Heading camping for the weekend, running a night trail, doing a touch of DIY in the attic or trekking outdoors at sunrise? You will want a head torch. A great hands-free accessory, a headlamp is an essential piece of kit that'll keep you safe wherever and whatever you may be doing. Not only do head torches help with your night vision by illuminating your path, but they also make you visible to other people, which is vital on unlit roads.
However, with so many factors to consider, such as rechargeable LED lights, powerful yet subtle red lights and fully waterproof torches, we've written this buying guide to walk you through your options. We've also reviewed a list of the 10 best head torches in the UK, featuring popular brands such as Petzl, Energizer Vision and Black Diamond, which are all available online from Amazon, Decathlon and Argos.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of head torches available and understand how our ranking was determined.
This article's chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() Petzl | 2 ![]() BioLite | 3 ![]() Forclaz | 4 ![]() MOSFiATA | 5 ![]() ActivRunner | 6 ![]() Energizer Vision | 7 ![]() Black Diamond | 8 ![]() EVADICT | 9 ![]() Alclud | 10 ![]() Uni-Com |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Swift RL Headlamp | BioLite HeadLamp 330 Lumen | Rechargeable Head Torch - 400 Lumen | Super Bright Headlamp | USB Rechargeable Head Torch | HD+ LED Head Torch Headlamp | Storm 375 Headlamp | Ontrail 900 Lumens Trail Running Frontal Lamp | Head Torch Rechargeable | COB Head Torch |
Features | A Powerful and Versatile Head Torch With 900 Lumens, Ideal for All Night-Time Activities | Super Lightweight at Only 69 g With a Well-Balanced Structure and Moisture-Wicking Fabric | Shockproof and Waterproof Option for Trekking Enthusiasts, Featuring Lighting Modes for All Scenarios | Super Bright Head Torch Complete With 8 Modes, Perfect for All Your Lighting Needs | This Super Light and Adjustable Head Torch Is Perfect for Those Who Run To Work | Shockproof, Lightweight Head Torch With 250 Lumens, Perfect for Camping | An Intuitive Torch With a Brightness Memory Function and Three Night Vision Modes | Head Torch Designed for Trail Runners With a Battery That'll Last All Night | Achieve 230 Degree Vision for up to 10 Hours With the COB LED Head Torch | A Great Value Torch With 160 Lumens and an Adjustable Tilt for Setting up Camp |
Price | £72.92 | £59.95 | £29.99 | £25.99 | £14.95 | £14.99 | £54.48 | £49.99 | £9.99 | £8.00 |
Suitable For: | All | Camping, running, DIY | Trekking | All | Running | Walking | Camping, skiing, climbing | Trail and Ultra Trail Runners | Camping, DIY, running, dog walking | Camping |
Lumens | 900 | 330 | 400 | 1300 | 500 | 250 | 375 | 900 | 500 | 160 |
Beam | Mixed | Both | Spot and flood | Spot and Flood | Spot | Spot and flood | Spot and flood | Spot | Flood | Flood |
Battery Run Time | Rechargeable | Rechargeable | Removable USB battery or cell batteries | Rechargeable | Rechargeable | AAA | AAA | Rechargeable | Rechargeable | 3 AAA |
Weight | 100 g | 69 g | 99 g | - | 20 g | 90 g | - | 139 g | 115 g | 40 g without batteries |
Waterproof | IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX7 | IPX4 | IPX5 | IPX4 | IPX67 | IPX4 | - | - |
Additional Features | Adjustable head, lock feature, battery, monitor | Adjustable head | Adjustable head | 90 degree adjustable head, red safety tail light | Tilt, motion sensor | Pivoting head | Brightness memory, head tilts to 60 degrees, locking function | Thumbwheel, tilt head | Reflective strip | Tilt |
Light Modes | Dimmable, proximity vision, movement, distance vision | Red light, dimmable | Red, eco, standard, 10 sec boost, flash | 8 | High, low, SOS | Spot, flood, spot and flood light combined, and red light | Dim, flash, night vision mode (red, green and blue) | 3 | High, low, strobe | High, low, flashing |
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First, consider the light's strength and beam pattern. Strength is measured in lumens - the higher the number of lumens, the brighter the light. The projection, however, depends on the beam pattern. A spot creates a bright narrow beam with a long-reaching throw, whilst a flood beam provides a close-range, even spread of light. Choose the right strength and beam pattern depending on your activity.
Going camping with the family? Choose from our selection of family-friendly tents.
Most head torches these days run on environmentally-friendly lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. Providing greater lumens for less output than traditional batteries, rechargeable batteries enable you to use your headtorch for longer, which is perfect for long night runs and early morning treks to summits. Recharge them with a USB at home or with a power bank if you are on the go.
