| Model | Rating | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|
Black Diamond Spot Headlamp | 4.7 | Check Price |
HG Headlamp | 4.3 | Check Price |
Cobiz Brightest | 4.5 | Check Price |
Black Diamond Sprinter  | 4.4 | Check Price |
Everbrite 2-Pack Headlamp | 4.5 | Check Price |
Camping in the dark is dangerous and unpleasant for many campers, even experienced.
If you hike, you know well that visibility is the key to safe outdoor adventure.
Therefore, you need to provide excellent light sources around your campsite.
Camping headlamps can serve you for that, but you can also use them as hands-free lighting devices.
Here are the best camping headlights you can find on the market.
Go through my list and find the one for you.
Black Diamond Spot Headlamp
The Black Diamond headlight is impressive despite its simple design.
It is possibly the best headlight ever made.
The no-frills appearance is combined with high-tech components to ensure the best possible user experience.
It has a Quad power LED with a double-power LED – a total of 300 lumens of light.
Users can also dim the light to reduce the brightness.
Dimming works as a battery-saving option to provide you up to 175 hours of dimmed light.
When used on a full brightness setting, the battery can last 30 hours.
Pros
- Great brightness
- Rechargeable batteries
- Overhead strap provides additional support
Cons
- Doesn’t have red light
- Heavier
Dylan's TakeThe lamp is compact, comfortable, water-proof, and provides moderate light.
It is all most campers look for in their headlights.
HG Headlamp
The second on my list is this HG headlamp, with a simple design suited for a variety of uses.
It has four lighting modes – main light, sidelights, strobe, and all lights at once.
Therefore, you can customize how much light you need.
It is an affordable and heavy-duty headlamp but can be heavier for some people.
Pros
- Excellent brightness
- Customizable
- Sidelights are convenient
Cons
- Too heavy
Dylan's TakeIf you want as much light as you can get and at an affordable price, make sure to check this HG headlamp.
It offers a great deal of customization and plenty of light for the dark wilderness.
Cobiz Brightest
If you are looking for the brightest headlamp, the Cobiz is worth mentioning.
It offers the brightness of impressive 6000 lumens.
The Cobiz lamp is one of the rare, high-quality bright headlamps with intensive and continuous brightness that is comfortable to wear.
Three LED lights are positioned into the main and two sidelights for maximum illumination.
The headlight offers four modes – high beam (central light), low beam (only side light), all bright (all lights), and strobe (flashing lights).
Pros
- 6000-lumen brightness
- Rechargeable
- Zoom enabled
- 4-6 hours of runtime
- Waterproof
Cons
- Might be too bright for use around the people
- No red light
Dylan's TakeEven though the Cobiz headlamp might be too bright to use inside the tent, it is perfect for night hiking, setting the tent during the night, and other important activities.
You will be amazed at how bright the light is for the price.
Black Diamond Sprinter
This is another great Black Diamond headlamp you can use for different activities.
It provides a brightness of 275 lumens on maximum settings.
The lamp has been designed with runners in mind, so it is lightweight and comfortable with an oval beam.
The LED housing includes red strobe tall light to improve runner visibility and improves safety.
The overhead strap keeps the lamp in place, which makes this Black Diamond lamp suitable for night running.
The battery fully charges in five hours.
Pros
- Minimalist design
- Rechargeable battery
- Water-resistant
- Charges quickly
- Battery runtime: 42 hours on low setting
Cons
- Medium brightness
- Pricey
Dylan's TakeThe Black Diamond lamp is comfortable and has a red light which makes a huge safety feature.
It also gives enough light for plenty of night activities.
Everbrite 2-Pack Headlamp
If you are looking for backup headlights, you might find these EverBrite headlamps perfect.
They are budget-friendly and great to keep in your RV or car for emergencies.
The headlamps are well designed and include a 12-month warranty.
This model is easy to use, adjustable, and surprisingly durable.
A total of 8 LED bulbs ensures four different modes and plenty of light.
EverBrite headlamps use 3 AAA alkaline batteries.
Pros
- Comfortable to wear
- Adjustable
- Easy to control via a single button
- 90-degree swivel and rotation enabled
Cons
- Not suitable for heavy-duty use
Dylan's TakeIf you are looking for a set of headlamps that won’t break the bank and will be handy on your trips, you should check the EverBrite pack.
