Two more of our favorite headlamps. The ULTRA RUSH has been our favorite headlamp for the rainforest because of the very bright light, perfect beam shape and color, and long battery life. The SWIFT RL is far cheaper and has great features for runners.
COMPARISON: Lightweight running headlamp vs. tough do-anything headlamp
The Petzl SWIFT RL is a new sports activity headlamp that is good for almost every kind of sport you can imagine. The unit is super-lightweight and easy to operate. The Reactive Lighting technology extends battery life dramatically. One thing we don’t like is the very long battery charge time.
The Petzl ULTRA RUSH is still our personal favorite headlamp that we use for everything except trail running because it’s too heavy on the head. This one is a beast – shockproof and highly waterproof. A great survival light if you can carry the weight. The battery lasts a very long time, but new batteries are expensive.
UPDATE for 2022 – Recently, the ULTRA RUSH has been discontinued and the DUO S and DUO RL have taken its place.
PETZL ULTRA RUSH vs PETZL SWIFT RL HEADLAMP
Comparison of two of the best headlamps, the Petzl ULTRA RUSH and the Petzl SWIFT RL based on more than 20 features.| FEATURE | PETZL ULTRA RUSH | PETZL SWIFT RL |
|---|---|---|
| Max Sustained Lumens | 760 | 550 |
| Max Lumens Burst | 760 | 900 |
| Weight in Grams | 370 | 100 |
| Battery Life at Max Lumens | 120 mins | 120 mins |
| Battery Recharge Time | 150 mins (on 220v) | 240+ mins (on USB 1v) |
| Charging Source | A/C 110 or 220v | USB |
| Shockproof | yes | no |
| Waterproof | IP 67 | IPX 4 |
| Reactive Lighting Tech | no | yes |
| Spot Beam | yes | yes |
| Flood Beam | slight | yes |
| Mixed Beam | yes | yes |
| Camping | yes | yes |
| Caving | yes | no |
| Cycling | yes | yes |
| Fishing | yes | yes |
| Hiking | yes | yes |
| Hunting | no | no |
| Running | yes | yes |
| Skiing | yes | yes |
| Review | Here | Here |
| Shop Here > | Discontinued. Can sometimes find on EBay. |  |