How Many Hiking Headlamps Should You Carry?
I pack a second headlamp in my day hiking backpack when the days get shorter in Autumn and Winter. That might sound like unnecessary gear weight to some, but I feel it’s worth having a second headlamp handy if a hike lasts longer than expected or a hiker gets injured. I have helped injured hikers hike out after dark in winter and it can take a long, long time to get back to a trailhead.
While it is true that you could just carry extra AA and AAA batteries, I prefer using rechargeable headlamps because disposing of spent batteries is so wasteful. You can’t recharge most rechargeable headlamps while you’re using them, so the next best thing is to carry a second rechargeable headlamp with a full charge.
In spring and summer, there’s plenty of daylight, and the nights are warmer, at least at my latitude, so I only carry one headlamp because the consequences of an unexpected overnight are so much less severe. I carry a 10,000 or 20,000 mAh recharger year-round, but its primary purpose is to recharge my phone, which I use as a GPS and to access weather reports.
But when backpacking during the longer days of spring and summer, I can usually cook dinner and get all my camp chores done well before hiker midnight, when the sun goes down and I go to sleep. I don’t use my headlamp much at this time of year, so I don’t need to carry a second.
However, If my backpacking trips were more extended and required resupplies every few days for weeks on end, I could see the benefit of carrying a headlamp powered by AA or AAA batteries. The benefit of using batteries is that you wouldn’t have to find a way to recharge your charger or wait for it. Finding free outlets to recharge a charger or headlamp in town is a hassle and one best avoided if you want to get out of town and back on the trail quickly. Old-fashioned batteries might be a better option for those times when town time has lost its allure.
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I carry 2 – both rechargeable. One a “good” one and one a cheaper one with less functions, etc. I can give the second one to someone to help them out – it’s yet to happen to me but I know others that have been in the situation. With both being rechargeable and carrying a battery pack, worst case I could recharge one while using the other.
This is one place where a little redundancy is well worth the 2-3 ounces it might cost in weight.
I have both rechargeable and AAA-battery headlamps because they both have a place. The main limitation with rechargeable is that the batteries don’t work below roughly -20C to -25C. Some products such as electric cars using LiFePO4 rechargeable chemistry at cold temperatures solve this problem by building a heater into the battery, but that significantly shortens battery life. When winter hiking, with many products such as battery banks or camera batteries or even a cell phone, we can keep them warm in a chest pocket, therefore solving the limitation a different way. But a headlamp is the one device that has to be worn on your forehead to be useful, so there is no way around the temperature limitation. When I am outside in cold winter temperatures, I switch to a Tikka headlamp that takes three AAA batteries, and I use AAA lithium iron disulphide batteries. These are fairly expensive and non-rechargeable, but they can support fairly high current draw down to -30C. They can also support low current draw well below -40C, so you can get light at the lowest setting down to extremely cold temperatures.
I realize that Phil Werner has a philosophy of not hiking below -25C, but for those of us at northern latitudes who are silly enough to go outdoors at -35C, AAA lithium iron disulphide batteries are the way to go. I agree with Phil that at warmer temperatures, rechargeable headlamps are a better solution.
Good to see this discussion. Daylight, or lack of, is such a huge safety issue. Especially in late fall and winter. Late in the day mishaps can quickly cascade into danger as daylight fades, and temperatures drop.
I have a Fenix HM50R for the winter (awesome headlamp, btw. I believe it’s on your 10 best list), which uses small format 16340/CR123A batteries. They are inexpensive rechargeable lithium batters, and you can get them with a built in USB C port. So I just throw an extra battery in my ditty bag as a backup. A bonus is that if you’re camping and use one of those little Flextail pumps for your pad, it’s the same battery, so there’s some redundancy there. Could not agree more on having immediate-use backup power for an emergency situation in the winter.
Useful to have two so you can leave one on to mark your hammock when you wander away in the dark. Ask me how I relearned that lesson…
I think I learned a similar lesson…
…probably in much the same way…
Very good point!
My daughter and I had that issue while backpacking in PA. Went outside for a night time nature call and on the way back discovered a yellow banded snake, which took all of our attention (in a good way, we love reptiles), and got completely turned around. Thank you for the idea of leaving a “beacon” headlamp on inside the tent. I will definitely take a second one on our next trip for exactly that purpose.
As to a ‘return to camp’ marker, when caving, I often use a small bike marker light to show a way out etc. that I found on Temu. These are very small, USB rechargeable LEDs, come in red or white and have multi modes of steady, flash, etc. Pretty hard to beat for the purpose and cheap. Leaving one in a gear hanger would be a nice welcome home beacon after a cold, rainy pee break.
My most versatile light (and I have tested MANY!) is my 15 y/o indestructible Lumapower Trust 1 which uses 1 AA or 1 Li-ion 14500. It puts out more than enough light, has a moon mode that lasts forever (good in a tent), and a brief turbo feature. I mount it on my helmet, but it does not have a head strap. While not ideal for the trail, it has been 100% reliable and uses any form of AA format. (But I still carry 4 lights underground. Getting caught short once was more than enough.)
I did find on a midnight 11-mile hike into the Grand Canyon that a head lamp made the ground features look very ‘flat’ and walking hazardous. I eventually just held it down at my waist which made the ground relief just jump out. Also to note is the type of beam the light uses. While a tight focused center spot throws far, in caving it also constricts the pupil and as a result, lessens your night vision for where the cut-off cone is. Because of this, a flood with a larger field and ‘softer’ edges actually provides better vision which I suspect would apply to the trail as well.
