This is our review of the best head torch for dog walking in 2023.
As responsible dog owners, we should be walking our pups regularly, but what happens if you can only take them out early in the morning before you leave for work and on winter evenings when it gets dark in the afternoon?
Walking your dog in the dark or low light can present several risks to you and your pup. That’s why having good visibility is essential, especially if you are walking in the countryside or off the beaten track.
If you love taking your dog for walks but hate using a flashlight or carrying a heavy lantern, then a head torch may be the perfect solution.
The best head torch will provide a bright, focused beam that makes it easy to see where you’re going, but they also free up your hands to comfortably control your dog.
Our top pick is the Black Diamond Storm 400 Headlamp, perfect for outdoor adventures with your furry friend. The compact design, brightness memory feature and three night-vision modes are just some reasons customers are raving about these head torches.
In this post, we will be reviewing.
- Black Diamond Storm 400 Headlamp
- PETZL Swift RL Headlamp
- Everbeam H6 Pro LED Head Torch
- HeroBeam LED Head Torch
- Ledlenser Rechargeable Headlamp
- Lifesystems Intensity 500
- ATNKE LED Lighted Beanie Cap
- BioLite HeadLamp 200
Keep reading as we look at some of the best head torches for dog walking and find out what makes them stand out from the competition.
Our Best Head Torches for Dog Walking
Are you looking for a good torch for dog walking? Worried about what kind of key features to look out for? Never fear – we’ve got you covered.
So whether you’re a first-time dog owner or just looking to upgrade your current setup, here are our recommendations!
Black Diamond Storm 400 Headlamp
Our favourite all-round head lamp and the best head torch for late-night running or walking. We’ve found this compact torch is surprisingly powerful, with a max strength of 400 Lumens.
We love the brightness memory feature, which allows you to store your most used brightness settings to be easily recalled when the power is turned on and off. Another key feature is the dimmable option to extend battery life.
With three distinct night visibility modes, including a red light setting plus a button lock: online reviews are mainly favourable, pointing out how sturdy and reliable this head torch is.
PETZL Swift RL Headlamp
The brightest and one of the best head torches we’ve used, this PETLZ head lamp reaches an incredible 900 Lumens at full beam. It’s perfect for owners that live out in the country or often take their dogs on adventures away from street lighting.
It can be recharged with the handy USB port and the lock function preserves battery life by preventing it from accidentally being switched on.
We think the reactive lighting sensor is a fantastic feature as it seamlessly adjusts the flood beam depending on how much light is around you.
This makes for a truly hands-free experience and is great for owners of several dogs, particularly energetic pups, that need a lot of leash control when out and about!
Petzl invented the first head torch in the 1970s and continues to produce some of the best dog walking torch options.
Everbeam H6 Pro LED Head Torch
With so many devices nowadays needing daily charging, it can be challenging to find enough outlets to accommodate them all!
That’s why we think the Everbeam hands-free head torch is the best USB rechargeable head torch and handy for busy owners and dog walkers constantly on the move!
With an impressive runtime of 10 hours when using the standard lighting modes, this headlamp can be a lifesaver for those days when organisation just isn’t a top priority.
We also love the motion sensor wave switch that allows the user to switch the spot beam on and off with just a wave of the hand; no more fiddling with tiny buttons on those cold winter walks!
HeroBeam LED Head Torch
We’ve all had to endure wet and windy walks when the winter months come rolling in. It’s all part of keeping our furry friends happy, even if we’d rather be hiding inside.
Thankfully, we’ve found this genuinely waterproof head torch can easily survive rainy conditions and still provide a powerful beam where most head torches may fail.
The CREE XP-E LED technology means you can get up to 120 hours of runtime. Plus, this UK company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a five years warranty for peace of mind.
We think this is an excellent product for outdoorsy dog owners; with a shockproof casing and incredibly durable design, there’s no need to worry if you get caught in the rain, or it suffers a few bumps now and then!
Ledlenser LED6107 SEO7R Rechargeable Headlamp
We think the Led Lenser head torch packed with several key features is an excellent choice for dog owners looking to splash the cash on a more premium product.
With four separate lighting modes that automatically adjust to the ambient light around you, we especially love the inbuilt focusing system that uses a reflector and lens combination for instant transitioning between flood and spot beams on the go.
We think it’s beneficial that the casing lights up separately from the LEDs, making the wearer easily visible at night, even when the lamp is off.
It comes with a battery pack meaning you can charge it up via USB cable or use standard aaa batteries if you are not close to a power source.
Lifesystems Intensity 500
When an outdoorsy product has the stamp of approval from the Duke of Edinburgh Award, you know something is working!
We found the fully adjustable and (surprisingly comfortable) double straps on this head torch to be fantastic at keeping the beam firmly in place, great for the more adventurous walkers out there.
This multi-purpose LED headlamp has five distinct lighting modes that cover every possible use, including flash strobe settings, adjustable brightness modes, and a zoom function to illuminate any chosen area effectively.
This lamp runs on AAA batteries; alternatively, you can use rechargeable ones.
ATNKE LED Lighted Beanie Cap
Perhaps the most fashionable item we’ve covered, we think this multi-purpose lighted beanie hat is the perfect accompaniment for dog owners in colder climates.
Featuring an easy single-button control, four LED’s and three brightness settings, we found this product provides decent light for short walks in low temperatures. However, we noticed that the rechargeable battery has less power than some other options and struggles to last longer than 2 hours.
You can pop the actual torch portion out to easily clean the beanie and provide access to a standard USB port for charging.
