The improvements are part of a series of modernization efforts scheduled over the next seven years, according to an Army release.

As part of the modernization initiative, Burroughs Range was upgraded to extend a section of the range from 800 meters to 1,100 meters. A future upgrade includes some target areas being expanded to distances of up to 1,200 meters, offering improved training opportunities for soldiers using the range.

“The current sniper rifle system used by the Army has an effective range of about 1,000 meters,” said Shane Duncanson, Fort Benning range planner.

The Army’s newest sniper rifle, the Mk22, can strike targets as far as 1,500 to 1,800 meters, Duncanson said.

The Mk22 is a multi-caliber, bolt-action rifle that replaces the M2010, M110 and M107 sniper rifles.

“The requirements for changes to the training ranges came from new weapons systems being introduced,” said John Nolt, acting director of Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization & Security at Fort Benning.

Completed in 1976, Burroughs Range was initially designed as a heavy sniper training facility, with armored targets placed throughout the training area, according to the release.

Additionally, a two-meter tall, 225-meter-long, 21-meter-deep berm, complete with a moving target rail system to its rear, is located on the west side of the range at 800 meters from the shooting positions.

“As the battlefield changes, our training ranges have to change, too,” said Jason Olive, Fort Benning range officer. “As Burroughs Range transitions to the Army’s newest Multipurpose Sniper Range, the requirement for a moving armored target was eliminated, which required the removal of the berm and tracks behind it, allowing additional line of sight and an area to incorporate the Army’s newest trackless moving target technology.”

The construction work at Burroughs Range involved leveling the berm, demolishing the obsolete rail system — which featured a 44-centimeter concrete base and a 20-centimeter rebar barrier extending along the entire 225-meter length — gradually leveling the land behind the berm, removing trees and clearing debris throughout the range.

“Burroughs Range was built back in a day when 1,000 meters was the farthest someone could shoot, and typically a solider would train at 600-800 meters,” Duncanson said. “We’re in the process of doing small incremental improvements so that we can use the new weapon systems and rounds at 1,200 meters.”

Personnel from Fort Benning, as well as the Georgia Army National Guard’s 177th Engineer Support Company, 878th Engineer Battalion out of Augusta, Georgia, and the Army Reserve’s 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion out of Birmingham, Alabama all contributed to modifying the range.

“This type of training allows us to meet directly on the job site with our active duty and Reserve counterparts,” said Warrant Officer James Jarrett, a construction officer with 177th Engineer Support Company.

The ongoing modernization of training ranges across Fort Benning is focused on improving soldiers’ training, readiness and operational capabilities, according to the release.

Axil Brands uses compression methods to cut off dangerous noises that could damage hearing while still allowing users to hear speech and communicate despite the noise level.

Tyler Smith, Axil’s national sales director, told Gear Scout that the company’s devices, which include XCOR and XCOR Pro wireless earbuds, MX electronic earmuffs and the recently released X30i earplugs, give users assorted options for hearing protection.

The XCOR and XCOR Pro earbuds, priced at $200 and $308, respectively, cut off noises at the 85-decibel range, protecting hearing. At the same time, they allow users to hear speech and localize noise origin.

This gives users a safer experience, especially in loud military environments.

The XCOR Pro includes Bluetooth connectivity, while the XCOR does not, as some military and law enforcement units don’t allow connectivity due to security concerns.

Both models have an industry-leading single number rating, or SNR, of 29, Smith said. SNR is the average noise production provided by hearing protection across a range of frequencies. The higher the number, the greater the protection.

For example, a 29 SNR means that a 100-decibel sound will be reduced to an estimated 71 decibels at the ear.

The XCOR and XCOR Pro can run up to 12 hours on a single battery charge and their charging cases allow for two additional charges, pushing their use up to 36 hours.

Axil’s recently released X30i earplugs don’t feature electronics. Its open-and-close mechanism allows users to toggle protection on or off to better hear lower-level sounds. But in case the user forgets to toggle back to protected mode, a mechanical device will shut off sound that meets the 85-decibel threshold.

“We have [a] proprietary mesh filter behind [the] sound tube that decreases impact noises,” Smith said. “The earplug will also mechanically swell to reduce frequency threats.”

The earplugs cost $39. They can be cleaned with dish soap and water for low-maintenance needs.

Axil’s MX electronic earmuffs, released in April, offer 85-decibel compression and six-times hearing enhancement. They’re powered by two AAA batteries and are compatible with helmets. They’re also sweat- and water-resistant.

