Walking Equipment and Accessories

Best Head Torches For Hiking 2026

Our test team have picked out the leading head torches on the market for hikers and hillwalkers

The best head torches will strike an optimum balance between battery life (or burn time) and brightness, and will also need to meet other considerations like overall reach, water and dust proofing, comfort, usability and of course, price.

Whether you’re getting an early alpine start to reach a mountain summit as the sun rises, heading out on a night hike or just settling down in your tent for the night – the value of head torches (or head lamps, as our U.S. friends call them) cannot be underestimated – especially when the days get shorter and the dark nights start to draw in.

Will testing the Princeton Tec out in the Cairngorms. Photo: Dave Macfarlane

Whilst we understand that everyone packs differently, we find it best practice to carry two separate head torches: a small, lightweight ‘emergency’ head torch and a slightly tougher, heavier workhorse. The compact emergency option is usually stored out of the way in say, the personal items section of a rucksack lid and is only reached for when your main head torch has run out of juice.

Our main head torch is generally a beefed up version of its smaller counterpart, usually a little heavier, but with that; greater battery life, brighter lumen output and possibly a reactive beam. These features are usually the extent of the features head torches carry – after all, their sole purpose is to provide as much light as possible, for as long as possible.

Our Team’s Pick of the Best Head Torches for Hiking

Here’s our category winners. All of these head torches have been tested by our crew for their brightness, battery life, functionality and reliability. Price, durability and sustainability were also part of the equation.

Silva Free 1200 S – Best Overall Head Torch
Petzl Actik Core 625 – Our Runner-Up
Black Diamond Distance 1500 – Best Bright Head Torch for Brightness and High-Performance Use
Silva Smini – Best Head Torch for Ultralight Hikers
Black Diamond Spot 450 – Best Headlamp for Versatility
Princeton Tec Remix 450 LED – Best Head Torch for Battery Life

The Expert

Will’s been reviewing gear professionally for over 10 years now, mainly looking at equipment and clothing for hiking, backpacking and trail running. In that time, he’s been a jury member for some of the biggest gear awards in the outdoor industry, including the ISPO Awards, the OIA Awards and the Scandinavian Outdoor Awards and has written for numerous outdoor magazines. His hobbies are linked to his career; he’s always out in the hills. More specifically, he love long distance hiking and dabbles in a bit of ultra running and fastpacking too.

How We Tested Them

Will tested all of the head torches in this list and also looked at numerous others that didn’t make the cut. He admits that he comes at things with the perspective of a long-distance hiker so, for him, the battery life and weight of each head torch always commands his attention but he says that he also assess brightness, water resistance, functionality, durability and comfort and stability. Will didn’t follow a set format for his testing and instead, each of these head torches joined him for a different trip outdoors – or, in most cases, on multiple trips. The Petzl Bindi, for instance, joined him on a 500-mile run across Wales, the Nitecore HC65 came on evening dog walks and he was out testing the Princeton and Silva Free head torches in the Cairngorms during Storm Babet.

1. Silva Free 1200 S

Our pick as the best head torch for hiking overall

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Silva Free 1200 S

Our tester’s verdict: “Ultimately, this is a massively impressive head torch series and we were blown away by its capabilities. To some the extra components might be more fuss than is needed, but for those who spend a lot of time out hiking or running, often in gloomy or fully dark conditions, those extra components are worth exploring.”

★★★★★

Check price at Amazon

Price: approx. £150
Weight: 113g
Max brightness: 1200 lumens
Key attributes: Modular system, excellent wireless head lamp

The Free 1200 S sits in the broad ‘Free’ family of head torches from Silva and within this there are loads of components that you can add on to each head torch. These include spare batteries, GoPro mounts, bulbs of varying brightness and even cords that let you link up your bulb to a battery that’s stowed in your jacket pocket. So essentially, it’s a kind of customisable head torch.

The headband alone is impressive. It feels very stable – even when you’re running downhill – and it’s fuss-free. By that, we mean that all of the wires are hidden away within the headband, so there’s nothing that’s dangling or there to be snagged.

