If you do any kind of home repair or DIY, you’ve probably held a flashlight in your mouth. They don’t always taste great. This isn’t a look you want to be rocking in a serious survival situation. You need a bug out headlamp! The hands-free utility of being able to strap your flashlight to your forehead is amazing. Not to mention, it’ll always be shining on what you’re looking at.
Another thing I think is important is finding rechargeable ones. When the SHTF, there’s no telling where you’ll be able to find batteries. Being able to charge your headlamp off of a hand-crank power bank means you won’t have to drop it. Even if the worst comes to pass.
Below, I’ve put together the best headlamps I could find. I tried to prioritize a few different features to make sure that you can find the right one for you! They’re a must-have for your bug out bag!
Best Budget Bug Out Headlamp – Foxelli
This might be my budget pick, but it doesn’t leave anything out. Coming in at $13, it’s a steal. This headlamp from Foxelli is the perfect low-cost solution for hands free illumination.
The nice thing about items this cheap is that you can buy a few! Throw one in your bug out bag, throw one in your car. These lamps make perfect stocking stuffers for the people you want to be prepared!
It boasts 40 hours of run time off a single charge. If you’re using one of the hand-crank power banks from my other list, this will keep you running even if the grid isn’t!
It’s only 180 lumens, but for this price, that’s fine! It even comes with the ability to switch between white and red!
Best Versatile Value Bug Out Headlamp – Soft Digits
I called this headlamp the best versatile value in part because it’s very inexpensive. The other part is for the amount of features that they packed into what’s still a very simple light.
It’s got unique light modes preset. It’s not uncommon to have a white, a red, and a flash, but this light takes it much further. It does have a flashing SOS feature but most of the other are brightness and spread settings. That said, there’s one very interesting one I want to talk about.
This headlamp has a motion sensor. I can’t think of another basic camping light I’ve seen that includes this. It takes this light to another level.
I just love this feature because it adds utility to this simple light. You could use it as a makeshift security system. Simply point it in any direction and you’ve got an instant security floodlight!
Most Durable Headlamp – SLONIK
One look at this headlamp and you’ll understand why it’s the durable option. This thing is built like a tank, and it looks like it. It’s made from aero-grade aluminum and is both waterproof and dust-proof. The charging port is hidden by a crew off cap to keep it sealed. There isn’t a job out there that this light isn’t suited for.
It’s 1000 lumen light is nothing to shrug off. This lamp will flood your environment with light. It’ll turn harsh and hazardous conditions visible with ease.
With all this power it still remains lightweight and easy to strap to your head, any hat, or any hard helmet.
The price is a little steeper than the budget options. But $36 is a small price to pay for this absolute unit of a headlamp.
Brightest Bug Out Headlamp – Outerdo
When I read how bright this headlamp was I thought it was a typo. Thirteen THOUSAND lumens is absolutely ridiculous. That’s not to say that it goes too far. This brightness is far from overkill, it just shows that this light means business!
The recharge-ability of this light definitely comes in handy. The low level lasts 9 continuous hours but the high only gets about 4. This is to be expected, as this thing is basically a floodlight.
The brightness is the draw here, but there’s no shortage of quality on other fronts. Reviewers love how comfortable this headlamp is. You might think that with all the power comes weight, but it still manages to keep a light weight.
Best Name-Brand Headlamp – Energizer
Coming in with the name recognition is this excellent headlamp from Energizer. A lot of these lights come from small companies overseas. I’ve had a lot of success with these products but I don’t blame anyone for being skeptical.
Energizer is a household name. They’re not going to put that name on anything they won’t back up. With a 4.5 star average on Amazon, it’s clear that they have.
This lamp is a respectable 400 lumens. This is a good, solid headlamp that comes from a solid company.
Another useful feature of this light is the adjust-ability. Reviewers love this feature that helps get the beam exactly right for the job!