Which headlamp? A comparison of the 18 best models

A headlamp is one of those things worth having in a bug-out bag, in the car and at home for a power cut. Its advantage over an ordinary torch is that both hands stay free, so you can pitch a tent, change a wheel or go down to the basement to reset a fuse in the dark.

I did the digging so you don’t have to. I went through more than 200 listings on Amazon.pl, the Polish site of Amazon, one of the world’s largest online stores. I read 20 product pages and the available manufacturers’ pages in detail and picked 18 models, so you should find one that suits you here. I have not tested these headlamps myself, but I checked the data as carefully as I could, and the section on how I chose the headlamps below says where it comes from.

The trouble is that headlamp descriptions vary a lot. Some give brightness measured to a standard, others give figures that cannot be checked, and some confuse lux with lumens. That is why I mark for each headlamp whether its figures come from the manufacturer or only the seller, and split the list into three price bands. Where a figure is missing, the table says “no data” instead of a guess.

Before you get to the table, read what lumens, beam distance, modes, IP ratings and power options mean. Without that it is easy to set two figures side by side that cannot be compared.

How to choose a headlamp and what to look for?

Several things matter at once when you choose a headlamp. Each of them is explained in more detail below.

• Brightness in lumens can only be compared when both figures were measured the same way, ideally to the ANSI/PLATO FL 1 standard.
• Beam distance in metres depends on brightness, but above all on the shape of the beam.
• Runtime always has to be read together with the brightness it was given for.
• Power decides whether you can buy spares in any shop during a long power cut. AAA batteries are everywhere, a rechargeable needs somewhere to charge.
• Water resistance is described by the IP code. IPX4 is usually enough for rain and snow, and if the headlamp may end up in water, look for IPX7, IPX8 or IP67.
• A red light at the front does not spoil your night vision, while a red light at the back is only there so that others can see you.
• Weight and headband matter because you may wear the headlamp for hours.
• A lock stops the headlamp from switching on in your pack and draining the batteries before you need them.

What do lumens tell you and why do sellers’ figures not add up?

The lumen is the unit of luminous flux, that is, how much visible light a source gives off¹. More lumens means more light, but the figure does not tell you how far or how wide that light reaches.

Figures from different descriptions can only be compared when they were measured the same way. That is what the ANSI/PLATO FL 1 standard is for. Under it, brightness is measured between 30 and 120 seconds after the headlamp is switched on, with new batteries or a freshly charged battery². So the figure tells you how much light the headlamp gives at the start, not through the whole night.

Sellers often do not say how they measured brightness. Two examples on this list show it well. The Blukar has 2000 lm according to the seller, with no measurement standard given. With the Lepro, the 2000 in the title is lux, and the seller’s data table gives 300 lm. The lux is the unit of illuminance, one lumen falling on one square metre¹. Lux and lumens are two different measures and cannot be compared directly.

What does the ANSI/PLATO FL 1 standard measure?

ANSI/PLATO FL 1 is an American standard from 2009 that sets out how to measure and describe flashlight performance. It is voluntary, and the tests can be done by the manufacturer itself or by an independent laboratory³. When a manufacturer gives figures to this standard, each of them has a strict definition.

• Brightness (lumens) is the light measured between 30 and 120 seconds after switching on, with new batteries².
• Beam distance (metres) is the distance at which the light from the headlamp falls to 0.25 lux, roughly the light of a full moon on a clear night³.
• Peak beam intensity (candela) is the brightness of the brightest spot in the beam. Beam distance is calculated from it³.
• Runtime (hours) runs from 30 seconds after switching on until the light drops to 10% of its initial level².
• Impact resistance (metres) is tested by dropping the headlamp in six different orientations. It must still work and must not be cracked, and the drop height is reported³.
• Water resistance is tested only after the drop test and given as an IP code³.

What the standard does not measure matters just as much. It does not evaluate how the output behaves during the runtime³. So the time until the light drops to 10% does not tell you how long the headlamp stays bright. Some headlamp makers also rate runtime differently, until the light falls to 1 lux at 2 metres, and that figure cannot be compared with an ANSI/PLATO FL 1 runtime³.

Some manufacturers add figures outside the standard. Petzl guarantees reserve lighting, a low light after the rated runtime that is enough for walking but not for running or cycling². Ledlenser gives the H7R Core and H15R Core a backup mode in which the headlamp keeps shining for about an hour, so you can finish the job or get home^{4, 5}.

Where does beam distance come from and what is a candela?

Beam distance under the standard is calculated from the intensity of the brightest spot in the beam, given in candela. It is the distance at which 0.25 lux is left. For example, a beam intensity of 1000 candela gives a beam distance of 63 m³.

