# Super Reliable Headlamp for backpacking?



## doughogg2 (Mar 26, 2016)

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a super-reliable headlamp for backpacking for 3 or 4 days?

Needs to be light, not super bright but very reliable. I suppose that carrying another light is an option, but if there is a headlamp with replacement parts that would be lighter than carrying a 2nd light, that would be great.



Doug


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## HorizontalHunter (Mar 28, 2016)

For a super light headlamp I really like my Fenix HL50. It packs nicely in an Efest 18650 battery case. The case prevents accidentally turning on the headlamp while it is in your backpack. You can even squeeze in a spare battery.


Bob






http://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-hl50-led-headlamp/




http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...XM-L2-T6-Neutral-White-CR123A-or-1xAA)-Review


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## mcnair55 (Mar 28, 2016)

Petzl for me all the time + I would carry a backup light if I were you,something light and tiny worn around the neck could be a lifesaver,any zipper pull light would be sufficient but my preference would be Nitecore Tube or EO1


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## HorizontalHunter (Mar 28, 2016)

mcnair55 said:


> Petzl for me all the time + I would *carry a backup light* if I were you,something light and tiny worn around the neck could be a lifesaver,any zipper pull light would be sufficient but my preference would be Nitecore Tube or EO1



X2

I always carry a backup light. Usually it is a "cigar" light in a holster next to my knife.

Bob


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## Woods Walker (Mar 28, 2016)

doughogg2 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Can anyone recommend a super-reliable headlamp for backpacking for 3 or 4 days?
> 
> ...



What battery type do you prefer and what is going to be your activities? If we are talking about general camp stuff I think the recommendation for the HL50 is a good one. The 1XAA battery is easy to change and buy. The HL50 has a metal construction and Fenix is a good brand. I would also recommend using LSD NiMH batteries as they will perform better. The HL50 can also run 1XCR123 (Surefire battery) primaries which can be advantageous for longer runtimes or if you also use lights that run them. On a side note packing a small 1XAA flashlight to go along with the HL50 isn't a bad idea. It can act as a backup light in case the headlamp goes MIA, battery carrier for an extra 1XAA and help facilitate battery changes in the dark. Multi use gear item which would add next to nothing in terms of pack weight and bulk.


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## doughogg2 (Mar 28, 2016)

Thanks. Great ideas.

Carrying an extra battery in a backup flashlight makes sense. 



Doug


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## HorizontalHunter (Mar 28, 2016)

doughogg2 said:


> Thanks. Great ideas.
> 
> Carrying an extra battery in a backup flashlight makes sense.
> 
> ...



Two is one; one is none.

All of my flashlights use the Cr123 and/or the 18650 rechargeable batteries for that reason. The longer you are here the more flashlights you will accumulate. 

I prefer the the lithium batteries as you will get better cold weather performance and longer run times.

Bob


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## scout24 (Mar 28, 2016)

I've no experience with your headlamp, but like that case!



HorizontalHuntr said:


> For a super light headlamp I really like my Fenix HL50. It packs nicely in an Efest 18650 battery case. The case prevents accidentally turning on the headlamp while it is in your backpack. You can even squeeze in a spare battery.
> 
> 
> Bob
> ...


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## HorizontalHunter (Mar 28, 2016)

I just borrowed a great idea form another member. Hiuintahs originally posted it in post #99 of this thread:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?380567-*new*-Fenix-HL50-headlamp/page4

I did the same thing with my Nitecore HC90 using the Gloworm travel case from Action-LED-Lights:


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## marinemaster (Mar 28, 2016)

Petzl for me also


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## Woods Walker (Mar 29, 2016)

doughogg2 said:


> Thanks. Great ideas.
> 
> Carrying an extra battery in a backup flashlight makes sense.
> 
> ...


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## Tachead (Mar 29, 2016)

Here is another pic of the Gloworm case with 2xZebralight H600's, headbands including top straps, and a spare 18650 in a EVVA silicone sleeve. It will fit 2 more spare cells if needed as well. Great case for this purpose:thumbsup:


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## jeepchic55 (Mar 30, 2016)

I just got a zebralight h600Fd and love it. The quality is great, and it is really comfortable. The UI is intuitive, which I love because I hate trying to get used to a new light.


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## hazza (Mar 30, 2016)

The most reliable headlamps I've owned are Petzl. They just work. The downside (for me) is that they generally take 3xAAA. 

If you're after something small and lightweight, and that you may be able to find extra batteries for, the Zebralight H52 might fit the bill. It takes 1xAA. If you had a backup AA light, that could be your spare if you need it, as someone suggested.


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## Omega73 (Mar 31, 2016)

Woods Walker said:


> doughogg2 said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks. Great ideas.
> ...


