Best Trail & Ultra Running Headlamps of 2023

JUMP TO: PETZL IKO CORE / SILVA TRAIL RUNNER FREE ULTRA / FENIX HM65R-T / BIOLITE HEADLAMP 330 / FENIX E-LITE MINI FLASHLIGHT / FENIX HL60R / NIGHTCORE NU25 UL / PETZL TIKKINA / BUYING ADVICE

Author: Steve Edgerton

The Short Version

The Long Version

When trail running early in the morning or deep into the night (or both!), your headlamp can make all the difference between a positive experience and a horrible, terrifying, and perhaps even dangerous one.

Headlamps for trail and ultra running cover a vast spectrum. This includes ultralight “just-in-case” headlamps, race-ready headlamps with heroic battery lives, and high-powered headlamps that make distinctions between night and day seem arbitrary.

Whatever your trail running demands, there is a headlamp best suited for it. From our budget picks to ones with top-of-the-line tech, these are the best headlamps for trail and ultra running.

If you love reading this review of the best trail and ultra running headlamps, then you'll likely love reading some of our other running related content:

Need To Know What To Look Out For?

Want to learn more about battery types, lumens, light beams, and the like? Don’t miss our buying advice at the bottom of the article where we take a closer look at all of the features that make a headlamp great for running!

Best Overall: PETZL IKO CORE

WEIGHT: 2.8 oz / 79 g

MAXIMUM LIGHT OUTPUT: 500 lumens

BURN TIME: 100 hours (max run time); 2.5 hours (max output)

BATTERY SOURCE: AAA batteries and USB-rechargeable CORE battery (one included)

PRICE: $$$

PROS: Comfortable, lightweight, good burn time, works with AAA and rechargeable battery

CONS: Tough to change out battery pack on the move

Most trail running headlamps tend to favor either comfort or lighting at the expense of the other. The Petzl IKO CORE does both exceedingly well.

With up to 500 lumens of light output, the IKO CORE will illuminate the deepest, darkest forest trails. It offers flood and mixed beam lighting and the ability to adjust the white brightness levels on the go. 

The silicon band and battery cradle may look somewhat alien, and perhaps even uncomfortable, but appearances deceive. This headlamp sits naturally and is easily adjustable. At less than 3 oz. you will hardly even notice it on your head.

You can load the battery cradle with either 3 AAA batteries or a USB-rechargeable Petzl CORE battery. AAA batteries only allow for a max power of 350 lumens and 8 hours at standard lighting level, compared to 500 lumens and 9 hours with a rechargeable. But we love the versatility this system provides.

Unfortunately, the battery cradle can be fussy to open, creating unneeded frustration if you are racing through the night. But you likely will never even have to worry about this. Its Standard Burn setting of 100 lumens will last 8+ hours, and even in low power mode (6 lumens), the Petzl IKO CORE will still guide you along technical trails, albeit slowly.

We also love the clever design of this headlamp. It looks rigid, but the crown-like rubberized plastic structure collapses in on itself to become remarkably packable. This structure also allows the headlamp to be worn around your neck, wrapped around your hand, secured onto a trekking pole, or worn over a Petzl helmet.

Reasonably priced relative to its performance and comfort, the Petzl IKO CORE is a well-rounded performer with outstanding battery life. It is our pick as the best overall headlamp for trail and ultra runners.

WEIGHT: 4.7 oz

MAXIMUM LIGHT OUTPUT: 400 Lumens

BURN TIME: 70 hours (max run time); 90 mins (max output)

BATTERY SOURCE: AAA batteries, rechargeable Li-on battery (included)

PRICE: $$$

PROS: Carry battery pack in headband or vest, versatile, strong lighting options

CONS: Minimally padded headband, expensive

The Silva Trail Runner Free Ultra headlamp’s combination of function and performance is perfect for long ultras that go deep into the night.

The Free Ultra integrates a long power cable into the lamp’s headband. You can carry the battery pack (AAA or 4.0Ah USB rechargeable battery—one included) on the back of your head right in the band or use the cable to store it in your vest or jacket pocket for a more comfortable fit.

