Headlamps--flashlights that cinch around the forehead or helmet with an elastic band enabling a climber to see but also have both hands free--are a must for all climbers. They can mean the difference between making it back to camp at a reasonable hour or being benighted on a rock face or stranded on a summit. There's nothing worse than trying to climb the last few pitches of a long route or trying to pick your way down a winding, bush-filled path in the dark.
Climbers will find a variety of headlamps on the market, from regular bulbs to LEDs, which require less energy but are less powerful, to halogen bulbs, which provide very bright lights (requiring about three times the energy to power). Most good climbing headlamps available today offer a variety of settings so people can switch from a halogen to a regular or LED bulb to save energy. Headlamps come in various sizes and weights; some utilize two AA batteries, while others use four batteries (and are heavier because of it).
What to Look for
Ice climbers, mountaineers and alpinists end up spending a lot of time tromping around the mountains in the dark and the cold, and so may want to consider purchasing a headlamp with a separate battery pack that they can stash in their jackets to keep warm. Regardless of whether or not you purchase a headlamp with a separate battery pack, it's always a good idea to tuck the headlamp into an inner pocket when not using it to keep it warm.
Weight can be an issue for people spending numerous days in the mountains, for alpinists trying to move fast and light or for climbers trying to do long routes in a day. Plenty of lightweight options are available that also have all the fancy accoutrements required (switching from halogen to LED, easy on and off buttons that work well with gloved hands and easily changeable bulbs).
Everyday climbers don't need to worry so much about weight and so may want to find the headlamp that has the longest-lasting battery pack and not so many of the fancy trappings. Standard headlamps are typically inexpensive.
Common Pitfalls
One of the most common pitfalls is that a climber will purchase a headlamp that doesn't fit his needs. There's nothing worse than being on a huge rappel on a big wall with just a little LED headlamp, and there's no point in spending a lot of money on a powerful, energy-sucking halogen lamp (and batteries) while racking up in the morning or cooking dinner. It's important to research the different headlamps and what they offer and then choose the one that best fits the type of climbing that will be done.
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