No. 1 hiking headlamp is the Petzl Actik Core at 625 lumens for 2 hours. Of the 4 you can buy on Rakuten, it has the biggest "brightness × time," and it runs on both a rechargeable battery and AAA. No. 2 is the IP67, ¥7,480 LEDLENSER HF4R.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
Compare burn times only after multiplying by brightness. The official burn time isn't how long that brightness lasts, but how long until brightness falls to 10% of the start, and the higher the max lumens, the faster the same battery is used up. So I don't rank by max lumens alone; I compare the multiplied number. Among the 4 on Rakuten, I take the Actik Core at 1,250.
Key points
- Even at the same "max brightness," burn time spreads from 2 to 4 hours. Petzl's Actik Core is 625 lumens for 2 hours, and the out-of-ranking Storm is 550 lumens for 4 hours
- For waterproof ratings, 3 of the 4 ranked are IPX4. Only two have a 6 at the front of the number, IP67: the HF4R and the out-of-ranking Storm
- Runs on both a rechargeable battery and AAA (Tan-4 in Japan): of the 4 ranked, the Actik Core, HF4R and Tikka, 3 in all. The Tikka's rechargeable core is sold separately, and adding it makes the price gap ¥4,290
"625 lumens for 2 hours" doesn't mean 625 lumens lasts 2 hours
On the official table, Petzl's Actik Core is "high 625 lumens, 2 hours." Black Diamond's Storm is "high 550 lumens, 4 hours."
The brightness gap is 75 lumens, and the time is double. If you decide by max lumens alone, you miss this difference.
How I chose
The first thing I looked at wasn't max lumens but max brightness multiplied by burn time. Among the 4 on Rakuten, the Actik Core's 1,250 is the biggest, followed by the HF4R's 1,200. The biggest, the Storm's 2,200, is out of ranking because the new model isn't on Rakuten yet.
From second place down, I split by waterproof rating, whether it runs on both a rechargeable battery and AAA, and price per lumen. This ranking is made from what you can buy on Rakuten.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Petzl Actik Core
Lowest price on Rakuten: ¥11,787 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by shop, up to ¥19,800, and change daily.
RecommendedSee it at L-BreathSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanQuick table of 4 hiking headlamps and the out-of-ranking ones
Scroll the table sideways →
| Rank / model | Max brightness | Weight | Water resistance | Official price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Petzl Actik Core | 625lm | 88g | IPX4 | ¥13,530 |
| No. 2 LEDLENSER HF4R | 650lm | About 92g | IP67 | ¥7,480 |
| No. 3 Milestone MS-G3 | 420lm | 48g | IPX4 | ¥7,480 |
| No. 4 Petzl Tikka | 350lm | 94g | IPX4 | ¥5,830 |
| Out of ranking: Black Diamond Storm | 550lm | 102g | IP67 | ¥10,450 |
| Out of ranking: Black Diamond Spot | 450lm | 53g | IPX7 | ¥8,800 |
| Out of ranking: mont-bell Rechargeable Power Headlamp | 300lm | 86g | IPX6 | ¥4,290 |
A headlamp's burn time is "until brightness falls to the first 10%"
The official burn time uses a measurement called ANSI/PLATO FL 1: the time until brightness 30 seconds after switching on falls to 10%. At 625 lumens, the "2 hours" runs until it drops to 62.5 lumens.
So I put them on the same yardstick. mont-bell's "15 hours (3 + 12)" becomes 3 hours when aligned. The HF4R's 650 lumens is a short boost, and for long illumination it's about 3 hours at 400 lumens.
Converting lumens into time, weight and price
Scroll the table sideways →
| Model | Time at max brightness | Brightness × time | Brightness per gram | Price per lumen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actik Core | 2 hours | 1,250 | 7.1lm | ¥21.6 |
| HF4R | About 3 hours at 400lm | 1,200 | 7.1lm | ¥11.5 |
| MS-G3 | About 2 hours | 840 | 8.8lm | ¥17.8 |
| Tikka | 2 hours | 700 | 3.7lm | ¥16.7 |
| Out of ranking: Storm | 4 hours | 2,200 | 5.4lm | ¥19.0 |
| Out of ranking: Spot | 2.6 hours | 1,170 | 8.5lm | ¥19.6 |
| Out of ranking: Rechargeable Power Headlamp | 3 hours | 900 | 3.5lm | ¥14.3 |
Why this order
| Rank | Model | Why it's ranked here |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Actik Core | Brightness × time of 1,250 is No. 1 of the four. It runs on both a rechargeable battery and AAA. |
| #2 | HF4R | At IP67, ¥11.5 per 1 lumen is No. 1 of the 4, but 650lm is a short boost, and for a long night walk it's 400lm for about 3 hours. |
| #3 | MS-G3 | Brightness per gram is No. 1 of the four, but brightness × time is 840 and it can't use AAA. |
| #4 | Tikka | It comes with 3 AAA batteries, but 3.7lm per gram is less than half of the MS-G3's. |
No. 1: Petzl Actik Core
It puts out 625 lumens at 88g, comes with a rechargeable core (1,250mAh), and also runs on 3 AAA batteries. What I want to praise is how the table is written. It even lists the unfavorable number that with AAA, high drops to 450 lumens.
