BioLite Headlamp 750

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BioLite Headlamp 750

Basics

BioLite says it’s on a mission to “empower people and protect our planet through access to renewable energy”.

Part of that is developing solutions to provide safe, efficient and planet-friendly energy, which is achieved through products that harness surrounding energy to cook, charge, and light daily life for off-grid households.

Among those products, which also include solar panels, clever stoves and power banks, are rechargeable head torches, and we have one of them, the Headlamp 750, on test here.

The question is, how does it perform?

First impressions

The first thing to note is that the band is really comfortable, and there aren’t many I’ve tried that have beaten it in this regard.

It’s also designed to be moisture-wicking, though I’ve not managed to work up enough of a night-time sweat to really put that claim under the microscope.

There’s a large battery pack on the rear of the strap, but once on it doesn’t feel as bulky or heavy as it does in your hands.

Brightness

A wide range of modes offers exceptional performance across a range of modes.

There’s an excellent flood mode (essentially a wide beam across the immediate area), while the spot beam reaches an impressive distance.

There’s also a mode that combines the two. You can dim the light in each mode (read more about this later), and we’d say that’s pretty essential if you’re with people, as otherwise you’re likely to blind them!

Oh, and as for the boost mode, you can activate via a rear button and it feels as if you’ve just turned on the floodlights at a football ground.

Meanwhile, the red light is good, but not among the best on test. However, you do get a red light (either solid or flashing) on the rear pack.

Lighting modes

The Headlamp 750 can be used in the following modes:

• Red flood
• White spot
• White flood
• Spot flood
• White strobe
• Rear red strobe
• Rear red flood

Now, in each of the front unit’s modes, you can hold the button down to dim the brightness or increase it, with the range going between 5 lumens (150 hours burn time) and 500 lumens (2 hours burn time in constant mode, 7 hours burn time in regulated mode).

In between those two levels, with 250 lumens, you’ll get a burn time of 4 hours in constant run time and 8.5 hours in regulated run time.

Regulated mode is how you’ll typically find head torches, where they slowly decrease in brightness as the battery loses power. Constant mode allows you to override that and keep max brightness until the battery dies.

In addition to the modes above, a press of one of the two rear buttons also results in a 30-second burst of an incredibly bright 750 lumens at the front.

Is it easy to use?

There’s just one button at the front that toggles through modes with a single press or dims/brightens the output when you hold it down.

Pressing and holding that button for eight seconds will also turn on/off lock mode, which allows you to stop the torch turning on accidentally while in a bag.

Happily, the button is easy to click in, even when wearing thick gloves.

On the rear unit there are also two buttons, one to switch on the rear light, and one next to it that delivers an extra strong burst of light up front for 30 seconds.

Both are also easy to press while gloved up, while there’s also a handy battery life indicator there too.

Changing the angle of the unit is also pretty easy, however, the range of movement feels limited due to the cable between the torch and rear unit becoming taut.

It means that you have to use some force for the light to face downward. It’s not a major issue – more just a minor inconvenience.

Batteries

The Headlamp 750 utilises a rechargeable battery that’s housed in the rear unit.

It’s charged via USB and, handily, you can continue to use the torch while it charges, which means you could plug it into a portable power bank using the three-foot cable while you’re on the move.

Resilience

Some consumer reviews have suggested there has been an issue with the button, but that seems to have been a historical issue that has since been resolved by BioLite’s engineers.

An IPX4 rating means it’s resistant to splashes of water, like many other options on the market.

Is it good value?

At just shy of £100 it’s far from cheap, but due to the performance across all modes and the comfort that’s on offer, it represents pretty good value if you’re prepared to pay that much.

That being said, there are certainly capable head torches available for less money.

Best used for...

This head torch would work well in a range of scenarios, boasting strong light performance and very respectable battery life.

It’d be at home around the campsite, on long walks at night, or even when running in low light, but it might feel a little bulky for that last scenario.

Verdict

Not the lightest or toughest, but very good battery life and light performance.

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Also consider...

Black Diamond Spot R 400 Review

The Black Diamond Spot R 400 head torch, offers good value with its lightweight and packable design, though it may not be as intuitive to operate as some other models. While excelling in spot lighting with impressive distance, its red and flood lighting could be improved.

Overall, the Spot R 400 serves as a very good all-rounder for hiking, earning a score of 4.5 stars for its performance, resilience, and impressive battery life, making it a valuable asset for a range of outdoor activities, including long-distance hiking.

Read our full review of the Black Diamond Spot R 400.

Looking for more options? Check out our guide to the best head torches on the market in 2023.