That is why two headlamps with the same brightness in lumens can have a very different beam distance. Distance depends on brightness, but above all on the shape of the beam². A headlamp that concentrates light in a narrow beam reaches further, while one with a wide beam lights up more of what is around you⁶.

Focused, wide or mixed beam?

Manufacturers divide beams into three types⁶. A wide beam lights up what is close evenly, so it suits camp jobs, reading or repairs at home. A focused beam reaches far and helps you spot a trail. A mixed beam combines the two, so you see both what is at your feet and what is ahead. A wide beam is no good when you want to see far, and a focused one is no good for reading a map⁶.

Some headlamps let you change the shape of the beam. The Ledlenser H7R Core, H8R and H15R Core have the Advanced Focus System, which moves smoothly from a wide, even light to a narrow, focused beam^{4, 7, 5}.

Why does runtime depend on the mode?

With the same amount of energy, the brighter a headlamp shines, the shorter it lasts. No headlamp gets around this, and in light headlamps the battery is kept small on purpose so that it does not weigh on your head⁸.

You can see this in manufacturers’ tables. The Petzl Swift RL lasts 100 hours at 10 lm but only 2 hours at 700 lm. For the full power of the Ledlenser H7R Core and H15R Core the manufacturer gives no time at all. A runtime of “up to 10 days” or “12.5 days” without a mode tells you nothing about how long the headlamp will shine brightly. When you compare runtimes, check the brightness they were given for.

It also matters how the headlamp behaves as the batteries run down. Some headlamps have electronic regulation that keeps the output steady, and then the light cuts out fairly suddenly. Unregulated ones can dim noticeably after quite a short time³. In Petzl’s HYBRID headlamps it depends on the power source. On the CORE rechargeable battery the brightness generally stays constant over the whole rated runtime, while on standard batteries it gradually drops as they run down⁹.

Powerful headlamps also protect themselves from overheating. In the Ledlenser H7R Core, H8R and H15R Core, temperature control protects you from burns and the LED from overheating^{4, 7, 5}.

What is a red light for?

In the dark we see with rods, cells in the retina that respond most strongly to blue-green light with a wavelength of about 500 nm. They are hardly sensitive to red light, which is why red light is used to keep your eyes adapted to the dark¹⁰. That adaptation takes a long time, from tens of minutes up to two hours, and bright white light undoes it¹⁰.

A red light at the front is useful in a tent, for reading a map at night and whenever you do not want to dazzle others. Just check where the red light is. On the Ledlenser H8R the red light sits on the battery at the back of your head and is there so that you can be seen from behind, for example near a road⁷. The Pokiseed has the same layout. A light like that does not show you anything in front of you, which is why the table says whether the red light is at the front or only at the back.

What do IPX4, IPX7, IPX8 and IP67 mean?

The IP code describes how well the housing keeps out dust and water, under the IEC 60529 standard. The first digit is about solids and dust, the second about water. An X instead of a digit means that this protection was not tested, so IPX4 says nothing about dust¹¹. These are the codes you will find in the table.

• IPX4 means protection against water splashed from any direction. Petzl treats this rating as enough for using a headlamp in rain, snow and damp conditions^{11, 12}.
• IPX5 and IPX6 mean protection against water jets, powerful ones for IPX6¹¹.
• IP54 means protection against dust, though not full dust tightness, and against splashing water^{11, 12}.
• IPX7 means protection during brief immersion, 1 m deep for 30 minutes¹¹.
• IPX8 means protection during longer immersion, with the depth and time set by the manufacturer¹¹.
• IP67 means full dust tightness and protection during brief immersion, as for IPX7¹¹.

The ANSI/PLATO FL 1 standard adds pass criteria. For IPX4 the headlamp must work straight after the test and 30 minutes later, and a few drops inside are allowed as long as there is no short circuit. For IPX7 no water is allowed inside. For IPX8 a manufacturer can use the FL 1 criteria or set its own¹¹. An IPX8 rating to FL 1 also does not make a headlamp a diving light, because it is checked after it comes out of the water, not while it is under³.

On this list the manufacturer gives IP67 for the Ledlenser H7R Core and H15R Core, and IP54 for the Petzl Swift RL and Ledlenser H8R. For the Black Diamond Spot 400 the Amazon.pl page says IP67 and the manufacturer’s page IPX8.

AAA batteries, a rechargeable or both?

The headlamps on this list have three kinds of power. Five run on AAA batteries, two of them also on the manufacturer’s rechargeable pack. Nine have a built-in battery and four a removable one. If you already have other kit on AAA batteries, a headlamp on the same batteries keeps your spares simple, because you carry one type³.

Batteries work well as a reserve for a rainy day, because they keep for a long time and need no charging. For example, the datasheet of an alkaline AAA battery gives a shelf life of 10 years, and that of a lithium one 25 years, stored at 21 °C^{13, 14}. Some lithium batteries can be stored for years with less risk of leaking than ordinary ones³. For longer storage Petzl recommends taking the batteries or the rechargeable pack out of the headlamp⁹.