We tested out the 1200 bulb and were impressed. This has an incredibly powerful beam of 1200 lumens. It also has three different light settings and comes with Silva’s Intelligent Light technology. This is a double light beam that gives you the combination of a long reach spotlight and a close flood-light together. The purpose of this is that it helps to reduce tunnel vision and creates a faded natural light at the edges.

Not only can you have a red light on the front of the head torch but on the back too. This provides night time safety on roads or when you’re leading the way for other runners or walkers. You can have this fully off, flashing or on continuously.

Ultimately, this is a massively impressive head torch series and we were blown away by its capabilities. To some the extra components might be more fuss than is needed, but for those who spend a lot of time out hiking or running, often in gloomy or fully dark conditions, those extra components are worth exploring.

Full Specifications

1200 lumen bulb / light distance of 150m / max, med, minimum settings / USB-C Li-ion battery / spotlight and flood light mix / IPX5 water resistant.

Selected for our Outdoor 100 – read our full Silva Free 1200 S review.

2. Petzl Actik Core 625
The Actik Core comes in at a close second, according to our tests

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Petzl Actik Core 625

Our tester’s verdict: “The Petzl Actik Core’s blend of usable brightness levels, dual power system, and practical design add up to a head torch that’s bright and easy to rely on, whether you’re running through the woods or sorting out a dehydrated meal in your tent.”

★★★★½

Check price at Wildbounds
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Price: £61.95
Weight: 88g
Max brightness: 625 lumens
Key attributes: Rechargeable via batteries or USB-C (Petzl Hybrid concept), comfortable and stable, easy to use, versatile enough for running, hiking, and camping.

We’ll cut to the chase here: this is a good head torch that ticks pretty much all the boxes for us. The biggest tick? Its dual-battery capability. This is what Petzl call a Hybrid Concept head torch, meaning it can run off three AAA batteries or off the removable USB-C rechargeable battery that it comes with. This gives you practical flexibility: you can use the rechargeable pack for everyday, cost-effective performance and fall back on AAAs when you’re off-grid or can’t recharge, which means you’re never stuck without light.

The CORE battery it comes with is a high-capacity 1250 mAh lithium-ion. This is designed to provide performance even at low temperatures, and it recharges directly with the integrated USB-C port. Petzl say that it has a lifespan equivalent to 900 standard batteries and its charging time is 3.5 hours.

Will testing the Petzl Actik Core 625 in the Lake District. Photo: Dave MacFarlane.

OM editor and tester Will said, “I’ve found this to be a very dependable performer, with a bright and clear beam that creates good visibility. On my hikes and runs with it, it’s felt well balanced and I’ve appreciated its good battery life on trips that have lasted longer than a day.”

“The Petzl Actik Core’s blend of usable brightness levels, dual power system, and practical design add up to a head torch that’s bright and easy to rely on, whether you’re running through the woods or sorting out a dehydrated meal in your tent.”

Full Specifications

625 lumens / 115m range / 2h burn time at max. lumen / 100h burn time at min. lumen / 5 different light modes, battery level indicator, blink light, red light / 3 AAA batteries and/ or USB-C rechargeable (Petzl Hybrid concept) / IPx4 (splash proof) / 3.5h charge time.

Read our full Petzl Actik Core 625 review.

3. Black Diamond Distance 1500

The best head torch for brightness

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Black Diamond Distance 1500

Our tester’s verdict: “This casts a seriously bright and far reaching beam and we were blown away by just how effective it was during our tests. The overall design also impressed us for its innovation.”

★★★★

Check price at Ellis Brigham
Check price at Millets

Price: £180
Weight: 213g
Max brightness: 1500 lumens
Key attributes: innovative design, very bright, long battery life, stable and durable

This casts a seriously bright and far reaching beam and we were blown away by just how effective it was during our tests. The overall design also impressed us for its innovation.

The battery pack, which sits at the back of the head, not only has a light on it, but it is also designed so that it can be removed with just the press of a button and that means, if you buy a spare battery, you can switch out effortlessly, giving you a potential burn time of 80 hours (on the lowest setting).

Will using the Distance 1500 on a hiking trip on the west coast of Wales.

