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Headlamps are one of the unsung necessities of living outdoors.
Even those of us who'd prefer to do everything by firelight need some extra light at time. For the love of gods, please do not use a lantern. Many of us like the darkness, we seek it out in fact. Don't ruin that for everyone with lantern.
Get a good headlamp instead. Which headlamp should you buy? Good question. There are a lot of headlamps out there, and the fact that you found this review tells me you, like me, sometimes overthink things. Great, let's overthink headlamps.
Really it's a light, with a strap that goes around your head. Go the nearest home supply type store and get whichever is cheapest. That's the simple way. Marketers like to complicate things though, so picking between headlamps gets bewildering quickly.
As modern industrial people we seem doomed to think bigger is better. That means, if you read reviews, that you might think you need a headlamp with at least [insert arbitrary number] of Lumens. That is you need a headlamp of a certain brightness. Inevitably a brighter headlamp generally means a more expensive headlamp.
Don't buy the marketing BS. Bigger and brighter is not better, all you need is bright enough. Remember, a brighter headlamp drains batteries, and your wallet, faster. In my experience, living full time in an RV, for casual use around camp 150-200 Lumens is ideal. What's more important are the other features and how the headlamp works. Here's what I look for when buying a headlamp:
**Ease of use:** How do you turn it on? One press? Two? Some crazy sequence? Does it start on low? That's ideal. Do you have to cycle through 10 lighting modes just to turn in it off? That's a pain.
**Red Light/Spot Light:** I want a headlamp with a few lighting modes. I like to read at night and the red light is considerably less disruptive to other people's sleep. It also preserves your night vision, something I like when I'm getting up early in the morning and plan to turn off the headlamp as soon as I gather my things. The spot light is less necessary, but it does make hiking in the dark, whether that's a early approach to some climbing or going owling, considerably easier and possibly safer.
**Battery Life:** When you're boondocking on solar every bit of battery life you can save helps. I want a headlamp that gets at least 2-3 hours at full brightness and at least 100 hours at the low setting.
**Cheap:** A nice headlamp really shouldn't cost more than $30. Actually, paying everyone involved in its manufacture a living wage probably means it should cost at least $80, but in the world we actually live in, with the market what it is, I would not pay more than $30 for a headlamp. The possible exception being use cases like hiking or climbing, where the extra money can get you a more focused beam of light, which you might need.
### The Best Headlamp for Full Time RVers
With those criteria in mind you have dozens if not hundreds of options. Out of that bewildering world of headlamp options, my favorite headlamp, and the headlamp I'd recommend for most people is the Foxelli tk.
tk review
https://www.amazon.com/Foxelli-Headlamp-Flashlight-Lightweight-Waterproof/dp/B01AUP9OIS/
Comes with 3 AAA/LR03 batteries; also compatible with alkaline, Ni-MH rechargeable or the Petzl 1250 mAh CORE rechargeable battery (not included)
Red lighting option preserves night vision; phosphorescent reflector helps you find your headlamp in low light
Features 3 white lighting levels: proximity, movement and distance; single-button adjustment allows for quick and easy brightness and color selection
Headband is detachable and washable
CE-certified; IPX4 rating means this can withstand splashing water from any angle
Compatible Petzl mounting accessories (not included) allow the lamp to be attached to most helmets or bicycles
### The 'Worth It' Upgrade
Petzl Tikka.
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