Cold weakens every power source. The datasheets of the same batteries give an operating range of -18 to 55 °C for the alkaline one and -40 to 60 °C for the lithium one^{13, 14}. Lithium batteries work better at extreme temperatures than alkaline batteries and Ni-MH rechargeables¹⁵. A battery that gives its full capacity at 27 °C typically delivers only half at -18 °C¹⁶. Petzl says that between 0 and -20 °C the runtime of its headlamps can drop by up to half, on standard batteries and on the rechargeable alike. So in frost, keep the headlamp in a pocket when you are not using it⁹.

For trips and for your reserve, headlamps that take both batteries and a rechargeable are a good choice. The Petzl Tikkina runs on three AAA batteries or on the CORE rechargeable, which you buy separately. In the newer version described on the manufacturer’s page, the headlamp detects by itself what it is running on¹⁷. The Black Diamond Spot 400 also runs on AAA batteries or on the manufacturer’s rechargeable.

In more powerful headlamps you will come across lithium-ion cells with names such as 18650 or 21700. The names come from their size. A 21700 cell is 21 mm across and 70 mm long, and an 18650 is about 65 mm long¹⁸. On this list a 21700 battery comes with the Ledlenser H7R Core and H15R Core.

Also check whether batteries or a rechargeable pack are in the box. The Energizer Vision HD+ and the Black Diamond Spot 400 need them bought separately, and the helmet mounts for the Petzl Swift RL are sold separately too.

How much does a headlamp weigh?

You wear a headlamp on your head, often for hours, which is why makers of light models keep the battery small on purpose⁸. On this list the lightest known weight is the 37 g of the Klarus HC3, and the heaviest is the Ledlenser H15R Core at 380 g.

When you compare weights, check whether they include the headband. For the Klarus HM1 the manufacturer gives 70 g without the band. When a weight comes without such a note, you do not know exactly what was weighed.

What are a lock and reactive lighting for?

A headlamp that switches itself on in your pack will be flat before you need it. That is why some headlamps have a lock. On the Ledlenser H7R Core, H8R and H15R Core a transportation lock prevents the light from switching on by accident in a backpack or suitcase^{4, 7, 5}. The Petzl Swift RL has a LOCK function that prevents it from switching on in transit and can also lock the lighting settings¹⁹.

Reactive lighting is Petzl’s system, used in the Swift RL. A light sensor and a motion sensor work out what you are doing and how much light there is around you, and the headlamp adjusts brightness and beam shape by itself. When you look at something close up, the beam gets wide and dimmer, and when you raise your head to look further, the light gets brighter and focused. This saves battery, and you can go back to fixed brightness levels at any time²⁰. The manufacturer warns not to use this mode when cycling on the road, because the headlamp can dim a lot when car headlights shine on it¹⁹.

A proximity sensor is something else. The Klarus HM1, for example, has one, so you switch the headlamp on and off with a wave of your hand, without touching the button.

How I chose the headlamps

The list is built from offers available on Amazon.pl as of 15 October 2026. I took headlamps with a customer rating of at least 4.3 and at least 500 ratings or the “100+ bought in past month” badge. The only exception is the Petzl Swift RL, which has fewer ratings but is here as a work and helmet headlamp.

I split the headlamps into three price bands, six in each. The specs come from the manufacturers’ pages where they were available, and otherwise from the product pages, so they are the seller’s declaration. Ratings are Amazon.pl customers’ ratings as of 15 October 2026, not mine.

How to read the comparison table?

Brightness and beam distance are given as the manufacturer or the seller gave them. When the manufacturer measures to the ANSI/PLATO FL 1 standard, figures for different headlamps can be compared. Do not compare sellers’ figures with no standard given directly with them.

The “Data from” column says who gave the specs. “Manufacturer” means the figures come from the manufacturer’s page, “partly manufacturer” that only some of them do, and “seller” that they come from the product page. 5 headlamps have manufacturer data, 3 partly, and 10 only seller data. “No data” means that none of the sources gives that value.

The red light column shows whether the red light is at the front or only at the back. Runtime is not in the table, because manufacturers give it at different brightness levels and some sellers do not give a mode at all. You will find it in the technical data of each headlamp, together with the brightness it was given for.

Affordable headlamps

This group is for headlamps you buy just in case, for the car or a drawer. The lowest price here is the Grifema GD301, with a battery charged over USB, but the seller gives no brightness, weight or water resistance. Gritin is a set of two AAA headlamps with batteries included. The Energizer 450 lm also runs on AAA, with batteries in the box.

