Spotlight on Headlamps

Why a headlamp?

Even in mundane day-to-day situations, it is handy to have a light source no matter where you live. Have you ever needed to change a tire or perform other auto maintenance without a good shop light, for example? It can also be wise to have a light when jogging or taking a walk along a road to be more visible to automobile drivers. When hiking or camping, a light is especially necessary. If you live in an urban environment, you probably don't really understand how dark night can get in the countryside.

While a flashlight is useful, it tends to occupy a hand that may be needed for holding a dog's leash, turning a wrench, or preventing branches from hitting your face. A headlamp means light can always shine where you look, and both hands are free.

Black Diamond Cosmo 350

I bought this headlamp at Cabela's. These are high-grade Chinesium pitched as quality gear, and the brand has a decent reputation as far as I know.

Cost: $35 USD
Maximum brightness: 350 lumens
Water resistance: IPX8
Weight: approximately 3 ounces with 3 AAA batteries installed.
Other features: red LED option, strobe option, both LEDs can be dimmed, and settings can be locked
Notes: Included 3 AAA Duracell OEM batteries of unknown quality made in China, and can also use Black Diamond lithium battery packs instead.

Energizer LED Headlamp Pro

This was an Amazon purchase in a two-pack. They feel like a lower grade of Chinesium, but the price is right and they should be quite serviceable.

Cost: $22 USD ($11 each)
Maximum brightness: 260 lumens
Water resistance: IPX4
Weight: approximately 3 ounces with 3 AAA batteries installed.
Other features: red, high, low, spot high, spot low, wide high, and wide low
Notes: Included 6 Energizer Max AAA batteries made in Singapore, 3 for each lamp.

Streamlight Pro-Tac 1L-1AA

Yes, this is a flashlight. I bought one as my EDC light when my ProTac 2L died following hard use for many years. However, the first one had a dead tailcap switch after only a year of use. I sent both lights in for warranty replacement, and this is the new one they sent me. These are made in the USA.

Cost: $35-40 USD on Amazon, Cabela's, or local sporting goods and shooting sports retailers
Water resistance: IPX7
Weight: less than 3 ounces with either 1 CR123A or 1 AA battery (alkaline or lithium) installed
Other features: programmable, includes basic nylon belt pouch, 1 Streamlight CR123A battery, and 1 Energizer Max AA battery. Both batteries were made in the USA.

Pros and Cons

Both headlamps have elastic headbands that feel reasonably secure, and both can be attached to a backpack chest strap of similar width. Both also tilt, with the Black Diamond using basic friction, and the Energizer clicking into plasticky detents.

The Energizer lamp has a better wide beam, and its battery door is easier to open, but it is physically bulkier and less water resistant. It is more than bright enough for basic tasks, and I think the wider beam would be more useful in a camping environment. At a third of the cost of the others, this is a viable option. I haven't given it a long-term test yet to verify its real-world durability. I remain unsure how irritating it would be to use regularly when needing to cycle through most of the lighting options in order, but it starts with red, so that is good for nighttime use.

The Black Diamond headlamp feels better put together and better engineered. It seems less likely to fail during an emergency situation. This is, however, still a purely subjective initial impression, not yet borne out by real-world testing either. I like the way it can be set to remember a specific setting each time it is turned on instead of cycling through the options.

At about the same price point as the Black Diamond, the Streamlight is a viable alternative. It has an S-shaped pocket clip which can hold it on a baseball cap bill in a pinch, so it can step up as a headlamp if you wear the right hat. After everything I said about the advantages of a headlamp, don't forget that a good flashlight offers its own advantages, too. This particular light also lets me keep my batteries consolidated across my emergency gear instead of adding yet another item to my logistics, since alkaline and lithium AA batteries substitute for the CR123A. I am a bit leery of long-term reliability after the first one died, but such things do happen, and warranty support was good.

I'm no expert, just an enthusiastic amateur. What headlamps or flashlights do you prefer for camping, everyday carry, or emergency kits? How do you balance budget, anticipated durability, and feature concerns? Please add your comments.