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## f22shift (Mar 31, 2016)

anymore information on the backpacking? rain? cold?
i would bring two lights using the same battery format. another way to look at it is to ask what battery format your friends will carry. that way you are each other's backups.

do you mean light on the head or light overall? to be honest, one 18650 is good enough for several days. you wouldn't really need to carry spare. meaning 1 18650 headlamp weight vs 1 aa headlamp and several spare batteries. but an 18650 headlamp is much heavier on the head because of the cell weight.
i would cr123/16340 or aa/14500 and have a spare light that carries similar.
on durability? i don't think i had a headlamp really fail on me in normal use. i had a petzl case that cracked on me so i would consider headlamps in a plastic format to be least reliable because they are subject to that and are not waterproof at all. i think you would be safe with any premium chinese company.


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## Woods Walker (Mar 31, 2016)

Omega73 said:


> Woods Walker said:
> 
> 
> > Whar is that little black thing between the headlamp and flashlight?
> ...


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## TKhanson (Jun 16, 2016)

Tachead said:


> Here is another pic of the Gloworm case with 2xZebralight H600's, headbands including top straps, and a spare 18650 in a EVVA silicone sleeve. It will fit 2 more spare cells if needed as well. Great case for this purpose:thumbsup:
> 
> Where do I purchase an "EVVA silicone sleeve"? I could really use one of those.


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## Tachead (Jun 16, 2016)

I got mine in a package deal from Amazon but, you can find them at other places like Mountain Electronics, Fasttech, many vape shops, exc. Just run a Google search for "EVVA battery case or sleeves" 👍


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## macosxfiles (Jun 16, 2016)

The best all-around reliable headlamp I have found is the Black Diamond Storm. I had the previous version which was fantastic, and recently bought the 2016 version which made several improvements.






I also like my JETBeam HR25 headlamp which has a great long throw, but it is heavier and has an additional strap on top.


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## markr6 (Jun 16, 2016)

I really like my Zebralight H600w. It's been reliable for years, but you never know. Also, last winter I started a backpacking trip at 10pm when it was about 7° and the lamp would not stay on the high mode, even for 2 seconds. It immediately dropped to the medium level. I never hike with any of the high modes so I didn't care, but just something to remember when heading out in the cold with Li-Ion.


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## billcoe (Jun 16, 2016)

Regarding the "Black Diamond Storm". I don't believe I've seen the words reliable and Black Diamond paired previously. Petzl I have. Plenty of times. I recently got a deal on the Storm, so it's good to see.


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## insanefred (Jun 17, 2016)

I understand this is an old thread.

I am a search and rescue volunteer, black diamond headlamps is one of the most popular brand headlamps in the unit I am in. They are also by far one of the *least* reliable of all the brand names, by a long shot, sadly. The generic/ no name headlamps people use are pretty bad and BD is just a step up from those. Now, if you have a BD and has been reliable for you, then great!

Brands I have seen that work great are but not limited to:

Petzl: As cheap as BD lights and crummy specs, but at least they work and more transparent about their specs. 

Zebralight (of course :kiss: Most, "wow, who's light is that"? of all lights. And work!

Coast: Not great, not crap either, they work and some people love being able to focus their lights.

Fenix: Only seen a few of these action unfortunately, but most users are very happy with them.


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Brands I *do not recommend *(seen them fail too often):

*Black diamond:* They either have problems with the switch (becomes finicky or very difficult to use) or just stop working with out warning

Harbor freight/ costco multi-pack headlamps: Not waterproof.

Princeton tec: I am not sure what's going on here, but they last only one outing for most users.

Jetbeam: Battery contact issues, quality control.

Energizer/Duracell branded lights: virtually no lock out mode on most of them and tons of parasitic drain with ones that use an electric switch. Gee.. I wonder why... :devil:


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## marinemaster (Jun 18, 2016)

Petzl, I have few of their models very reliable.


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## Gryffin (Jun 23, 2016)

My go-to hiking headlamps for a long time were a couple of Petzl Tikkas; they've been faultlessly reliable for me, but certainly not cutting-edge performance (output OR runtime), and 3xAAA sucks big time: crappy runtimes, lousy output regulation, more tiny cells to misplace, and of course, trying to remember which way the replacement cells have to be oriented *in the dark* is about as fun as a root canal.

I'm also not a fan of CR123A or 18650 for hiking lights; the former get expensive over the long haul, and the latter are big and heavy, and both are difficult-to-impossible to find at your typical roadside or trailhead shop.

So I think AA is the perfect compromise between size/weight, performance, and availability of spares.

A second light is IMHO *mandatory*. Even if it's a Photon keychain light to find spare cells in your pack, you need one. 

Personally, I like to let my eyes adapt, and use just enough light to get by; you really don't need much light at all to watch your footing or do camp chores. I've had good luck with a floody AA headlamp (Zebralight H501W), usually on Low, just enough to see my feet and ~10–20' of trail ahead; and a second throwier AA light* on a wrist lanyard, used intermittently to look farther down the trail, or into the woods when something goes bump. Both use the same Eneloop cells, and I usually pack an extra pair, as well as a pair of Energizer Lithiums just in case. 

(* Usually a beat-up old Quark AA Tactical; stupid simple UI, light, rugged, and my old XP-G one hit the "reflector focus jackpot" and actually out-throws most of my XM-L lights. But any good-quality EDC-type AA light would do.)


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