This head torch does provide enough light for walks in suburban areas, but for proper hikes and outdoor adventuring, it may struggle to provide good distance vision.
BioLite HeadLamp 200
This lightweight BioLite headlamp is perfect for dog walkers. It boasts four different lighting modes and is rechargeable, meaning no more batteries to throw away.
We liked the bright light, non-slip design and the fact you only need one hand to adjust the beam downward if needed. It lacks the water resistance of some more expensive models but is showerproof.
Another of this torch’s key features is that it can be used with the brand’s light diffusing stuff sack (sold separately), meaning it doubles up as a hanging light for your tent when camping with your pup.
This is one of the cheaper options, but they have several different models available at various price points.
How To Choose a Dog Walking Head Torch
How Long Is The Battery Life?
If you’re planning a nighttime walk requiring a torch, you’d better be sure that the battery pack and power source can last! When looking for a new torch, check the online reviews for a good indicator of the actual battery expectancy.
If you’re in the market for a battery-powered light, try looking for rechargeable batteries rather than the standard AA batteries or three AAA batteries.
This is the most environmentally-conscious option and will allow you to carry a few extras in case the torch loses power.
Beam Distance
A head torch is only as good as the distance it can illuminate. To ensure your dog can enjoy a true nighttime adventure, you’ll need a headlamp that can easily shine a beam of at least 150 metres.
200 Lumens should be enough to achieve this, but having the option to shine further is never a bad thing!
Does It Have Different Light Settings?
There are many environments in which a good dog walking torch will be helpful, so it makes sense to buy a product that can adapt.
A key feature of many is the number of light settings. A low-light option is fine for walking on the pavement; a wide beam pattern will come in handy in the countryside.
Some of the best head torches include a red light setting for night vision and a flashing red light is the standard signal for an emergency.
When it comes to settings, more is more, so look for the widest variety and the highest level of control.
How Many Lumens Does It Need?
200 Lumens will generally cover around 150 metres in low light conditions, this is a good jumping-off point, but it won’t hurt to have a little more power to hand. 400 Lumens should be your target.
This energy level will easily illuminate any areas your dog is likely to wander off into and provide a good level of visibility for nighttime walks away from any urban light pollution.
Want to know more about lumens? This short video explains what they are
Comfort
The last thing you need is a torch or flashlight that keeps slipping out of place, is heavy or causes irritation. Some have a weight of fewer than 50 grams, making them extremely comfortable, whilst others are a lot heavier.
Look for a torch with a non-slip band that can easily be adjusted
Cost
Prices vary significantly from less than £20 to over £100 for more expensive torches, so it’s essential to do your research.
A cheaper option may suffice if you’re using the torch for a daily stroll around the block. For longer hikes, camping trips and heavy usage, we recommend going with the best one you can afford with all the essential features you need.
What Other Features Are There?
There can be a few hazards to watch out for when walking at night, so having access to a few handy features can be incredibly useful.
Waterproofing is a big tick for when walking as we all know how unpredictable the weather can be, but you may consider other options such as strobe lighting (better visibility to passing cars), red light setting (better peripheral vision and less damaging to wild animals) and adjustable focus to swap between short and far distances on the go quickly.
Is a LED Option the Best Torch for Dog Walking?
LED torches are the most efficient way of lighting up a dark walk, and they generally produce higher levels of light that aren’t restricted to just one colour.
LED lights also have a lifespan of around 50,000 hours, which is mammoth compared to standard light bulbs, which are generally only rated to last up to 2,000 hours max.
LED lights can, however, be incredibly damaging to the naked eye, much more so than standard bulbs. These kinds of torch can cause serious damage to the eyes of humans and animals, so you should always be incredibly careful to avoid shining LED directly at living beings.
When to Use Head Torches
- Nighttime adventures.
- Outdoor pursuits.
- Camping trips.
- Low light conditions.
- In and around the home
Where to Buy Head Torches
Countless places sell head torches and flashlight options for dog walking, enjoying nighttime adventures in the great outdoors and camping, including:
- Argos
- Screwfix
- Go Outdoors
- Mountain Warehouse
- Cotswold Outdoors
- Halfords
- Millets
- Amazon
FAQ’s
How Many Lumens Are Good For A Head Torch?
200 lumens is a good minimum to shoot for, but somewhere around 400 lumens is best for head torches.
Why Do Head Torches Have Red Lights?
Red light provides better peripheral vision to the wearer and is much less damaging to the eyes of other humans and animals at night. A flashing red light can also be used as a distress signal should you run into difficulties.
Can You Run With A Head Torch?
Provided your head torch fits snuggly and has adjustable brightness settings to protect other pedestrians from the light, head torches are great for running at night.
Are Head Torches Safe?
Head torches are perfectly safe. Although if you want one that can be used for several purposes, such as working in confined spaces or dangerous environments, perhaps if you have a search and rescue dog. You might consider an intrinsically safe option such as the Wolf HT-400Z0 safety flashlight.
Conclusion
Many benefits are associated with using a head torch and we hope you’ve found our guide helpful.
The best head torch for dog walking will be lightweight, durable and easy to charge with decent battery life. It should have enough lumens for your needs and be hands-free to retain control of your pooch at all times.
Our number #1 choice and the best dog walking torch is the Black Diamond Storm 400 Headlamp. It has an extremely powerful beam, includes a blue, green and red light setting for night vision, has a decent battery life and is an excellent torch for camping trips, night fishing and evening walks with the dog.
If this is all new information, take some time to find out which is the best head torch for you by checking out the best dog walking torch options we recommend above.