What we also appreciated when using this was the fact that a simple tap on the side of the head torch triggers the max bulb setting to give off a burst of 1500-lumens for 10 seconds. This is exceptionally handy on technical trails when you need max illumination to quickly gauge a tricky section of trail ahead or when you’re trying to quickly sight something in the distance.

Full Specifications

Max 1500 lumen output / 8 hours burn time at 300 lumens / 40 hours on its 15 lumen setting / rear red bulb / three bulb colours on front / USB-C rechargeable / 117-metres max distance.

Read our full Black Diamond Distance 1500 review.

4. Silva Smini

Looking for something light? This gets our pick as the best lightweight head torch for hikers

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Silva Smini

Our tester’s verdict: “This has quickly become by favourite lightweight head torch for hiking. It performed excellently, and I think ultralight hikers will love it.”

★★★★

Check price at Wildbounds
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Price: £34.95
Weight: 53g
Max brightness: 250 lumens
Key attributes: light and bright, modular, good value, good eco credentials

An out and out pocket rocket, we’ve been hugely impressed by what the Silva Smini brings to the table. It comes in two different versions, one with a head strap and one with a bungee. Weighing 53g and 38.5g respectively, both are light but they’re also powerful too, offering 250 lumens on their max setting. Only the head strap version comes with a red backlight but the system is totally modular and this means that if you opt for the bungee version you can still buy the red bulb separately to uyse either on the bungee or even clipped onto your backpack.

Will testing the Silva Smini in the Lake District.

OM editor Will says, for him, this has knocked the Petzl Bindi off its perch, becoming his new favourite lightweight head torch for hiking. He’s been testing the Smini over the last three months and says that it performed excellently, making for a reliable option for ultralight hikers and as a back-up head torch for serious mountain professionals.

Full Specifications

Modular design / option for red backlight / Li-Po 700 mAh battery / USB-C charged / 20 hour total burn time / IPX5 water resistant.

Read our full Silva Smini review.

5. Black Diamond Spot 450

Best head torch for versatility – we can see this being one of the headlamps you end up using the most.

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Black Diamond Spot 450

Our tester’s verdict: “I think this thing’s got the versatility and reliable performance to become one of your most used head torches. £45 (lithium ion battery sold separately) feels like very good value too.”

★★★★

Check price at Black Diamond

Price: £45 (rechargeable battery sold separately)
Weight: 86g
Max brightness: 450 lumens
Key attributes: Dual charging system, IPX7 waterproofing, innovative PowerTap control, good price, practical design and features

The Black Diamond Spot 450 is what we would consider an everyday workhorse of a head torch. It’s not built for highly technical or specialised pursuits, but for just about everything else in the realms of hiking, running and camping, we think it’s got the versatility and reliable performance to become one of your most used head torches.

But don’t take that to mean it isn’t high spec. With dual charging capabilities, IPX7 waterproofing, multi-colour lighting options, BD’s innovative PowerTap control and more – it’s a highly capable bit of kit that, in our experience, works seamlessly out on the trail.

On test along the Grand Tour des Combins route after a sunrise hike.

OM tester Jazz recently used the Black Diamond Spot 450 along the Grand Tour des Combins in the Swiss Alps. She said: “Across multi-day backpacking trips, sunrise hikes and camping excursions, I’ve found the brightness levels of this lamp spot-on. It’s got pretty much all the features I’d want in a headlamp, without feeling overly technical. Granted, I’m not venturing into the world of high alpinism or ultra racing, but for ordinary outdoor adventures, I’ve found the Spot 450 ideal.”

“The PowerTap control is a big highlight for me, allowing a quick tap on the side to access full lumen output without having to stop and adjust the settings. Comfort is another plus: the soft strap has felt secure and comfortable both with and without a cap on, although the front-mounted battery does add a little more weight at the front than ultralight alternatives with a smaller profile or rear-mounted battery. For the added durability and extensive range of features, though, I’m happy to accept that minor trade-off. In fact, it’s fast becoming my most used head torch for hiking.”

