Best Headlamps for Trail Runners and Climbers 2024

Climbers and runners of a certain age will have fond (!?) memories of the iconic Petzl Zoom headlamp. The Zoom was powered by a flat 4.5v battery and used a fragile filament bulb, as that was all that existed but there was fortunately space for spare in the battery case. Illumination was pitiable by modern standards (it could be boosted with a halogen bulb that seemed to more than half the battery life) and by rotating the housing you could ‘zoom’ the beam from spot to flood hence the name. The advent of rechargeable Li-Ion batteries and high power LEDs has seen the likes of the Zoom consigned to history pages and we’ve been in a lumens and battery life arms race ever since! I would argue that very high 1200+ lumen etc. headline figures are not required the majority of the time for slow to moderate speed sports such as climbing and trail running though our mountain biking brethren are benefiting from 5000+ lumen performance, aided a little by the cool(ing) speeds they whiz around at. The high boost mode available in some headlamps can be useful if you’re trying to pick out a distant marker cairn or spot that elusive abseil station in the dark below you though! We’ve chosen to list the 4hour lumens/burn time as a very rough way to compare the the headlamps – comparisons are fraught with difficulties as each headlamp is subtly or even radically different. Consider the following:

• How long do you need illumination? A training run? Approaching/descending from a winter route? Alpine starts? Ultra races? ‘Lamping’ on your favourite gritstone boulders? You might be looking at anything from 2 to 8 hours plus. Three of the headlamps reviewed use sensors to adjust lighting levels according to conditions which will generally give better run times especially good for those who don’t like the faff of adjusting power output.
• What do you need to illuminate? Non technical tracks and trails? Technical terrain at a slow pace or fast pace? Spotting climbing features/belays? Picking out distant terrain markers? The faster you move and the more technical the terrain the brighter you’ll need but the majority of the time for both runner and climbers you may be surprised how modest your needs really are compared to headline lumen figures.
• Comfort: Is the lamp going on your head or a helmet? Will you be moving slowly or quickly, smoothly or erratically? What are your personal tolerances for weight on your head? It is really a good idea to try the headlamps on and don’t be embarrassed to try on with a helmet – some heavier lamps feel OK on your head but can annoyingly wobble some helmets. Several of the models reviewed allow you to store the battery pack in a pocket or running vest which not only teakes the weight off your head but in cold conditions will help maintain battery performance if it is being warmed by body heat.
• Usability: How complex is it to select the lighting mode you need – this has huge implications for battery life, if it’s simple then you’ll happily drop down to lower lumen settings and save your battery when you can. If it’s a faff then you’ll likely leave it on the higher setting. Can you easily turn it on and off? With winter gloves on (none of the headlamps we reviewed are particularly good for this!)? Does it have an easily selected ‘lock mode’? I managed to singe a hole in a pair of cotton trousers in less than 45sec whilst connecting a headband on the HF8R Core as I’d foolishly left it on! These lamps can get hot – don’t store them in a pack unlocked as you risk not only a flat battery but potentially damaged kit; climbers think of your rope/harness/slings, runners think of that expensive featherweight Gore-Tex jacket! Mainly for the ultra runners but handy for others as well – does it have the facility to switch out the rechargeable battery? How easy is this? Another hazard for ski mountaineers is that the ‘boost’ settings on some of the headlamps may interfere with avalanche transceivers so should be avoided in avalanche terrain and as with any electronics keep them a minimum of 50cm away from your transceiver.