The MX earmuffs retail at $93.

Company owner Mitchell Wein’s grandfather had the good fortune of housing his watchmaking business in the same building as the Canadian Army’s procurement office as the nation entered the WWII.

It had only been a few years since the Marathon Watch founder had broken off from the family watch business to design his own product.

Those first watches went on the wrists of soldiers headed to fight in Italy. The company eventually delivered an estimated 160,000 watches during WWII, Wein said, and has remained in the military watch game nearly ever since.

“Combining military-grade durability with precise engineering, the Original Search and Rescue with Date, or OSAR-D, builds on Marathon Watch’s legacy of the original 41mm SAR, which set the standard for Search and Rescue timepieces in the early 2000s,” according to a company release.

The expanded OSAR-D family of watches maintains the enhanced features introduced last year with the launch of the 41mm OSAR-D with black dial.

Those include the improved MaraGlo illumination, larger indices and increased clarity on the cyclops date window.

The company also added the Arctic white dial, which is designed to improve legibility in bright conditions, offering unparalleled readability in extreme environments.

All the company’s timepieces are powered by Marathon x Sellita automatic movements. The SW-200 movement drives 36mm and 41mm sizes.

The 46mm jumbo edition is equipped with the new SW600 movement, which includes a 62-hour power reserve, now the largest power reserve Marathon has to date.

Each OSAR-D model is also fitted with an Incabloc shock absorber to reinforce its durability.

The 41mm size watches are available for preorder, with shipments slated for mid-May, company officials said. Prices start at $1,500 with the 3-piece rubber strap kit. The stainless steel bracelet option costs $1,800.

The 36mm and 46mm sizes will be available in late 2025, with prices ranging from $1,000 to $2,500.

The company built its general-purpose mechanical watch in 1976 for the U.S. military and started building chronometers for ships in the early 1980s, Wein said.

“We didn’t really make money on the government watches,” Wein said, adding that they would get orders of 7,000 or 11,000 watches and make between $3.50 and $5 per watch.

One of the reasons mechanical watches remain part of military inventory in an age of their smart counterparts is that mechanical timekeeping remains impervious to electromagnetic pulse tactics that could blow out any electronics in range. They also do not emit a signal that can be detected by electromagnetic warfare tools.

And then there’s the battery, or lack thereof, which adds to their long-lasting durability. The watch can operate for 30 years, as compared to a traditional quartz watch that usually requires a new battery every six years.

Special, synthetic oil blends keep the watch going. Those only need replacement every 15 years or so, Wein said. Tritium gas tubes that provide glow-in-the-dark features stay bright for 12 to 25 years.

The service’s Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition broke ground Feb. 5 on a 6.8 mm ammunition production facility at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence, Missouri, according to an Army release.

Current plans show the facility being completed by 2026 and fully operational by 2028, officials said.

The move aims to give the service its own production line for the 6.8 mm cartridge, which is the caliber the Next Generation Squad Weapon is chambered for, both in its rifle and automatic rifle configuration.

The XM5 and XM250, respectively, are replacing their counterparts, the M4 carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, among the close combat forces. Both are chambered in the legacy 5.56 mm cartridge.

The Army is leading the project, while the Marine Corps and Special Operations Command have been closely involved in the development of the weapon and round in recent years.

Lake City has been a major source of small arms ammunition for the Army and other services for decades. Historically, the plant has produced 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm, .50 Browning Machine Gun, and 20 mm ammunition.

During the height of the post-9/11 wars, from 2007 to 2018, the plant produced nearly 1.4 billion rounds, according to Northrop Grumman.

“It is not lost on me that victory on the battlefield begins in our production facilities,” Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, program executive officer for armaments and ammunition, said in a statement. “Lake City has been central to our nation’s ammunition production since 1941, and this new facility builds on that proud and historic legacy.”

The 6.8 mm round delivers the distance and energy on target of the larger 7.62 mm round but at a lighter weight and with better accuracy, according to Army officials.

Currently, rounds for the Next Generation Squad Weapon are being produced by Sig Sauer, manufacturer of both the rifle and automatic rifle variants.

Ammunition manufacturer Olin Winchester will operate the new plant. The facility will span 450,000 square feet at the Missouri site, according to the Army.

The operation will include manufacturing systems for cartridge cases and projectiles, quality controls, packaging and testing laboratories. According to the release, industries in the Kansas City, Missouri, region will support an estimated 90% of the work.

When the facility hits operational status, it is expected to produce 385 million cases, 490 million projectiles and 385 million loading and packaging operations rounds each year.