Going on a long trek without access to power? Consider a head torch with alkaline batteries. As these are lightweight, you can easily carry spare batteries, store them in your backpack and replace them when needed. The last thing you want is to run out of battery whilst traversing a mountain in the dark!
Going into the wilderness for the weekend? You might want to take a compass too.
Ensure you choose a headtorch that's comfortable, close-fitting and practical. The last thing you want is for it to slip whilst you're climbing a rock or when you've got your hands full while doing a DIY project.
Choose a head torch with an adjustable elastic band to ensure a snug enough fit. If you're a runner, look for one that eliminates bounce and wicks away sweat, such as the headtorch by Biolite. For mountaineering, ensure the head torch can be easily mounted on a helmet or over a thick winter hat - it's best to go for one with an additional band that goes over the top of your head.
To avoid added pressure on the head and neck, look for a head torch that is lightweight (between 60 - 100 g) and well-balanced. Consider a torch designed with the battery pack at the back rather than having the battery and lamp together in one single unit.
Rather a handheld torch? There is a great selection here.
With the unpredictability of the British weather, you will want a waterproof and durable head torch that will be able to cope with the UK's adverse weather conditions. The level of waterproofness is measured using an IPX rating, from IPX1 (the lowest) to IPX8 (the highest). For light rain and everyday use, a rating of IPX4 should be sufficient but for mountaineering and trekking, go for at least IPX6.
Head torches come with some great additional features that will prolong the battery life and increase your visibility whilst making sure it is easy to use in all types of scenarios. We've listed below some of the most useful functions to look out for.
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
SS21
£72.92
Suitable For: | All |
---|---|
Lumens | 900 |
Beam | Mixed |
Battery Run Time | Rechargeable |
Weight | 100 g |
Waterproof | IPX4 |
Additional Features | Adjustable head, lock feature, battery, monitor |
Light Modes | Dimmable, proximity vision, movement, distance vision |
£59.95
Suitable For: | Camping, running, DIY |
---|---|
Lumens | 330 |
Beam | Both |
Battery | Rechargeable |
Weight | 69 g |
Waterproof | IPX4 |
Additional Features | Adjustable head |
Light Modes | Red light, dimmable |
HL900
£29.99
Suitable For: | Trekking |
---|---|
Lumens | 400 |
Beam | Spot and flood |
Battery | Removable USB battery or cell batteries |
Weight | 99 g |
Waterproof | IPX7 |
Additional Features | Adjustable head |
Light Modes | Red, eco, standard, 10 sec boost, flash |
£25.99
Suitable For: | All |
---|---|
Lumens | 1300 |
Beam | Spot and Flood |
Battery | Rechargeable |
Weight | - |
Waterproof | IPX4 |
Additional Features | 90 degree adjustable head, red safety tail light |
Light Modes | 8 |
£14.95
Suitable For: | Running |
---|---|
Lumens | 500 |
Beam | Spot |
Battery | Rechargeable |
Weight | 20 g |
Waterproof | IPX5 |
Additional Features | Tilt, motion sensor |
Light Modes | High, low, SOS |
£14.99
Suitable For: | Walking |
---|---|
Lumens | 250 |
Beam | Spot and flood |
Battery | AAA |
Weight | 90 g |
Waterproof | IPX4 |
Additional Features | Pivoting head |
Light Modes | Spot, flood, spot and flood light combined, and red light |
£54.48
Suitable For: | Camping, skiing, climbing |
---|---|
Lumens | 375 |
Beam | Spot and flood |
Battery | AAA |
Weight | - |
Waterproof | IPX67 |
Additional Features | Brightness memory, head tilts to 60 degrees, locking function |
Light Modes | Dim, flash, night vision mode (red, green and blue) |
£49.99
Suitable For: | Trail and Ultra Trail Runners |
---|---|
Lumens | 900 |
Beam | Spot |
Battery | Rechargeable |
Weight | 139 g |
Waterproof | IPX4 |
Additional Features | Thumbwheel, tilt head |
Light Modes | 3 |
£9.99
Suitable For: | Camping, DIY, running, dog walking |
---|---|
Lumens | 500 |
Beam | Flood |
Battery | Rechargeable |
Weight | 115 g |
Waterproof | - |
Additional Features | Reflective strip |
Light Modes | High, low, strobe |
£8.00
Suitable For: | Camping |
---|---|
Lumens | 160 |
Beam | Flood |
Battery | 3 AAA |
Weight | 40 g without batteries |
Waterproof | - |
Additional Features | Tilt |
Light Modes | High, low, flashing |
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