	BD Distance 1500	Ledlenser NEO9R	Ledlenser HF8R CORE	Moonlight BAD 800	Petzl NAO RL	Petzl Swift RL	Silva Trail Runner Free 2 Ultra
Climbing
Running
Cost	£180.00	£99.95	£119.95	£159.95	£153.00	£103.00	£109.00
Max Lumens	1500	1200	1600	800	1500	1100	550
4Hr Lumens	300 (6h)	600 (5h)	900 ALBT* (3.5Hr)??	400 (4hr)	30-550 RL** (5h)	25-275 RL** (7hr+)	550 (4.5-7h)
Battery Capacity	1500mAh @7.4v	5000mAh @3.7v	3700mAh @3.7v	4600mAh @3.7v	3200mAh @3.7v	2350mAh @3.7v	4000mAh @3.7V
Wh	11.1Wh	18.5Wh	13.6Wh	17.0Wh	11.8Wh	8.6Wh	14.8Wh
IPX rating	IP67	IP54	IP68 (1.5m)	IP67	IPX4 (Battery IP67)	IPX4	IPX5
Weight (CGR measured in brackets)	213g (206g)	199g (215g)	194g (208g w/top strap)	248g (247g)	145g (144g)	100g (103g)	145g (162g)
g per Wh	18.6	11.6	15.3	14.5	12.2	11.9	10.9
g per Lumen***	1.46	2.79	4.33	1.62	3.82	2.67	3.40

Run Time and Battery Tech

Run time at a given level of lumens is covered by the ANSI FL1 Standard ¹ and “Tested with fresh batteries [full charge] from 30 seconds after the light is turned on until the light output reaches 10% of the initial measurement.” The battery headline figure you normally see is the capacity (in milliamp hours, or mAh) which is the storage capacity of the battery, and indicates how long it can carry on delivering current before it runs dry. How the Run Time is ‘managed’ in terms of light out put varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and is critical to how useful your headlamp is going to be for a given application. Run time figures are further complicated with Petzl and Ledlenser using sensors to automatically dim and brighten the beam according to ambient conditions thus extending battery life. For running the original Petzl system works admirably and version 2 seems even better – pretty much set and forget. When climbing I sometimes find the ‘reactive’ element a little distracting when looking from close proximity to more distant objects but most people I have talked to don’t notice or find it an issue.

Lumens, Beam Distance and Beam Pattern

Nominally the lumen rating should allow easy comparison between different headlamps. However there are a number of issues to be aware of. Like most things energy related heat is an enemy and as lamps heat up their performance will decline. Manufacturers have come up with different approaches to cope with or mitigate this issue. Unfortunately the ANSI testing standard measures the max lumens somewhere between 10 and 90 seconds after switch on – after that it can be anyones guess. Reputable manufacturers are generally honest about this and the max lumens quoted for most of the lamps we review is clearly marked as a short term ‘boost’ mode. However there is the potential for some ANSI tested headlamps to ‘game’ the system much in the mode of ‘dieselgate’ whereby they get the headline figure for the test result but the lumens fall off rapidly thereafter! Beam distance is the distance, measured in meters, at which the light projects a useful amount of light, measured at 0.25 lux and in case you are wondering 0.25lux is supposed to equate to a full moon on a clear night. As far as I can tell each manufacturer has designed the beam pattern with a combination of flood, for proximity vision and spot for distance vision. Mostly these are fixed but with Petzl and Ledlenser they react or adapt to the conditions. Petzl’s RL technology is particularly good in this respect seeming to almost read your mind when running and you switch between map reading, trotting along on the trail or looking into the distance to spot a stile in the wall. Ledlenser’s ALBT is not far behind though a little less refined. I’m not sure you can objectively compare the beam patterns though with the right equipment you could I’m sure measure the colour temperature of the various headlamps but these differences may come down to personal preference – some people preferring colder whiter beams whilst others preferring a warmer more yellow output.

NB. A cautionary word regarding the beam pattern shots. I used an iPhone 11 Pro Max as my trusty Fuji camera was out of commission. As a result I couldn’t lock ISO, Aperture, Shutter speed in their virtual forms and although the photos give some idea there are a couple (SILVA in particular) where the the automatic adjustments do a miss service. The first image is looking downhill toward a wall approximately 100m+ away. the second image looks toward the woodland edge approximately 70m away. I will upload corrected images as soon as possible.

IPX ratings or Ingress protection ratings.

