Rechargeable Headlamp
Petzl Actik Core
$80, 3 oz./85g (with Core rechargeable battery)
backcountry.com
If you agree that a rechargeable headlamp is the way to go—as it is for any backpacker, dayhiker, climber, trail runner, backcountry skier or other user willing to foot the added up-front cost, knowing it eventually pays for itself through what you save not buying (and throwing away) batteries—then the question boils down to which rechargeable headlamp is the best for most backcountry recreationists. Numerous backpacking and other trips with Petzl’s compact, rechargeable Actik Core have convinced me that this one ranks among the best.
The Actik Core has the usual white and red modes (for night vision) and two beam patterns—a spot beam for seeing straight ahead and a proximity beam for illuminating a wider area. Its maximum brightness in white mode of 350 lumens makes it one of the brightness ultralight headlamps—and even more significantly, it delivers that much power even when using the rechargeable battery. Other rechargeable headlamps only achieve maximum brightness with standard batteries; they aren’t as bright operating on their rechargeable battery.
On a September night in the Wind River Range, I found this headlamp, with a nearly full charge, clearly lit up trees about 300 feet away across a meadow, a range consistent with Petzl’s claims for the Actik Core’s max range (95 meters). That kind of range can make a difference when navigating an off-trail route, searching for rappel anchors, or trying to find a campsite in the dark.
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Operation is simple and intuitive: Hold the power button for two seconds to switch between white and red modes. The middle white setting puts out enough light to hike a trail or see across a campsite in the dark, while the dimmest (five lumens) will light a tent interior dimly and is adequate for reading. Red has one brightness level and a blinking mode that Petzl says is visible for up to 700 meters for 350 hours.
The comfortable, reflective headband has a 100-decibel emergency whistle—a unique and useful feature on a headlamp.
The 1250 mAh Core battery charges via a standard USB port. It took about two hours to fully charge it the first time when plugged into my laptop; Petzl reports it can take up to three hours. Access the battery compartment easily by lifting a tab to open the back of the headlamp; the Core battery’s power indicator glows red while charging and green when fully charged. At the brightest setting, Petzl says the Core battery’s charge lasts two hours; between the middle and dimmest brightness settings, it ranges from seven to 160 hours.
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While with standard batteries, brightness diminishes steadily as the batteries drain, the Core battery maintains constant brightness over the duration of a charge before power drops off abruptly; you’ll appreciate that on a long slog after dark. It can also run on three standard alkaline, lithium, or Ni-MH AAA batteries. (Petzl cautions against mixing battery brands or new and used batteries.)
Its biggest shortcoming is that, unlike some headlamps (including many Black Diamond models), the Actik Core does not have a lockout switch to prevent it from accidentally turning on. But with its low-profile power button, that never happened to me.
The Verdict
Powerful, intuitive to use, and versatile, the Petzl Actik Core is a top-performing, rechargeable headlamp for backpackers, dayhikers, climbers, trail runners, bike commuters, and other outdoor recreationists.
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See my “Gear Review: The 5 Best Headlamps,” (the Actik Core is one of them), and all of my reviews of headlamps, hiking gear, backpacking gear, and trail-running gear at The Big Outside.
NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.
—Michael Lanza
Hi Michael, Was shopping REI for headlamps but thought I would look at your recommendations. Based on your reviews for 2020, this actually may be (and I emphasize “may”) the best of the lot depending on how one weights the criteria. Obviously, the various brightness options are important, but assuming there is not a lot of variability, then it comes down to life.
As I understand it, the Petzl Actik Core is rechargeable AND takes normal (e.g., lithium) batteries. Big plus. Actually, that flexibility is a very big plus. So, if one takes a set of 3 lithiums as backup, that’s .55 oz. A Jackery designed for the iPhone weighs in at 2.6 oz but we don’t know how many full or partial charges it would provide the Petzl. A Jackery for the iPad comes in at 5.55 oz. So, we have weight and performance trade-offs still to be investigated — with a little weight factor for the battery charger versus the dead weight loss that can be attributed to the use-once disposable lithiums.
Still, even though these are questions you didn’t address, you went far enough in establishing the flexibility plus the actual lighting performance to persuade me, especially since the lightest of your recommendations, the Knog Bandicoot, comes in at 3 oz — great, it is an ounce lighter but without the flexibility.
All good points, Mitch, and it sounds to me like you’re making a choice that will serve you well. Thanks for sharing those thoughts.
Michael,
Can this headlamp be recharged using either a solar panel or a battery pack. I travel overseas for extended treks, 2, 3 up to 6 or 7 weeks where electricity is often not available for much or all of the trek. Thus I rely on a solar charger for longer trips and a battery pack for shorter trips.
I appreciate moving away from disposable batteries.
John, the batteries are rechargeable via USB plugin. So yes, you could plug the battery into a solar charger.
Hi John, yes, Kyle is correct. You can recharge it using any device that accepts a USB cord.