Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting headlamp recommendations

My Zebralight H600W11 is a neutral/warm white. Given a choice now, I would pick cool white because its a whiter light.

Zebra for me. Cool white. My first one disappeared. I bought another.

Awesome light, and I love the rechargeable 18650 batteries.

The Surefire headlamp has to be their best product. Fantastic light with infinitely variable beam intensity and adjustable head angle. Can do low-powered map reading type jobs or blast light all over the trail when cranked up high. Uses one CR123 battery. Very worth the price.

Zebralight H52W Neutral. Single AA battery.

I like 2 different lights. One dead simple. One pretty versatile.

On the simple end is the Pelican 2690. White light only, and either on or off. No variables.
Super reliable. Super durable.
Switch can be operated with even heavy gloves on. Have had this light on my hardhat for over 2 years now.

On the versatile end is the Princeton Tec Remix. Have been using this light for around the house, and some camping/fishing trips for a little over a year.
2 levels of red light, 2 levels of white. Light weight and comfortable. I use the red mostly when bugs are thick outside. Doesn't draw them toward my face like little rockets.
Switch takes some getting use to. Has been very reliable.

I use a headlamp every day and I really like my Fenix HL30 for long battery life, uses AA's, buttons are easy to use with gloves. It has a red beam I like to use in my treestand before dawn as it seems to help with night vision.
The problem I have with it on a backpacking trip is it can be difficult to change batteries in real cold weather (especially in the dark).

That is when I use the Zebra light.

The Black diamond in the photo above is a wonderful light. It's good in every way.
If you want the bad ass of the headlamp world the zebra light with the spot beam is like wearing a locomotive headlight on your forehead!

My zebra light is the best headlamp imaginable. I cannot even see outside of a hammer, anvil or a truck tire running over it how you could break it. I think it would survive being run over actually, and I would bet on it.

The Mammut I have works fine for getting around in the dark. Hi and lo beams. Nothing special, just very reliable so far.

Not a recommendation, just my experience.

I'm looking at a Pelican 2620 Heads Up right now, it's been on my hard hat for 2 seasons now. Work provides them. No idea of cost.

Good points:
It's nearing the end of its second season and still functions.
3 AAA batteries like lots of other equipment
Two types of headbands, rubber and elastic cloth.
Seems to be tolerable of wet weather as I work outdoors and it hasn't failed yet,
Adjustable angle
LED and Incandesant in case it matters to you.

Bad points:
Kinda "clunky", not really big, just clunky
If you forget and leave it on the incandesant setting batteries are gone really quickly.

LED light seems quite bright, I have absolutely no use for the incandesant and don't know why they even bothered putting it on the unit. I just thought about it the other day and might look into pulling the bulb.

Just another idea for you.

Good luck with your search for something suitable and more importantly on your hunt. Be safe.

Geno

Another vote for the Zebra. Very reliable, great battery life and bright!

This again.......

Link to Zebra

IMO everything about this comment is spot on. If a gun was put to my head and I was forced into the plastic land of headlamps it would be a black diamond. But my Zebra Light has been through the washer and dryer twice(forgot it was in my pants pocket). And ran over on purpose. Its money and won't ever leave you hanging unless your battery is dead.

Dang, you take your gear testing seriously.

stay away from streamlight. Love all there products, but the headlamps on/off button is very easy to trigger. I've had to take the batteries out while in my pack due to it constantly turning itself on leaving me with a dead light.

I carry two of these. Clip on the bill of your hat.

Led lenser H7, good lights and are very bright.

I have four or five. My favorite is a Black Diamond with 3 AAA batteries. No place to charge rechargeables in the wilderness. I carry a baggy of extra AAA and AA for the GPS and camera. It is very light and very bright. It has one color but has both flood and spot. The flood is nice for doing camp chores at 3 am, finding stuff in the tent etc.

I don't have a zebra but I know they are good. I wouldn't take two of them. I sure wouldn't take a $10 walmart one on a hunt. I have had a few of them and they always break or quit shining.

Not really. If you've ever owned a Zebra you can't stop thinking about how well built they are. You can't help but think to yourself,I'll bet I can run that over and nothing will happen. JJ obviously thought the same thing and that's why he said it. After going over dozens of headlamp threads I figured I'd get it over with. I ran it over. You'd never know.

Another good one to look at is the ArmyTek XM-L2. Mine is the white light version. They make a cool light version also. 1100 lumens at its brightest and .5 lumens at its softest setting. Takes the 18650 battery. Can use as a headlamp or has a pocket clip or you can use the magnetic base.