Our headlamps are frequently going to be used in damp or wet conditions and IPX rating let you know how weather resistant your headlamp will be. Each rating begins with IP as the first two characters.
First digit is the rating for solid materials, like dust, sand, soil, etc. Scale of 0-6. The one we’re interested in is the second digit (Liquid): Rating for water resistance. Scale of 0-9. To keep it simple I have included only those rating which apply to the reviewed headlamps.
IPX4: Splashing water from any direction, using an oscillating tube or spray nozzle. 10 minute duration.
IPX5: Water jets. Water sprayed for 3 minutes at 30 kPa, with 12.5 litres per minute.
IPX6: Powerful water jets. Water sprayed for 3 minutes at 100 kPa, with 100 litres per minute.
IPX7: Immersion 1 meter or less. Test lasts 30 minutes, with depth of 1000 mm.
IPX8: Immersion 1 meter or deeper. Test length and depth specified by manufacturer. Actual test depth noted on device spec sheet.

BD Distance 1500

Black Diamond’s new flagship headlamp uses a different approach to the other lamps reviewed in terms of battery power by running at 7.4V as opposed to the almost standard 3.7V to give a good lumens vs runtime result with a reasonable battery size. With exceptional weather resistance this is great headlamp for trail runners and mountaineers alike actually being certified to survive immersion. Black Diamond have clearly set their sights on the Ultra running and FKT community and this is probably the most polished and feature complete headlamp on review. For users who spend extended time in darkness, the simplicity with which you can swap the battery is a delight. I was doing it on my local moorland run just for the fun of it – you truly can do it one handed without having to remove the lamp from your head which is amazing! Build wise I would say this is slightly more robust than the Petzl NAO and thus also suited to winter climbing duties however as with the majority of headlamps reviewed here the buttons are not cold finger/glove friendly. There is a slight weight penalty for all these features but not much, the Distance 1500 rides very comfortably on your head and I never felt the need for the additional top strap. Full marks for BD on their instruction sheet which (a) uses a reasonable typeface size and (b) even illustrates how to wear the headlamp with the battery pack sitting low at the rear in on your occipital bone. Don’t laugh! I’ve seen headlamps ‘ping’ off a beanie clad head when worn like a hat band never to be seen again. Power adjustment on the Distance 1500 is similar to the excellent Sprinter 500 we reviewed, hold the button down to go through a progressive ‘dimmer’ cycle from high to low with indicator flashes to let you know when you’ve hit low and high beam. BD’s Powertap technology lets you just ‘tap’ the lamp unit to operate the boost mode – all very intuitive which is just what you want in a headlamp. However on the Distance1500 this has been augmented by an additional button and several other modes including coloured LEDs and an SOS mode in addition to the standard strobe. In brief the tiny button selects mode, bigger button acts as the dimmer and both buttons together provide the lock function but you really need to read the instructions and familiarise yourself with this headlamp before heading out. This may be a pet peeve of mine but I would happily forgo the additional functionality/complexity and have some bigger buttons, as a reviewer you end up switching between a variety of headlamps and perhaps there is more of a tendency to get befuddled – much like when you’re cold, and tired. I’d question how often anyone actually uses all the different modes. However for most users having just the one main headlamp you will quickly learn the settings. Along with the NAO this is probably the most advanced of headlamps available with a very specific focus on trail running – it has already notched up some podiums in big races and the eagle eyed may have spotted it amongst Hilary Gerardi’s kit when she broke the women’s Mount Blanc FKT this summer. The Distance 1500 also comes with a semi rigid travel case as well as an on the hill stuff sac yet again reflecting the level of care BD’s designers have gone to and probably a good idea to protect your investment as this is the most expensive headlamp on test by a slight margin.

