runners approach an aid station at the IMTUF 100

It’s headlamp season. The long, dark Pacific Northwest winter is upon us, and with the winter solstice still a month in the future things will get darker before they get light again.

Trail running with a headlamp is a great way to break up the winter doldrums and lighten your mood, and a good headlamp is critical to making a run in the dark forest enjoyable. I’ve been using the Petzl Actik Core for the last couple of years and have spent dozens of hours running, skiing, and backpacking and bikepacking with it.

I really like the Petzl Actik Core for a few reasons. First, it’s a light, bright headlamp that’s comfortable and easy to run with. Second, it’s dramatically reduced my use of disposable batteries with its rechargeable battery. Third, it accepts AAA batteries in addition to the battery pack, which is a key feature as it allows me to carry spares for longer and headlamp-critical trips. Some more specs:

key features

Rechargeable battery pack, charges with USB-micro cable
Accepts 3 standard AAA batteries in place of battery pack (key for headlamp critical missions).
Three brightness settings, brightest is 450 lumens which is plenty bright for running
‘Emergency’ mode, which dims the light to its lowest setting at critical battery level
Red LED so you can read in the hut without pissing off your ski partners
$70 retail price
Water Resistance: IPX4 (weather-resistant)
More info at Petzl.com

So what are you waiting for? Snatch that headlamp off the wall or pick up a bright one like the Petzl Actik Core and get out for a run!

Journal

Review: Petzl Actik Core Headlamp