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With a little help from a quality headlamp, you’ll be well-equipped to explore the great outdoors with confidence. But before you grab the biggest and brightest headlamp available, make sure it’s suitable for your needs—and for your environment. You want to be sure that the headlamp will not only help you see clearly but also illuminate the terrain safely so that you can avoid a potentially dangerous situation.
In today’s market, there is no shortage of headlamp choices, but finding the right one for hunting can be a challenge. The following article will help you find the best headlamp for hunting, whether you’re a pro or a novice.
Which Are The Best Headlamps For Hunting?
| Image | Name | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Best Overall: Black Diamond Storm 375 Waterproof | 9.7 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | High Lumen Output: LE-KAKA Headlamp 80000 | 9.4 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | X-BALOG - Best Headlamp For Hog Hunting | 9.3 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | NITECORE NU32 550 Lumen LED Rechargeable | 8.8 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Bushnell TRKR 325L Multi-Color Headlamp | 8.6 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | DanForce Headlamp. USB Rechargeable | 8.2 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Energizer Midnight Black LED Headlamp | 8 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Best For The Money: EverBrite LED Headlamp | 7.7 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | PETZL, TACTIKKA +RGB Stealth Headlamp 350 | 7.4 | Check Price on Amazon |
 | Foxelli LED Headlamp Flashlight | 7.2 | Check Price on Amazon |
Last update on 21st March 2023 / Affiliate Links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Why Buy a Headlamp?
One of the best ways to enhance your hunting experience is to invest in a headlamp. While there are several reasons why you might want to buy one, here are the top benefits:
- Perfect for hands-free work: With a headlamp on, you have no excuses not to take care of things around camp or prepare yourself for the next day. Even if you are not hunting, there are many chores that need to be done during your time outdoors.
- Enhances safety: A headlamp will keep light out of other people’s eyes and direct the beam of light where you want it to go.
- Lightweight: A headlamp is comfortable and lightweight, allowing you to wear it for extended periods of time with no pain or discomfort.
- Provides versatile viewing options: A headlamp gives you the ability to create a bright beam on a wide range of objects or concentrate the light beam to brighten only a small space.
- Most are compact and waterproof: Many headlamps can be used in light and heavy rain, and their size makes them perfect for packing in your backpack.
- Easy to maintain: With the exception of batteries, there is little that needs to be done to maintain a headlamp—you just need to wipe it clean after it has been exposed to dirt or mud.
Types of Headlamps Used While Hunting
There are several types of headlamps available. The type you choose will depend on your personal preference, the amount of money you want to spend, and other factors.
White Light Headlamps: These headlamps emit a white beam that is brighter than red or green headlamps. White light headlamps are the most common type of headlamps. However, they can also be too bright when someone else turns one on near you because it lights up the entire area in front of them. Not only they can cause you to temporarily lose your night vision, but they can also ruin the experience for anyone else in the area.
While they can be perfect when camping, providing illumination across large areas, white headlamps are not ideal while hunting. If you plan to hunt in deep woods away from popular campsites, a red light headlamp may be better suited for your needs.
White and Red Light Headlamps: Colored lights are less disruptive to other hunters and the red light helps you preserve your night vision. It’s important to note, however, that the low setting is not too bright for navigating in unfamiliar areas.
White light with a red mode can be helpful when attempting to maintain your natural night vision while letting you see where you are going. The bright white beam can scary deer and other game, but the red light are less disturbing during hunting.
Multicolor Light Headlamps: The multicolor lighting headlamps let you toggle between the settings for different conditions. They come with three colored lenses: one for red, green, and blue. Having access to all three colors means that hunters can see the terrain as well as their surroundings in low-light or darkness.
Their ability to switch colors makes these headlamps great for hunters who want to be able to find certain types of games more easily. The green beam may help someone spot game in poor conditions, while the blue and purple beam will make blood trails more visible at night.
How Bright Should a Headlamp Be?
There is a wide range of headlamps available, from around 30 lumens to more than 400. How bright you need yours to be will depend on where you plan to use it and your budget. Many products only come with one brightness setting, so you won’t be able to adjust it based on your needs. Picking a model that allows you to adjust its lumens output is a wise choice.
The higher the lumen count, the brighter the beam will be, but the truth is don’t need the brightest headlamp possible. While at the campsite, a headlamp of around 30 lumens might be all you need to help you set up your tent.
Once you get even further into the woods, where it’s dark enough to require turning on your headlamp, a brighter setting might be needed in order to navigate between branches and other objects. Going with simply the brightest headlamp out there can scare game and eventually ruin your hunting trip.
Moreover, the higher lumen output will also drain on your battery quicker. For this reason, we recommend a headlamp with at least 100 lumens if you plan on staying out in the woods for the night. This level of brightness should be more than enough to light up your surroundings, even if you’re away from camp.
What To Consider When Researching a Headlamp for Hunting?
Tiltable Light and Adjustable Focus
A headlamp with a tiltable light is beneficial since it lets you adjust the beam’s direction. This is an important feature for hunters who want to look into small areas or scan larger ones without moving their heads too much.
Plus it makes it easier to create a beam that won’t disturb others and doesn’t blind those around you. The adjustable focus will let you customize the beam, letting you target objects easily and reduce the amount of time spent scanning the area around you.
