Petzl MYO RXP (photo: Petzl)
LED headlamps are available in a mind-boggling range of designs, wattages, and prices. But not everyone needs the monstrous power (and hefty price tag) of a super-lamp like the Brunton L5 – most users simply want the best bang for their buck. So here are four of the top performing headlamps on the market, all under $100.
Petzl MYO RXP
The Petzl MYO RXP just barely squeaks into the under-$100 category, but it’s packed with features. It’s lightweight (just over 6 ounces including batteries), compact, and includes a removable top strap for extra stability if needed. But the real innovation of the MYO RXP is its programmable light regulation. The headlamp offers a total of 10 light levels ranging from 8 to 140 lumens, and users can program three separate levels to maximize battery life depending on the particular usage (up to a maximum of 95 hours). There is also a strobe mode, and a boost mode that shines a 160-lumen beam nearly 100 meters. Finally, the MYO RXP features a tilt hinge and a wide-angle lens to direct light exactly where it’s needed.
The Petzl MYO RXP is available at Amazon for $99.95.
Black Diamond Icon
Black Diamond Icon (photo: Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd.)
The Black Diamond Icon offers a wide range of brightness and power-use options. Its primary spotlight is a bright, three-watt LED that shines nearly 100 meters. Four LED proximity lights on the sides of the spotlight are perfect for close-range tasks and conserving battery power, and overall the Icon offers seven brightness settings. Three AA alkaline batteries power the Icon for up to 160 hours, or the headlamp can be used with Black Diamond’s NRG rechargeable battery. The Icon also features a red/yellow/green LED power meter to keep track of battery usage.
You can find the Black Diamond Icon LED headlamp ($59.95) and NRG Battery Pack ($26.35) at Amazon.
Brunton RL6
Brunton RL6 (photo: Brunton, Inc.)
The Brunton RL6 has a total of six LEDs: five white diodes provide primary light, and a single red LED is perfect for preserving night vision with close-up tasks like map reading. The RL6 offers four brightness modes; the headlamp manages up to 85 hours of battery life even on the “high” setting, which shines light up to 72 feet away. Four AA batteries provide power, and they’re cleverly split into two separate packs on the headband to distribute the weight evenly. The Brunton RL6 is water-resistant for all-weather use, and offers an emergency strobe mode in addition to the primary light options.
Find the Brunton RL6 LED headlamp at Amazon for $35.10.
Princeton Tec Apex Pro
Princeton Tec Apex Pro (photo: Princeton Tec)
The Apex Pro from Princeton Tec is a streamlined version of their popular Apex model, and the Pro is a lightweight and high-performance LED headlamp. Four ultrabright LEDs and a single Maxbright LED provide up to 130 lumens of light output (enough power to throw light over 90 meters away), and the Apex Pro combines narrow and wide beams to maximize the range of illumination. The Apex Pro weighs just over six ounces including a pair of CR123 lithium cells, and the case is rated waterproof when submerged for up to 30 minutes. The Apex Pro has four brightness modes plus a strobe; it provides up to 35 hours of light in low-power mode, or up to 100 hours in flashing mode.
The Princeton Tec Apex Pro is available at Amazon starting at $72.90.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi,
One of the best features of the Petzl wasn’t mentioned – the diffusion filter. This filter creates a very even distribution of the LED light making for very good visibility outside of the center of the LED beam.
OK, these are headlamps, but they are big, bulky headlamps. My category of headlamps are those I can conveniently stuff in my pocket, available for use at any time. The first flashlight I carried was the rechargeable Eveready Captain. It had the wall charger built-in; quite a load for my pocket as a child. Then a decade of the flat Eveready 2xAA. Like most techs, I carried the small Maglight. But I jumped to the original Photon, and then to the Black Diamond ION. I must have used a hundred of those rare 6V batteries. That is the kind of light I am talking about. A headlight that easily carries in your pocket. The Petzl e+LITE replaced it, and now I carry a modified light you never heard of, a 4-Watt 2xCR123 beauty from Target. The mod: remove the lens, reflector, case. Replace the heavy strap with a 1/4″ elastic. This gives a beam, no, a smooth hemisphere of light, where anywhere in a room one can easily read a book. I don’t see this model at Target.com. Biggest problem: the circuit board gets hot.