# The best head torches: six tried-and-tested favourites for running, hiking and camping

From premium headlamps to budget buys, our expert shines a light on the top head torches for outdoor adventures after dark.

## At a glance

- **Best head torch overall:** Petzl Swift RL
- **Best eco-friendly head torch:** Silva Terra Scout XT
- **Best budget head torch:** Forclaz HL500 USB V3

## Why you should trust me

I’m a consumer journalist with a decade’s experience reviewing and writing about clothing and equipment for keeping fit and navigating the great outdoors. I’m also a keen runner, cyclist and hillwalker, and I participate in these activities all year round. To keep the momentum going through the winter, I rely heavily on tools such as head torches and .

## How I tested

I tested 10 head torches over four months, eventually whittling it down to a selection of six, including three top picks. I ran with them, took them around my local woodland trails and used them to tinker with bikes in a poorly lit back yard.

Most of all, I used them to walk my golden retriever, Poppy – an activity that I’ve found to be among the best real-world tests for assessing a head torch’s functionality. Is it robust enough to survive sustained periods in torrential rain? Does the beam travel far enough to spot her when she absconds into the night to pursue small woodland creatures? Is it bright enough to locate a turd among thick undergrowth?

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## The best head torches in 2025



**Best head torch overall:**
Petzl Swift RL


- **Rechargeable battery:** yes, USB-C rechargeable 2,350mAh lithium-ion battery
- **Maximum output:** 1,100 lumens
- **IP rating:** IPX4
- **Modes:** two, Reactive Lighting and Standard Lighting
- **Full-beam run time:** up to 2 hours at maximum brightness; up to 100 hours at 10 lumens

[](https://go.skimresources.com/?id=114047X1572903&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.outdoorgb.com%2Fp%2Fsilva-terra-scout-xt-headlamp%2F&sref=https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/mar/05/best-head-torches-headlamps)

- **Best eco-friendly head torch:**
  Silva Terra Scout XT


- **Rechargeable battery:** compatible with Silva’s hybrid battery pack (sold separately) or standard AAA batteries
- **Maximum output:** 350 lumens
- **IP rating:** IPX5
- **Modes:** four, including red and white light options
- **Full-beam run time:** Up to 5.5 hours on maximum brightness; up to 32 hours on minimum setting

[](https://go.skimresources.com/?id=114047X1572903&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.decathlon.co.uk%2Fp%2Frechargeable-headlamp-300-lumens-hl500-usb-v3-red%2F_%2FR-p-339061&sref=https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/mar/05/best-head-torches-headlamps)

- **Best budget head torch:** Forclaz HL500 USB V3


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## The best of the rest



**Fenix HM65R-T**
[](https://go.skimresources.com/?id=114047X1572903&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.decathlon.co.uk%2Fp%2Fmp%2Ffenix%2Fhm65r-t-v2-0-1600-lumen-rechargeable-running-headlamp%2F_%2FR-p-96259029-6fe1-49e8-92cf-381c82e8e317&sref=https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/mar/05/best-head-torches-headlamps)

- **Best for:** long runs on technical terrain
- **Rechargeable battery:** yes, USB-C rechargeable with included 18650 lithium-ion battery; **maximum output:** 1,600 lumens (combined spotlight and floodlight); **IP rating:** IP68; **modes:** eight; **full-beam run time:** up to 3 hours at maximum brightness; up to 300 hours on lowest setting



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## What you need to know



**Best for:** hiking and camping
- **Rechargeable battery:** yes, micro-USB rechargeable built-in 1250 mAh Li-ion battery or 3 AAA batteries; **maximum output:** 500 lumens; **IP rating:** IP67; **modes:** seven; **full-beam run time:** up to 7 hours at maximum brightness; up to 350 hours on lowest setting



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## What are lumens (and why do they matter)?

A head torch that’s too dim won’t provide sufficient illumination. On the flip side, one that’s too bright could be distracting and even cause eye strain. So, how can you determine the level of brightness without trying the torch out? The answer is to look at the lumens.

A lumen is a unit of measurement. In simple terms, it tells you how bright the torch is. The higher the number of lumens, the more visible light it’s capable of emitting.

For reading in a tent or cooking your supper at the campsite, 100-250 lumens should do the job nicely. But if you’re mountaineering in pitch black, trail running through dark woodland or skiing at night, you might need 500-900 – the faster you’re moving, the brighter the light will need to be. For everything in between these two extremes, about 300-600 is a good place to aim.

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## Battery life

Few things are more frustrating (or potentially hazardous) than your head torch giving up the ghost halfway up a hill in the dark. Even if your night-time adventures are less extreme, like walking the dog, you’ll quickly find the task of finding a rogue tennis ball becomes significantly harder without a beam of light to illuminate the vegetation. This is why battery life should be a top consideration when choosing a head torch.

Most head torches come with a variety of light modes. These often include different brightness levels, flashing modes, and sometimes a red-light option to reduce eye strain and preserve night vision. These settings allow you to tailor the level of illumination to your environment and avoid dazzling on-comers, but different settings will all drain the battery life at different speeds. Your focus should be on how long a head torch battery will last when running at its highest-lumen setting. Usually, this will be somewhere around 2 hours.

Generally, the more powerful the torch, the quicker it will munch through its charge. That said, most torches have several less powerful modes that can be selected to preserve battery life when a full beam isn’t required. Head torch brand Petzl has even developed a technology that intelligently adjusts the brightness for you, allowing you to get more life out of each charge.

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## Weight

Longer battery life usually means a bigger battery, and a bigger battery usually means more weight. This is worth taking into account relative to how you intend to use your head torch. If you’re going to have it on your head for long periods, you don’t want something too hefty or it will become uncomfortable. The best head torches strike a balance between weight and power.

_Paddy Maddison is a freelance consumer journalist, outerwear enthusiast and exercise addict. If he’s not hiking in the hills, he’s grinding up them on his bike, hurtling down them on his snowboard, or lacing up his running shoes and hitting the pavements. As a result, he gets plenty of time to put all the latest and greatest gear through the wringer for the Filter_
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