This makes changing batteries on the go easy too—if you ever have to. The Free Ultra has excellent battery life, enough for 10-12 hours of high-powered beams, and much more on its lowest brightness setting.

Even at lower brightness levels, light quality and visibility are excellent, thanks in part to Silva’s Intelligent Light. This lighting function mixes flood and single-beam lighting to provide long-range illumination alongside short-range and peripheral vision—all without adjusting your settings.

The build quality of the headlamp and band is solid, and we appreciate the addition of the red LED safety light on its rear, useful for staying visible on sections of road or urban pathways.

Though the headband is somewhat stiff and lacking in padding, it does loosen up with use. The Free Ultra also adjusts easily and is very light without the battery pack. Comfortable enough for hours of wear, simple but effective features, and hours of quality illumination make it a top-notch trail running headlamp worthy of your race kit.

Best for Brightness: FENIX HM65R-T

WEIGHT: 3.2 oz / 91 g

MAXIMUM LIGHT OUTPUT: 1500 lumens

BURN TIME: 300 hours (max run time); 4 hours (max output)

BATTERY SOURCE: Rechargeable Li-ion battery (one included) or 2 CR123A batteries

PRICE: $$$

PROS: Super bright, awesome battery life

CONS: Integrated lamp and battery pack can be uncomfortable on forehead

Fenix headlamps are famous for their bright and high-powered lights. The HM65R-T is no exception. With an almost ludicrous 1500-lumen max output, it is basically industrial grade and will effectively light up the trail in front of you to distances of nearly 150 meters.

The HM65R-T has two lights: one spotlight for focused, long-range light; and one floodlight for softer and broader short-range light. They can work separately or in combination at three different power levels, offering a great range of customization to perfectly fit all trail and weather conditions.

Operating full tilt at 1500 lumens, the battery lasts for 3-4 hours. You will rarely need this much power, but it is super useful for trail finding or illuminating trail markers. Otherwise, the HM65R-T is good for 12-24 hours at medium brightness, the ideal level for most trail running conditions. It can go for 300+ hours if kept on low in floodlight mode, which will help you find your way in a pinch, but this setting is more suited to nighttime at camp than moving over technical trails in the dark.

Having all the weight of the lamp and the battery pack on your forehead can be bothersome. We suggest wearing it over a Buff or hat to add padding and minimize bouncing.

The Fenix HM65R-T burns bright for reliably long times and provides excellent value, despite its higher price. For trail runners a little tentative about running through the woods in the dark, you’ll enjoy having this beast of a headlamp on your side to powerfully light the way.

Best for Comfort: BIOLITE HEADLAMP 330

WEIGHT: 2.43 oz / 69 g

MAXIMUM LIGHT OUTPUT: 330 lumens

BURN TIME: 40 hours (max run time); 3.5 hours (max output)

BATTERY SOURCE: USB rechargeable Li-on battery (1 included)

PRICE: $$

PROS: Comfortable, great price, lightweight

CONS: No multi-battery compatibility, shorter battery life

The Biolite HeadLamp 330 is streamlined and highly comfortable. It is our favorite “daily driver” headlamp for trail running, especially in winter when our runs often begin or end in darkness.

The 330 provides about 3.5 hours of light on its highest setting of 330 lumens, making it great for early morning or late evening trail runs. Unlike heavy-duty trail running headlamps, it will not get you through an entire night on the trails, but that is not its purpose.

The 330 is a paltry 2.6 oz. It has a slim, close-fitting design and distributes weight around your end by shifting the battery pack to the back, away from the lamp. It doesn't bounce and the comfortable, moisture-wicking band works well to keep sweat off your face.

Four LED lights help you track battery levels, which you can stretch to about 40 hours on its lowest setting of 5 lumens. The headlamp only uses USB rechargeable batteries, lacking the multi-compatibility that higher-end models offer.

Otherwise, there really isn’t anything not to like about a headlamp this good at this price. The Biolite 330 is comfortable and lightweight: perfect for winter morning training jaunts, as a camp light for fastpacking overnighters, or as a just-in-case light source to toss in your pack for trail runs that may go longer than expected.

