The 5 best headlamps of 2022

Tech specs

• Light Output (lumens): High: 500; Medium: 250; Low: 6
• Max Beam Distance (meters): 120
• Average Run Time (hours): High: 7; medium: 19; low: 350
• Battery: Integrated rechargeable 2400 mAh lithium-ion (micro USB)
• Weight (with batteries, in grams): 100

The Storm has always been one of the hottest headlamps on the market but its new version is making its fans drool even more. It is a hardy device, solidly constructed, and shrugs off dust and water like they were minor annoyances. Not to mention its impressive IPX7 rating means that it can be submerged in water by up to a meter for 30 minutes. The current upgrade has made an already powerful beam even longer at 120 meters thanks to a 500-lumen bulb that can burn on high for 7 hours. However, its more-than-adequate 60-meter beam on medium setting will last an impressive 19 hours ensuring that you may not even need to recharge it over a weekend trip.

All of the other qualities that the Spot 400-R fields are on this Storm, including two buttons that help you switch easily between beam and flood settings, red, green, and blue light modes, which the Spot doesn't have. Plus, it has a strobe mode that works with all of the colored lights, a battery indicator, and a PowerTap feature that pumps up the lumens with just a finger's touch — heaven for gloved, winter use. Its Mode Memory turns the light on in the last used setting, while a lock-out mode prevents the agony of discovering that your now-drained Storm was on all the time in your pack.

Black Diamond says you can recharge this beast 1,000 times and the lithium-ion battery functions well in snow too, making this an all-year, all-activity powerhouse. At a mere $10 more than the Spot, the Storm may well usurp the former's position to become the all-rounder of choice for many outdoor enthusiasts.