Pros

• Waterproof
• Comfortable
• Super quick and easy change battery.
• Multiple modes
• Quality transport/storage box
• Simple dimer operation
• Rear flasher

Cons

• Expensive (but not overly so)
• Tiny buttons.
• Not the best grams to Wh ratio

Ledlenser NEO9R

Xavier Thevenard’s headlamp of choice the NEO9R from German LED masters Ledlenser has the most powerful battery in the review but still wears comfortably for running. The headlamp can also be mounted on a chest strap to give an alternative lighting position that many users find better for terrain perception though I found it awkward to position the battery pack in this mode if wearing a running pack/vest. Ledlenser seem to have missed a trick here as the battery pack links to the lamp unit using a plug/socket cord much like the Moonlight BAD 800 and SILVA Trail Runner Free Ultra 2 but they don’t supply an extension cord that would allow the battery to be stored off your head in a pack or pocket. The website literature suggests you can remove the battery to store in a pack or pocket but the standard cable is just too short for this to be practicable. Out of the box I feared the NEO9R would be uncomfortable with such a beast of a battery pack, the highest powered and heaviest in the review, but the reality was quite different and it is a perfectly acceptable headlamp for running or climbing. The head unit is tiny but still packs a punch giving out 600 lumens for a stated 5 hours which is probably the best sustained lumen score on test. A simple single click cycles through low-mid-power and a quick double click gets the 1200 lumen boost which lasts 10 seconds. The boost mode is temperature dependant and overheating will temporarily disable it indicted by a brief double flash. The beam has been tuned for trail running and gives a nice balance of proximity and distance illumination. If you’re looking for high output and long run times with the versatility to mount your headlamp as a chest rig for improved terrain perception then the NEO9R is a great choice. If Ledlenser would add an extension cable for the battery pack it  would be exceptional.

A negative for me is the propriety charging cable. With the industry standardising on USB C the only reason not to do so would be for reasons of size (such as headphones) or improved water resistance. Neither of these apply to the NEO9R which has a fairly average level of weatherproofness. The NEO9R is a very good headlamp that could be great with a couple of tweaks. Ditching the proprietary charge cable and including an additional cable to extend the battery pack for ‘off the head’ storage in a running vest pocket etc.

Pros

• Good value
• Comfortable
• Can be worn as chest light
• Simple to operate
• Rear flasher

Cons

• Heavy battery
• Only ‘weatherproof’.
• Proprietary charge cable

Ledlenser HF8R Core

Along with the Petzl Swift RL the HF8R Core is the only other unit on test with the lamp and battery combined in a single front unit. Unfortunately the weight of the HF8R Core precludes its selection for trail running as it just bounces too much. However for walkers and mountaineers this powerful unit is a great option giving outstanding power and runtime in a compact package. The solid build that accounts for its weight includes an aluminium housing that will help with cooling and also help it withstand the abuse winter climbers and mountaineers are likely to dish out. I tried the HF8R Core on a variety of helmets for climbing with mixed results in terms of stability. In brief the more low profile the helmet the better. For some of the helmets that sit high on your head the weight of the HF8R Core at the front could cause distracting wobble. Now this is all very dependant on helmet/head fit but it is as well to be aware of this and to try before you buy if possible. Other than that this is a bomber headlamp with serious burn time figures thanks to its Adaptive Light Beam Technology which is similar to Petzl’s long established Reactive Lighting. In my usage I would say that the ALBT is a little less refined than the Petzl RL (v2) but still does a good job. I’m not sure that the 900lumens for 3.5 hours is realistic as the output varies in normal usage and my own experience and the Wh figures would suggest that you’re not going to get (nearly) full power for that long. I did particularly like the simple focus wheel to adjust the beam pattern – another example of where simple manual controls trump more complex solutions. For slower paced activities where a robust build and excellent burn time is a priority the HF8R Core makes a great choice. The HF8R Core has arguably the brightest non-boost beam of the lamps on review when in ALBT mode. Like the NEO9R the choice of a proprietary charge cable is a bit of a let down, potentially these allow for more waterproof headlamp but several manufacturers have high IPX rating and still use the default USB C plug and the general move to USB C as a universal standard has made rechargeable life so much easier.

