Headlamp

Light that follows where you look

A headlamp straps to the forehead or over a hat and points wherever the head turns, which leaves both hands free. The range covers multi-LED units, models with a red night mode, sealed designs for wet weather and rechargeable kits. Choosing one is mostly about the beam, the power source and the weight on the front of the head. For light that stays in one place rather than moving with you, a camping lamp does a different job.

Why choose a headlamp over a hand torch?

Because most jobs done in the dark need hands. Pitching a tent, cooking, reading a map in wind: each becomes awkward the moment one hand holds a light. It also lights exactly where the eyes are pointed, which suits walking on rough ground. The limitation is flat lighting: the beam leaves from beside the eyes and casts almost no shadow, so dips and rocks are harder to read. A handheld unit from rechargeable torch throws light from an angle and restores that depth.

What is the red light mode for?

Eyes take a long time to adapt to darkness and lose that adaptation in an instant of white light. Red light preserves most of it, so a red mode lets you find something in a tent without resetting your night vision or that of everyone nearby. Red is also far less dazzling when you turn to speak to someone. It is a poor choice for walking, since it flattens contrast and hides colour.

Which features change how you use one?

• Beam shape: a wide flood suits close work and camp tasks, a narrow spot reaches further down a path, and many units offer both.
• Power source: a built-in rechargeable cell saves buying batteries, while a lamp taking replaceable cells can be revived anywhere by swapping them.
• Tilt bracket: a housing that pivots downwards points the beam at your feet or at a work surface without dropping your chin.
• Lock out: a button lock stops the lamp switching itself on inside a bag and arriving flat.
• Weight and balance: mass at the front pulls the band down over time, which is why heavier units use a rear battery pack and an over-head strap.

How long will the battery last?

Far longer on a low setting than on a high one, and the difference is not small. Running at full output is the fastest way to be left without light, and most camp tasks need far less. Cold reduces what a battery delivers, so keep a spare cell or a power bank in an inside pocket. In summer, a folding panel from portable solar panels can top up a power bank between nights.

How should one be stored?

With the lock engaged and, for removable cells, with a battery taken out, since cells left in for a season can leak and destroy the contacts. Wipe the lens and the seal before putting it away, since grit on a rubber seal is what lets water in later, and keep the elastic band loose rather than stretched. Storing it with the rest of the lighting equipment in one box means the spare batteries are found in the dark, not searched for.