It is easy to use and gives enough brightness for most camping tasks inside or outside the tent.
Buying Guide
If you get the first headlamp you see, you will save time on deciding, but don’t expect it to perform perfectly.
You shouldn’t buy any camping gear without careful analysis, because quality tools can really help you out in the wild.
Here are a few things to consider when buying a camping headlamp.
Size
Backpacking headlamps are generally compact and lightweight, compared to those designed for car work, construction.
Weight also plays a vital role when choosing a camping headlamp.
You won’t be comfortable wearing a bulky and heavy lamp for several hours.
Brightness
LED bulbs are common on camping headlights.
Their brightness is expressed in lumens which tell you how much light the bulb emits.
Logically, the higher the lumen level, the more brightness you get.
Brightness is an individual choice, but the lamps that are too bright aren’t always the best choice.
Too bright of a lamp block the vision in front of your face and bothers your fellow campers.
Therefore, I recommend choosing a lamp with a brightness between 100 and 300 lumens you can dim.
Durability
You want a reliable headlamp to serve for several seasons.
There is nothing worse than having your lamp break down in the middle of the night when you need it the most.
Check the construction of the lamp, and pick the one with waterproof properties.
That way, a sudden rainfall won’t be an issue.
Customization
Customization includes strap adjustability and other factors.
Make sure the straps can be adjusted to fit your head comfortably.
The second aspect of adjustability is brightness control.
Headlamps that can be adjusted are versatile and you can use them for a variety of tasks.
Also, if your headlamp enables dimming, it will probably act as a battery-saving mode.
Useful features are strobe flashing, red light for safety, etc.
The light housing is the last aspect of adjustability.
Fixed light isn’t always practical, and rotation and swiveling motions are more suited for a variety of situations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Headlamps
Have I missed mentioning any important headlamp aspect?
Please ask me in the comments, or find the answers below.
Where to Use Headlights?
Headlights are suitable for plenty of outdoor activities such as: trail running, night hiking, caving, camping, biking, etc.
In reality, you can use a headlight for any outdoor night-time activity.
The most reliable manufacturers are Fenix, Nitecore, Princeton Tex, Petzl, Biolite, Rei, Ledlenser, and others.
How Many Lumens is Enough?
The number of lumens tells you much much bright of a light you can expect.
Lumen levels for camping headlights go from 15 up to 600 lumens and more.
For comparison, a single candle offers a brightness of 10 lumens.
Brightness between 200 and 300 lumens equals indoor lighting in most cases.
If you need additional brightness, pick a headlamp with a lumen level higher than 500.
People who plan to use a headlamp to move around the campsite don’t need lamps brighter than 60 lumens.
For hiking, and running pick the lamp with a minimum of 120 lumens.
Can you Make a Headlamp Dimmer?
The dimming options are related to the lamp design.
If your lamp doesn’t offer a dimming option, you can try placing a thin cloth on top of the light housing to reduce the brightness.
But don’t keep a cloth for too long, because it can lead to overheating.
How to Take Care of Your Headlamp?
Proper headlamp maintenance will prolong the lamp lifespan.
Once your camping trip is over, wipe down the light housing with a soft cloth.
Inspect the lamp for damage or burns.
Clean the elastic straps by detaching them and hand-washing them with soap and water.
Recharge your headlight to have it ready for your next outdoor adventure.
How Often I Need to Recharge the Camping Headlamp?
It depends on the use of the lamp, mode, and battery.
Rechargeable lamps are practical and space-saving because they eliminate the need for carrying replacement batteries.
USB-rechargeable lamps are the most practical models.
Recharge the battery before your next trip and check how well the lamp holds the charge.
Always recharge the lamp until it is full, and keep an eye on the battery runtime while you are using it.
Some headlamps need around eight hours to fully charge, so it could be a good idea to charge the lamp during the day.
Also, using a lower brightness setting on all headlamps saves battery and lowers the need for charging.
Conclusion
Headlamps are practical for so many activities, camping included.
They enable hands-free use and keep you safe by improving your vision field.
Picking a headlamp depends on comfort, brightness, and other factors.
You can check my list of the five best camping headlamps but narrow the choice further based on your preferences and needs.
Which headlamp seems like a match for you?
If it isn’t on the list feel free to add it in the comment section.
Best Overall Choice
Black Diamond Spot Headlamp
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