When the Fall and winter seasons mean dark evenings it gets easier to look outside with a certain degree of trepidation, saying to yourself “Perhaps I’ll run tomorrow morning when it’s light out.” It’s easy to understand why. When running at night, not only are you trying to avoid tripping over tree roots, curbs, rocks, or loose paving slabs, but you’re also keen to avoid those large metal objects, otherwise known as cars.

Therefore, it becomes ever more important to grab yourself a running headlamp. Not only will it be a hands-free way to light your path, but it will also provide you with an exhilarating experience when you venture further off road.

We personally think there is nothing more exciting than running at night, so we’ve selected five of the best headlamps for runners on the market – including a few that won’t break the bank. Oh and we’ve slipped in a wild card for those who prefer running flashlights instead.

Check out our trail running headlamp reviews below to find the right fit for your nighttime trail adventures – they also double as a helpful tool for night hikes if you’d rather take a more leisurely pace. Burn time for each of these headlamps will depend on how you use them (how bright is the beam and how far does it extend).

Petzl TIKKA-RXP

215 lumens
115g
2.5-10 hours burn time
$94.95

When Petzl launched the Nao several years ago, everyone got excited about a running headlamp that would automatically adjust the intensity its beam depending on whether you’re looking at your feet or into the distance. However, none of us were excited about the high price tag of the Nao. So Petzl took its award-winning (and much more affordable) XP and merged it with the ‘Reactive Lighting’ aspect of the Nao to create the Petzl-RXP. This trail running headlamp is cheaper, smaller, lighter, USB rechargeable and with its 215 lumens, still packs enough of a punch for runners to find their way. It’s seriously good.

LED Lenser SEO 7R

220 Lumens
93g (3.28 OZ)
5-20 hours burn time
$100

I’m a big fan of these German headlamps for runners. Turn up at any 100-miler, and you’ll see a good dose of runners sporting an LED Lenser model, one of the most popular is the LED Lenser SEO 7R. Unlike some of its competitors, it doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles. It takes regular AAA batteries as well as offering the ability to use rechargeable ones. Similar to Petzl’s ‘Reactive Lighting,’ the LED Lenser uses an Optisense Technology, which basically does the same job, adjusting its brightness to save battery life. I used this running headlamp on a 75 mile race in the Laverado Ultra Trail and it did brilliantly. I didn’t need to change the batteries once.

Black Diamond Icon Headlamp

200 Lumens
220 g (7.8 oz)
80-175 hours burn time
$79.95

The Black Diamond Icon Headlamp is stalwart gear for hikers and trail runners alike. Where it loses out on weight (it’s double that of the heaviest we tested for our running headlamp reviews), it more than makes up in rugged durability. It’s the Land Rover of headlamps. What sets this trail running headlamp apart from the rest, in addition to the increased burn time, is that the 4AA batteries are situated in a separate compartment at the back and therefore spread out the weight. And if you’re caught out in a downpour, don’t worry – it’s waterproof (but only down to 3 feet so we don’t recommend taking it swimming!). Not sure if you need to change the batteries before your run? It has LEDs indicators to show how much power remains.

Petzl e+Lite

27 lumens
27g
55-70 hours burn time
$47

The Petzl e-Lite is one of my favorite trail running headlamps. It’s not out there to compete with the other running headlamps included in this review. Rather, it’s the one light you should always have in your gear as an emergency backup. But don’t be deceived by its pitiful 27 lumens. I used this as my main light in two Marathon des Sables – the main reason being that it only weighs 27 grams. It has a retractable lightweight cord to attach it to your head that looks like something you could hang your clothes off. And it also has various modes to choose from – flashing, continuous or even red LED. It’s never going to replace your main headlamp, but it should be one to have in your arsenal.

Nathan Zephyr Fire 100 Hand Torch

108 Lumens
4.1oz
8-15 hours burn time
$46

OK, so we admit, the Nathan Zephyr Fire 1000 Hand Torch, as the name suggests, isn’t a running headlamp. But we decided to include this in our list, as sometimes you want something in your hand, not on your head. This is an affordable running flashlight designed to give you more visibility on the road and it does what it says on the box. It’s angled toward the ground so you don’t have to twist your wrist, and it’s attached by a strap so you don’t have to worry about dropping it. It even has sweat-wicking panels on the back, so you can wipe your forehead. Finally, there is a red LED on the rear of the torch, so people see you in both directions.

Whether you’re hiking or running, we hope these headlamp reviews help you find the tools you need to light your way this fall. Let us know how they work for you, or tells us about a favorite model you prefer in the comments below.