Many of you have been asking what headlamp is my first choice, go to, must have lamp. My answer is always the same: Petzl e+lite. First for all you boy scout graduates or cookie dealin’ girl scouts: yes, a headlamp is better than a regular flashlight. It’s hard for me to believe that people are asking that question, let alone still buying handheld flashlights.

Would you want to carry that atrocity around? You’d be fumbling as you used your other hand to rifle through your pack. If you only had one hand, this is a ridiculous choice. Or, imagine trying to read in your tent while holding on to this. Come on people. Headlamps are legitious. Well, the idea is. Many headlamps are horrible – they’re big, heavy, burn through batteries and bulbs. But not the Petzl e+lite. Of course, when guiding a group, it’s best to have a lamp with a xenon bulb. But, for most of us, the e+lite is all we need and more. You can even look like a complete creeper and clip it on the brim of your cap. That’s right, I said “cap”.

Look at that bozo – cub fan. Gross. A die-hard fan for a dying team. That’s why I used that pic – a creeper may clip their light to the brim and a creeper is probably wearing that hat. Go tigers. Wait, what? Anyway, if you are trying to decide what lamp to get, here are a few things to look for:

  • Bulb type- choose one that fits your needs. If you need brightness, like a spot light, go with Xenon or Halogen. If you want stellar bulb and battery life, go with LED.
    • xenon (bright, burns batteries)
    • LED (bright when completely dark, but not when it’s dusk; great battery life)
    • Standard (decent battery life, cheap to replace, not the greatest brightness)
    • Halogen (bright, burns batteries)
  • Battery – some come with packs, others are AA or AAA or N or some other type of hard to find battery. Check the type of battery life it has.
  • Headband- this will keep it on your head. Heavier lamps will have a strap that goes over your head. A cool design is a necessity to look bad ass in the mountains and while biking around the city at night.

I have a few headlamps, but overall, my e+lite is most used. And it comes in a super swanky case.

Gear Specs for Gear Techs:

Bulbs: 3 white LED, 1 red LED

Weight w/ Batteries: 0.95 oz

Dimensions: tiny

Brightness Levels: 3

Strobes: 2

Beam Type: flood

Battery Life at 70 degrees: High – 35 / Low – 45 hours

Batteries: 2 CR-2032 Lithium

Updated 2/24/10