Pros

• Rugged
• Waterproof
• Bright on standard setting

Cons

• No rear red flasher for runners
• A bit unbalanced/heavy
• Proprietary charge cable

Moonlight BAD 800

With an impressive build quality, simple operation and a great run time vs lumen balance this is Kilian’s headlamp of choice, he won both the UTMB and Hardrock wearing the BAD 800 which might come as a surprise for some given that it is the heaviest headlamp on review. Really what this highlights (sorry!) is that reliability and functionality win out over a few grams even at the pointy end of ultra running. If you want a headlamp that can be operated when your fingers are a bunch of numb bananas and your brain has turned to mush after 15 hours on the go then the BAD 800 should be at the top of your list. As mentioned this build quality comes with a weight penalty but in this case the weight is distributed between a lightweight aluminium lamp unit and your battery of choice that can be worn very comfortably at the rear and I believe the wide silicon gripper lined elastic on the harness helps here. Even better, using an extension lead the battery can be carried in a pack or pocket for even greater comfort whilst also helping keep the battery warm for increased cold weather performance and if you’re carrying a spare makes battery swaps a cinch without having to remove the headlamp from your noggin. It should come as no surprise that both the Scandinavian headlamps are equipped to have the battery stored in pocket using an extension cord – it gets cold and stays dark for a long time up north in the winter so you learn how to best cope with those conditions if you want to train and perform in the winter months. Moonlight make a whole range of headlamps with versatile mounting options and interchangeable batteries – we chose to review the baby of the family but it is easy to attach a larger battery for longer run times or opt for a more powerful lamp unit.

In use the Moonlight BAD 800 is simplicity itself a simple big button on top of the lamp unit is pressed to cycle through the 4 power modes low – high, double press for beacon, double press again for SOS (a single press returns to normal mode). The button is a decent size and probably the easiest to operate of all the headlamps on test. There is no lock function but just unplugging the battery pack serves this function. The battery charge indication is a simple red charging/green charged on the battery itself but there is a more nuanced blue/red long flashing LED in the head unit that will give you battery status when you turn the head unit on. Having a little of the Luddite in me and being intimately aware of how my dexterity and cognitive ability declines with cold and fatigue I must admit I became a big fan of the BAD 800 and would happily pay the weight penalty if I was expecting a prolonged period out in the dark. Another big plus for the Moonlight BAD 800 is that pretty much every buckle, band cable and battery is available as a spare along with handlebar and helmet mounts suited to cyclists making for a versatile and repairable investment. The headlamp comes supplied with a 1m extension cable and a zippered storage pouch.

Pros

• Rugged
• Waterproof
• Comfortable
• Battery can be worn off the head
• Simple to operate
• Modularity and spares

Cons

• No rear red flasher for runners
• USB C ‘plug’ could be better implemented.
• Weight

Petzl NAO RL

Petzl can, quite legitimately, lay claim to the crown of headlamp manufacturers. Certainly in Europe and the UK their position was unchallenged until Black Diamond moved in. They are still at the cutting edge especially with their Reactive Lighting technology In its original iteration the NAO was a favourite amongst winter mountaineers (it had a great glove friendly switch!) it has transformed into one of the ultimate trail running headlamps showcasing Petzl’s impressive arsenal of technologies. I found this the most comfortable headlamp to wear. If you don’t like anything more than a beanie or a cap on your head (in fact it wears almost like a cap complete with simple cinch adjustment!) and you don’t like fiddling with buttons the NAO RL is your headlamp. Using version 2 of Petzl’s Reactive Light technology to automatically adjust lighting levels to the ambient conditions the NAO RL gets impressive runtime figures from its 11.8Wh battery and though it’s not possible to directly compare Reactive Lighting to conventional lamp runtimes experience would suggest that in normal trail running usage they are realistic figures. Reactive Lighting gives three modes; lowest with a wide flood when stationary and looking at things in close proximity, medium with a mixed flood and spot for movement such as running looking at the trail in front of your feet and finally high with a focussed spot beam when looking up or ahead to spot a trail marker or the belay. With RL you can set and forget your headlamp, eliminating faff. With no fumbling with poles/map/compass etc. you just focus on the task in hand which is ideal for those gruelling 2am – 4am hours.