For those who carry AA & AAA, there are also handy little adapter tubes that convert AAA to AA use.
Perhaps I have just had bad luck with Li Ion batteries, but I have lost count on how many camera batteries and how many devices with those batteries have gone to a couple local stores that accept them for recycling. I wish cell phones were still sold with user replaceable batteries. I have carried spare Li Ion batteries for my vintage LG phone for camping, takes about a minute to replace the battery with no tools other than my thumbnail to open the case. I have bike taillights that are over a decade old that still work great on AAA batteries, along with several old Maglites that have been upgraded with LEDs. When I have a choice, I choose AA or AAA. I have not bought a single disposable AA or AAA battery for over a decade, I use rechargeable NiMH batteries. Eneloop or Ikea Ladda low discharge batteries.
Prior to 2016 I was using headlamps that took three AAA batteries, but since then have been using lights that take one AA. I remember it was 2016 when someone left a headlamp that takes one AA battery on a free shelf (dead battery) at a campground in Iceland, I used that light for several years and when that light died I looked for and purchased other lights that use one AA battery. I prefer AA since that is what my GPS uses, but for some things I need AAA, like bike taillights.
My main headlamp that I think is now discontinued is a ThruNite TH20. And I also have bought some Fenix HL16 lights. I often carry both on trips. The Fenix is marketed as a child light, but I leave out the screw that prevents a child from opening the battery compartment, that way it works great as an adult light. The Fenix is low power, but works great for campsite uses. The ThruNite TH20 has more power for trail hiking in the dark and at low settings will last a long time on a battery.
I mentioned above that one light I had died. That is a good reason to carry a spare. Mine, when I pushed the button to turn it on, it just flashed, did not stay on. A spare weighs almost nothing and can save the day, or in this case night.
I have no connection to the companies I cited here.
It would be cool if someone made a lightweight 2x2A/2x3A headlamp that could double as a NiCad/NiMH battery charger for other devices. I’ve seen small chargers on Amazon but there are so many to choose from and that’s another thing to carry. I have one set to buy for mi bicicleta ??.
I use a rechargeable NiteIze glow stick as the domelight in my tent but usually forget to clip it up there .. . Zzz z z z
I’ve started doing SAR again in 2024. I remember two adages from more experienced SAR people –
* The best backup battery for your headlamp is another headlamp
– Futzing with batteries when it’s dark, cold, and time is of the essence is not always practical
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* “Two is one; one is none”
– Meaning carry a backup
As so much depends on USB-charged devices such as phones (making tracks to upload after a search, maps) and headlamps, my “go bag” also has a battery charger. I periodically spot-check my battery charger and headlamps.
Of course, SAR has different parameters than straight hiking, but I always keep a headlamp in my daypack. A backup is a small keychain light that’s “good enough in a pinch” and a phone that, by default, is not so good.
(Many SAR calls happen above because people hike longer than expected, and their phone flashlight quickly runs out of juice! The second handlamp most of us carry is also handy for that reason.)
I carry one headlamp with rechargeable batteries and 1 set of alkaline batteries. I like the biggest battery I can get as it holds more charge and takes longer to freeze. So I prefer AA to AAA, (I’d love a C but they don’t make them). I have a couple of really old headlamps I hope never die. One Fenix and one Energizer. Both were designed for 1.5 Alkaline AA. The Fenix one 1 AA battery and the Energizer 3 AA (I’ve never found another one that take 3 AA.). I use NiMH or NiCad(old) in them anyway and both work and have lasted whole weekends. I always bring extra alkaline battery(ies) but never needed them. I thought I found the perfect headlamp, yes AAA but only 2 in the Black Diamond Spot Lite. However it constantly draws power even when off, so batteries last no more than a day whether you use the headlight or not. Worthless! Not sure if it is only my unit or not, I never take things back, but I do not recommend this head lamp (which is probably discontinued anyway) and I’ll never buy anoth Black Diamond. I’ll stick with Petzel, Engergizer, and Fenix.
When it comes to headlamps the saying goes, two is one and one is none.
It’s not something you can go without.
Made me think. I guess I consider my phone a second source of light. My NiteCore seems to charge and work at the same time.
I use a Nitecore NU25 and also a Nitcore TIP SE (under 1oz) and there were times when I was glad i did when 1 or the other ran out of a charge. I clip one or the other to the ridgeline of my hammock
I always have two (Black Diamond Spot), old, take batteries. In the winter, I use lithium AAAs. In the summer, NiMH rechargeable batteries are fine. I have a lot of NiMH batteries and chargers around for camera gear, so diverting half a dozen to headlamps is no biggie. Sometimes I carry 3 headlamps. I have a favorite day hike only 40 miles from town which gets heavy use by people who know zero about hiking and don’t read the trailhead info. I often hike from dusk into night and run into some newbie in the dark (“I didn’t know this was a 5 mile hike, it got dark fast, I am lost”). Hand them a headlight and tell them to follow.
Often I will carry a third light if I am really trying to preserve night vision for stargazing and am fiddling with camera gear. This is a 9 V battery 2-LED flashlight with multiple layers of dark red theatrical gel taped to the business end and with a rheostat that can go from “same level as red on headlamp” to “barely see anything even when 100% dark adapted” (stationary use). Good phone trick for preserving night vision: iPhone Settings > Accessibility > Display and Text Size > Color filters > toggle “on” and pick a color (red). Close. Now all screens are monochrome red. Toggle color filter “off” when done. All astronomy phone apps have a red mode, but then your phone locks and the opening screen is blaring bright green / white. Android may have a different OS hack.