The coldest and darkest months of the year are arriving, those in which the lack of light and the weather completely condition our training. But we will agree that the objective is to continue going out running and adapt to the circumstances. Many runners suffer work schedules that are difficult to combine with sporting activity and are forced to go out to ride early in the morning or late in the afternoon, that is, when there is no sun and darkness becomes a problem. Although urban environments and large avenues in cities usually have a good lighting system, if we want to enter a park or more peripheral roads we will need our own lighting.
Faced with such an obvious need for so many runners, the sports front has already become an essential accessory. It's not a whim. It is another element of our equipment just like the watch or sunglasses in summer, a matter of safety.
Although it may be somewhat annoying on our first outings, a good choice when choosing our headlamp is key to quickly familiarizing ourselves with it. There are very simple, efficient, comfortable and easy to handle. The basic characteristics that we should look at before choosing one are the following:
▪ Luminosity. In the fronts this parameter is measured in “lumens”. Unless we are going to train in mountain terrain in the middle of the night doing mileage (which is not the case), a headlamp that offers 100-120 lumens will be enough to illuminate the path of our next strides in a park or urban environment. We are talking about a beam of light sufficient to see the next 40-50 meters. In addition, the front lights allow you to regulate their power and, therefore, reduce or increase the amount of lumens when necessary to save battery.
▪ Autonomy. Battery life always depends on the power at which we are using the front. Thus, a headlamp can give us 4 hours of light at its maximum peak lumens or 30 hours of light if we use it in a low intensity mode. More than autonomy, it would be important to pay attention to the front being compact, that is, that the light source and the battery are together in the head (housing where the flashlight is integrated). In this way we will avoid the “bulge” of the battery on the back of the belt and we will be more comfortable.
▪ Weight. As with sneakers, the front ones are increasingly reducing their weight for obvious reasons. For city running during standard training, a simple headband with a head that is as small as possible and with great fixation to the tape to prevent it from bouncing or vibrating is preferable. The weight of a headlamp is determined by the size of the head and, in turn, by the power it offers. A running headlamp is usually between 80 and 120 grams.
▪ Materials and finishes. Ideally, the body of the front should be made of resistant materials and, above all, present a certain degree of watertightness, since we will use it in autumn and winter and rain is very likely in these months. The headband that is in contact with our head must have a material that absorbs sweat, avoiding chafing, and also has an adjustable headband that allows it to be adjusted to the millimeter to our head. Other interesting details to look at are the battery indicator and red light.
The most prestigious manufacturer of sports headlamps is Led Lenser, a brand that offers a generous range of products thanks to its different ranges. A basic front, for beginner runners who do not do very demanding training and move around the city, can be the Led Lenser NEO4 , with a very affordable price and a very low weight, but the drawback of the rear pack on the tape. One step above and with much better conditions to go running we find the Led Lenser MH3 , below 100 grams, with up to 200 lumens (very good power) and an advanced focusing system. And in an already higher range, but still within a fairly reasonable price segment, we find the Led Lenser HF6R , with a power of 800 lumens for running in any type of environment, 100% waterproof and a range of 160 meters. The drawback is that we are already weighing 126 grams, but it is also a very good option for runners who combine city and mountain (trail running).
We invite you to discover the entire range of LED LENSER sports fronts on our website, with 10 new models for all types of pockets and needs.