The headline alongside its performance set is just how comfy the NAO RL is together with straightforward operation. A single quick press cycles through from low, mid, high to off. A long press switches from standard to reactive and a 4 sec hold locks the light. Top tip: the NAO will always start up in Reactive mode, just don’t do any long presses as RL works so well theres really no need to switch out of it! As you would expect from Petzl they have nailed the feature set and usability/wearability of the NAO RL for trail runners. You could obviously use it for winter climbing but there are better options out there from Petzl such as the Swift RL and I would worry that the super comfortable harness cradle might get damaged being shoved into the typical winter sac along with that mixed rack. A slight disappointment is that it only meets IPX4 even though the battery meets IP67. Talking of the battery, this being Petzl they are readily available online or in any major mountain centre for around £60 so getting a back up for long races is a non issue as is carrying one at all of 80g. The more I used the NAO RL the more I noticed clever design touches like the battery USB C charge port also acting as the lamp connector. You can even use it to get a bit of emergency power for your phone for that essential phone call to your significant other, mate in the pub or worst case scenario the emergency services. The battery can also be detached and stored in the supplied white stuff sac for travel and this stuff sac can be used as a diffuser to create a camping lantern – perfect for that romantic noodle dinner at the overnight camp on the OMM!

Update: Petzl are just releasing an extension cable to allow the battery to be carried off the head in a pocket for better cold weather performance which for me might edge the NAO very slightly ahead of the Distance 1500 in terms of the ultimate pure trail running headlamps.

Pros

• Super Comfy
• Effective Reactive Light technology
• Super lightweight
• Quick change battery
• Simple to operate
• Rear LED flasher
• 5 year guarantee

Cons

• Harness design not the best for winter climbing
• Only weather proof (but battery is waterproof)

Petzl Swift RL

The Swift RL is Petzl’s top all-rounder for climbers, skiers, walkers and runners. If you’re looking for versatility in a compact and lightweight format that packs a surprisingly big punch the Swift RL should be on your list. With my winter climber’s head on the Swift RL is likely to be the headlamp that I pack for Scottish winter or Alpine summer routes, it is definitely the headlamp that would come along for big multi pitch rock routes in the Alps when I don’t expect to need a headlamp unless… Its compact size. lightweight and sensible performance men that you are more likely to pack it for that ‘just in case’ scenario; you know when you should be back at the van in daylight but the ab ropes got stuck then you missed the path junction and had to retrace your steps. Obviously this has never happened to anyone at CGR we’re just hypothesising 🙂 The Swift RL has the lowest powered battery on test and only a moderate (but totally sufficient) 4hr+ lumen output but the whole package weighs less and is more compact than some of the other headlamps batteries! Additionally the Swift has a useful 1100 lumens on high power RL mode (but only expect 2hr runtime) ideal for picking out those elusive abseil bolts (or mess of tat!) in the dark and the rain when type 2 fun is degenerating toward type 3… If you cover the sensor in high power you can ‘fool’ the headlamp into giving you the full 1100 lumens. The Reactive Light technology is perhaps even more useful here than in the flagship NAO as it provides a level of idiot proofing that will prolong the runtime of the battery. Speaking of the battery it is possible to purchase spares at £48.50 and it’s relatively simple to change them but I wouldn’t like to do it in very cold conditions as I’d be concerned at snapping the lugs/tabs that hold the battery in place. It must be said that if you are going down the spare battery route then the replaceable batteries on the other headlamps including Petzl’s own NAO offer much better value in terms of mAh per £. As with the NAO the supplied white stuff sac can be used as a diffuser to create a camping lantern.

It might seem when you scan the comparison table that the Swift RL is out gunned by all the other headlamps reviewed here but that is to miss the point. The Swift RL offers an unbeatable package of usable lumens, good runtime (aided by the Reactive Lighting technology) and the most compact lightweight form factor on review. For many users it is all the headlamp you will ever need and its size means that it is likely to be in your sac when you need it.

