Starting to get into this but this time of year most of it will be in the dark

Any recommendations for a suitable head torch?

I use a Lupine Piko as a head torch for both walking the dog and also as a helmet mounted light for night rides. You can either mount the battery to the head strap or run it down to a pocket with an extension cable. They do a ‘heavy duty’ head mount too if you’re worried the standard one would give too much movement.

They’re not cheap but they last.

If you’re just getting into it, I assume your runs are not that long and probably don’t need reactive lighting for extending burn time & map reading etc. I’lld probably look for something with a rechargable battery.- Probably something cheap and cheerful from Alpkit.

I just use my Hope R4 on the headstrap. plenty ‘o’ light!

Can’t fault this.. https://www.decathlon.co.uk/onnight-410-v2-headlamp-id_8364850.html .

I’m about to buy one of these

https://www.aldi.co.uk/lightway-multi-use-head-torch/p/078676166616600

Looks like a £7.99 copy of my LED Lenser – the one my Mrs now uses for running 🙂

I use my Exposure Joystick with an Exposure headband strap thing.
Works well, and I find having the light slightly offset from the centre of my head helps with depth perception.

Alpkit or the Decathlon one linked above both came top of my research for something straightforward to get out with. That being said, I’ve just bought a Petzl Nao+, for a six hour night trail race in December, where I wanted no faff and water resistance … and totally love it, so would highly recommend that if needs/budget require.

I only run well known trails during the dark, occasionally i”l cut short or cross other trails so i don’t really need a light that casts a large beam.. I’m normally running on soft loamy small trails or larger bridleways.. This torch I bought from Snow and Rock, it’s battery powered because I dont like USB charged ones.

+1 for the Decathlon 410

Did the devil glow run with it and never had to touch it.

I’m going through the same process; the Alpkit Quark: https://www.alpkit.com/products/qark#product-reviews looks a good product at a decent price, but I’m tempted by the Petzl Reactik + even tho it’s twice the cost.

Had an alpkit for occasional use but the wiring came loose after minimal careful use, outside of warranty so alpkit offered nothing. I replaced it with a Petzl tikka and wouldn’t go back.

I’ve tried a ledlenser one and found it bounced a bit too much, or had to be too tight to be comfortable.

Am thinking that the decathlon one will be more stable with the extra strap over the top.
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I’m also considering this chest light from decathlon to avoid all chance of it bouncing off my head. Would be interested if anyone’s tried one or anything similar?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/run-light-250-id_8369000.html

Would double up as Ironman fancy dress.

There’s a guy at the gym who runs with one of those. He does look like Ironman. It seemed okay but I miss being able to look round corners…

but I’m tempted by the Petzl Reactik + even tho it’s twice the cost.

I like mine, I got it a bit of discount so happy with the price. It’s nice to be able to fine tune the beam to balance power against battery life. Not used it for a really long run but I think with careful use you could probably get an overnight in midsummer. Similar power to the much cheaper Quark (I’m an Alpkit fan) but slightly nicer build IMHO.

Most of my runs are trail but if I need to run any lanes turn it right down and point my head away or it really dazzles drivers.

I’m also considering this chest light from decathlon to avoid all chance of it bouncing off my head. Would be interested if anyone’s tried one or anything similar?

I got one from gear best and it is alright but not as good as a head torch.

Nitecore hc30

Fantastic light for running and riding.

Here

Light weight, nice beam, 1000 real lumens and a decent price.

I use the Black diamond spot simply because I wanted one light where I could carry spare AAA batteries to swap out,

Good reviews and easily switchable between brightness.

I also have the exposure joystick headband but it’s a right PITA.

I have an Alpkit Quark for walking the dog, its OK but wouldn’t want to be running with it, handy thats its USB rechargeable too.

I’ve got a Petzl Nao (575 lumens)

Used to have a Alpkit Gamma before that.

To be honest best bit of outdoor kit I’ve bought. For biking the £40 Chinese light is great for running this is something else.

Very well balanced on the head, the reactive lighting really does work well and it lasts ages. One light does light spread, the other does distance. eg running along only the spread light comes on, if you look in to the distance to see where a path goes, the spot distance light spots stuff probably up to about 100ft away.

