Media Coverage from I Run Far: Best Running Headlamps of 2024

The iRunFar team tested running headlamps on dozens of runs to help you find the right one in this guide. Here, iRunFar’s Meghan Hicks preps for an early morning run. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

For most trail runners, a headlamp is an essential piece of gear. Whether logging pre-dawn miles or racing through the night during an ultra, a reliable headlamp can make the difference between an adventurous jaunt and stumbling down a dark trail. Fortunately, many great headlamp options are on the market, and this guide can help you choose the best running headlamp for your needs and budget.

As we researched headlamps, we compared battery life, brightness settings, weight, and comfort. We selected the best lights for everyday trail running, ultrarunning, and ultra-lightweight backup options. Our testing team then took these headlamps to the trails for sunrise runs, 100-mile races, and multi-day fastpacking outings. We consolidated our findings and rounded up the best headlamps for running below, ranking our top picks according to a few key categories.

For more background information, see our buying advice, testing methodology, and frequently asked questions below our picks.

Best Running Headlamps

• Best Running Headlamp for Trails: Petzl Iko Core
• Best Running Headlamp for Trails — Runners-Up: Fenix HL18R-T Rechargeable Headlamp and ZebraLight H600d Mk IV 18650 XHP50.2 5000K High CRI Headlamp
• Best Headlamp for Ultrarunning: Petzl Nao RL
• Best Headlamp for Ultrarunning — Runners-Up: Silva Trail Runner Free Ultra and Fenix HM65R Rechargeable Headlamp
• Best Waistlight: UltrAspire Lumen 600 4.0 Waist Light
• Best Ultralight Running Headlamp: Nitecore NU25 UL
• Best Ultralight Running Headlamp — Runner-Up: Petzl Bindi

Best Headlamp for Ultrarunning — Runner-Up: Silva Trail Runner Free Ultra ($110)

Pros:

• Multiple options for carrying a battery pack
• Option for combined flood and spotlighting

Cons:

• The headband is stiff at first and requires breaking in

If you want the best running headlamp for all-night efforts but don’t like carrying all that battery weight and bulk on your head, the Silva Trail Runner Free Ultra headlamp is for you. Its battery pack can be carried either on the back of the head or in your hydration vest using the included extra-long cord.

Silva is doing cool things with the quality of its lighting, offering a mix of both flood lighting and long-throw spotlighting in one beam — what they call Intelligent Light — without compromising much on the battery runtime. This setting gives a little extra peripheral vision at night. While we’re mostly looking straight ahead when running, this peripheral lighting seems to ease eye strain over a long night of use, as your eyes don’t have to keep adjusting to the quick changes in direction that a long-throw light will make with a simple 10-degree head tilt.

This isn’t our favorite headband, and we were surprised by its stiffness, given the brand’s work in making the battery pack movable for increased comfort. That said, using it makes it less stiff, so give it a solid break-in period before judging its comfort.

Actual Weight: 5.4 ounces (153 grams) | Maximum Light Output: 400 lumens | Battery Source(s): 4,000-milliampere-hour hour rechargeable (included) or three AAAs (not included)

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