So the last two head lamps I bought are probably 15 + years old and have had it. The elastic head straps are both loose, the Halogen lamp one won't work at all, and the single LED unit will only intermittently work when I hold the exposed lamp wire in just the exact right position...time for new head lamps.

I'd prefer that they use disposable batteries instead of rechargeable (but could be convinced otherwise), a head strap capable of keeping the lamp in position through light to moderate motion, capable of being worn both in direct contact with my melon as well as over baseball hats/ knit hats. Variable illumination selection for different scenarios would be great. I spend a fair bit of time in adverse WX conditions so waterproof/ water resistance would be a desirable feature.

I don't need enough lumens to land a 787, mostly for camping/ hiking and fishing/ hunting duty, working inside a tent, night time walks with the dog, occasionally working underneath a truck, a couple will reside in a car go-bag for SHTF scenarios...more often than not, just reading in the dark. Reliability and long battery life are the order of the day.

I'm probably overthinking this, but as the tech has improved since I last shopped for hands-free illumination I thought I'd check for forum input.

Any suggestions?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Modern Day Savage,

Personally, for the type of use you noted, I'd hit HD and grab a $20 EverReady LED headlamp. I have one I use for working on vehicles and doing stuff around the house where holding a light would be a pain. It takes AAA batteries, is inexpensive, and does what I need it to.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/En..._-NA-_-205878435-_-N

I have this O-Light one:

https://olightworld.com/headlamps/olight-h05-active

I like it very much and I think it meets your criteria. Also under $20 which is a bonus.

I have one I love to hate. It works great but has 5 functions with one button.

When switching it off I have to count button clicks...

I'd be in the market for a single function one if I needed one very often. Just something to consider.

I've tried a bunch of different ones in several different price ranges. I use one every day walking the dog in the morning and evening and then around the house. Also early morning or evenings at horse shows. It gets a lot of use.

This is the best one I've used to date and see no reason to ever change:

https://olightworld.com/headlamps/olight-h1-nova

It's the Olight H1 Nova. One button, adjustable beam, but it remembers the last setting, so just one click on, one click off. You can remove it from the headband easily if needed and use a pocket clip or the tailcap is magnetic, so you can stick it to something metal - uses either standard CR123 batteries or the rechargeable variety, which I recommend. You can go from a very soft light to 500 lumens.

I'm very happy with the Energizer Vision HDB32E 200 Lumen model. Great reviews on Amazon, and $14 w/ free Prime shipping.

I bought this one for my gear bag, it's bright, adjustable and easy to operate.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...ilpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Had a super-badass Princeton Tec milspec-ish headlamp that was awesome, but it was pricey and goes through CR123's like they're growing on trees.

This is my most recent purchase, and I'm loving it. Rechargeable, and you can even carry more than one of the Lithium batteries if you won't have access to power to charge it. Charges off a USB port, has several different modes and intensity options, and is built EXTREMELY well. Also, The LED temp/lamp color Milwaukee uses is the best I've seen, not yellow, not blue, just right as not to skew the color of wires you may be working with and so on.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Mi...mp-2111-21/302204633

quote:

Originally posted by UTsig:
I bought this one for my gear bag, it's bright, adjustable and easy to operate.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...ilpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought a couple of these and use them hunting. Liked them so much, I bought a couple more for anytime use and the others stay dedicated to my hunting gear.

Black Diamond Spot, I have several of these:

• One Quad Power LED and one Double Power white LED emit 300 lumens
  
• Settings include full strength in proximity and distance modes, dimming, strobe, red night-vision and lock mode
  
• PowerTap Technology allows instant transitioning between full and dimmed power
  
• Brightness Memory allows you to turn the light on and off at a chosen brightness without reverting back to full power
  
• Waterproof; Protected against water immersion down to >1m (3.3 ft) for 30 minutes (IPX 8)

https://www.amazon.com/Black-D...300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

black diamond or fenix

I went with this since I already had several small flashlights. So I have a PD35 and 35 Tac on it. It is awesome for walking the dogs because I can have one beam positioned for distance and one for where I am stepping. May be overkill for your purposes but I love it.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...ilpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I like Black Diamonds - AAA batteries (3) and decent run time. I like the variable output function. Hold the button to change the brightness vs just having a couple modes. Also has a red led mode.

BD storm

i don't think you need to spend $50-100 to get a decent, serviceable headlamp. One that is water resistant is good. Led is fine, but not critical.
i have several. my current favorite is a coast. three setting. dim, bright and blinking. It is not as robust as others I have but i like the way it illuminate. More of a flood than spot.
bottom of line is for $25 you can get a good one.

I’ve been very happy with this: https://www.amazon.com/Forehea...right+medic+headlamp

Black Diamond and Petzl are the two most popular brands for headlamps, Princeton Tec being a distant third. Both are leading innovators in lighting technology and have established the largest assortment of headlamps for a variety of uses and professions.
Most popular model of all-time is the Petzl Tikka, with the Black Diamond Spot right behind it. The Tikka debuted about 20-years ago and has since gone through a variety of updates and variations, to include a handful of specialized models for the US military.

REI has their annual Anniversary sale in May, a must go-to event for outdoor enthusiasts and travelers, they usually will have one or, two headlamps available at a very good discount.

I may own 30 headlamps....they keep getting better and I keep buying them. Assuming you passed on the "just get the Everready (OR Coast brand) at Home Depot" advice, which is sound as it appears that you don't need light weight, IF you have any 18650 lithium batteries and are familiar with the ups, downs and risks and you have a good charger (Xtar, Nitecore, Litkota etc) I'd suggest getting a Fenix or Nitecore headlamp. They're made of Aluminum, have amazing run times and distance and are seriously solid (aka heavy). If you are a "buy it and ignore it" guy, don't buy into the lithium battery stuff as you could get seriously hurt.

As corsair notes, Black Diamond, Petzl and Princeton Tec make lots of models at various price points, and they're all pretty good. I have models from all 3. I'd buy new as some of those new models currently have more lumens and occasionally better wiring/circuitry to reduce parasitic drain than identically named models that are older.

I've had one of these for years. No problems. However I don't work it to hard.

https://www.amazon.com/Dorcy-A...rds=head+light+dorcy

I have had a Petzl Tikka for several years and use it outside as well, as inside for close work. I like the adjustable beam angle.

I have a Black Dimond I've been using for years. It has two flood LEDs, a spot led and a red light. I use the flood the most. They are good for around the house and campsite.

For camping/hiking the red LED is very helpful in the middle of the night. Provides enough light to see things but will not bother others or make you come wide awake.

Both flood and spot on mine are dimmable which is also very helpful.