Friends of mine have been through various cheaper options, and never really got what they wanted.

I’ve used a Petzl Tikka RXP (looks the same as the REAKTIK AFAICT) for a few years and the reactive lighting is really useful (unless it’s foggy). I can’t speak for any non-petzl torches but I’d certainly say reactive lighting is worth paying the extra for. It just means that you have the torch on the right setting all the time with no faffing.

+1 for the Petzl Tikka RXP

flexible settings mean that I can have it setup for more power/shorter battery life at this time of year for evening runs <2 hrs and then longer battery life in the summer/hut trips/staying in refuges etc

Had it for 3+ years and would buy similar again if I had to.
USB rechargeable but you can pick up spare battery compartment that holds conventional batteries – useful in extreme cold conditions etc

Silva Trailrunner 2

I’ve got an Alpkit Viper and it’s worked fine for general night running from club interval sessions to night legs on Ramsay’s Round and Bob Graham.

You can get something off eBay for about 12 quid or you can spend far more for something not as good with a fancy name. Based on my observations of our local fell-running club.

if you want daylight, hope r2.

i needed something with a bit more ooomph recently (for regular on road night running i have a basic alpkit) for a 10mile event on the cliff path to lands end (down here in west cornwall) and it was brilliant. plus you can use it on the bike.

yes its quite a heavy headtorch compared to some but you dont really notice it and for the light it gives its worth the extra weight.

Always been a oetzl man but bought some amazingly cheap black diamond head torches from cotswold in the summer which work very well too

They were either £20 or £30 in sale.

I’ve got a Petzl Nao

Also have one of these,(and a gamma for road stuff) the Nao is pretty much all I need

I have an Alpkit Quark for walking the dog, its OK but wouldn’t want to be running with it

Why not?

Nao+ is brilliant for any sort of off-raod stuff where having shedloads of light in a big, floody pool is good. Ditto the better Silva torches which give you a good mix of close-up and spot coverage. Anything with a very defined spot – I think the Quark falls into that – isn’t great for balance if that makes sense.

It feels like having a big pool of light around you gives enough visual context to keep things feeling stable as in daylight. A spottier light, even a very bright one, seems to mess with my overall balance.

The other thing I’d maybe think about is something with a rear-facing red light if you occasionally run sections of back lane between trails. the Nao+ does this, but in a move of supreme oddness from Petzl, the rear light can only be turned on or off using a phone app… Expensive kit, but worth it if you want something that does the job off road ime.

Exposure Verso is as good as their bike lights. The only head torch which I have had that has lasted.

It depends how much you want to spend. I used an Alpkit Viper last winter and it was perfectly adequate on the trails I know well.
I am now using a Nao+ and it is seriously bright, lasts for several hours and gives me more confidence on longer runs. The main problem I find with it is blinding dog walkers and other night owls that you come across in the middle of nowhere at night.

Just a bit of an update. Last night I had a go with a Nao +

Likes – Red flashing light on the back.
– Bluetooth control is a nice gimmick.

Dislikes – You cant set the reactive lighting sensitivity like you can on the Nao. Its not cold enough at the moment, but I do wonder if this means it will react too much do heavy breathing in cold conditions.

Oh and I really couldn’t tell where the extra lumens were. Possibly marginally brighter than the Nao

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/run-light-250-id_8369000.html Would be interested if anyone’s tried one or anything similar?

Have got two

One of them is the full harness version the other is the same as the one you linked to.

Both most excellent and although the harness version is more purposeful it has a lot of straps and adjusters. Great service and delivery from Decathlon

I do wonder if this means it will react too much do heavy breathing in cold conditions.

I was running in light mist/rain, breathing dragon’s breath. You could see it confusing my Reaktik+. Will check if configurable in the app.

Oh and I really couldn’t tell where the extra lumens were.

Logarithmic scale isn’t it – need more and more lumens for same perceived increase in betterness.

Experienced limp mode last night for the first time, when it knocks the brightness right back when you’re (I think) down to <10%. Won’t be trying that again.