There are about a dozen units in the fielding pipeline for the Next Generation Squad Weapon in fiscal 2025. They include:

• From October to December, the Army Reserve’s 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment at Fort Shafter, Hawaii; elements of the 25th Infantry Division, at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; the Army’s Ordnance School, at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia.
• From January to March, the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas.
• From April to June, the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia.
• From July to September, the 1st Brigade, 34th Infantry Division with the Minnesota Army National Guard; multiple 10th Mountain Division battalions.

Last October, the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division was one of the units to conduct live-fire testing of the weapon. The “Red Curahee” soldiers ran tactical patrols after having run shooting ranges at limited visibility, according to the Army.

The squad-sized elements put the weapon through its paces on terrain at their home station of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. At the time, Maj. Craig Hymel, the battalion executive officer, explained the culminating event.

“The squad live [fire] will be the last event in conjunction with the stress shoot that participants execute,” Hymel said. “At which point, the Operational Assessment Team is going to collect and finalize all the data.”

California-based Anduril formerly assisted Microsoft with the $22 billion program by integrating the Lattice platform into the Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS. Lattice allowed soldiers to see threats in real time by removing delays in processing signals between devices, according to a company statement.

Anduril will assume oversight of production, future development of hardware and software, and delivery timelines, according to a joint release from the two companies. Microsoft will continue to partner with Anduril on the project. Microsoft Azure will be the “preferred hyperscale cloud” for Anduril on all things related to IVAS.

Anduril Founder Palmer Luckey, the designer of the virtual-reality headset Oculus Rift, laid out his vision for the future of the IVAS program Tuesday in a blog post titled, “Turning Soldiers into Superheroes.”

“For me, this announcement is deeply personal. Since my pre-Oculus days as a teenager who had the opportunity to do a tiny bit of work on the Army’s BRAVEMIND project, I’ve believed there would be a headset on every soldier long before there is a headset on every civilian,” Luckey wrote.

He wrote that IVAS will allow troops to “surpass the limits of human form and cognition, seamlessly teaming enhanced humans with large packs of robotic and biologic teammates.”

The Army has conducted IVAS-controlled drone flights for microdrones, such as the Black Hornet and other squad-level drones. The device is also used for inter- and intra-squad communication, both through voice and chat. Users can share map information, coordinates or other data via the headset.

In his blog post, Luckey said his involvement with IVAS signals his return to the forefront of technology. He maintains that the program is more than just a headset.

“IVAS isn’t just another product, it is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine how technology supports those who serve,” Luckey wrote. “Whatever you are imagining, however crazy you imagine I am, multiply it by ten and then do it again. I am back, and I am only getting started.”

The Army has worked closely with Microsoft on IVAS since 2018. The current system was originally built on the commercially available Microsoft HoloLens device.

The service is working on the third of five prototypes of the device since the program began.

The current version, IVAS 1.2, is the second engineering validation build, Army Times previously reported. This version includes some design changes that must be implemented in the next prototype, as the service continues gathering troop feedback.

The following updates are in the works for IVAS 1.2:

• A low-light camera with increased sensitivity
• Improved low-light focus mechanism, especially when wearing gloves
• More robust bumpers, cables, bungees and tethered solar caps
• Hinge improvements for usability, display clarity and durability
• Improved transport case and mission bag for better storage and protection
• Minor visor and display improvements for greater clarity and durability
• Software improvements

This spring, soldiers with the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado, will conduct a battalion-sized operational field assessment of the device. Following the development of its 1.2 version, the Army will be poised to award a production contract to build the device for full fielding.

Two recent postings under the U.S. Special Operations Command small business innovation research program seek solutions for those two issues among special operations forces.

SOCOM wants a helmet mount that will work across various aviator helmets with “various night vision goggle systems,” including the AN/AVS-6 and Wide Field of View Aviation Goggles. The mount must also work within the Aviation Night Vision Imaging System mount currently used by special operations forces, according to the listing.

The portable oxygen device must not only hold oxygen but also generate it. The purpose, according to the posting, is to “improve oxygen therapy at point-of-need in an austere, pre-hospital environment.”

Operators need a rugged, compact instrument that can provide oxygen “as far-forward as possible” to cut down on the use of oxygen cylinders, according to the posting.

The Pentagon has focused in recent years on improving the delivery of medical aid in remote and austere locations across the services. Decades of ready medical services during the Global War on Terror allowed for rapid response to medical emergencies and theater evacuations for advanced medical care.

