Depending on the time of year and where you are, it can get dark rather early when you’re out camping, and so something like a camping headlamp is a very useful piece of technology to have with you. It allows you to illuminate whatever is in front of you without needing to use your hands, which frees up your hands to do other things. Lighting a stove or finding something in the bottom of your bag, for instance, is easier with a camping headlamp.
Camping Headlamp
What to look for when you're looking for a camping headlamp.- Power Options – The best camping headlamp is one with multiple power settings. So that when you’re hiking in to the night to try to reach your next campsite you can crank up the power, and you can lower it to conserve batteries when all you’re trying to do is find something at the bottom of your bag before going to bed.
- Weight – If you’re car camping it doesn’t matter much, but for those that have to carry their camping gear on their back, weight matters. A lightweight camping headlamp will, of course, add less weight to your backpack, and will help you roll in to camp with a back and knees that are thankful for the reduced weight.
Best Camping Headlamp
Some of the very best camping headlamps for your next outdoor trip.- Petzl Zipka 2 - The Zipka 2 is an ideal headlamp if you just want something lightweight and small for those occasional times when you need a bit of light. At 2.4 ounces, or 68 grams it's definitely one of the lightest headlamps out there. It does, however, manage to put out 70 lumens, which is impressive for such a small headlamp, and will go for a maximum of 120 hours. It also has a retractable head strap, so that it fits right in your pocket when you're not using it.
- Black Diamond Storm - The Storm is, like the name suggests, the headlamp that you want when things get ugly. It's waterproof, and will pump out 100 lumens on the high power setting, while lasting for a total of 200 hours on the low power setting. It's a little heavier, at 3.9 ounces, or 110 grams, but it's a solid, do-it-all headlamp ideal for a wide range of conditions and uses.
- Petzl Ultra - The Ultra is built with just one thing in mind, and that is brightness. With a total of 350 lumens at your disposal you will be able to turn night in to day. Unfortunately, 350 lumens will drain the batteries in just 2 hours. The lower power setting will last longer, at 17 hours, but this really is a headlamp built for brightness, and not longevity. Fortunately the battery is rechargeable, so you don't have to worry about spending a fortune on AAA batteries. It weighs 12.2 ounces, or 345 grams.
