8 Headlamps to see and do it all

AT THEIR BEST, headlamps can make you feel as powerful as Cyborg – that three-eyed superhero who possesses otherworldly vision. The latest options, packed with brilliant LEDs, can crank out up to 1 000 lumens, light up a trail sign from many metres away, and weigh just a few grams. They’ll keep your hands free to read maps, assemble a tent, or rebuild a transmission in the dark.

Pushed by the demands of backcountry hikers, climbers, ultrarunners, and tradespeople, headlamp manufacturers have also developed smart features that give you greater control over the size and intensity of the beam to suit your needs. Petzl, for example, developed a sensor that automatically adjusts the beam’s brightness based on lighting conditions. Black Diamond has a new memory function that puts the lamp