Most war game projects are showing higher casualties and less access to medical care in future conflict than in previous combat operations.

SOFWERX, a platform that conducts research and development for SOCOM, plans to hold a virtual Q&A session on the two initiatives on Feb. 18, according to the listing.

Is a headlamp or flashlight right for me?

The biggest advantage of a headlamp is you don’t have to hold it to use it. Headlamps strap to your head or helmet, leaving your hands free for other tasks. A headlamp provides focused, directional lighting that follows the movement of your head. Because the light follows your eyes, it’s always shining where you need it. Most headlamps are lightweight and comfortable for extended use. Most come on an adjustable, elasticized strap. Some headlamps also have helmet mounts, for military, climbing, cycling, and other style helmets. Some clip to molle attachments, and some have other mounts as well. Many headlamps are compact—small enough to carry in a pocket.

The biggest downside of a headlamp is that when you’re wearing a headlamp in a group of people and you shift your gaze towards a friend or colleague, the light from your head can be blinding. Because the lamp is on your head, you may need to remove your headlamp to fiddle with buttons or to get beam color and pattern you prefer. And most headlamps aren’t as bright as a full-power, high-end flashlight.

Flashlights come in all shapes and sizes, and, as mentioned, typically have a more powerful beam and more ruggedized construction than a headlamp. Historically, flashlights used C and D-cell batteries. Now, more are rechargeable.

The downside of a flashlight is that you have to hold it, which means you can’t use your hands for other tasks. Some do come with head straps and various clips. Smaller flashlights can be easy to carry in your pocket, on a belt clip, or in a belt pouch, so, like a pocket knife, you always have your EDC light on you. Most flashlights are white light only, while headlamps often have multiple light colors to choose from including lights that preserve night vision, help hunters pursue prey, and add stealth to your mission.

How bright a light do I need?

Every headlamp and flashlight comes with a lumen rating. The higher the number, the brighter the light. Most headlamps also have modes, so you can run the lamp or light at a lower lumen and therefore lower power output to extend battery life. A lamp or light with more lumens will pierce deeper into the darkness and depending on the light pattern can make seeing at night feel more natural. But brighter lights are often larger and heavier. Explore the options to find your sweet spot.

What beam is best?

For focused work, a spot beam directs more intense light into a small and defined area. A broader beam will illuminate a larger area less intensely. Many headlamps and flashlights have both options. If a light beam is too narrow, it can give you tunnel vision, which at night can feel disorienting. When a light has a feathered edge, it allows you to see in the dark more naturally. Bu dispersed lights are often less bright than focused lights.

Why do I need red, green or blue light options?

Red light helps maintain natural night vision. The green light improves the human eye’s ability to discern detail at night. Blue light highlights blood. Blue light is often used by hunters to track prey.

Should I get a headlamp or flashlight with a rechargeable battery?

We prefer rechargeable devices if you use your headlamp or flashlight where there is a reasonable chance you can plug it into a reliable power source. A rechargeable battery lets you top off your lamp or light after each use so it’s always ready for action. It also keeps batteries out of the landfill. If you’ll be using your lamp or light somewhere where it’s easier to carry extra batteries than recharge your device, that’s a relevant consideration.

Items purchased through our links may earn us a commission.

Best dual fuel headlamp

Petzl Aria 2 RGB, $60

• Weight: 3.4 oz
• Brightness: 450 lumens (up to 600 lumens with rechargeable battery)
• Battery: 3 AAA or Petzl Core ($30, sold separately)

Compact and durable, the 450-lumen Aria 2 RGB is a dual-fuel headlamp that can handle being dropped, dunked, and dusted. The headlamp comes with an elasticized strap for wearing this lamp on your head, but it can be worn on your helmet or pack as well with other Aria mounting plates, sold separately. We loved this light for its easy use and bright beam. A glove-friendly single button let us access all light modes, including white, red, green, and blue lights. The lamp has a wide, uniform beam, great for close-range work, and a mixed beam for when you’re toggling between looking close and far. Three white lighting levels–max burn time, standard, and max power, sustained the battery for longer or provided more intense light on demand. The colored lights are continuous or strobe. We also love that this lamp can be run with Petzl’s rechargeable Core battery or three AAA batteries, so you can choose the power option that’s best for where you’re using it. The Core battery ($30, sold separately), give the headlamp a lumens boost from 450 to 600. The Core is equivalent to about 900 sets of AAA batteries. The lamp meets IP67 dust and waterproof ratings. It can be submerged for 30 min in up to three feet of water and it’ll work as good as ever. It meets FL1 ANSI standard for fall protection–the lamp can fall six to eight feet without damage. It’s also impact-resistant, meeting the IK07 rating. A lock mode prevents the lamp from accidentally getting turned on in your pack. If you want a more affordable light, or just don’t need the brightness this one delivers, check out Petzls Aria 1, which has 350 lumens and costs $40.

