Blog post -
Media Coverage from Runners World: The 8 Best Headlamps for Runners
Our favorite recent design trend? Lamps that work with both rechargeable and AAA batteries.
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Whether you’re a predawn runner or are missing out on daylight during post-work sessions, running outside can be a logistical challenge. But when equipped with a quality headlamp (and reflective apparel, of course), logging miles in the dark can be a blast. See quick info below on some of the best lights from our testing, then scroll deeper for longer reviews of these and other top-performing models, plus buying advice.
The Best Headlamps for Runners
- Best Overall: Black Diamond Sprint 225
- Best Budget Pick: Energizer Vision Ultra HD
- Best Update: Black Diamond Sprinter 500
- Best Hybrid Battery: Silva Trail Runner Free H
- Lightest-Weight Hybrid: Petzl Actik Core
Silva Trail Runner Free H Headlamp
Pros
-
Slim, versatile battery pack -
Stays on max power, if desired
Cons
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Max power drains battery quickly
Key Specs
| Lumens | 400 |
|---|---|
| Weight | 112 grams |
| Battery | Rechargeable (2.5 hours on high) or 3 AAA (25 hours) |
Following up on Silva’s tank-like ultrarunning headlamp, the Trail Speed 5XT, this lighter, slimmer model works on short trail and road runs. The battery pack is a slim hybrid unit mounted on the back of the headband and, rather than routing coiled cables through clips, the power passes through the headband itself. It’s a neat feature that makes the lamp even more comfortable in use. But, if you need to stash the battery pack inside a jacket for especially cold outings, a longer cloth-wrapped cable is included.
The lamp offers only three brightness settings, and you can’t select different lights (beam/flood). But it has a combination that works well at running speeds—a floodlight hits the ground nearest you while a sharper beam is cast farther ahead. In our tests, it held its max brightness consistently for the first 2 hours, but fell off a cliff by the end of the third hour; its light was so dim you wouldn’t be able to find your way out of the woods on a moonless night. Another really cool feature is the ability to toggle a rear red light for road running. Inside the battery case, a switch can be set to off, on, or blink.
The “H” in the name stands for “hybrid” battery. A version that runs on only three AAA batteries costs a bit less, or you can get one with a larger battery pack for $140.—JD
Read Full Article: https://www.runnersworld.com/g...