Full Specifications

450 lumen max output / Dual-Fuel: either 3x AAAs or rechargeable BD 1500 Li-ion battery (sold separately) which charges directly into the light via USB-C / light modes: red, green, blue light (RGB), flood, spot, adjustable brightness, strobe, and SOS / mode memory: turns the light on and off at your designated brightness / one flood lens (distance lens), one spot (current) lens, one red-green-blue (RGB) spot lens / battery door latch and integrated latch opening tool (located on headband adjustment glide) / integrated battery meter / IPX7: waterproof-tested to operate up to 1 meter underwater for 30 minutes.

6. Princeton Tec Remix 450 LED

The best head torch for battery life in our tests

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Princeton Tec Remix 450 LED

Our tester’s verdict: “This head torch really impressed us with its battery life. It gives a whopping 65 hours of run time and that’s on its highest setting of 450 lumens.”

★★★★

Check price at Amazon

Price: £45
Weight: 83g
Brightness: 450 lumens
Key attributes: simple, long burntime

This head torch really impressed us with its battery life. It gives a whopping 65 hours of run time and that’s on its highest setting of 450 lumens. We also liked its user-friendliness and simplicity. Operating it is very straightforward with just one large push button that allows the user to cycle through its functions. Said functions include a high beam, medium and low outputs and a red light for preserving night vision.

The Princeton Tec Remix on our test trip in Scotland.

It only runs off 3 AAA alkaline batteries. Arguably, this means it’s not as user-friendly as a USB-rechargeable head lamp, or a lamp that works with removeable rechargeable battery packs. Still, we found this was lightweight, stable and comfortable and, while it’s not waterproof, it was water resistant enough to withstand heavy rain.

Full Specifications

450 lumens / runs off 3 x AAA batteries / 4 settings including max, medium and low and red setting / 63 hours max run time / IPX 4 rated.

Read our full Princeton Tec Remix 450 review.

Best of the Rest

7. Petzl Bindi

Where To Buy

Petzl Bindi

Our tester’s verdict: “This been ideal as that emergency back up or even just as that head torch that accompanies you on quick night time runs or on evening hikes where you want something with you on the off chance that the tail end of your day out gets gloomier than you were expecting.”

★★★★

Check price at Go Outdoors
Check price at Nevisport

Price: £50
Weight: 35g
Max brightness: 200 lumens
Key attributes: Superlight, compact, rechargeable via USB

This is a great head torch for people who like to travel light, and it’s also a handy option as your backup. Quite simply, there aren’t many head torches that are lighter than this and we’ve certainly not found any lightweight options with the performance that this one offers.

From our experience testing this, it’s ideal as that emergency back up or even just as that head torch that accompanies you on quick night time runs or on evening hikes where you want something with you on the off chance that the tail end of your day out gets gloomier than you were expecting.

The Bindi comes in at the extremely low weight of 35g and has an impressively compact size but, with a full beam of 200 lumens there’s still a good power to it. The strap is just a thin bit of bungee, but it holds surprisingly well, it’s comfortable and is easy to adjust. There are also reflective strips embedded within it to make you more visible to others. The lithium-Ion is non-replaceable and is charged via a micro-USB port. The only downside to this is that we found that after many, many days of use, the pivot eventually became loose making the casing hard to keep from dropping.

Full Specifications

200 lumen brightness / reflective headband / lithium-ion 680 mAh battery / rechargeable via micro USB port / charge indicator / lighting modes: proximity, movement and distance / lock functions to avoid accidentally turning it on / IPX4 splash resistant.

Read our full Petzl Bindi review

8. Petzl Iko Core

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Petzl Iko Core

Our tester’s verdict: “This slimline, minimalist headlamp has been superb to use. It gives out plenty of light and has a decent burn time, yet is comfortable and unobtrusive to wear. The placement of the operating button on the underside of the lamp takes a little getting used to, but if you dislike the head-shrinking sensation of tight elastic headbands, you’ll love the ergonomic Airfit system. For those who like to go fast and light, but need a pretty powerful head torch, the Iko Core is a great choice.”