The price is the highest of the four, and waterproofing is only IPX4. It is clearly the weak spot. It suits people who want gear that states its numbers in full.
Read the Petzl Actik Core review
No. 2: LEDLENSER HF4R
A rechargeable battery comes with it, it also runs on 3 AAA, and it's IP67. And it's under ¥10,000. Price per lumen is the lowest of the four too. I think it's honestly great.
The weak spot is that burn time doesn't say FL1, and the brightness and time with AAA aren't listed. It suits people who want to keep the price down and swap batteries too.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
LEDLENSER HF4R
Lowest price on Rakuten: ¥5,936 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by shop, up to ¥6,984, and change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanNo. 3: Milestone MS-G3
With battery and band, 48g. It's 40g lighter than No. 1 and puts out 67% of the brightness (420 ÷ 625). On lightness, it stands out without complaint.
Battery life is written as "about 2 hours (100%) / about 18 hours (5%)," so the time at medium brightness isn't known. It's not the lamp for a long night; it's for people who put lightness first.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Milestone MS-G3
Lowest price on Rakuten: ¥6,840 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by shop, up to ¥8,210, and change daily.
RecommendedSee it at L-BreathSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanNo. 4: Petzl Tikka
It comes with 3 AAA batteries, so you can use it the day you open the box. Adding the separately sold rechargeable core raises high to 450 lumens for 2.5 hours.
But the Tikka Core, which comes with a rechargeable battery from the start (450 lumens, 84g), is ¥10,120, a gap of ¥4,290. If you plan to add the rechargeable, looking at the HF4R is quicker, and that's the weak spot. It's an entry-level lamp for people who want to start on AAA.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Petzl Tikka
Lowest price on Rakuten: ¥4,990 (as of 10/13). Prices vary by shop, up to ¥7,790, and change daily.
RecommendedSee it at L-BreathSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanOut of ranking: Black Diamond Storm and Spot, and mont-bell (not sold on Rakuten)
The Storm is 550 lumens for 4 hours and IP67. Brightness × time is 2,200, 1.76 times No. 1 (2,200 ÷ 1,250). The new model isn't on Rakuten yet, so it's bought at Blue Sheep's official store.
The Spot is 53g and IPX7, and runs on AAA (Tan-4). Adding the separately sold rechargeable battery BD1500 (¥3,410) makes it ¥12,210. Its new model isn't on Rakuten either.
mont-bell's Rechargeable Power Headlamp is 300 lumens, 86g and IPX6, at ¥4,290. Brightness × time is 900, and it's bought at mont-bell's official online shop.
Who is it for?
This suits people who want to choose a lamp for the trail, from a late descent to a hut stay, by the "medium" time.
If your current lamp is 200 lumens or more and the time is enough, you don't need to replace it. If you only use it at a campsite or next to your car, there are other ways to choose.
Even on a day hike, if the descent runs late you walk in the dark. Decide on spare batteries or a way to charge separately from the lamp. I picked a small backup light in the hiking sunglasses and small gear article.
FAQ
How many lumens does a hiking headlamp need?
On the official table, look at the middle setting's number and time more than the maximum. The Actik Core is 100 lumens for 7 hours, and the out-of-ranking Storm is 200 lumens for 13 hours, because that's the brightness you leave on for long.
Rechargeable or battery headlamp?
If you'll charge it, choose from the Actik Core, HF4R and MS-G3, which come with a rechargeable battery. If you want to swap to AAA, the three that run on both are the Actik Core, HF4R and Tikka.
What's the difference between IPX4 and IPX7 on a headlamp?
In the official pages' wording, IPX4 is "all-weather" (Petzl) or "splash-proof" (Milestone), and IPX7 is a rating unaffected by immersion in water.
Gear in this article
Ad · Images: Rakuten IchibaSources
- Blue Sheep (Black Diamond's authorized distributor in Japan) official online store: Storm
- Blue Sheep official online store: Spot
- Blue Sheep official online store: Storm+
- Blue Sheep official online store: headlamp list
- Petzl Japan Official: Actik Core
- Petzl Japan official: Tikka
- Petzl Japan official: Tikka Core
- LEDLENSER Japan official: HF4R
- Milestone official: MS-G3
- mont-bell official online store: Rechargeable Power Headlamp
- PLATO (the industry body that publishes the standard): explanation of the ANSI/PLATO FL 1-2025 tests
- PLATO: notice of the revised standard's publication
