Best Rechargeable Running Headlamp – Reviews & Comparisons

When you’re trying to train for a race during winter months and you have to hold down a full-time job, you’re going to have no choice to, at some point, consider throwing in some night runs. There’s just not enough daylight to get all your runs in.

When the sun goes down, it helps to light the way with a rechargeable running headlamp.

Quick Picks – Top Rechargeable Running Headlamps

Bias Alert: Our Night Safety Kit

Running Safety Kit

We’ve just released a complete reflective gear set for runners. It includes an LED headlamp, reflective vest, arm bands, and red strobe lights. We think it’s pretty awesome, click below to check it out: 

What Are the Benefits to Wearing Running Headlamps?

When you strap on a light for your night runs, you make yourself more visible to oncoming motorists. That simple move could save your life. The dark side of running that all too often gets swept under the rug is how dangerous traffic can be for runners. If runners have a showdown with a distracted motorist, they may end up paying for their love of fitness with their life.

No one wants that to happen. To make sure we protect our lives and save the driver from a lifetime of mental anguish, the best thing we can do is wear a headlamp.

The biggest perk with headlamps that runners don’t often get with other sources of light is that we can control where they’re pointing just by moving our heads. It’s reflex so it makes it simple.

If you’re running on the side of the road at night, for instance, and you hear a movement a few feet away, you’d naturally turn to look at it. With a headlamp, that simple act of looking would also focus your light toward your point of interest.

If you were wearing armband lights or a chest light instead, you would have to angle your body toward whatever you were trying to look at. That would mean a break in your run, or at the very least it would throw off your stride.

Are Headlamps Uncomfortable to Wear?

Headlamps may look a little intimidating to runners who haven’t used them. Before I used one for the first time, I thought it looked insanely uncomfortable.

Even as I strapped one on during my first winter as a runner, I felt like I was dressing up as a miner. But in the first few minutes of running, my self-consciousness faded and I realized how much I liked my headlamp.

I could actually see where I was going and was able to avoid potholes and other things in my path that would have caused me to stumble.

As long as you find a lightweight headlamp, you shouldn’t have any issues with them being uncomfortable.

What Should I Look For in a Headlamp?

Before you rush out and buy a headlamp, give a little bit of thought as to what features you might be looking for. Consider what’s more important to you––is it the ability to see everything in your path or would you trade off a little visibility for a comfortable fit? Do you want other safety gear in addition to the headlamp?

If you decide you want a whole running safety kit, check our our new kit. It has everything you’ll need for a well-protected run.

This list of things you should consider will help you narrow down your search.

  • Weight: If you’re worried about comfort, don’t pick a headlamp that feels too heavy. You’ll be nodding your head around like a bobblehead if there’s too much weight up there. Pick something that only weighs just a few ounces––that much weight won’t leave you weighed down.
  • Fit: If your light keeps shifting around because the straps don’t fit well and can’t be adjusted enough, you won’t be happy when you’re running. Runners like to put on their gear and forget about it. We don’t want to be distracted from our ultimate purpose, which is getting a good and enjoyable run in.
  • How much light you want: Some headlamps are brighter than others. If you run on really dark streets, you may want to opt for as much light as you can. If you have some street lights in the area, you might be able to get by with a little less light if you want.
  • How long and how often you have to recharge it: If you have to recharge it after every run and the battery power only lasts a couple of hours, you might want to find a headlamp with a little more staying power. If you’re training for any kind of long-distance race, you could potentially be running in the dark for hours each time––you will need a headlamp that can keep up with your legs and your drive.
  • Price: You don’t have to break the bank to find a headlamp that works for you. There are some wonderful options out there that are pretty affordable. Make sure you’re buying a quality headlamp with your purchase, not just a fancy package or a big brand name.

Top 5 Rechargeable Running Headlamps

Bias Alert: Our Night Safety Kit

Running Safety Kit

We’ve just released a complete reflective gear set for runners. It includes an LED headlamp, reflective vest, arm bands, and red strobe lights. We think it’s pretty awesome, click below to check it out: 

Aennon Rechargeable Headlamp

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The body of this headlamp can tilt to a maximum of 60 degrees, which means you’ll always be able to shine your light where you need it most. 