The lens you use on your headlamp is very important. A low-quality lens could also cause irregularities in the light beam and make it harder to use in certain conditions. Keep an eye out for models that offer a good beam distance and evenly spread light.
Size and Weight
The size and weight of your headlamp should be dependent on where you plan to use it. If you mostly hunt in the woods, a fairly lightweight model is best so that it’s not cumbersome while you move through the trees or hike back to camp.
Since you will be wearing your headlamp for long periods of time, it must be comfortable. The light should sit securely on your forehead without slipping out of place when you turn your head to the side or back. Make sure that the straps are adjustable and that you can tighten them enough so that they don’t slip while you wear them.
The unit itself should also be shaped to fit your head, with the light sitting over your forehead rather than falling down to your eyes. You can adjust the strap so that it doesn’t bother you when you wear a hat or helmet and makes sure that the lamp doesn’t snag on branches when you walk in the woods.
Someone who plans on camping during their hunts should consider getting a heavier headlamp. This is because heftier lamps are more durable and can better withstand the abuse of being moved around in various weather conditions.
Shopping by weight isn’t necessary for hunters looking for an easier time while hunting, but it can be beneficial for those who want to get a headlamp that they can use while camping later on.
Water Resistance and IP Ratings
If you are going to be in a wet area, there is no doubt that you should aim to get a headlamp that’s waterproof. While most products claim they are water-resistant, it can be hard to tell what exactly this means. Products with an IPX3 rating are usually able to withstand some water splashing against them, while those with higher ratings can handle more intense conditions.
Most headlamps don’t come with an IP rating, which means it might be tough to find one that’s going to hold up when you’re in the rain. This is especially true if you don’t plan on getting a very high-quality headlamp. I would advise sticking to products that are water-resistant (IPX5 or IPX7) since they can handle most conditions.
A shockproof headlamp is best suited for hunters who will be in an area where it might be easy to drop the lamp. A fall could damage the product and make it harder to use or even cause malfunctions. If you want to make sure the unit won’t break on impact, look for a product that has some form of shock resistance.
Power Source and Battery Life
The amount of time your headlamp stays on depends on is determined by the batteries it uses. Some models use regular AA or AAA batteries, but more expensive ones come with rechargeable batteries so you don’t have to worry about buying new ones every time the unit dies.
Most headlamps that use 3 or more AA batteries can stay on for up to 30 hours before they need to be replaced, which is ample time for most hunters. If you plan on going out in the winter and don’t want to freeze your fingers off trying to change batteries, you should consider a model that can also use an external power source.
Using rechargeable headlamps is often more beneficial for hunters since they don’t have to worry about running out of juice on the hunt. For those that use regular batteries, make sure your headlamp comes with a convenient battery indicator so you can change them before they die.
Brightness Levels and Ease of Use
Most headlamps allow you to adjust the intensity of the beam using a dial or buttons. This is helpful when you need light for close-range tasks and can’t afford to use something too bright since it will ruin your night vision.
A good headlamp will let you control how intense the light output is so that won’t have to worry about using it when you need a light that isn’t too bright. Higher quality headlamps usually come with separate controls for the high and low modes, allowing you to make the beam brighter or dimmer when needed.
There is one main drawback to having separate brightness levels – if you forget which mode is on when you take your headlamp off, you’ll have to cycle through all of them until you find the one that works. Personally, I prefer having separate buttons for minimum and maximum brightness so I can just switch between modes quickly if need be.
Beam Type and Distance
The ability to adjust the beam angle of a headlamp is very important for hunters since it determines how bright and far-reaching the light will be. If you get a lamp that doesn’t have an adjustable beam, you’re going to end up with a product that might not meet your needs when you’re out in the field.
When choosing a headlamp for hunting, you should aim to get one that has multiple-beam types since it’s nice to have options. Many hunters prefer getting a product that comes with two beams – one flood and one spot – because it allows them to be prepared for anything when they’re out in the middle of nowhere.
If you get a headlamp that has both types of beams, make sure you can adjust the beam angle so it gives off as much light as possible. A model with a narrow-angle will be better for use in low-light conditions where you need to see as far as possible.
Light Colors
A headlamp with multiple light modes is great for hunters since it allows them to adjust how the unit works depending on the situation. For example, if you’re hunting at night, you might want to use a headlamp that emits red or green light since it doesn’t mess with your eyes as much.
Good models will allow hunters to adjust the beam colors without having to cycle between multiple modes every time they need to adjust something. Having access to more lighting options is also great for hunters because it allows them to use the headlamp in a variety of different situations.
Most models come with red lights, but some also allow you to switch between multiple colors including green and blue. If you get a product with multiple light colors, make sure it has a convenient switch for changing the bulb type since it will be more difficult to adjust if you need to cycle through all of the modes first.
FAQ
How Is a Headlamp Different From a Flashlight?
What Kind of Batteries Do Headlamps Use?
In addition to AAA batteries, some headlamps also have a USB port that allows them to be charged from most portable power banks or computer devices. This is a great feature for hunters since it means they don’t always need extra batteries if their lamp can be charged whenever needed.