Pros

• Light
• Compact
• Waterproof
• Comfortable
• Simple to operate

Cons

• No rear red flasher for runners (or to spot your mate on the descent).

Silva Trail Runner 2 Ultra

Silva are best known in the UK outdoor market for their compasses but they have a long history of headlamp manufacturing for the night orienteering market. Nearly 30 years ago I remember being curious about the headlamps with the massive reflectors and battery vest packs at ‘Night O’ events but dismissed them as being impractical outside that arena.

Today Silva are worthy competitors in the headlamp market across all disciplines. The Trail runner 2 Ultra was a perhaps the ‘dark horse’ of this review providing a surprising package with a great balance of lightweight, comfort, battery life and lumen output whilst forgoing the headline high lumen figure. The Trail Runner 2 comes in three configurations that share the same lamp unit. The basic Trail Runner 2 is available with a battery box that can take either AAA batteries or Silva’s own rechargeable unit. The Trail Runner 2 Ultra supplements this with an additional 4000mAh rechargeable battery. I used the battery box just with AAAs to try it out and it was perfectly serviceable but burn times was quite limited (sub 2 hours) though you do get the benefit of a rear LED flasher for any sections of road. With the 4000mAh you get a very light but long burn time set up. If you stump up for the extension lead then you have the same versatility as the Moonlight BAD 800 with the ability to store the battery off your head in a warm pocket or pack. To be honest the only reason you might want to do this is to preserve battery function in truly arctic conditions or for convenience when swapping batteries if you anticipate very long hours in the dark. Otherwise the Trail Runner 2 Ultra is so comfy there is no need to carry the battery separately. There are other similarities with the BAD 800 as the Silva Trail Runner 2 Ultra is very straightforward to operate and has a sensibly sized button which simply cycles through low-medium-high. Easy to read battery charge indicators are visible on the lamp unit and the headband incorporates the power cable into its construction and like the BAD 800 there is generous use of silicon gripers on the inside to keep the band in place. The Trail runner 2 Ultra is a compact, versatile, robust and super comfortable headlamp with a refined level of finish. Its long burn time at high lumens (arguably the best on test) and simple to operate feature set make it perfect for climbers and trail runners alike – it’s pretty hard to fault to be honest!

Pros

• Simple and robust
• Comfortable
• Great grams to Wh ratio
• Versatile

Cons

• No flasher on 4000mAh battery pack

Conclusions

There are no ‘winners’ as such, the variety of users and uses is far too diverse but hopefully the review will give you a starting point to consider which headlamps are likely to fit your needs. Certain headlamps are aimed very much at a certain arena of use. For instance both the BD Distance 1500 and the Petzl NAO RL have been evolved to cater for the trail running fraternity with feature sets that include easy change battery packs and in the case of the NAO an industry leading Reactive Light mode that maximises battery life and minimises user interaction. These two are arguably the most developed and technically ‘polished’ of the headlamps on review. If you’re looking for an all round headlamp then the Petzl Swift RL is hard to beat, it’s not going to get you round the UTMB but it will get you to the overnight on the OMM, up those final two ‘easy’ pitches on the Ben and back to the car. Best of all it is small enough that you will take it with you! My personal (subjective) favourites at the end of the review period surprised me, the Silva Trail runner 2 Ultra and the Moonlight Mountain Gear BAD 800. I’m not saying these are the ‘best’ on review but they were the two that I favoured probably because of their simplicity in operation and good balance of illumination, run time and something that I have come to value increasingly the ability to store the battery off my head for running, hiking and skiing, although I still favour an everything on the helmet set up for climbing. As January draws to a close the Petzl NAO did start to find its way into my pack more frequently and I’ll be keen to try it with the upcoming extension cable as along with the Silva Trail runner 2 Ultra it saves grams whilst offering full on performance when you’ll be carrying a headlamp most of the day and only using it to finish the run.

1. The ANSI FL1 standard was jointly developed with the trade organisation PLATO Portable Lights American Trade Organisation of which Black diamond, Ledlenser and Petzl are members ↩︎