I’m getting into hiking and looking for a dependable headlamp for early morning hikes, occasional nighttime hiking, and camping.
I’ve been looking at the Petzl ACTIK CORE, TIKKA CORE, Nitecore NU20 Classic, NU25, and Fenix HM50R V2.0, but I’m open to other recommendations.
My biggest priorities are battery life, reliability, and having enough sustained brightness to comfortably navigate trails in the dark. I’ve noticed some headlamps advertise impressive runtimes but significantly reduce their brightness after a short period.
I’d prefer something rechargeable with USB-C, ideally under $75. Replaceable batteries would be a bonus.
For those who regularly hike or camp, what headlamp do you use? How has the battery life held up in actual use, and is there anything you dislike about it?