Buy it at: amazon.com

Best EDC Flashlight

Fenix TK20R Rechargeable Dual Rear Switch Multipurpose Flashlight

• Weight: 7.2 oz
• Brightness: 3000 lumens
• Max Beam Distance: 1,558 feet (475 meters)
• Max Runtime: 48 hours
• Battery: Rechargeable li-ion battery

With a maximum output of 3000 lumens and a range of up to 1558 feet, the six-mode, aluminum casing Fenix TK20R is a powerful and adaptable flashlight that’s ready for a lifetime of use and abuse. Made for outdoor and tactical applications, the flashlight turns on with dual tail switches that also control the flashlight’s six modes, including five brightness levels and strobe. Fenix uses a proprietary technology they call the Advance Pulse Frequency Transmission System to give this flashlight max power for its size and weight. It’s blindingly bright, which is great for lighting the path ahead and also handy for self defense. The flashlight is sealed from the elements, including the cleverly concealed USB-C charging port which is encased in the flashlight’s hard anodized, anti-abrasive aluminum body. It has an internal dual-spring structure so that even if this light takes a severe impact, it’ll keep working. Customize your unit on Fenix’s website with your name, DOB, and select designs. Dustproof and waterproof, this flashlight comes with a pocket clip, a holster, and a lanyard.

Buy it at: amazon.com

Best full-power flashlight

Maglite ML150LR

• Weight: 15.2 oz. 431 g
• Brightness: 1082 lumens
• Max Beam Distance: 1558 feet/ 458m
• Max Runtime: 79 hours
• Battery: lithium iron phosphate rechargeable

The classic Maglite, a staple for law enforcement, now uses LED lights and it’s rechargeable–up to 80% in 30 minutes, and just as powerful as ever. The flashlight has a new patented heat sink that helps it shine brighter while using less power. As always, Maglite’s ML150LR uses a heavy-duty anodized aluminum body. Now instead of big disposable batteries, there’s a rechargeable lithium iron phosphate battery inside that’s safer and better-performing than disposable batteries. The flashlight has white light only, and it transitions from spot to flood with a ¼ turn of the head. With a click of the power button, the light toggles between five power modes and 12 functions, all of which can be user-programmed. Functions include full power, momentary power, eco, and strobe. It runs 3-plus hours at peak lumens and 79 hours in eco-mode. The Maglite ML150LR case is nearly indestructible. And if you ever have an issue, it’s likely covered by Maglite’s 10-year limited warranty. Charging this flashlight is simple and straightforward. Click it into the holder, and a charge status indicator lets you know the flashlight’s battery level, and when it’s at 100%. To charge this light from fully dead, it takes around 2.5 hours. But in 30 minutes it will be most of the way there. Another bonus: this maglite flashlight snaps into its charging port and it won’t fall out even in extremely rough conditions. The ML1505LR comes with a wall charger as well as a 12v power cord for vehicle charging. This battery will last for approximately 2000 charge cycles.

Buy it at: amazon.com

Brightest headlamp

Black Diamond Distance 1500

• Weight: 7.5 oz.
• Brightness: 1082 lumens
• Max Beam Distance: 384 feet with max power and boost
• Max Runtime: 40 hours
• Battery: Rechargeable Li-ion

Designed for ultrarunners who need a headlamp to help them navigate technical terrain when they’re already sleep-deprived, one that will last through the night, Black Diamond’s Distance is not only long burning, but it’s a headlamp that lets you swap batteries without taking the lamp off your head. A lot of headlamps have two modes–one that focuses the light close but has hard edges, and one that’s more diffuse, but not as powerful. This lamp has a highly engineered multifaceted optical lens that combines both modes so that you don’t have to choose between depth and spot lighting. At max output, the Distance emits 1500 lumens in a light pattern that has no edges, shadows, or artifacts. That reduced the trippy, vertiginous feeling that can come from navigating at night with a hard-edged beam. The lamp uses a touch-to-adjust button that toggles the lamp from any setting to max output. The lamp lasts eight hours at 300 lumens. If you want to swap it, just squeeze the release mechanism at the right side of the battery holder, to pop out the old battery and pop in a new one, all without taking the headlamp off your head. The battery pack is magnetic, so a replacement pack snaps in seamlessly. The battery pack and the light both come mounted on a stretchy strap with a broad rubber support at the forehead and a plastic stiffener at the back of the head. Both are low profile, shaped to contour naturally, and built to minimize bounce. An additional over-the-head strap is also provided. The Distance 1500 has two buttons. One turns the lamp on and off. The other toggles output from full power to reduced power, and into red, green, and blue modes. The headstrap is helmet-compatible. And this lamp has a submersible IP67 waterproof rating.

