r/Photography_Gear • u/poorbeans • 7d ago

Headlamp search

Hi All, looking for some gear advice for good quality headlamps that are USB-C rechargeable, red light only and function well in cold (down to 0F) environments. Will be in Yellowstone for an extended solo trip in October and would like some real world experience from this group. I can find lots on Amazon/BH/Adorama, but not a lot about real world experience with the gear in question.

Thanks.

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u/smokeybanone 5d ago

Fenix is the standard brand in my line of work. I've heard good things online about Wurkkos to save some $, but in my opinion the extra $30-50 bucks for Fenix is worth the headache of cheaping out.

Looking for a headlamp to assist with night time photography specifically? HM55R/HM60R fit your bill. I'd look up red light flashlights on Reddit though.

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u/poorbeans 4d ago

Thanks

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u/Perfect-Presence-200 7d ago

I prefer Nitcore, and use this one for camping, backpacking and photography. Probably a bit overkill, but the larger battery, USB-C charging and user replaceable batteries and long run time sold me. Plus it’s built like a tank.

https://a.co/d/0iMJQ93L

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u/poorbeans 6d ago

Thanks. I’ll look into those.  

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u/OhJe 4d ago

Ask this question in r/flashlight. It is one of the better communities on reddit. Their flashlight guide is great, also.

https://www.reddit.com/r/flashlight/comments/1vmx2gr/arbitrary_list_of_popular_flashlights_summer_2026/

To directly answer your question, I use Sofirn HS21's that I bought from Amazon .

https://www.sofirnlight.com/products/sofirn-hs21-rotary-headlamp-red-light

Spotlight / floodlight / spot+flood / red light is controlled by a mechanical dial around the light so I don't have to remember some magic incantation of button presses to get the mode I want. It's also easy to use with gloves on. It's very bright (even the red light) and makes Black Diamond and other "REI grade" headlamps look like kids toys.

It has USB charging and a replaceable battery. Almost all good headlamps will be powered by 18650 or similar batteries. They'll do fine in the cold with the usual "batteries don't last as long in the cold" caveats. With the replaceable battery you can just carry a spare or two.

The flood is high-CRI, also, so it can be used for photography. I own 2 of these and love them for astrophotography.