The best head torches for adventures in the outdoors!
Our adventure guides work and play in the outdoors every day, and night! These are the head torches we use, and why.
Whether it is guiding the National 3 Peak Challenge, sending clients off jumps in the best canyons that Scotland has to offer, or lighting a campfire after spending the day canoeing the River Spey. The equipment we use is fundamental to the safety of our staff and customers! Whether we are selecting wetsuits, helmets, or harnesses, we are meticulous about screening the gear that we use to ensure it is of the highest quality and performs in the most extreme conditions.
Head torches are an essential piece of equipment that our team use every day! We have head torches for running, biking, camping, hiking and emergency lights stowed in first aid kits, just in case. We have put together a list of the best head torches that we have tried and tested to the limits. If you are looking for the best head torch for performance, price, or emergencies, check out our list below:
Which are the best head torches?
Best for everyday performance: Petzl Swift E095BA01
Best for emergencies / back up: Petzl E+Lite
Best for cheep and cheerful: PETZL Tkkina
Best for running: BioLite HPA0312 HeadLamp 425
Best for POWER: PETZL, Duo Rl
Best Lightweight: Petzl Iko Core
Environmentally friendly: Silva Terra Scout X
Best for performance: Petzl Swift E095BA01
This, the Petzl Swift, is my go-to, my every day (well every night), the head torch I pick up for work or personal adventures WITHOUT FAIL. The Petzl swift is the head touch I use to run the country lanes before work, it sits in the top of my bag on those long hill days when we are not going to make it back to the van before dark and is my north star when navigating the darkness of the Scafell Pike summit when guiding the National 3 Peaks Challenge.
Why do I like it? Simple. You can lock the head torch “off” so it doesn’t accidentally switch on in your bag; it is lightweight but very powerful (900 Lumens); it is adjustable (fits my head, with a hat or a helmet); recharges by USB so that I can charge it from a car or minibus; and different light options to suit conditions.
If I could only own and use one head torch. No ifs or buts, it is the Petzl Swift that I am buying.
Highlights:
- Luminosity of 900 lumens
- 100 g
- LED
- Rechargeable (Type B – USB)
- Adjusts the luminosity to the requirements of the user
Best for emergencies: Petzl E+Lite
The Petzl E+Lite is as far as I am concerned an essential for every first aid or “oh sh!t kit”. This bad boy sits in the bottom of every one of our first aid kits for that time where your main head torch dies, dusk comes a little sooner than you anticipated or if you have to change a wheel on a dark mountain road.
This head torch is so lightweight that you don’t resent carrying it as a spare. It is bright enough to get the job done and it lasts switched off in your bag for years. I personally have about 6 of these and we strongly recommend the Petzl E+Lite as a must when shopping for a backup head torch.
Highlights:
- 26 lumens up to 29 meters
- Ultra compact
- 27 g
- Can be stored with batteries for 10 years
- Battery Powered (lithium CR 2032)
- Locking on/off switch designed to prevent accidental operation
Best cheep and cheerful: PETZL Tkkina
We take hundreds if not thousands of people on overnight camping, hiking or canoeing expeditions every year and a big percentage of these clients are new to the great outdoors. What that means is sometimes clients leave a little gap in a dry bag or a pocket doesn’t get quite zipped up resulting on a wet / lost / dropped / damaged or vanished head torch. We therefore have to balance a high quality torch that meets our high standard for equipment with value for money when we have to replace quite a few each session.
The PETZL Tkkina is for us the best balance between quality and value. It is cost effective, light enough and bright enough to meet our expedition needs. An added extra is that it is powered by AAA batteries which can be easily switch out during longer trips away from plugs.
Highlights:
- 300 lumens
- 82 g
- Battery Powered (AAA x3)
- LED
Best for running: BioLite HPA0312
Which head torch is the absolute best for running is a hotly contested topic. However, once you test out the BioLite HPA0312 it is very difficult to accept that any other head torch was designed with running so much in mind.
The Biolite has a range of light settings with a maximum output of 425 lumens and it has a rear light solid red or red strobe modes which is essential for running on those busier streets. Also, the design is top tier if you ask me!
Highlights:
- Max Output 425 Lumens
- Rear red light with red solid or strobe mode
- Up to 60 hours on LOW, 4 hours on HIGH
- 1 hour reserve mode
Best for POWER: PETZL, Duo Rl
There have been a number of occasions in my life where strapping the sun to my forehead made a significant difference in solving the problem in front of me. The PETZL, Duo Rl almost turns the night to light! This 3000 lumens beast is the crème de la crème of head torches and the best option if you need to be hands free with extreme amounts of light
Lets be fair, this head torch is big, bulky and a little on the heavy side by the standard of the other head torches in this blog. However, for keeping at your house, in your car or go bag…the PETZL Duo Rl is the ‘let there be light’/ head torch.
Highlights:
- 3000 lumens
- Rechargeable Battery
- LED
Environmentally friendly: Silva Terra Scout X
We are all trying to be responsible when it comes to our environmental impact. More and more manufacturers are using sustainably sourced materials to make their products and head torches are no different. Silva have recently released the Silva Terra Scout X which is made of Hemp & Recycled Plastics and is reported to have a 90% lower CO2 footprint compared to standard plastics.
Highlights:
- Battery Powered (AAA x3)
- 300 Lumens
- 90% lower CO2 footprint compared to standard plastics
- 84g
MY Adventure and Intrepidus Outdoors are adventure tours and outdoor experience providers, both based in Edinburgh, Scotland. We specialise in private and open canyoning, coasteering, mountain biking and hill walking tours, and deliver these adventurous experiences across Scotland. We are also a provider of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Expeditions where we run bronze, silver and gold level awards for young people.
If you are looking for additional information about adventures from Edinburgh, we have published a number of blogs:
- Adidas Terrex Canyon Boot Review: here
- Seland Verdon Wetsuit Review: here
- Top 10 canyons in Edinburgh: here
- The best hotels and hostels in Edinburgh: here
- Hen Party Adventures Edinburgh: here
- Stag Party Outdoor Adventures Edinburgh Essentials: here
- SUP, A Buying Guide: here
If you haven’t already seen it, check out the our Trip Advisor, Youtube channel, Visit Scotland page and blog to hear about how others found their outdoor adventures with us! Equally, if there is any gear that you would like us to review, drop us a DM.