Best for Backup Light: FENIX E-LITE MINI FLASHLIGHT

WEIGHT: 0.6 oz / 17 g

MAXIMUM LIGHT OUTPUT: 120 lumens

BURN TIME: 20 hours (max run time); 1 hour (max output)

BATTERY SOURCE: Rechargeable li-polymer battery

PRICE: $

PROS: Affordable, ultralight, packable backup light

CONS: Not bright enough to be a primary light source

If you trail run and race ultras frequently enough, eventually you will forget to charge your headlamp or pack spare batteries. Or you may eventually just end up running into the night for longer than anticipated, without the juice to back you up. It happens to the best of us, so it is always a good idea to carry a backup light source when training and racing on trails.

The Fenix E-Lite Mini Flashlight is the perfect solution. It will keep you safe as a backup light source while adding basically no weight to your pack. It is two inches long and weighs hardly half an ounce, yet miraculously provides one hour of light at 120 lumens and up to 20 hours at 5 lumens.

There is nothing fancy here—don’t rely on it as your primary trail running light source. The E-Lite Mini Flashlight is more of a low-cost insurance plan: attach it to your keys, store it in your first aid kit, or keep it in your running vest, and you’ll be ready for the inevitable day when things don’t go as planned.

Best Waterproof: FENIX HL60R

WEIGHT: 4.3 oz / 121 g

MAXIMUM LIGHT OUTPUT: 950 lumens

BURN TIME: 100 hours (max run time) 48 mins (max output)

BATTERY SOURCE: Rechargeable 18650 Li-ion battery (included)

PRICE: $$$

PROS: Extremely durable and water-resistant, multiple light settings, easy to use

CONS: Heavy on forehead, short battery life at max output

If you regularly run through the night and the rain, well, bless your dedicated soul. You deserve a headlamp that is as waterproof as it is illuminating, and you get that with the Fenix HL60R.

This headlamp has an all-metal housing and a water resistance rating of IP X8. It can be submerged under 2 meters of water and still function for 30 minutes. In other words, the HL60R will hold up through even the wettest, stormiest conditions possible.

The light output on the HL60R is lower than some Fenix models, but still impressive. Unfortunately, the included battery has a rather short lifespan on high output. It only works with Fenix’s proprietary batteries, but they are at least high quality and durable. You can use higher capacity Fenix batteries to improve the headlamps' burn times.

The HL60R has only one beam that blends flood and spotlight components, delivering nice, evenly dispersed light that will illuminate the trail but not strain your eyes, especially in rainy conditions.

The power button also toggles through six distinct light modes, including a red light setting. The head strap is made from durable nylon and is quite comfortable, but having all of the weight loaded on the forehead may be bothersome.

Simple, sturdy design and unbeatable weather resistance make the Fenix HL60R a terrific choice for wet climates and rugged trail conditions.

Best Ultralight: NIGHTCORE NU25 UL

WEIGHT: 1.98 oz / 56 g

MAXIMUM LIGHT OUTPUT: 400 lumens

BURN TIME: 45 hours (max run time); 2 hours 40 mins (max output)

BATTERY SOURCE: Rechargeable 650 mAh Li-on battery (included)

PRICE: $

PROS: Ultralight, great value

CONS: Uncomfortable headband, battery not the most powerful

Thru-hikers have long sung the praises of the ultralight Nightcore NU25 UL, and it deserves praise as an excellent ultralight option for trail and ultra runners as well.

The NU25 UL will light up the trail sufficiently for a few hours of running but is not an all-night, ultramarathon-ready headlamp. Like a lighter and more powerful Biolite 330, it is perfect as a just-in-case headlamp or an around camp light source for ultralight fastpacking missions.

At less than two ounces, many ultramarathoners will bring it along as a backup headlamp for committing and technical trails where super minimal options like the Fenix E-Lite Mini Flashlight wouldn’t cut it. The paracord headband is not terribly comfortable, but it gets the job done.

The NU25 UL is powerful, given its weight. It features a dual beam spotlight/floodlight and a peak beam distance of over 70 meters. The built-in Li-on battery takes about 90 minutes to fully recharge via its micro-USB-C port. Three brightness settings and a red light option make this a versatile, affordable, and ridiculously light headlamp that gram-counting trail runners will love.