★★★★

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Price: £71.95
Weight: 79g
Max brightness: 500 lumens
Key attributes:Lightweight, compact, bright and extremely comfortable to wear

The Petzl Iko Core doesn’t look like most other head torches – there’s no bulky light unit at the front, no overhead strap and no chunky elastic headband. Instead, the Airfit headband is an ultra-thin, semi-rigid frame that is contoured to sit comfortably around your head. This design makes for more even weight distribution, aiding overall comfort. Rear adjustment consists of a single elasticated pull cord, which works very effectively with minimal fuss (no more fiddling with strap buckles and the like).

The 500-lumen output comes from an array of 7 LEDs arranged in two rows. The beam of each little LED overlaps to give a consistent bright white circle of light. The Iko has a flood or mixed beam, plus 3 white brightness levels, all operated by a single tap of the small orange button that is located, a little strangely, on the bottom of the LED array. There’s also a coloured battery charge indicator that flashes when the lamp is turned on or off, for checking remaining battery life. You can also press and hold the button to activate a lock function that will prevent accidental operation (useful if it’s stashed in your pack).

It is powered by a rear battery compartment that can take either 3 x standard AAA batteries or Petzl’s own rechargeable 1,250mAh CORE battery pack. The CORE batteries can be removed from the head lamp, so if you have two you can instantly swap out a dead pack for a fresh one. They go from zero to fully charged in about 3 hours via a mini-USB port. They’re also pretty powerful – using the Iko with standard batteries gives you up to 350 lumens, but using the CORE system takes it to 500 lumens.

Full Specifications

500 lumens output / flood or beam lighting modes / 1250 mAh Lithium-Ion CORE rechargeable battery (included) / charging time: 3 hrs / water-resistant (IPX4).

Read our full Petzl Iko Core review.

9. Silva Terra Scout XT

Where To Buy

Silva Terra Scout XT

Our tester’s verdict: “The Terra Scout head torches are versatile headlamps that work well for everyday outdoor adventures such as backpacking and wild camping. While not geared towards technical pursuits, for most adventurers, 350 lumens will be more than enough power to find your way.”

★★★★

Check price at Sportsshoes

Price: £20
Weight: 76g
Max brightness: 300 lumens
Key attributes: Recycled plastic materials, hemp headband, rechargeable battery

With the new Terra range, Silva has introduced three new head torches, the Scout X, Scout XT and range-topping Scout H. All use recycled plastic materials and a hemp headband to give a carbon footprint reduction of 90% compared to the previous models.

The three different models have maximum outputs of 300 lumens for the Scout X and 350 lumens for the Scout XT and Scout H. All use Silva’s Hybrid Technology, which means they can be powered either by standard AAA batteries or by Silva’s rechargeable 1.25Ah lithium-ion cell. The Scout H comes with one of these Hybrid batteries as standard, hence its slightly higher price point.

OM editor using the Terra Scout H while hiking the Cumbria Way. Photos: Joe Whitmore

The Scout H is lightweight and comfortable overall, thanks to a soft, wide strap. We found it to be pretty powerful, with dual white LEDs that provide combined spot and flood lighting plus a secondary red LED for night vision use. The max output of the Scout H is a creditable 350 lumens, and Silva’s Intelligent Light technology delivers a good balance of beam spread and penetration. During our tests, we found that the operations are simple and straightforward via one big button on top of the headlamp, but you also get a battery level indicator and that hybrid battery technology. Unlike most others, the rechargeable battery pack has a USB-C port rather than the older micro-USB tech too, enabling faster charging.

Full Specifications

Recycled plastic materials / hemp headband / 350 lumen output / AAA battery and rechargeable 1.25Ah lithium-ion cell compatible / spot and flood lighting / red LED light / battery level indicator / one button / USB-C port.

Selected for our Green Gear Guide – read our full Silva Terra Scout H review.

10. Nathan Neutron Fire RX

Where To Buy

Nathan Neutron Fire RX

Our tester’s verdict: “This is a neat little rechargeable headlamp that stands out from the pack thanks to those coloured LED side strips. It’s light and compact, which means it works well for runners, with minimal bounce, despite lacking some of the more sophisticated design elements of other, more expensive headlamps.”