The other three have a built-in battery and a red light. The Everbeam H6 Pro weighs 72 g, the Lepro 75 g and the Blukar 2000L 81 g. With the Blukar, watch the brightness: 2000 lm is the seller’s declaration, with no measurement standard. With the Lepro, the 2000 in the title is lux, and the data table gives 300 lm. All figures in this group come from the sellers.

Mid-range headlamps

This is where headlamps with manufacturer data appear. The Klarus HM1 switches on with a wave of your hand in front of a sensor, and the manufacturer states 440 lm and a 110 m beam. The Klarus HC3 is a small light for a cap brim that weighs 37 g. The Petzl Tikkina and the Black Diamond Spot 400 run on both AAA batteries and the manufacturer’s rechargeable pack, which helps when you do not know whether you will be able to charge.

The Energizer Vision HD+ is a light AAA headlamp, sold without batteries. The Pokiseed has a big 5000 mAh battery and a wide beam, but it weighs 270 g and its red light is only at the back of the strap. Amazon.pl sells the older Tikkina, and the manufacturer gives runtime and beam distance only for its successor.

Upper-range headlamps

This group holds the headlamp with the highest brightness given by a manufacturer. The Ledlenser H15R Core has 2500 lm measured to ANSI/PLATO FL 1 and a 250 m beam, but it weighs 380 g, the most on the list. The Ledlenser H7R Core gives 1000 lm and is rated IP67, and the Ledlenser H8R has a removable battery and a red rear light so that you can be seen.

The Olight Perun 2 and Perun 2 Mini claim very high brightness and IPX8, but those figures come from the Amazon.pl pages, not from the manufacturer. The Petzl Swift RL is from the Professional line: the manufacturer states 1100 lm to ANSI/PLATO FL 1, IK05 and resistance to a 1 m fall. It goes on a helmet with separate Petzl accessories.

Frequently asked questions

Why does runtime depend on brightness?

Because the brighter the headlamp shines, the faster it drains the battery. When you compare headlamps, check at what brightness the runtime was given. Examples from the manufacturers’ tables are above, in the part about modes.

Can an inexpensive headlamp really have 2000 lumens?

You cannot check that from the seller’s data. According to the seller, the Blukar has 2000 lm at 81 g with a 1200 mAh battery. The Petzl Swift RL has 1100 lm measured to ANSI/PLATO FL 1, weighs 110 g and has a 2350 mAh battery. No measurement standard is given for the Blukar, so there is no telling how that figure was measured. That is why every headlamp here is marked with whether its figures come from the manufacturer or the seller.

What is the difference between lux and lumens?

They are two different measures and cannot be compared directly. Lumens tell you how much light the headlamp sends out, and lux tells you how brightly the spot it falls on is lit. To compare brightness on this list I use lumens. An example of an offer that gives lux is above, in the part about lumens.

AAA batteries or rechargeable?

On this list the Gritin and both Energizer headlamps run on AAA batteries. The Petzl Tikkina and the Black Diamond Spot 400 take either AAA batteries or the manufacturer’s rechargeable pack. The rest have a battery charged over USB or magnetically. If you will have nowhere to charge, spare batteries are easier to find than a socket.

Which headlamp do you keep in your pack? If you own one of these, let me know in the comments how it has worked for you.

Sources

1. Wikipedia, Lumen (unit): en.wikipedia.org
2. Petzl, How is lighting performance measured with the ANSI/PLATO FL1 protocol?, technical sheet: petzl.com
3. Wikipedia, Flashlight, section on ratings and standards: en.wikipedia.org
4. Ledlenser, H7R Core, description and specifications: ledlenser.com
5. Ledlenser, H15R Core, description and specifications: ledlenser.com
6. Petzl, Beam pattern: petzl.com
7. Ledlenser, H8R, description and specifications: ledlenser.com
8. Petzl, Brightness or burn time, a question of balance: petzl.com
9. Petzl, HYBRID CONCEPT: the choice of standard batteries or CORE rechargeable battery: petzl.com
10. Wikipedia, Adaptation (eye): en.wikipedia.org
11. Petzl, Watertightness and IP rating: petzl.com
12. Wikipedia, IP code: en.wikipedia.org
13. Energizer, alkaline AAA battery datasheet (E92): data.energizer.com
14. Energizer, lithium AAA battery datasheet (L92): data.energizer.com
15. Petzl, Non-rechargeable energy sources: petzl.com
16. Battery University, Discharging at High and Low Temperatures: batteryuniversity.com
17. Petzl, TIKKINA, description and specifications: petzl.com
18. Wikipedia, List of battery sizes, lithium-ion cells: en.wikipedia.org
19. Petzl Professional, SWIFT RL, description, specifications and FAQ: petzl.com
20. Petzl, REACTIVE LIGHTING: petzl.com