While preparing for the PCT, I searched for lightweight headlamps suitable for long-distance walking. The main point of consideration was USB charging because the battery is heavy. It is difficult to calculate how much battery needs to be prepared, unlike contact lenses, which are easy to calculate daily. First of all, the frequency of using headlamps on the PCT trail in the United States is a large amount of use every day, and frequent charging. In the morning, I wake up and cook breakfast before dawn. After sunset, I will continue to walk until I get tired. When I was in Northern California, I often walked until 11 or midnight, and one day I didn't even sleep and walked until dawn the next day. The sunrise and sunset times will also change with the change of seasons. The more north, the shorter the daytime, which means that the usage rate of headlamps is getting higher and higher. This is why the choice of headlamps for long-distance hikes is critical.
Lightweight long-distance hiking is very popular in the United States. I wrote this article mainly because I chose the Petzl Bindi headlamp, and then I discovered that the Nitecore NU25 is the most popular headlamp used by hikers! Several hikers I know highly recommend and love to use this headlamp!
The following is a comparison of three rechargeable lightweight headlamps. Both Petzl Bindi and Nitecore have used them. The Milestone MS-G2 launched in 2019 has similar specifications, so add it for comparison.
Petzl Bindi
Weight: 35g with original headband
Maximum brightness: 200lm
The most extended range: 36 m'
Waterproof factor: IPX4
Illumination mode: 3 brightness levels and two light sources
Light source switching: a single button
Battery: MicroUSB charging
Weight: lamp (28g), including original headband (54g)
Maximum brightness: 360lm
The most extended range: 81m
Wide-angle: 100°
Waterproof factor: IPX6
Illumination mode: 4 brightness levels and three light sources
Light source switch: double-button
Battery: MicroUSB charging
Milestone MS-G2
Weight: Lamp (28g), including original headband (45g)
Maximum brightness: 400lm
The most extended range: 33m
Wide-angle: 160°
Waterproof factor: IPX4
Illumination mode: 3 brightness levels and three light sources
Light source switching: a single button
Battery: MicroUSB charging
Summary and advantages and disadvantages
Petzl Bindi
Advantages: The headband itself is already very lightweight and does not need to be replaced by oneself, and the appearance itself is pretty good.
Disadvantages: The charging hole is poorly designed and has no directionality. It is easy to damage the charging hole, resulting in poor contact and unable to charge typically. We broke one on the way and fixed it with solid glue every day to charge it. The other is that endurance is insufficient to provide long-term use at night.
NITECORE NU25
Advantages: the lowest price, high brightness still has 5 hours of endurance, the most extended range can reach 81 meters, the charging hole has a directional design and a dust cover. If there is no electricity for emergency use, you can immediately plug in the mobile power supply.
Disadvantages: For outdoor players who pursue the appearance of the equipment, the appearance is slightly unpleasant.
Milestone
Simply observing the data is a dark horse. You can remove the headband and clip the headlamp to the hat, collar, or other places where you need it. The charging hole also has a directional design and a dust cover.
Because I haven't used it, let's ignore its advantages and disadvantages. Have the opportunity to update the experience of using milestones.
If it is a general outdoor mountaineering activity, all three models are easy to use; choose the one you like. Some people care about appearance, some care about the place of production, and some care only about the price. These are very subjective, and there is no standard answer, and it does not mean that one is better.