The first stirrings of spring may be not far away, but the early months of the year are still a time of limited daylight. A reliable headtorch should be an essential inclusion in your backpack at any time of year, but never more so than over winter. Here we review three of the best new models.
Best for top-of-the-range quality
Silva Free 1200 XS silvasweden.uk | £140
Swedish outdoor firm Silva has been producing premium kit since 1933. Its latest headtorch range, the ISPO Award-winning Silva Free, is billed as ‘the world’s first modular headlamp’, with interchangeable lamp units and battery packs depending on your activity. The lightweight 1200 XS is aimed at trail runners, with two beams – one a spotlight, the other a floodlight – three brightness settings, rear red light strips and no distracting cords. Excellent.
Best low-cost option Â
Lifesystems Intensity 300 LED Head Torch lifesystems.co.uk | £30
More than anything, a headtorch needs to be incredibly easy to use. For hiking, it’s also useful to have a red light mode that maintains night vision while you’re looking at a map, and beyond that, you need to be easily able to turn it on and off with gloves on. The Intensity 300 LED Head Torch from Lifesystems is this torch. A USB cable charges it, it has a battery life of up to 38 hours, and there’s a clear battery power indicator. It is DofE-approved too.
Best for trail running
BioLite HeadLamp 425 blacks.co.uk | £70
For trail running, you need two things: a very bright light and a headtorch that doesn’t weigh you down. Brooklyn brand BioLite makes outdoor cooking gear, power banks and, more recently, headtorches. This model is designed not to bounce. It’s achieved thanks to two ultra-slim lights. One is at the front, and, a bonus for a runner, a red light is at the back. It weighs a mere 78g and has a very impressive maximum battery life of 60 hours.
Read next: How to dress for winter walking