★★★

Check price at Decathlon

Price: £80
Weight: 95g
Max brightness: 200 lumens
Key attributes: Lightweight, low-profile and compact, packing plenty of punch for its size

US brand Nathan’s Neutron Fire RX running headlamp has been designed specifically with road and trail runners in mind. It has a 360-degree reflective headband and a 160-lumen light output (or up to 200 lumens in ‘sprint’ mode) with five different lighting options, plus an unusual side strobe function that can illuminate in red, green or blue.

The compact, lightweight design has a low-profile light unit and a slimline headband to minimise weight and bulk in use. With a max burn time of 25+ hours, it’s suitable for even the longest late-evening runs but is also a great grab-and-go headlamp for shorter sessions.

With a 160-lumen output on ‘high’ setting and a crisp white light beam, it’ll serve most trail and fell runners well too. If you need even more illumination, you can switch to a 200-lumen ‘sprint’ mode, which gives you a short boost of high intensity white light. If you’re into fastpacking or ultralight backpacking, you might also be attracted by this headlamp’s low weight and small pack size. We actually found it serves well as that head torch that you carry as a back up for emergencies.

During out tests, this wasn’t a standout performer, but it did the job and the price isn’t bad.

Full Specifications

White LED spotlight with 5 lighting modes (low/medium/high/sprint/strobe), plus side strobes with Red, Green, & Blue light options / 200 lumens burst, 160 lumens high / IPX4 waterproofing / rechargeable Lithium Ion battery pack / rechargeable via micro USB port.

Read our full Nathan Neutron Fire RX review.

How to Choose a Head Torch for Hiking

Here’s are the features and aspects to consider when buying a head torch…

Brightness: The most obvious feature of a head torch. How many lumens (measurement of brightness) does the head torch in question emit? They’re there to provide lighting in dark situations, after all. The brightness of a head torch will inevitably influence both the battery life and weight – as it takes more batteries to power a bright beam for long periods. Lumen ratings can be as low as 50 or reaching over 1000. Between 200-300 tends to signify a head torch that will balance brightness and battery life well.

Beam Width and Distance: The width and distance of the beam are a big factor. Many brands now have models that allow you to select between a wider (and less focused) beam, or a focused beam (but narrower). It’s a great feature to be able to change the width and distance of the beam to suit different environments.

Reactive Lighting: Reactive lighting is a fairly modern addition to head torches. It is essentially the ability to adjust the brightness of the torch’s beam based on how light or dark the surroundings are – similar to that of your smartphone screen adjusting its brightness based on the surrounding light. Whilst it is of course battery-efficient to run your head torch on its lowest power settings, reactive lighting allows you to get the most out of the surroundings whilst using only the power that’s required.

Battery Life: Burn time is obviously a big deal, particularly when you’re going without power for multiple days, or you know that you’ll need to consistently use the head torch on high power for long periods – night navigation comes to mind. Standard head torches on their highest output will only normally last maybe 2-3 hours, whereas on their lowest setting they might run for over 100 hours. We’re now starting to see some head torches that are able to offer up an impressive balance between high lumen output alongside impressive battery life.

One of Biolite’s head torches during our tests.

Rechargeable or Replaceable Batteries: The choice between a rechargeable lithium-ion battery or AA or AAA batteries is something to consider. An alkaline powered head torch will go through a lot of batteries in its lifetime, and consequently, you’ll be leaving behind a fairly hefty footprint on the environment. Integrated lithium ion batteries are an economical – and environmentally friendlier option. A single lithium-ion battery could avoid the use of up to 900 batteries from entering the landfill.

Don’t write off head torches with replaceable batteries though, because there’s always the option of using rechargeable AA or AAA batteries. It’s worth checking out models like the GP Xplor PHR15, which not only uses rechargeable batteries but has an integrated USB port so you can plug in and power up using a portable power bank.

Other Features: The weight of the head torch will be of particular interest for ultralighters. Some people may also look for a red light mode, which helps to preserve night vision and will stop you from annoying everybody else in a bothy or mountain hut with your early-morning alpine start. Finally, other things to consider are the waterproof and dustproof ratings (IP ratings) and any easily accessible dimming modes – if you’re using the head torch in winter, consider whether you’ll be able to switch the modes and operate the buttons while wearing gloves or with cold hands.