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Rainbow lights make this kids headlamp fun to play with during camping trips or backyard adventures.

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The Petzl emits bright light with the highest beam quality. And it stays charged for days—whether you charge it with a USB or AAA batteries. This is the perfect headlamp for backpacking trips.

The Actik Core has the brightest light with the highest beam quality, and it stays charged for days—whether you charge it via USB or AAA batteries. It’s perfect for backpacking trips.

A bright light with the highest beam quality that stays charged for days—whether you charge it with a USB or AAA batteries—makes this perfect for backpacking trips.

Switchback Travel

It’s 2022, and AAA batteries are so last year. Many headlamps have followed suit with USB-rechargeable designs, and the Petzl Actik Core is by far our favorite. In short, this headlamp is the complete package, featuring 450 lumens at maximum brightness, a long battery life with consistent performance across its burn time (some headlamps peter out but the Actik stays bright until the end), a sub-3-ounce weight, and an easy-to-use interface. France-based Petzl has been leading the charge with headlamp innovation for years now and their Actik Core is case in point.

USB-rechargeable designs have limited use for multi-day stints in the field (unless you bring a portable power bank or solar panel), but the Actik Core offers a brilliant solution in the form of a battery pack that can be swapped out for AAA batteries. It was a solid headlamp already, but this versatility brings it to the top of our list. And the Petzl is so long-lasting you might not even need to bother with a dying battery—one charge lasted us the length of a six-day bikepacking trip in the San Juan Mountains (our BioLite 330 needed several charges). The Actik’s water resistance isn’t ground-breaking (IPX4 will protect against rain and splashes) and you’ll pay for all the high-end tech at $70, but these are small sacrifices for a reliable headlamp that will stand the test of time.See the Petzl Actik Core

Headlamps are essential in a winter power outage, and they also provide hands-free light if you’re shoveling after dark.

Though not quite as bright as our top pick, this headlamp is nonetheless a comfortable, simple-to-navigate option for around-the-house use, at a fraction of the price of competitors.

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Gear Review: Vitchelo V800 Headlamp - The Big Outside

Bright, durable, and long-running, the Spot 350 offers the best mix of the most important features.

The Spot 350 is an easy-to-use, bright-enough headlamp that provides long-lasting battery life and reliable performance, year after year.

Bright, durable, and long-running, the Spot 350 offers the best mix of the most important features at an affordable price.

The Spot 350 is bright, long-lasting, and lightweight.

Consumer Reports

This helmet earns Excellent ratings for impact absorption and ease of use, and it comes with MIPS technology. It’s on the heavier side and gets a Very Good score for ventilation, which is pretty impressive for a helmet this style. It comes in two sizes and has a convenient magnetic buckle and built-in LED lights.

The NUTCASE Helmet Review - Active Gear Review

The Sprinter 275 is a head-and-taillight-laden model that’s lightweight, comfortable, and secure. The lights are brighter than those in previous versions, but they are still not as strong as those on our top pick.

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Black Diamond Sprinter headlamp - Our Premium Pick for the Urban Hiker and Day Hiker

Bright, durable, and long-running, the Spot 325 offers the best mix of the most important features at an attainable price.

An easy-to-use, bright-enough option with long-lasting battery life and reliable performance, year after year.

Headlamp Comparison