Hillwalking headtorches
There’s no need to stop hillwalking when the sun goes down – but you do need the right headtorch, so we’ve taken a closer look at six of the best from across the price and performance range.
Six torches on test in the Lakes
Light gives mountains their visual magic. Without light there is no shade, without shade there is no texture, without texture the world is featureless and without interest. Of all the forms of light, it is mountain light that excites the most. It entices us forward and entangles us into a web of ravines, ridges, towering cliffs and lofty summits.
At its simplest mountain light creates a link between where we are and where we want to be, between the now and the future, between the known and the unknown, between the normal and the adventure.
Of all the forms of light it is the burning glow of sunrise and sunset that provide us with the greatest connection to the natural world, the mountains and ourselves. During these times the interplay between the sun’s warm glow, its low arc across the sky and the mountains rich architecture creates the greatest show on earth. But when it’s over, and the final flicker of natural light extinguishes for another day, the artificial light from a headtorch takes its place, and in its own way becomes our gateway to the mountains at night.
MANUFACTURED LIGHT
Light output from headtorches has improved dramatically over recent years. Only as recently as 2011 the best headtorches produced 85 lumens for 18 hours, and that was deemed ideal for hillwalking. Today 100 lumens is standard, with many headtorches capable of burning 300 lumens. This extra power is ideal for spotting a path ahead, but 100-150 lumens is more than sufficient for descending the mountains, so only short bursts of higher power settings are really necessary.
Battery life is important, as no headtorch is worth relying on if it lacks power when needed. Many headtorches use AA or AAA batteries but rechargeable options are common, which are better for the environment. But the ability to change or charge batteries on the hill is important too, so our test needed
to carefully consider how each torch’s battery source could be used in the mountains on a regular basis.
Burn times vary, but it is important to note that if a headtorch is set to maximum power then burn times reduce rapidly. Once again this raises the question of how best to manage your light’s power for maximum performance and safety on the hill.
And finally, ease of use is paramount, with simple yet functional operation best.
MOUNTAIN LIGHT
To find the best hillwalking headtorches currently available, Trail sent three gear testers (myself, hostel manager Tim Butcher, and fell top assessor Jon Bennett) armed with six headtorches for an overnight in the mountains. We were also joined by Practical Photography magazine’s photographer, Louise Carey.
Our adventure into the light began at Honister Pass in the Lake District. The objective was to experience the sunset from the summit of Fleetwith Pike, whose slopes project out above the waters of Buttermere like a pier extending over the sea from the promenade.
We walked in the shaded daylight of late afternoon at first, but as we gained height a soft glow began to emerge within the chilled clean air around us, then it tipped our heads before finally we were immersed into its warm golden glow. The sun’s ball of fire was arcing from the summit of Great Gable to the slopes of High Crag, so it was these fells that orchestrated the light display while we climbed higher and onto the summit of Fleetwith Pike.
In awe we watched the sun’s last symphony of the day, speechless and without a need to interrupt the performance until its final notes faded into dusk, into the cold darkness of the night.
With the sun’s setting performance complete, we descended from the summit of Fleetwith Pike, headtorches lighting the way, to our night’s accommodation at the Dubs Hut bothy.
LIGHT INTO NIGHT
Our walking ended with a night in the bothy, and it was here that we were able to use the headtorches’ lower power settings, to ensure the battery power was retained. Setting up our gear, making a brew and rustling up food all provided great testing conditions, and plenty of time to discuss the torches and compare their benefits and drawbacks.
Our adventure into mountain light ended for another day and we slept on what we had learned about the power of both natural and manufactured light...