Petzl SWIFT RL has a maximum light intensity of 900 lumens. This means that it can illuminate up to 150 m. A special feature of the lamp is the so-called reactive lighting technology. Once the automatic mode is activated, the system automatically adjusts the brightness to the surrounding ambient light. In this way, it is possible to avoid unnecessary glare and consequent waste of energy, all to the advantage of battery life. Energy saving helps to justify the high-end price of the product. When set to the lowest brightness level, the guaranteed lighting time can reach 100 hours. Lightweight And Easy To Refill Lamp

We will keep customer information safe and secure and will not distribute or sell this information to a third party.

Ergonomic and adjustable headband provides the ideal fit, with split construction (Petzl patent); the headband can also be detached and washed Multi LED array headlamps don’t necessarily increase beam distance. But, they come in handy when you want to adjust the light intensity. For example, if you have a 12 LED lamp, you can adjust to use 3, 6, or 12 light modes. Of course, then the Reactive Lighting feature has to be factored in. If you’re looking down more your burn time will be higher (up to 50hrs on RL Max Power). If you’re staring a lot into the distance then it’ll be way shorter (around 2hrs on RL Max Power).

Mostly, I tend to keep the torch in reactive mode, and switched between the three levels. With this, I found the battery life to be very impressive. The Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery is powerful and helps to stop single-use batteries from being wasted.At only 100g, it’s a dynamic headtorch aimed at mountaineers, trail runners, skiers, cyclists etc. who need strong battery life for overnight outdoor pursuits. If you're running in an urban environment, then a head torch of 100-250 lumens should be sufficient. In slightly dimmer areas, something around 300-500 lumens is ideal. And for trail runners, you'll want something above 500 lumens so you can see where you're stepping and the terrain around you. Mixed beam meets the need for high-performance lighting during outdoor activities: proximity or distance vision When choosing the best head torch, you must look at the key features to ensure you find the right model. In the buying guide below, we’ve broken down key features to look at. The complexity of testing the exact timings of the SWIFT's burn time because of RL don't necessarily make this aspect of testing any easier, but having put the SWIFT's battery in the freezer overnight its power was seemingly unaffected (or, if it was, then it was barely noticeable). As such, this should allay the fears of anyone looking to use the SWIFT RL through the colder and more miserable months of the year (which just happen to be the darker months of the year too). Batteries and Charging

One criticism of Petzl headtorch designs has always been that the on/off button has been very small. This can make them hard to operate in gloved hands. Well things haven’t really changed. The switch on the Swift is quite small too. I’ve tried it with various types of gloves and it will work with any I’ve tried, but I would have preferred it bigger. Minimum burn time of 7 hours in REACTIVE LIGHTING® mode (STANDARD level), built to power through long activities Petzl do give burn time figures which say that on the max burn time setting of 100 lumens you should get 10-50hrs. On the standard 300 lumen setting it will be 5-40hrs and on the max power 900 lumen output you can expect 2-30hrs. Furthermore, the headlamp features single button operation whereby a single button gives you control over all head torch functions for ease of use. We like this as it is often difficult to choose the right button when there is more than one.When cycling from dark moors into towns, or running from woodlands to well-lit roads, it’s a really useful feature. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t think to change the brightness level, and so it does mean you get a much longer burn time. The principle behind Reactive Lighting is brilliant. Put simply, the torch will adapt the light output to suit your proximity to an object or terrain. If you are looking at a map the output will drop. Raise your head to view the terrain and the output increases.

By using a combination of a headband and an ‘over-the-top’ strap with adjustable cinches, we found that the Regatta will fit different head sizes and shapes in a secure manner. The torch part itself can also be rotated up or down to optimize the angle of lighting you require. No doubt all headlamps come with an on and off switch. However, lamps that offer other features must include the feature button(s). When choosing a lamp, you want to first focus on finding an ergonomic button or switch. Remember, most of the time you use the lighting tool will be outdoors in the dark.As a general rule, lower lumens of around 10 to 60 lumens best serve close-up tasks. The lumen range is ideal for activities such as pitching your tent and reading. Mid-range brightness levels of about 100 to 150 lumens best serve moderate activities such as local trail runs. It is worth mentioning that the Petzl burn time stats are independently tested using the ANSI Plato FL1 Protocol. This is an independent body that offers manufacturers a standardisation system and is a great step in trying to get some consistency across the marketplace. The beam itself is worth focussing on for a moment. Much though lumens are useful in establishing how bright a torch is, it is just as critical to know how the headtorch uses that light. The SWIFT RL balances the requirements of the climber, runner, skiier and mountaineer, with a good blend of flooding in the foreground and a strong, focussed beam giving you the distance too. I was interested to see whether battery performance would be affected by temperature. A night in a freezer allowed a simple test of that. I completed a run time test between the battery at room temperature and it being run full to empty in a freezer there was negligible difference in performance. I thought this a very impressive result given that this will be a key consideration for winter climbers and polar explorers! Comfort and Usability