Top 5 compared
The best headlamps
Both hands free and a bright light wherever you look: under the hood, out with the dog or on the trail.
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The top 5 at a glance
A headlamp is a small light on an elastic band, aimed wherever you look. Many have a spot beam that reaches down a trail and a wider flood for close work at arm’s length. Three of the five recharge by USB-C, the Energizer runs on AAA batteries, and the Black Diamond takes either.
Every headlamp here has a red light, which won’t dazzle you or the people around you. The longest runtime a maker quotes is usually on the lowest setting; full power can drain a battery in a few hours.
What matters
- Ignore huge lumen claims; look at beam distance and runtime.
- A water rating: IPX4 for rain, higher for downpours.
- Weight, if it’s for running or a long hike.
#1Nitecore NU20 Classic Rechargeable Headlamp
$20–$30
At 1.34 oz it hardly registers on a run or a long hike, yet its beam reaches 357 ft and it lasts up to 97 hours on its lowest setting. It charges by USB-C, and a red light and a soft reading light sit alongside the main beam.
What owners say: Backpackers and hikers rate it highly: the brightness modes are well judged, there are two levels of red light, and a charge goes a long way. It stays put without having to be strapped on tight.
A closer look: The battery gauge shows how much charge is left, so check it before a long night hike. Runtime drops to about two hours on full power, so save the top setting for finding the trail and run it lower around camp.
- Battery gauge
- Soft reading light
- 360 lumens
- SOS and beacon modes
- 2-year warranty
Best for: Running and hiking light
- Headlamps in the box
- 1
- Power
- Rechargeable (USB-C)
- Beam distance
- 357 ft (109 m)
- Runtime
- Up to 97 hrs low (2 hrs high)
- Red light
- Yes
- Water resistance
- Water-resistant (IP66)
- Weight
- 1.34 oz
#2Energizer PRO-360 LED Headlamp (3 AAA batteries included)
$10–$20
A beam that reaches 280 ft from three AAA batteries, which come in the box, with spot and wide settings, a red light and a green one. Energizer’s VisionGuard brings the light up gradually rather than blasting your eyes, and the lens is shatterproof.
What owners say: Bright, easy to dim to suit the job, whether that’s grilling or reading, and comfortable and dependable on the head. Battery life is the split: several nights for some, while others find the AAAs drain quickly.
A closer look: Running on AAAs makes it a good one to keep in the car or a power-outage kit, since a spare set of batteries brings it straight back to life. Wide low is the setting for close work in a tent or under the sink.
- Spot and wide beams
- Brightens gradually
- Shatterproof lens
- 360 lumens
Best for: Car kits and power outages
- Headlamps in the box
- 1
- Power
- 3 AAA (included)
- Beam distance
- 280 ft (85 m)
- Runtime
- Up to 50 hrs low (2.75 hrs high)
- Red light
- Yes, plus green
- Water resistance
- Water-resistant (IPX4)
- Weight
- 3.52 oz, Amazon’s figure
#3Lepro Rechargeable Headlamp (2-pack)
$10–$20
Light at 2.65 oz, with a separate button for the red light, so you can go straight to red around the campfire without flashing white at everyone first.
What owners say: It throws a bright path in the dark and tilts from straight ahead down to the job in hand, which owners find handy in dim, cramped spaces. They also like the red light and how little it weighs.
A closer look: With two in the pack, one can hang by the back door for trash runs and power outages while the other lives in the car or the camping box. Tilt the lamp down for reading a map or cooking at the campsite.
- Tilts 45 degrees
- Spot and flood beams
- 4 white modes
Best for: Campfires without a white glare
- Headlamps in the box
- 2
- Power
- Rechargeable (USB-C)
- Beam distance
- 500 ft (150 m)
- Runtime
- Up to 15 hrs (Lepro’s figure)
- Red light
- Yes, on its own button
- Water resistance
- Water-resistant (IPX4)
- Weight
- 2.65 oz each
#4Blukar Rechargeable Headlamp (2-pack)
$10–$20
Wave a hand to switch it on: exactly what you want when you’re holding a breaker box cover or a muddy leash. Two come in the pack.
