LED Lenser SEO 7R Headtorch | Performance

It’s not as bright as rivals like Petzl’s 750-lumen latest Nao+ but the SEO 7R’s 220-lumen beam is enough for off-road running and walking on moderate to medium terrain. The single-unit light-head keeps weight down to a respectable 932 grammes and means there are no vulnerable cable connections and the torch is comfortable on the head.

It has some interesting features too. The Rapid Focus zoomable lens allows you to adjust the beam from a long-reaching, focussed spot down to a more general, proximity-friendly flood, which is ideal for running use. It’s not, as you can see from the beam shot above, the most even beam ever and occasionally fine trail details are distorted, but it makes for a more versatile experience.

The other interesting aspect of the beam, is an odd halo effect ring of light which we think it down to the translucent blue housing. It’s distinctly odd and slightly distracting, but not a deal breaker.

Light output is adjustable via stepless dimming between the 220-lumen max and a map-reading friendly 20 lumens. The top-mounted switch works well with lighter gloves, but is a bit fiddly if you try it with heavier, insulated gauntlets.

Finally, battery life is decent ranging from a  claimed minimum of five hours – though like all batteries, burn time drops off in colder conditions. One neat touch is that you can swap the lithium ion rechargeable cell for a trio of AAAs in a matter of seconds, so you’re not doomed to darkness if you do run out of power on the go.