Only a couple of lamps here are lighter weight than the Byte, but none are more affordable. Of course, there are tradeoffs with a budget headlamp. In this case, you get just one white LED that has two brightness settings (plus a very dim red LED), and neither is all that bright. But if you’re out before the birds, doing laps around your familiar neighborhood loop, and want just a little more visibility between the streetlights, the Byte gets the job done. “I keep a Byte in my travel bag, so I know I always have a headlamp wherever I go,” Dengate says. “And, because it takes AAA batteries, I’m almost never left in the dark.” Silva’s Trail Runner Free H headtorch might have been conceived for running (the clue’s in the name) but in truth its appeal is far broader. After all, some of the key requirements for runners – light weight, reliably robust, powerful and adaptable illumination – apply to almost any user of headtorches, and particularly to hill and mountain walkers. The five levels of brightness and their corresponding battery levels are excellent too with a high of 950 lumens (that’s impressively bright!) lasting 48 mins, while the one you’re most likely to use for trail running– the 400 lumen mode – lasts an impressive three hours. Stopping off at Greg's Hut, after descending Cross Fell during a two day run from Middleton to Hadrian's Wall

Trail Runner Free H is a comfortable and lightweight headlamp for everyone who loves running. Its features and light beam are optimized for a runner’s needs. Free H comes with a rechargeable Hybrid battery (1.25 Ah/4.6 Wh) and the Hybrid battery case. The only real downside is that the HR7 is not sleek-looking and is a bit of a heavy beast, at over twice the weight of most of the others here (259g), hence the nice, wide, comfy headband and overhead strap. However this does also mean it should take a fair beating to break. A good one for children or teens, a little less so for running fast and light. The standout feature of Silva’s range of head torches is their Intelligent Light® technology. Silva have focussed on creating beam patterns that are adapted to how our eyes work. We love the quality of the beam pattern which works superbly in the real world and the smooth transition of the light is less tiring on the eyes. You can just look ahead naturally as you would when walking in the daytime.

If you run in technical terrain and need even more light, our multi-torches are a good choice. Choose between the powerful Exceed 4R with 2000 lumens, Trail Speed 5R with 1200 lumens or Cross Trail 7R with 600 lumens. You can buy more head torch accessories for the multi-torches and use them for other sports such as cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, mountain biking, biking and mountaineering. On this fifth generation of our original running headlamp, we present a new kind of technology where the power cord is integrated into the headband. We call it Free Technology – a comfortable headlamp experience without distracting cords or tangled wires. No hassle – Just free the energy. On this fifth generation of our original running headlamp, we present a new kind of technology where the power cord is integrated into the headband.Silva call it Free Technology – a comfortable headlamp experience without distracting cords or tangled wires. No hassle – Just free the energy. The Trail Runner Free series is made for running in every aspect. All three headlamps feature Silva Intelligent Light. This means that you get a double light beam technology in your headlamp, with light settings that are perfect for running.A unique combination of a long reach spotlight and a close flood-light, results in less head movement, better control, improved balance, less fatigue and higher speed. There is even a great swivel bezel on the lamp to give you full control of the flood or spotlight beam. The plastic lamp housing and design aren’t as sleek or stylish and don’t seem quite as durable as some of the others here, but who can argue with this price tag?

Whilst it's hard comparing each side by side exactly, it does feel like - at least in terms of the investment - the Trail Runner Free would have benefitted from a few extra lumens, just to make it stand a little further above the competition - either that or being a little bit cheaper. Whether it is the right choice for you may come down to how much you value some of those unique features. Summary Go Far Or Go Fast: Choose Trail Runner Free 2 Ultra if you want to go for really long sessions with the 4.0 Ah (14.8 Wh) long-distance battery. With Free 2 Ultra you also get the Hybrid battery case which can be used with either 3 x AAA batteries or by complementing it with a Hybrid battery (1.25 Ah/4.6 Wh). That middle light level lasts an impressive five hours and the rechargeable lithium battery makes sure it doesn’t gradually fade out, but should you need to recharge it you can swap in three AAA’s, which is nice and versatile. The 30 lumen minimum is good for 18 hours in an emergency or reading in your tent. The Trail Runner Free series is made for running in every aspect. All three headlamps feature Silva Intelligent Light. This means that you get a double light beam technology in your headlamp, with light settings that are perfect for running. Our unique combination of a long reach spotlight and a close flood-light, results in less head movement, better control, improved balance, less fatigue and higher speed.Trail Runner Free has a brightness of 400 lumens which with the smart light image provide plenty of light during your running session. You will both see where you put your feet and get strong lighting in the distance. Trail Runner Free H is a comfortable and lightweight headlamp for everyone who loves running. Its features and light beam are optimised for a runner’s needs. Free H comes with a rechargeable Hybrid battery (1.15 Ah) and the Hybrid battery case. When you find the perfect running headlamp you will forget that you even have it on. While lighting performance is definitely important when choosing the right headlamp, how it feels is top priority in my book, if it is too heavy or uncomfortable it becomes a loathsome irritation instead of a valuable implement. The key to finding the ideal headlamp is to find one that feels like an extension of yourself, one that is lightweight, well balanced and has a comfortable fit. The Silva Trail Runner Free H hits those marks with one very small exception.

When it comes to brightness and burn time, the Trail Runner Free H has three settings. Being a Scandinavian brand, hence used to developing products that will be used throughout a wide range of temperatures, Silva provide additional performance stats for cold and hot environments. Most people will be aware that the cold has a negative effect on battery life, but very few people will ever have seen a quantifiable measure on exactly what that may be, so hats off to Silva here, because it's an important factor to take into account during the winter months. Trail Speed 5R is a head torch that combines 1200 lumens with a flexible lightweight battery (2.0 Ah). This is the perfect head torch for those who run on trails and want plenty of light at a low weight.

Silva Trail Runner Free is a super smart, brilliantly bright light, made with Swiss precision to fulfill all the needs of nightrunner

In use, there are different lumen settings of 50, 200 and 400. You press the button on the headlamp to move through the light settings. The button is a good size and easy to locate with your hand/finger while wearing the heard torch. As such, it has its own magnetic, waterproof charger connection to USB rather than the more common Micro USB seen in the others here. Silva isn’t the most well-known headlamp brand in the United States, but the Sweden-based company has spent a few decades developing equipment for outdoor exploration. While they’re best known for their compasses and navigational equipment, they’ve also recently developed a robust line of handheld and head-mounted lighting systems. We tested their Trail Speed 4XT lamp last spring, which is more of an expedition-size piece in comparison to the Trail Runner Free H, which is designed for faster and lighter movement. USB-rechargeable hybrid battery (1.15Ah) - designed to use in combination with the Hybrid battery case. Petzl have made a great headlamp with the Swift RL, which is lightweight (just 102g / 3.6oz) but gives out 550 lumens of brightness on max power for two hours.