Now the days are starting to get shorter and darkness is slowly creeping in. What better time than to think about how to brighten up your autumn so you can continue with your activities? So todays topic will be about headlamps. What do you need to think of when it comes to choose the best headlamp?

First of all you need to consider brightness and range (the performance). And your choice will be depending of what you will use the headlamp for…The brightness of a headlamp is measured in lumen, which is a measure of how much light the lamp can provide. Here is a quick guide to how much light is needed in relation to activity:

Walking on a regular road     200-lumen.

Walking, jogging on roads and general use. 200–400-lumen.

For technical trails, trail running or activities where you need long range and good nighttime lighting. Lamps in this brightness range provide a longer light output.  400–1000-lumen.

For activities such as night orienteering, MTB cycling or night work, where you need a bright light to see further. 1000–2500-lumen.

For extreme light, perfect for searching or working in dark conditions. Advanced LED technologies such as CREE and higher light output are often used here to provide maximum brightness in extreme conditions. Over 2500-lumen,

So you have to consider the usage of the headlamp. Comfort will be one factor (weight for example), brightness will be the next thing to consider and at last the need for battery life.

Low brightness (300-lumen) up to 200 hours .

Mid brightness (800-lumen) up to 15-40 hours.

High brightness (1000-lumen or more) 4-10 hours, depending on battery type and settings.

Battery, So what type of battery will be the best? So ok, let’s not go to deep and nerd ourselves out too much on the subject. We can divide batteries into three different type; alkaline-nickel metal hydride and Lithium. Alkaline – easy to use, easy to get hold of. Can start o leak if you forget them. Brightness will slowly drop…Nickel metal hydride – now we step into rechargeable. Great alternative if you want to avoid buying new ones all the time. They have an even brightness all the way through. Lose charge faster when not in use – they need to be “trained” regularly!  Slightly shorter lifespan compared to some other rechargeable options. NiMH batteries are great for those who use their lights frequently. Perfect for daily walks, evening work in the workshop or if you have a light that is often on. Charge and reuse – a clear favorite for everyday use! Lithium – say hello to lithium – the battery type that makes your flashlight shine brightly and last a long time. Lithium batteries are not only lightweight, they also provide maximum brightness from start to finish. If alkaline batteries are the reliable faithful servant and NiMH is the environmentally conscious friend, then lithium is the energetic adventurer who always wants to give 110%. Lithium batteries are the choice for those who have high demands on performance. They are perfect for long expeditions, searches, night walks, or when working where bright light is a must. If you want maximum brightness and durability, lithium batteries are right for you.

Durability, a direct impact of the performance of lamp will be the capacity of usage of the lamp.

So one important thing to keep an eye on is mAh – which stands for milliampere hours. In short, mAh shows how much energy the battery can store and is directly linked to how long the light can last. The higher the mAh, the longer the light can last before the battery needs to be replaced or recharged.

For rechargeable batteries like lithium and NiMH, it’s smart to choose the highest mAh rating possible, especially if you’re using the light for extended periods. Higher mAh means you’ll get longer light with the same high performance – perfect for intense nighttime workouts or long adventures.

So summing up all this facts, How should I proceed when choosing a lamp?

You need to analyze for what activity you will be using the lamp for. For a more sustainable choice the rechargeable ones will be the best. If you choose a rechargeable model the NiMH one will be the best choice, especially with a high mAh rate. Some of the brands also have a combination of rechargeable and alkaline solution, which open up some limitation. But for a long expedition in darkness choose a lamp with high IP classing (IP68-IP69) which guarantee robustness. When being in cold environment it is good to have a battery solution so you can wear the battery close to your body. Here comes some good suggestion of good headlamps…

https://ljusgiganten.se/fenix-pannlampa-hm65r-1400-lumen.html

https://www.valostore.se/sv/produkt/lumonite_compass_r_old?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=255768243&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwsrFBhD6ARIsAPnUFD0d_EvFjh0Ie9NZwPgAuGE0XkulYoiYedsVyrQb0ZzRxUh6p7kDDe4aAspsEALw_wcB

https://www.outnorth.com/se/varumarken/silva/cross-trail-7r-111295-P145-3217?variantId=145-3217&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=shopping&utm_campaign=02%3A%20%5BSE%5D%20PLA%20-%20Shopping%20CSS%20-%20High&gclsrc=aw.ds&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=02%3A%20%5BSE%5D%20PLA%20-%20Shopping%20CSS%20-%20High&utm_id=1525611721&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1525611721&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5c_FBhDJARIsAIcmHK_nGDGJRfAXkPhhlljNYQuPxVr6JA76BO9seVTiIZJ5u15PAzRgCCwaAjZcEALw_wcB

Authors note: I always bring a back-up solution, either another head lamp or a torch. And always be caution while charging rechargeable batteries. Key take away – The better brightness, the shorter time before need of recharge.

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See ya soon…