overall I was really happy with the headlamp and impressed with how powerful and easy to use it was. At the brightest level it puts out some serious light and when focused can shine long distances even in the darkest conditions. We used the light around the campground and had to actually keep it on a lower setting so it wouldn’t blind anyone. It is very easy to adjust the focus of the beam with a single-handed twist of the lens. The light also has a nice tilt mechanism that makes it easy to change where the beam is pointing whether it is being used for hiking or laying in your tent and reading. Overall, I would highly recommend this light for anyone looking for a powerful and comfortable headlamp with a useful set of features.

First off, this is an incredibly bright headlamp and in the focused beam position, you can see extremely far. We tried to test it out by shining it at the tops of the trees and could make out every leaf while it was pitch black outside. The headlamp also has the advantage that it can be adjusted to give a focused or diffuse beam with a simple single-handed twist of the lens. They have built in a special mechanism that makes this adjustment without even a full turn so it can be done very quickly.

Read more: Ledlenser MH10 reviews (4)

Featured review by Angie O'Plasty

I have been very happy with this headlamp. It is bright enough for night hiking and the angle can be adjusted depending on what you need to see (or to keep from blinding your hiking partner when you turn toward them). The low-battery warning is a nice feature. I also like that this light is water resistant; this is important for a hiking headlamp because sometimes one ends up hiking in rain and it may happen to be dark out as well. My only complaint is that it is kind of hard to open the battery compartment. Maybe this part of the design is necessary for water resistance, but it does make battery changes a bit of a pain. The good news is that this light doesn't go through batteries very quickly.

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Featured review by Strahwk

I currently have two of these headlamps. One is used for hiking and the other I wear on my hardhat at work. For the price, weight, and size, I am very pleased. The lamp I use for hiking is roughly 3 years old and is as good as new. It throws sufficient light for any task in the woods, and I have used it for many night hikes, especially in the winter. As others have noted, the tilt adjustment for the lamp seems a little weak. For the lamp I use hiking this is not yet an issue, even after 3 years, partly because it is not used heavily.

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Featured review by Bill "L.Dog" Garlinghouse

A light, well-made headlamp with bright, focused beams, and a red light mode. An intelligent switching pattern becomes intuitive with use. Made in the USA.

I've had a few headlamps before this one. In my first section of the Appalachian Trail, I took my Black Diamond Cosmo LED headlamp. It had two side LEDs for a flood effect, and one central 0.5-watt LED with a conical reflector to focus the beam. It was a fine unit except for one thing. It didn't have a red light mode. Now, many like red light to protect night vision. But if one's hiking the AT, and  turns on a white light inside a crowded shelter after dark, they are often called names, have their sanity questioned, and are generally ostracized from the community of hikers.

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Featured review by Wade In The Water

A really good headlamp, but don't forget your patience...

The Black Diamond Storm 350 I purchased one of these headlamps brand new about a year and a half ago and received a second one as part of a prize package about two months later.  I liked the one I already had enough that I kept the second one as a backup and for loaning to that one person at the campsite with the most annoyingly bright headlamp. They both have similar time on them so this review covers them both as I have found no differences between them. Black Diamond is a global retailer dedicated to Skiing, Climbing, and Hiking.

Read more: Black Diamond Storm reviews (12)

Reviewed by Wolfed

Rugged, long run time, waterproof headlamp

When doing anything, especially when I will be away from civilization where potential help if is far away if needed, I like to be as prepared as possible. You will notice that this headlamp is not light by any means at almost half a pound. Then again, it's not marketed as a backpacking light. What you get for this weight though is serious ruggedness, waterproofness, various choices in light output along with run time. You also get something where if you use it mindfully, you shouldn’t have to charge it again while out, even on your longer trips.

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Featured review by George McCormic

The compact size and light weight are a real plus. The use of non-lithium batteries won't cause any concerns if you carry this on an airplane.

This was purchased to replace an older headlamp. I like Petzl products and was looking for a bright compact light that was not too "flashy" and had minimal functions. This model does the trick. This light was purchased as a backup for some ice cave exploration and glacier hiking in Iceland and because of the concern regarding carrying lithium batteries for air travel I was looking for a light that used non-lithium batteries.  On lower settings this light is stingy on battery use and it worked well in cold wet weather. I plan on purchasing a second model as a spare to replace my older AA headlamp.

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Featured review by Jamwat

This headlamp has good battery life, is fairly durable, and comes with an affordable price. The only drawback is the highest brightness setting, which isn't incredibly bright, but given the size and the price, it's a great buy.

This headlamp offers multiple light settings and uses the batteries well for each setting well. It's also durable, though the casing can open if given a significant drop. It's easy to operate and offers good functionality for low-demand tasks. The only drawback is that the highest beam intensity isn't that bright. All this considered, the price is fantastic for the quality of the product and, at the price, you can't do any better. This is excellent for reading at night or walking around camp. It's isn't a high-end technical headlamp, and it doesn't pretend to be. If you're looking for a simple headlamp, this is the best one for your money.

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Featured review by Rick Liesching

This headtorch is a lightweight, high performance piece of kit for hikers/cyclists/cavers/those requiring a reasonable amount of light coupled with credible battery performance. It's not the cheapest light you can buy, though, and could do with adjustment on some minor points.

Just to make the point, this head torch was a replacement for my H7, which unfortunately failed the test of duty when it was wanted. So I downloaded a warranty form off the LED Lenser website, sent it off with the H7, and a few days later a brand new H7.2 (worth a fair chunk more) arrived in the post. Thanks, LED Lenser for the great customer service—trouble free, easy, and no quibbles.  Now the H7.2 has never failed me yet, which is good because I happen to do a fair bit of caving and that is when you do not want your light to bust.

Read more: Ledlenser H7.2 reviews (2)

Reviewed by T.J.

Everything you might need in a hiking headlamp and then some.

As most of us know, there are some who REALLY get in to headlamps and can take crazy deep dives. That's not me, but I do night hike a lot and know the features I need/like so, when comparison shopping, it's a matter of maybe giving something up to get something else. And the Black Diamond Spot 400-R ticked almost every box for me. I've only had it for about six months but the other BD lamps I've had have all shown excellent durability so I expect the same here. I really like rechargeable lamps and have found this to charge quickly and hold that charge.

Read more: Black Diamond Spot 400-R review (1)