Pros

  • This light has four different modes so you can use a higher beam light when you need it or just a little light if you’re running at dusk.
  • A single button controls all the different light modes, which makes it easy to operate.
  • You can get up to 492 feet of visibility in some conditions with this light.
  • This light is waterproof so you’ll be safe to run even if you’re a heavy sweater or if it’s raining or snowing.
  • It only weighs 2.5 ounces, so it’s light enough that you won’t know it’s there.
  • You’ll get up to 30 hours of illumination from just one full charge so you won’t have to charge it after every run.
  • It’s affordable.

Cons

  • Some runners have had issues with this light dying permanently on them just a few months or weeks after purchase.
  • Some runners have also had problems with the USB cord not working for very long.

Foxelli Rechargeable Headlamp

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This headlamp will shine its light wherever you need it most with its 90 degree tiltable body. In addition, this light has two safety features that will keep you protected when bad things happen––it has an emergency whistle and an SOS mode.

Pros

  • You can use this light even in heavy rain––it should still work even if you drop it in a puddle.
  • It weighs 4.4 ounces so while it isn’t the lightest headlamp out there, it won’t be too heavy for your head.
  • It only takes two hours to fully charge.
  • Once you have a full charge, you can get up to 100 hours of light before you have to recharge it again.
  • It comes with a built-in indicator that shows how much battery life your light has left so you’ll know whether you should recharge it.
  • You can switch between a wide beam and a focused beam of light.
  • You get a variety of light modes instead of just one.

Cons

  • It will be extremely difficult to press the power button if you’re wearing gloves.
  • The strap is rather bulky compared to some other headlamps, but that’s because it will stretch to accommodate a bike helmet.

Black Diamond Sprinter Headlamp

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This headlamp is a favorite of many runners because it is durable and will hold up month after month. If you’re looking to invest in a quality piece of equipment, you should be pleased with this.

Pros

  • It has a red-colored taillight strobe that you can turn on if you want to give yourself extra visibility.
  • You’ll get different light modes, including a strobe, a dimmer setting, and a maximum power light.
  • While you can’t submerge this headlamp in water, it will hold up to heavy snow or rain.
  • It’s provides a really bright light when used on maximum power so you’ll be able to see any obstacles in your path.  
  • It feels comfortable and light on your head.
  • It doesn’t shift around or require you to constantly adjust it.

Cons

  • This headlamp is pretty expensive.
  • Even if you don’t have it strapped on very tight, this headlamp will leave marks on your forehead––you may want to wear a headband under it.

Three Trees Rechargeable Headlamp

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If you’re tired of the standard black headlamp many companies seem to sell and you want one with a little more style than that, this brand gives you five colors to choose from. Even if it’s dark outside, you’ll still know you’re running in style.

Pros

  • Depending on which light mode you’re using, you’ll get up to 5 to 20 hours of light from a single charge with this headlamp.
  • It only takes 2.5 hours to fully charge, which is less than the 5 hours some headlamps take.
  • It only weighs 2.7 ounces, so it will feel lightweight on your head.
  • This headlamp will continue to work even if it is splashed by water––you can use it in rain or snow with confidence.
  • When you use the sensor mode, you can simply wave your hands in front of the light to dictate your level of light.

Cons

  • The motion sensor can be tricked by things other than your hands, which could aggravate some runners.
  • It gives you a good immediate view of your surroundings, but it doesn’t light up very far ahead of you.

STCT Street Cat Rechargeable Headlamp

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If you like having a lot of rotation on your headlamp so your light will shine wherever you need it to, this one boasts 90 degree rotation. That will allow you to shine the light far out ahead of you or point it more at your feet.

Pros

  • This light has three modes––strobe, low, and high.
  • The high-beam light has a 656-foot beam distance, which will be appreciated by runners who want to be able to see down their path as far as possible.
  • It’s highly affordable.
  • It’s waterproof, which offers runners great peace of mind because they never know what weather they’ll be up against from week to week.
  • If you’re training for a triathlon, you can strap this on your bike for some after-dark cycling sessions.
  • It only weighs 3.88 ounces.

Cons

  • Some runners have had issues with this light breaking fairly quickly.
  • Some runners were disappointed with how cheap this light felt, even though the price tag is very affordable.

And the Winner Is …

The Black Diamond Sprinter headlamp tops the list as the best rechargeable running headlamp. It is pricier than the others on this list, but it holds up well over the long term, which makes it worth the extra money.  

As a runner, it can be frustrating to buy equipment that doesn’t last, even if it was affordable to begin with. Paying a little more in this case will give you a more durable light.

I’m a fan of the red taillight strobe that gives a runner extra visibility. Plus, the headlamp is comfortable and will hold up well in wet conditions. What more could a runner ask for?