[Page updated: 1 June 2022]
There are a number of battery options headlamps have in 2022. This page will give you an education on the importance of choosing the right headlamp based on which batteries will best fit your use.
Headlamp Battery Type Comparison
AA, AAA Store-Bought Batteries | PROS
- Very convenient to buy more when needed
- Cheap option, if not recurring need to buy for long excursions
- Brighter and last longer than Rechargeable AA or AAA’s
- No recharging needed – ready immediately
AA, AAA Store-Bought Batteries | CONS
- Environmental hazard
- Waste of Resources to buy and throw away
- Power not as strong as Lithium-ion or Rechargeable 18650’s
Rechargeable AA, AAA Batteries | PROS
- A cheaper option if you use your headlamp often
- Environmentally friendly – not tossing out after each use
Rechargeable AA, AAA Batteries | CONS
- Not as easy to find as other store-bought batteries
- Not as powerful (bright) as AA, AAA store-bought batteries
- Shorter duration of power compared with AA / AAA store-bought
- Take hours to recharge and require A/C power
Rechargeable 18650 Size Batteries | PROS
- Very powerful in a small package
- Good ones can last a year with 300 recharge cycles
- Good ones are expensive. Petzl’s Nao 2 replacement is $60.
Rechargeable 18650 Size Batteries | CONS
- Cheap copies are plentiful and hard to tell apart from good ones
- Cheap copies last a month or two and then lose most of their power
- Take hours to recharge and require A/C power
Lithium-ion Battery Packs | PROS
- Very powerful in a small package. In the Actik Core headlamp, the small CORE lithium-ion battery beats alkalines by 50 minutes on high. That’s 140 mins. of use versus just 90 minutes. Pretty dramatic!
- Lasts for many recharge cycles (300+)
Lithium-ion Battery Packs | CONS
- It can be expensive. Petzl Ultra Rush replacement battery is $160
- Headlamps using these can be expensive
- Take hours to recharge, or heaps of money for replacement batteries
See Our Headlamp Battery Replacements List HERE >
Our Top Headlamps for 2022?
- Petzl NAO+ – Newest upgrade to NAO 2. Bright, durable, lightweight.
- Petzl NAO 2 – Less expensive option, bright enough, durable, and lightweight
- Petzl ULTRA RUSH – The ultimate bright light. Very durable. For Pros. Expensive.
- OLight H2R – Super bright and tough as a tank. Oh, and SO affordable.