There seems to be a natural progression as you dive into the world of ultra running when it comes to head torches. At first as your mileage starts climbing through your training block it becomes harder to fit your runs in day light hours. Then as the bug catches and the races get longer the hours start to add up and next thing it's 3am and your power hiking the climb with nothing but your head torch lighting the path ahead of you.

Why do I need a head torch?

Without stating the obvious, the nature of trail races means usually you are going to be running in areas with no man made light sources. A head torch is going to be crucial to navigate the terrain and most ultra races will make you carry at least 1 (if not 2) as a part of your mandatory gear.

My one piece of advice to remember is to buy the torch you think you may end up needing, not the one you need now. Investing in a reliable, rechargeable and comfortable head torch in the beginning will save you time and money in the long run and its definitely one of the pieces of equipment you want to be able to depend on.

What do I need to look for in my head torch?

There are a few key things you want to consider when buying a head torch

1) Battery life - in training you may only need your torch to last the first hour of dawn as the sun is rising. Racing will be different though. Regardless of the length of the race sometimes the unexpected can happen and if you're caught out at night for 5 hours longer than you had planned you want to make sure you have a light that is going to last.

2) Type of battery - Often overlooked when considering head torch options is the type of battery the torch uses. We suggest is making sure your head torch uses a generic battery, ideally a rechargeable lithium battery. Batteries made specific for the brand of head torch are going to be more expensive and harder to replace or get spares. Depending on your time and goals you want this to be something you can charge quickly or swap out easily at an aid station as well as making it affordable in the long run.

3) Where does the battery sit - another key factor is where exactly does the battery sit in relation to the light source. This is mostly going to affect your comfort particularly in instances where you are wearing it on your head for 10 straight hours. Ideally we recommend going for a light that sits seperate to the light source. Usually this means it will be on the back of your head to counterbalance the weight from the light. It also means you can wear a hat backwards to support the weight of the battery.

4) Lumens - this will directly relate to the maximum brightness/power of the light source. You will want something between 500 - 1000 lumens as your main running headlight particularly if you find yourself on a night with fog/cloud cover.

Suggestions

There are plenty of head torches that fit the above criteria. If you are looking for a suggestion you cant go wrong with

Led Lenser MH10 (pictured above) - https://ledlenser.com/en/product/headlamp-mh10-501513/

Fenix HP25R - https://fenixlight.com.au/product/fenix-hp25r-rechargeable-led-headlamp/

Petzl RAO RL - https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Headlamps/NAO-RL **on the more expensive side and needs a petzl specific battery but very popular head torch seen on many elites.

There are also other lighting options you might want to consider to help navigate through the nights whilst trail running. Chest or waist straps are often used as an alternative (and are included as an accessory with some headlights) with the reasoning being that having the light source coming from a different direction to your eyes makes it easy to see trip hazards on the trail. It does mean the light will not follow your line of sight but if that is a concern there is no reason why you can't double up and use both. Just keep in mind that most mandatory gear regulations specify the need to carry a headlamp.

We hope these considerations help you pick your next headlight. Already have a preferred lighting option for your trail runs? Let the community know on our online trail running forum!

Check out more from Moretrail

Do babies hold the answer to your next race nutrition plan?

Struggling to incorporate real solid food into your nutrition strategy... maybe infants hold the key to success!

Race Advice - packing your running vest

As the races get longer the amount of gear you need to carry seems to get exponentially larger. Heres our top 3 tips for packing your mandatory gear into you vest for race day.

My two MUST HAVE data fields on my watch display come race day

The amount of data available at your fingertips from a GPS running watch is nothing short of incredible. Come race day though I like to filter out the noise and focus on two metrics to help push me to the finish line.