PETZL, Swift RL Rechargeable Headlamp with 900 Lumens & Automatic Brightness Adjustment

With the recent heatwave in SoCal, I decided that I need to run at nights with a head lamp to avoid the heat and because I really abhor running on the treadmill at the gym. Also, I much prefer running the mountain trails than the road so I know I needed a powerful head lamp that didn't hamper my running. While I waited for the Petzl Swift RL to arrive, I got the BioLite HeadLamp 200 and 750 - 200 for road running in the neighborhood and the 750 for trail running but I found the 750 a bit bulky with the battery pack on the rear. I had to constantly fiddle with the strap to keep the battery pack in place while running.Overall, they are both very good and I'm happy with them but the Petzl is on another level in terms of comfort as well as performance. The Swift RL is brighter with wider and deeper light coverage and more stable during high speed runs through technical trails with steep rocky hills and abrupt turns. I was also able to set the angle of the light beams just right so I can see far and just below me without having to move my head too much. The lamp stayed in place and did not hamper my running at all. The BioLite HeadLamp 200 is definitely lighter and great for an easy-going run on the local roads at night but not ideal for the pitch black mountain trails at night.I have it on at full brightness all the time and the battery time is more than enough for my trail runs which typically last 60~90 minutes, depending on how much I feel like running. The Swift RL is easy to use, unobtrusive, very powerful, and quite comfortable. It will now be my go-to night running head lamp. Besides running at night to avoid the heat, I can now see that I'll be able to run in the early evenings or during the mornings during the winter when the sunlight time is much shorter. For an avid runner like me who runs 70~80 miles per week, this is a very sound investment that will pay good dividends for years to come and provides an excellent value. I highly recommend the Petzl Swift RL to serious runners who want to put in some miles during the nights or early mornings before sunrise.

I don’t know how many peaks have submitted with this trips through the Amazon. I’ve taken with it or jobs that I’ve done with it while contracting, but it couldn’t have been done without it. I absolutely love this thing through life or death situations or just a stroll through the park. This thing is always reliable and runs forever on a single charge.

Still haven't had time to give this extended use, but after a night of using this I am very happy with the quality and functionality. It sits comfortably on my head, and the strap adjusts very well (even on my very large head). The range of angles are nice and usable, and I was happy to see the battery pack is removable.I had concerns about how the reactive lighting feature would work in practice. but I am happy with how it functions. Used it some, stepping between lit parts of my house, darker areas, and outside at night. the transitions were smooth, and the lights levels were quite nice.I like the beam (beams i guess, given multiple emitters), color temperature is not too warm, and not too cool (I hate overly blue LEDs). and found the throw outside at night to be very good. The output seems great, and my night of moderate use didn't use up all that much battery.My only gripe is the lockout feature, which does not seat into the locked position very securely. Repeated pushing of the power button will make the switch want to shift itself over, coming out of lockout within a few good presses of the switch. It will stay put with gentle pushed, and bumping lightly against stuff, so I'm sure in a bag or pack it wouldn't be an issue as it won't be depressed as hard as someone pushing it. But a better detent would have served well. Personally, I am not concerned as I do not need a light with a lockout.As of now I am very happy with this headlamp, and will update my review in time if any faults/issues arise.Jan 01, 2020 EDIT:Still really like this headlamp. Have used it a lot for nighttime tasks both indoors and outdoors. I have been surprised by the battery life, it's much better than anticipated, I don't have to charge it often. Used on a few night runs and it was decent, didn't need the strap ridiculously tight to keep it in place (did need it tight, though). The lockout, while not the best feeling, has held up fine when packing this light.Only changes I'd make or like to see are a top strap (maybe removable?) to make it a bit more secure on the head (not a deal breaker), and a much lower low. A very low level mode (around 1 to 5 lumens) or a red light option would be great for night adjusted eyes.

This is the best headlamp.

Performance of the light is great! The head band is my favorite of any of my lights. Mostly Black Diamond and Petzl. Comfortable and quick adjustability. The adaptive setting is very good and actually functional enough that I generally keep it on that setting.But, the on/off/function button and sequencing is my least favorite of all my lights. The button slides to lock. It never stays locked in my backpack pocket. Therefore it is always dead.

very good light, but it power button set up took a while to get comfortable with it. Other than that it is very nice head light.

I like to save a little and give a product a second chance. This Petzl Swift RL was a bit of a gamble since it comes with a rechargeable battery. I'm very glad that the battery has taken a full charge and the headlamp seems to work as advertised. Also, the unit is clean and unscratched. The head band is in pristine condition. Unfortunately, the USB charging cable and the user manual were missing from the original packaging. Obviously the person who returned them forgot to place the USB charging cable and user manual back into the packaging. Good news is I already have the needed USB charging cable and was able to pull down the user manual from Petzl's web site. All in all I highly recommend this headlamp.

Great illumination, easy & simple on/off control, useful auto-dim, & excellent battery life. Used during 100 mile trail run with zero issues. 5 Stars