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The Best Headlamp for Backpacking

The default ultralight backpacking headlamp: ~1.6 oz, USB-C, genuinely bright, and it does everything a backpacker needs. · Updated June 26, 2026

Nitecore NU25 UL

Nitecore NU25 UL

$37Buy on Amazon
★star.shop pickReddit favoriter/BuyItForLife favorite

Pros

  • Extremely light at around 1.6 oz with a rechargeable internal battery — a true ultralight pick
  • USB-C rechargeable, so you can top it off from a power bank on trail
  • Genuinely bright for its size, with separate flood and spot/white beams plus a red mode
  • Hidden 6–7 lumen ultralow mode is great for in-tent rummaging and stretching runtime
  • The runaway community default — recommended over and over across r/Ultralight, r/WildernessBackpacking, and r/BuyItForLife
  • Inexpensive (often under $40, cheaper on AliExpress) for what it offers

Cons

  • Steps down from high to mid within minutes to manage heat/runtime, so sustained max brightness isn't its strength — for serious night hiking off-trail many prefer a brighter 18650 light like the Nitecore NU43 or Zebralight
  • Red light is ~10 lumens and can't be dimmed, which is too bright for use inside a tent at night (the Petzl Bindi's 1-lumen red is far better for camp)
  • Controls take some memorization; the lower/red modes are hidden behind multi-press sequences
  • A few users report brightness-control quirks over time (unwanted dimming from high to mid)
Minor nitpicks
  • Non-removable internal battery, so when the cell eventually wears out the whole lamp is hard to recycle/repair — a recurring r/BuyItForLife objection, though most owners report years of trouble-free use
  • Stock headband is mediocre and some people swap it out
  • Newer revisions are slightly heavier than the original discontinued NU25, and some longtime users mildly prefer the old version

The other picks

  • RedditNitecore NU20 Classic — Newer, cheaper, simpler and very well liked; lighter but smaller battery and weaker for running/climbing
  • RedditPetzl Bindi — Best dedicated camp light thanks to a dim 1-lumen red that won't bother tentmates, though weaker for hiking and uses micro-USB
  • RedditNitecore NU43 / Fenix HM65R — Preferred by night hikers and hunters who want sustained real brightness and accept the weight penalty
  • r/BuyItForLifePetzl Actik Core — Removable/rechargeable Core battery with AAA fallback and a long durability track record
  • r/BuyItForLifeSkilhunt H04 RC / Zebralight — Flashlight-enthusiast picks for replaceable 18650 batteries, high-CRI tint and rugged repairable construction