When I first started backpacking, I didn’t see the value of a headlamp, and thought a flashlight would suffice. After my first multi day trip, I quickly realized that a 3 cell Maglite is not the way to go! Not only are flashlights heavier and bulkier than headlamps, but having both hands free AND having light pointed anywhere you are looking makes ditching the flashlight a no-brainer.
Petzl makes a great headlamp. This thing is solid, you could drop it, step on it, throw it at a boulder and it still works. The battery life is excellent… don’t know how many hours i’ve used it for, but it’s seen 25 nights in the backcountry and I’m still on the first set of batteries. Still shining bright too. I hardly ever use the high setting though, I stick with the low when possible. The headband is adjustable and it fits nicely on my head. It’s not too heavy in the front either. The light itself is mounted on a backing plate that swivels up and down, giving you the option to angle the light where needed.It also has a red light mode, which is basically just a super low light mode. All of these functions, including on and off are selected by pressing ONE button, I thought that was kinda cool. And, you can use lithium batteries in this to get even longer battery life, save more weight, and increase reliability in cold weather. With 3 AAA alkalines though, it weighs only 2.9 ounces.
I can’t think of anything about this headlamp that I don’t like. It’s less than $40 and is going to last a long time because it’s built very well.