Buy it at: blackdiamondequipment.com

Best headlamp for on-duty/off-duty

Princeton Tec Vizz Tactical MPLS

• Weight: 3.2 oz.
• Brightness: 550 lumens
• Max Beam Distance: Up to 256 feet
• Max Runtime: 50 hours
• Battery: Three AAA

It’s impossible to know where and when you’ll need a headlamp, and what conditions you’ll encounter when you do. We recommend Princeton Tec’s 550-lumen Vizz MPLS because it transitions seamlessly from work to life, from camping with the kids to being on the job, and back again. It’s light and compact and out of the way when you don’t need it, and easy to always have on hand for when you do. This AAA battery-powered headlamp is perfect for users who don’t have a reliable place to recharge. It comes on an elastic head strap, like most other headlamps, but it’s also compatible with Princeton Tec’s Modular Plated Lighting System (MPLS), which allows the headlamp to mount to molle, rail, helmet, and more. In addition to being compatible with a variety of mounts, this headlamp can also be paired with accessories like Princeton Tec’s Switch MPLS or Switch RGB, sold separately. The lamp has an easy-to-locate and operate oversized, textured button on top that illuminates the headlamp and also lets you toggle between modes, including selecting from red, blue, and green lights, and full power and dimmed white light. With the lamp at full power, it has a four-hour battery life. Used on the dimmed setting, the battery life is 50 hours. The light is programmable – it lets you choose which order the lights toggle. Directions are printed on the back of the headlamp body, so they’re always close at hand. When the lamp is mounted on the headstrap, it rotates nearly 90 degrees so you can point it where you need it. The lamp has five LEDs inside, including a max bright dimmable white LED and ultrabright red, blue, and green LEDs. A screw mechanism opens and closes the battery chamber. It can be finger-tightened or opened and closed using a flathead screwdriver. With the battery compartment closed this headlamp is rated IPX7 waterproof. A lock mode prevents you from turning it on accidentally.

But it at: amazon.com

Best headlamp for camping

Biolite Headlamp 425

• Weight: 2.75 oz.
• Brightness: 425 lumens
• Max Beam Distance: Up to 279 feet
• Max Runtime: 60 hours
• Battery: Rechargeable 1000 mAh Li-Ion

A headlamp that’s easy to stash in your backpack, tuck in your glove compartment, or just have on hand for days when you have time to sneak in a quick run after dark, you’re still on the trail a few clicks after sundown, or you need to navigate to the privy from your campsite. Biolite’s Headlamp 425 is so light that you’ll forget it’s on your head, but it’s still bright enough to light up the night, with soft edges to its flood, laser brightness with the spot, plus the ability to use both together. It’s a lamp that lights up the road or trail in front of you, while also illuminating you from behind to make motorists or other trail users aware you’re there. The USB-C rechargeable lamp has five front light modes and two rear light modes. Front light modes include a dimmable white spot, a dimmable white flood, a dual dimmable spot flood mode, a white strobe, and a red flood that’s also dimmable. The back has both red strobe and red flood settings. Unlike other headlamps that use a light mounted on a removable elastic strap, Biolite’s Headlamp 425 is inset into the strap with wiring to the rear harness sewn in. The design keeps the front light extremely low profile. The front light extends less than 0.4 inches from the wearer’s forehead, and the back of the head light brick is just over 0.5 inches thick. A single click of the front control button turns the front light on, and double clicks toggle between modes. The front light can be tilted down more than 45° for map reading and other tasks. The back-of-the-head light has its own on/off button that also toggles the rear light between spot, strobe, and off. The rear light also houses the lamp’s USB-C charging port, as well as a headlamp battery level indicator. A lock mode keeps the lamp from accidental illumination. It’s not waterproof, but it is rated IPX4 water-resistant. Not all headlamps can be used while charging. This one can. Plug it into a portable powerbrick in your pocket or pack to extend its battery life while you’re wearing it.

Buy it at: amazon.com