Hey Guys, hours at work have changed forcing me to run after dark. Any suggestion on lights for night runs? Looking for something pretty bright yet light weight… Any ideas? Also costs?
Led Lenser H7R headlamp. Usb rechargeable but you can also use AAA batteries. I run ultramarathon with it and it last at least one night of continuous usage. Brightness can be adjusted as well as focus; it’s reasonably light weight (120g) for this brightness (170lm). I good compromise cost - weight - brightness
Yup, I bought an H7R recently too, and it’s an excellent and good value torch. Ran for a few weeks in Europe in the dark over the winter and it was pretty much perfect.
One point though, the focus screw fell out on my first one, so I would advise on unscrewing it, adding some loctite and replacing it just in case the same thing happens to you.
Cheers, Rich
Check out my response and others in this thread. Everything you want to know. The Slowtwitch Search is your best friend.
This is my latest one:
http://silva.se/products/sport/runner
I run an unlit technical 15km trail at night with no difficulty with this light.
I keep it simple and cheap. This works great: http://www.energizer.com/flashlights-lighting/caplight/Pages/3-led-cap.aspx
I have the Black Diamond Sprinter. Adjustable front beam with a blink setting and a rear flashing red light. Works well, and now that I have a newborn most of my runs are done when it’s dark out.
I have the Black Diamond Sprinter. Adjustable front beam with a blink setting and a rear flashing red light. Works well, and now that I have a newborn most of my runs are done when it’s dark out.
I loved my sprinter. Then one day it shorted out on a fresh charge 3 miles into a 13 miler on a busy road. I took it apart when iI got home and found that somehow my sweat had actually collected over time in the lamp and corroded/flooded it. Evidently I’m a heavy sweater…
Petzl was losing ground in the lumen war for the last few years but just up’ed the ante with a new realease (coming out this week). Check out their “R” series headlamps. They took the reactive lighting technology in the $199 Nao lamp and created a $90 unit with 200 lumens of brightness. They did a limited production the first time around and if you didn’t jump on the orders you got left out. REI placed a huge order so the smaller shops are SOL and won’t have them. You should neven need more than 200 lumens!
x3 on the Black Diamond Sprinter. it doesnt bounce on the head.
I’ve been using this: http://www.frys.com/product/5750332?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
http://images.frys.com/art/product/300x300/5750332.01.prod.jpg
<$20 and 175lumens. I run it on three AAA rechargeable batteries. Great for roads/sidewalks, not quite bright enough for tree-covered trails.
For trails, I’ve been using this: http://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Headlight-Rechargeable-Flashlight-Activites/dp/B00GL0NQBS/ref=sr_1_191?ie=UTF8&qid=1389643564&sr=8-191&keywords=1800+lumen
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/614p9ePOKpL._SL1500_.jpg
1800 lumens, and not that heavy. Runs on a rechargeable 18650 Li battery (come with batt & charger), and <$30
Guess I never thought of needing a light to run at night. I wear two Nathan red blinking tail lights on my shorts and blinking arm bands (think they’re Sportline from Walmart), they’re off unless I start getting a lot of traffic down the “perimeter” roads I run on the edges of town. No street lights to blind me, just moonlight or starlight and a white line.
Not to derail, but has anyone used the Nathan “light spurs” that mount on your shoes? I run Brooks Pureflow 2’s if, by a long shot, anybody has tried that combination.
Beyond all that, I’ve used a LOT of headlights for a long time, running and otherwise. The more powerful they are, the heavier they get, and the more they blind you at night (aka, the brighter it is, the more you need it). I usually just use the cheaper energizer LED ones these days.
Black Diamond Sprinter is the best.
Agreed.
Never felt the need to run with lights in a suburban setting. After less than 5 minutes your eyes adapt. Just never look at light sources for longer than a split second and always yield to cars.
All I need is a hat to shield me form the headlights of cars and street lights; and some reflective gear (ankle bands/vest).
I have been run off the sidewalk by people wearing torches…false sense of security and you are blind for everything outside the light cone.
Disregard all this if you are night blind or run fast on unlit but well groomed trails (running un-groomed trails at night is a bad idea to begin with).
I can’t run with lights on my head, it’s irritating and I always end up with a headache. Also the ones around my waist/hips bounce around too much and you can’t direct them either. Last season I got Knuckle Lights (you can google for their store or they are on Amazon as well). They are great, light weight and strap around the knuckle portion of your hands and you don’t have to hold on to them as they can strap down pretty secure - and I have small hands. Also, since it’s important for others to be able to see me, especially since I run on the roads in my neighborhood, I got a NoxGear Tracer360 vest that has multi-colored LED fibre optic cables that can either change colors slowly, fast, or stay a steady color. I love it and feel safer that I can’t be missed by vehicles. So I’d go for the knuckle lights so you can see at night and Tracer360 so others can see you.