Best headlamps for prepping

John RameyStaff - August 18, 2019

We’ve reviewed over 200 headlamps to pick the best for bug out bags, EDC, and more.

[See the full post at: Best headlamps for prepping]

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I’ve got an old Petzl with the USB rechargeable battery add on that is somewhere around 10-15 years old, I think. Anyhow, it’s old. And it works great.

Unfortunately, the headband elastic is shot. Have any of you found any headband replacements? Preferably with an emergency whistle.

Thanks.

 

Found this with a quick google, maybe helpful: https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/FAQ/how-to-order-a-new-headband

 

*facepalm*

Wow. That’s embarrassing. Never thought to even try that, assuming they wouldn’t sell them separately. Thanks.

 

The Black Diamond Revolt is actually only IPX4 rated. They lowered it and the batteries seem to have a lot of issues. Any thoughts to the list now. Thank you and love the site!

 

Thanks for the heads up! We will be updating this article in the near future and we will definitely look into what you said.

 

Relatedly, it looks like the old model of ReVolt is no longer available and the new one is $65

 

When I look at the Petzl website none of their lights reach the times listed here. Normally hovering around the 160 hours mark instead of the ~250 hour mark. Is that because the CORE rechargeable cuts about 100 hours vs Alkaline batteries?

What do you expect time will be with rechargeables like the long life ones you recommend in your battery article.

I’m getting serious about prepping and your website has been invaluable, thank you.

 

Answering my own question :P. Looks like Petzl has started releasing 350 Lumen Tactikka + so they end up with the same stats at the  Tika Core. They’re also camo. I did not find at my outdoor store a camo 250l one. So I got the black. I rather have longer life than that extra Lumens. I rarely every use max brightness.

 

This article is a worthwhile review of headlamps but I think it is focused too narrowly.  What is  needed is evaluation of schemes that can keep vital electronics – at a minimum, lights and cell phones, working long term, ideally indefinitely.

My thinking on this involves headlamps, cell phones, solar panels, and some sort of power bank, possibly some sort of battery charger, although with the right configuration you can dispense with the charger.  Other considerations – are you on foot or in a vehicle?  i would love to see you folks address these issues, considering different variations for different circumstances and coming up with the best lightweight setup.

 

Thank you for the great feedback. The Prepared does have an article that talks about different schemes like you are talking about in Off-grid power 101.

In addition, there are specific articles on each subject you mentioned:

• Best portable solar chargers
• Best portable power bank
• Best removable battery chargers and testers

 

Copy and pasting a comment from a user that is applicable here:

PSA for folks using the recommended Black Diamond Revolt: I just checked my collection of them and 2/9 of the NiMH batteries were DOA. Won’t charge at all. One was in a headlamp that was gently used for about 18 months, the other in a GHB that lives in a vehicle.

I think black diamond might know about the issue since they swapped to a lithium ion in the latest version.

 

Pasting this comment from a reader who emailed in:

Your prep/bugout bag needs basics that stay reliable, my one complaint with every head lamp I have had is the stupid elastic straps, if you put one away for more than a year, when you go to use them the elastic will have gone slack, I can never understand why for point of difference a manufacture doesn’t make a hard plastic strap like a welding helmet or hard hat those last for years, so for your next review how about adding a score for durability as people are looking at your reviews for info on a lamp that they may need to dig out and use in 5 years time.

 

I recently picked up these ( https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08JJB7W5B/ ) at Costco as they were on clearance.

They use AAA batteries and have some nice options you can use like the settings which put light out to the sides. Haven’t checked or tested their capabilities with rechargeable AAA’s yet.

Given the $35CAD price tag it probably fits into one of the middle two groupings.

 

Is 550 lumens bright enough? Do you recommend these headlamps?

How much were they clearanced out for at Costco? For $35CAD on Amazon, they look to be a great deal!

I found them on the US Amazon site too, $30USD here, if you recommend them, then I will go ahead and buy a pack too.

 

Sharing this review from a member of the community:

He is really happy with his Nightcore Nu20. It’s similar in price, half the weight, and has a higher level of water resistance than some of the models listed in the article. 

Other things he likes about this headlamp:

• Small and light enough for EDC.
• Excellent water resistance.
• Rechargable so no need to purchase batteries
• Easy one-button operation.
• When turned on always starts in very low power mode, good for looking around room without waking people.
• Cover over power button prevents it from turning on accidentally while packed.
• Cheap enough to buy one for each family member.

 

Gideon, lamps with built-in battery are only fine for occasional use and when we dont depend on them strongly. Simple example: You are outside, darkness, your light goes weaker and weaker till lts gone but you need it. Waiting and charging? 

 

This tech style and price is changing rapidly especially at the lower price point.  I have a few use cases where it’s not necessarily worth the larger price tag since they are of short duration and don’t need the storage durability (in a toolbox, get out of the dark building to the car/GHB).  I recently got these and they’re bright enough.  I didn’t like that I have to cycle through all the modes to off and the white strobe is potentially a headache trigger.  So I’m ordering these which are nearly the price of the included batteries.   

 

Hello guys, ive read quite fast through your article. I used many of the mentioned lamps. Good tips there, its sure you looked many models up. I agree in many, if not most points.

I also always thought about, what the best lamp for this and that scenario is. I guess i have no final answer yet in all areas. 

In my understanding, a (head)lamp is one of the most important objects in any kit, may it be bushcraft, EDC, prepping, traveling, adventuring, etc. I wouldnt make compromises there in any way. Fortunately no prob, they dont cost a fortune nowadays. 

I try to make it short: Best allround headlamp ever made is to me still the Armytek Tiara A1 V2. Takes AA and AAA, batteries and rechargeables. No need for red light imo. It has a firefly mode that runs for weeks. The lamp is furthermore really waterproof up to several meters, unlike any Petzl or open-cased Black Diamond. Lockout. A high max output. Memory mode. Good user interface (compared to the failconstructed Zebralight UI). Maybe only downside is the button which gets mashy over time and is hard to use in cold conditions.

For preppers id also recommend a simple Mag-Lite LED model as a backup lamp. 

Id avoid many if not all Black Diamond lamps, the Petzl e+lite. Both being produced in bad to very bad quality. Petzl itself is in my longer observation great quality for a plastic lamp.

The angle rotation part is one of the weak spots of all usual headlamps that “click” firmly in place, a close look there is needed. Also how the case closes, if its sealed correct, if the mechanism works well (Black Diamond, you know who im looking at). 

For a strong Headlamp that lasts longer, not necessarily for preppers, which uses USB magnet loading with a 18650 rechargeable, id recommend the Armytek Wizard (Non-pro) and the Lumonite Compass R. Zebralights use all an failconstructed user interface even in version 3, if not, id recommend them much. Olight to me isnt reliable enough. 

So far, bye.