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Head Torches

Expert advice on how to choose the best Head Torch for your needs. Recommended Head Torches from the World's leading brands: Petzl; Energizer and more.



A Head Torch can be a safety gadget, a navigation aid or even a campsite light.
Whatever you need your Head Torch for, this guide will give you a little insight to what you should look out for when buying one and what all that jargon means when you look at the statistics.

Choosing a Head Torch

Comfort and Fit Batteries and Burn Time Bulbs Operation and Buttons

 

Comfort and Fit

Head Torches have straps and other plastic buckles and tightening attachments that can be comfortable, uncomfortable or even painful so remember to think about the shape of your head fitting with the Head Torch before you buy.
Adjustable straps are a good thing to look for and a top strap is the final touch on most torches for fitting it tightly to your head if you’re thinking of running or climbing in the dark. 

 
Things to look out for :

• Do the straps adjust?
• How do the straps adjust?
• Could it be too heavy for your head?                                                                                                                 
• Would you have to wear a hat to fit it?
• Where does the battery pack go?

Batteries and Burn Time

Alkaline batteries are standard in most Head Torches and are the most commonly found . However, they tend to be heavier compared to the lithium batteries.
Most battery cases come very small on newer models and are attached to the back of the head, so they are positioned in the most comfortable position on your head.

Lithium batteries are less common, but are becoming more popular with the introduction of mini electronics and mp3 players over the past few years.
They last twice as long, are little more expensive than alkaline batteries and can be more importantly rechargeable without losing some of their power or ability.
Rechargeable lithium batteries are probably the most useful, but not if you’re heading off on a multi-day expedition without a power source to recharge. These are lighter and also slimmer, meaning that they fit neatly to your head without a clumpy feeling.

Burn Time is the length of time that the bulb and battery combo work together to produce light. This is something that really isn't that easy to work out and can be down to the user and how much juice they're using at any one time.
The manufacturers try to estimate a constant usage from start to finish, so it’s best to treat the times on the packet or descriptions as an estimate.
Also keep in mind that these times include the length of time when the bulb is still ‘shining’ but the light being produced is too weak to see things in very dark conditions.
 

Bulbs

Tungsten Bulbs are not that bright and don’t actually last a long time.
Halogen Bulbs give you the brightest output but also eat batteries. They do, however, make you feel like you’re surrounded by daylight when you are in pitch black conditions - great for night navigation in the hills.

Xenon and Krypton Bulbs are commonly found in Head Torches these days and are a halogen hybrid with good battery life without compromising the brightness.

LED Bulbs give the longest burning times that last over 20x longer than the other 3 put together.
Generally, Head Torches using LED Bulbs will tend to be lighter.
These bulbs can never blow so you won’t need as many replacements and they are also very useful for night time contrasts, outputting balanced light for the situation you’re in. They aren’t as bright as the other types of bulb, but sometimes this is sufficient for camping or summer hiking in poorly lit conditions.
 

Operation and Buttons

How easy it is to use the Head Torch? Will you be able to find the switch and turn it on in pitch dark conditions?
Will you be able to change the batteries in the dark or poor light conditions? Make sure it’s not too heavy or cumbersome to turn on, and that you can do all the functions you need by flicking a switch. 
Will you be able to operate the Head Torch while wearing gloves? 

Petzl have a large range of Head Torches including the Tikka XP and Tikkina.