Headlamps

This review site specializes more on handheld flashlights, but does test and rate headlamps as well - recommending that every family member have a headlamp on hand for power outages. In addition to… comparison charts and top picks based on objective testing, flashlight enthusiast Doug Pribis provides detailed single-product reviews of 54 models. The most recent headlamp reviews here are dated November 2006, and he stopped updating the site in June 2007, but the site is still extremely useful. A buyer's guide is supplemented by other articles that explain more about batteries, LED colors and much more.

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Contributors to this forum are mostly enthusiasts who keep up with the newest headlamps and have enough experience to compare them with other models. Since FlashlightReviews.com stopped adding new models in… June 2007, this is a good place to find reviews of newer models. Experts here often share tips on how to modify a headlamp to tweak its design or to use a preferred LED. The first headlamp to use a CREE LED is discussed and reviewed here, and quite a few discussions focus on which headlamp is best for a specific use such as running, rescue and even dental work. You can ask your own question here, or search the forum to see what enthusiasts say about a specific model.

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This site screens reviewers, who publish detailed single-product reviews of headlamps - starting with first impressions, then progressing to field tests and long-term reviews. At the time of this report, 24… models have been reviewed by at least one hiker, and quite a few have received long-term reviews from more than one person. The site organizes the reviews by model, but doesn't rate or rank headlamps, nor make any attempt to consolidate reviews from different owners. But it's an excellent site for getting detailed reviews once you've narrowed your choice to two or three headlamps.

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Reviewing gear with a focus on hunting and fishing, Field & Stream gives the Petzl Tactikka XP headlamp a 2006 Best of the Best Award. To confirm its water resistance, testers hold it under a shower while… it's powered up, then store it wet in a plastic bag all afternoon - after which it still performs well. Tests also show it outlasting the advertised battery life by 30 hours. The review also highlights the features that make this headlamp especially flexible and useful.

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Only two headlamps are reviewed here, based on the experiences of one adventure runner and his team, but the author confirms that both the Princeton Tec Quad and the Princeton Tec Apex prove waterproof. For… racing, the Apex dims enough to require a battery change after only four to six hours of use, but is still recommended. The Quad isn't as bright as the Apex, so it's recommended as a backup light.

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This site provides a handy comparison chart of specifications for current headlamps made by the three most popular manufacturers: Black Diamond, Petzl and Princeton Tec. Maximum distance is given in yards,… and details include warranty, regulator, water resistance, weight with and without batteries and brightness in lumens (except for Black Diamond, which doesn't provide this). A separate page recommends specific headlamps for particular uses, but no testing is documented.

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