What owners say: A wide, bright beam, lots of brightness settings and buttons that make sense right away, plus a comfortable, adjustable band. Several say a charge outlasts a set of AAAs.
Heads up: Expect 3.5 hours a charge with both beams on, or 5 with one, as Blukar’s own listing says, so charge it the night before a long outing.
A closer look: The wave sensor works only in three of the eight modes, so pick one of those before the job starts, and long-press the button to dim it when full power is more than the job needs. After a sweaty walk, the headband comes off the lamp and can go in the wash.
- Wave-to-switch sensor
- Washable headband
- Stepless dimming
- Spot and flood beams
- Tilts 45 degrees
Best for: Dog walks, camping, jobs in the attic
- Headlamps in the box
- 2
- Power
- Rechargeable (USB-C)
- Beam distance
- 500 ft (150 m)
- Runtime
- 3.5 hrs both beams, 5 hrs one
- Red light
- Yes
- Water resistance
- Water-resistant (IPX5)
- Weight
- 3 oz each
#5Black Diamond Spot 400 Headlamp (dark olive, 3 AAA)
$30–$50
On the trail it gives a beam that reaches about 330 ft (100 m), a red light and PowerTap, a tap on the side that jumps between full and dimmed light. It remembers the last brightness used and has a meter showing what’s left in the batteries.
What owners say: Its reach surprises people, and owners like the adjustable beam, the red light and the simple controls. Not every lamp lasts, though: a few stopped working after about five months, some feel it’s overpriced, and battery life reports are mixed.
A closer look: It runs on the three AAA batteries in the box, or on Black Diamond’s own rechargeable battery, sold separately, for anyone who’d rather charge it. Waterproofing to IPX8 means a downpour or a dropped lamp in a stream won’t end the hike.
- Tap the side to dim
- Remembers the last brightness
- Battery meter
- 400 lumens
Best for: Hikers and campers
- Headlamps in the box
- 1
- Power
- 3 AAA (included) or Black Diamond rechargeable (sold separately)
- Beam distance
- 330 ft (100 m)
- Runtime
- Up to 200 hrs low (2.5 hrs high)
- Red light
- Yes
- Water resistance
- Waterproof (IPX8)
- Weight
- 3 oz with batteries
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Nitecore NU20 | #2Energizer PRO-360 | #3Lepro 2-pack | #4Blukar 2-pack | #5Black Diamond Spot 400 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | ||||
| Picked Rating | 9.5 | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.0 |
| Price | $20–$30 | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | $30–$50 |
| Headlamps in the box | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Power | Rechargeable (USB-C) | 3 AAA (included) | Rechargeable (USB-C) | Rechargeable (USB-C) | 3 AAA (included) or Black Diamond rechargeable (sold separately) |
| Beam distance | 357 ft (109 m) | 280 ft (85 m) | 500 ft (150 m) | 500 ft (150 m) | 330 ft (100 m) |
| Runtime | Up to 97 hrs low (2 hrs high) | Up to 50 hrs low (2.75 hrs high) | Up to 15 hrs (Lepro’s figure) | 3.5 hrs both beams, 5 hrs one | Up to 200 hrs low (2.5 hrs high) |
| Red light | Yes | Yes, plus green | Yes, on its own button | Yes | Yes |
| Water resistance | Water-resistant (IP66) | Water-resistant (IPX4) | Water-resistant (IPX4) | Water-resistant (IPX5) | Waterproof (IPX8) |
| Weight | 1.34 oz | 3.52 oz, Amazon’s figure | 2.65 oz each | 3 oz each | 3 oz with batteries |
| Best for | Running and hiking light | Car kits and power outages | Campfires without a white glare | Dog walks, camping, jobs in the attic | Hikers and campers |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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