The Ultimate Headlamp Guide: Expert Reviews of the 5 Best Headlamps to Buy

David Jones Updated: Oct 14th, 2024

If ever you have experienced running, biking, hiking, backpacking, and hunting in the dark, you’d know why the best headlamps are a must have in your outdoor essentials. While most of us know the benefits of headlamps for outdoor activities, not everyone understands why they should own one.

Having a headlamp when the roads turn dark can save you from numerous, life-threatening things – a snake, a wild animal, a cliff, a rough and dangerous road, and dead ends. This essential headgear can also prevent you from feeling lost and disoriented on the road.

But what headlamps work for different types of adventure seekers? Should everyone choose the brightest one? Does size matter? Should you prioritize fit over the light’s power?

We believe that safety is top priority — so we called in our team of outdoor enthusiasts to pick out the best headlamps in 2023, clear out any confusion on what headlamp to buy, and to help us understand why they deserve a space in our outdoor backpacks. With the help of our experienced adventurers, we zeroed in on the top headlamps that deliver light, durability, and flexibility.

Here are the crowd favorites – the highly recommended headlamps and lighting gear to purchase in 2023.

If you want to feel extra safe while you’re outdoors in the dark, you deserve something that lights up the place the moment you turn it on. The LumoxHy is the top choice that made our eyes wow the moment we tested it. It comes with an impressive lumen quality – 3,000! 

The brightness of the LumoxHy makes it capable of lighting up to 2 football fields, or a total range between 500-800 meters! We love how this feature is consistent all throughout the time the flashlight was working – no flickers or dimming lights. We also feel that this is the best pick if you’re constantly scanning large areas for safety hazards. 

One of the best features of the LumoxHy is its sensor. You can turn on and off this device by just flicking and waving your hands. 

The light of the LumoxHy comes in 3 modes – high, low, and strobe. You can easily adjust the light modes using the power button. Each light mode can also be set into two light directions – wide or narrow. Using the retractable rotary zoom, you can easily shift between narrow light settings or wide light settings and vice versa. You can also set the light directly into a 90-degree angle. 

What also impressed us is the battery quality of the LumoxHy. When charged – a full charge is at 3 hours – the battery can last up to 6 hours even on high light. 

This high-beam headlamp is easy to wear, and is waterproof. Even if you had to go through lakes, streams, rivers, or snow and rain, it will work just as efficiently! 

Recommended features

Editor's Pick

9.8

5/5

"Excellent"

If you’re already carrying a load in your back, the last thing you’d want is to carry another heavy gear on your head. If you’re embarking on a long, exhausting journey, the best headlight to choose is one that’s lightweight BUT long-lasting.

Compared to all the products we reviewed – and what we’re featuring here – the GlumaBeam tops our list for the most lightweight headlamp. GlumaBeam weighs like a feather – you wouldn’t know you’re actually wearing a lighting head gear.

The GlumaBeam runs on batteries, so it’s easy for you to power it up again should it dies on the route. The lighting capacity of the GlumaBeam is long-lasting – it works for 45 minutes on high, and 3 hours on low.

Additional features of the GlumaBeam that we can’t stop raving about include the 7 lighting mode option where you have a choice of which kind of lighting pattern you want to show. Lighting pattern as follows:

  • White light beam:
  • Low, Medium,
  • High,
  • Strobe
  • Red light beam:
  • Low, SOS, strobe

Key Features


9.7

4.8/5

"Very Good"

Here’s for the outdoor geeks who love going for the easiest and the most convenient gear. The Xyverlit checks all the boxes related to convenience – it is lightweight, it offers a great fit to the head, and it is made of silicone material that prevents it from slipping due to moisture or wetness. 

This LED headlamp also allows you to enjoy full hands-free illumination. Simply wave to the headlamp’s sensors to turn on and off. 

The XyverLit does not topple the other products when it comes to lumens – it only has 350 lumens – but what it lacks in brightness, it compensates with the range that it can light up. It can illuminate an entire 3-meter radius, helping you see ahead of time any hazard spots. 

This lightweight headlamp comes with 5 light modes – COB high mode, COB low mode, XPE high mode, XPE low mode, and Flashlight mode. To change the types of light, short press the power button to switch the mode, and long press to turn on flashlight mode.

The XyverLit only takes up to 3 hours to charge fully. When on a fully loaded battery, this headlamp lasts up to 8 hours! 

The waterproof design of the XyverLit makes it a great addition to your camping, hiking, trekking, running, and cycling activities if you are looking for a headlamp that can stand rain, and contact with water. 

Key Features

9.5

4.6/5

"Very Great"

What better way to get the bang for your buck when you’re making a headlight purchase than to get the one which has multiple lighting options? If you need more than just one lighting option – or if you’re looking for a headlight for outdoor activities and domestic tasks – we recommend the LumosityBim.

The LumosityBim is adventurer-approved. Our reviewing experts recommend this for those who have multiple sports. Typical headlights can have lighting modes that work superb for running, but poor for biking. With the LumosityBim, you get multiple lighting preferences in one.

The LumosityBim has the most lighting option in the list. You go full light when you need total illumination, but low when you’re starting to get some rays of light. If you’re a cyclist who needs to see a more illuminated rode, this option is great. If you’re also a running and camping enthusiast, you can find the best lighting options in the LumosityBim.

User-friendly and easy to understand – the LumosityBim can even be used by children and elderly people. The straps for the LumosityBim are breathable, washable, and so lightweight you won’t even feel you have a headgear.

Key Features

9.3

4.4/5

"Good"

Although headlamps are big for sports and outdoor enthusiasts, they can also be used for a number of things. You can wear it while you overhaul the garage. You can use it to find missing items in the home. You can also use it for emergency situations.

As for versatility, the MagniLum is what we recommend. This headlamp features not just one but three light lenses!

The MagniLum comes with 4 lighting options from dim to bright. The bands of the MagniLum are adjustable, and can fit for multiple head sizes. This hands-free illumination device can be used both for outdoor activities, to indoor chores. Choose from the side light, main light, and – these three lighting options come in handy!

The MagniLum also includes the 90-degree rotating feature so you can place the light where you need it to be.

MagniLum may not look like the professional looking headlight bands you usually see, but it’s heavy duty. On high light, it can last up to 3 hours. When lighting mode is kept on a minimum, the MagniLum can last for a total of 5.5 hours!

Key Features


9.1

4.2/5

"Great"

Conclusion

For outdoor and indoor adventures, light is equal to safety. When you don’t have a lighting gear for the head, you put yourself in danger. This is why we invited experts, called in adventure fans, and lighting engineers to help us identify the best headlights for camping, running, hiking, biking, and hunting. You can be assured that each product listed here is thoroughly reviewed and rated to give you 100% safety while you’re outside.