Best on a Budget: PETZL TIKKINA

WEIGHT: 3.25 oz / 92 g

MAXIMUM LIGHT OUTPUT: 300 lumens

BURN TIME: 120 hours (max run time); 3 hours (max output)

BATTERY SOURCE: AAA batteries (included) and USB-rechargeable CORE battery

PRICE: $

PROS: Affordable, high-value headlamp

CONS: Not enough output for really technical trails, rechargeable battery not included

The Petzl Tikkina has capabilities that belie its almost unbelievably low price. Once considered a headlamp model good for car campers walking to the bathroom at night, but not much else, advances in LED technology have made the newer models worthy of consideration as a super low-cost headlamp for trail and ultra running.

The Tikkina’s spot beam and 300-lumen output does throw light effectively and will keep you moving on course. It will last more than 120 hours on a single charge in low-power mode. You could use it for an entire summer’s worth of predawn trail runs and multi-day backpacking trips without switching out the batteries.

That said, the Tikkina will not illuminate the trail as effectively as high-end headlamps will. Relying on it to run over technical terrain may be asking for trouble. But for the price of a half-decent bottle of wine, it holds up remarkably well.

It earns bonus points from us for being compatible with both Petzl’s CORE rechargeable batteries (not included) and AAA’s. It is always easy to find affordable backup batteries, making it great for travel. It has a functional single-button interface, three light modes, and is pretty comfortable, too.

If all you need is a budget headlamp to get out on early morning and late evening trail runs, it doesn’t get any better than this.

BUYING ADVICE FOR TRAIL & ULTRA RUNNING HEADLAMPS

BRIGHTNESS: Headlamps use lumens to qualify how bright they are. The higher the number, the brighter the light burns, and the further it will cast that light. Higher lumens mean higher intensity, which means—you guessed it—higher energy demands.

Most headlamps we review here can attain 300-600 lumens, a good range that is not too bright nor too dim to carry on running in the dark. A few go much higher, which is great for trail finding, but more than is necessary for running along a trail. In fact, too much brightness can strain your eyes and blind fellow trail runners.

TYPE OF LIGHT: Most headlamps provide floodlight, single-beam light, and sometimes a combination of both. Floodlights cast a softer, gentler light good for short-range vision, like consulting a map or digging through your pack. Single beam, or spotlight, is what you need more for running. It casts a brighter and narrower beam of light further into the distance, allowing you to see and follow the trail with ease.

BATTERIES: Headlamps most often use AAA or AA batteries or USB rechargeable batteries. Some are even compatible with both. Increasingly, brands are using proprietary rechargeable batteries, like the Petzl CORE line. These are usually some version of a 2,600-milliampere hour 18650 battery—lauded for its ability to provide reliability, durability, and long burn times.

Rechargeable batteries are great—they are better for the environment and more cost-effective over time. But we favor headlamps that offer dual compatibility with AAA or AA batteries for the added versatility.

BATTERY LIFE: This is another crucial headlamp feature, especially for trail and ultra runners. If you need a headlamp to last through an entire night of a 100-mile race, your options narrow. Few headlamps can sustain a bright output for more than about 6 hours. The ones that can, like the Petzl IKO CORE, are inevitably more expensive.

If your headlamp only serves as an emergency tool or for a couple of hours of running in dawn or dusk light levels, you don’t really need to drop the cash on the high-performance models.

FIT AND COMFORT: Your headlamp will not be very useful if it is too uncomfortable to wear on your head. Look for headlamps with easily adjustable and padded headbands. Again, your use case will influence priorities here: if you need an ultralight emergency light source, it might make sense to sacrifice some comfort in the name of weight and packability.

WEIGHT: Speaking of weight, which is the final, and perhaps most inconsequential factor to consider. No trail running-appropriate headlamp is truly heavy. Different models are separated by a couple of ounces at most, a hardly noticeable difference in your vest or pack.

But, worn on your head over many hours, a couple of extra ounces can cause some strain, so it is worth considering both the total weight of a headlamp and where that weight sits. Some headlamps separate the battery pack and light, either at the back of the headband, or in your vest via cables. Others keep them together at the forehead. It is helpful if you can try some on to see what setup feels best to you.

MORE INFORMATION

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