Why this made the list
Thru-hikers care about grams the way some people care about horsepower, and this headlamp shows up constantly in their gear lists for good reason. At under two ounces with real usable brightness and a low price, it hits a combination that most competitors can't match without giving something up.
What it actually does
It puts out up to 400 lumens with a beam reaching roughly 132 meters, and it separates spot and flood light so they can be used individually or together, which is more control than most headlamps in this weight class offer. Runtime is about 2.7 hours on high, 10.5 hours on low, and roughly 45 hours on its lowest "ultralow" setting. It has a built-in rechargeable battery that charges over USB-C in under 90 minutes, and weighs in around 1.6 to 1.7 ounces, genuinely light for a headlamp with this feature set.
Who this is actually for
Someone who's counting ounces, whether that's a thru-hiker, backpacker, or ultralight camper, and wants real brightness without carrying a heavier headlamp to get it. It's also a reasonable pick for anyone who just wants a compact, inexpensive headlamp for general use and doesn't need extreme durability.
What to weigh before buying
- It's water-resistant, not submersion-rated, so it's not built for heavy rain exposure or dunking.
- The low-profile buttons are hard to operate with gloves on, which matters for cold-weather use.
- The red light mode runs brighter than expected, which can be annoying in a shared tent at night.
- Some users report the ultralight strap feels tight around the temples after a while, a tradeoff for the low weight.
The verdict
An excellent value for anyone prioritizing weight without wanting to sacrifice real brightness and features. Not the most rugged headlamp around, but for its size and price, that's a fair trade.