Planning to go on a night-time fishing trip and looking for the best fishing headlamps? When you are searching for the best headlamp for fishing at night, you will find it a bit difficult to choose from the plethora of options already available in the market. It requires a lot of knowledge, time & patience to search through all the available headlamps for fishing and choosing the best one.
We have cut your work short by reviewing the top 4 best headlamps for night fishing.
Quick Overview – Best Headlamps for Fishing at Night
- Best All Around Headlamp for Fishing at Night: Soft Digits Headlamp
- Best Value Fishing Headlamp: Ultra Bright CREE LED Headlamp
- The Brightest Headlamp for Night Fishing: No products found.
- Best Quality Fishing Headlamp: Odear Super Bright Headlamp
Quick Comparison – Best Fishing Headlamps
Buying Guide
Night fishing is different from regular fishing sessions. The better the vision, the better will be the night fishing experience. When buying the best fishing headlamps, there are a few factors you need to consider and a few features you need to look for in the headlamps, be it for a night-time ice fishing trip or a warmer nocturnal adventure.
This buyer’s guide will help you to see how to pick the best night fishing headlamps, one that allows you to fish with your favorite methods as proficiently as possible. Let’s get started!
Lumens
The brightness of a headlamp is measured in Lumens. Since you are going to fish at night, you need a headlamp with high power, thus with higher lumens. The brightness of the headlamp depends on your fishing needs. If you are using the headlamp only to view your immediate area, then you don’t need a headlamp with a high lumen rating.
However, if you need to look farther and deeper into the lake, for example when ice fishing with tip-ups, then you require a powerful lumen rating. Usually, headlamps have several settings which allow you to choose the strength of the light according to your situation and need.
Brightness Modes
Fishing headlamps have various brightness modes. Depending on the situation and circumstance, you would need to switch through various modes. Thus, make sure you buy a headlamp with various brightness modes.
Style and color of the beam
The style of the beam or light modes also matters. Some headlamps have a spotlight style while others have a flood style of the beam. Additionally, the zooming feature of the beam can be important.
With the help of this feature, you can zoom out to have a wide beam and zoom in to get a narrow beam. With the help of the narrow beam, you can point the light specifically, and the wide beam gives you a broader field of vision.
Another thing that you need to look at is the color of the beam. Usually, headlamps provide white and red light modes. White light helps in luring fish as well as providing ideal lighting. The red beam helps in preserving your night vision, which allows you to do close up work.
Comfort
Another factor that you need to look at before buying the headlamp is comfort. Fishing is meant to be a time-intensive activity, and having a comfortable to wear headlamp allows you to fish in peace for hours. If you end up buying an uncomfortable product, your money will be wasted since you will probably not use it again.
The comfortability of the headlamp depends on the material of the headband, the weight of the lamp, and the adjustability of the headband. There are headlamps with T-straps, which are more secure than single straps.
Look for lamps that have a soft, elastic headband. The softer the band is, the more comfortable it will be to wear it. The adjustability of the headband also matters so that you get a band that slides up or down. What also adds to the comfort of the headband is its weight. The lighter it is, the less will be the chance of the band slipping down.
Waterproof
Since you are out fishing, chances are that your headlamp will get splashed with water one way or the other. If the headlamp is not waterproof, it might stop working after getting doused with water. Therefore, it is reasonable to buy a waterproof headlamp.
IP ratings show how well a headlamp is protected from water and dust. The higher the IP rating, the better protected the headlamp is. Look for IP ratings of at least 4 or above. If there is a chance that your headlamp is going to be submerged in the water, then you should get a completely waterproof headlamp with an IP rating of 6 or even 7+.
Battery
Battery life can be an important specification to look out for as well. Long battery life means that you can fish for long hours before you need to charge the headlamp or replace the batteries. If you have access to switches, then you can buy a headlamp with a rechargeable battery. If not, then you should look for a headlamp that comes with replaceable batteries.
Furthermore, you should know the relation between brightness and battery. The higher the brightness of the headlamp, the faster its battery will drain. Thus, if you are using the headlamp at a high brightness level, then the headlamp will fade out quickly, instead of offering hours of battery life.
So, if you need high brightness, then you need to get a high power battery, which will last for a long time while operating at a high brightness level.
Cost
A higher price tag does not necessarily guarantee high quality. The costly headlamps may offer more features, but some headlamps come at a reasonable cost while offering excellent features as well.
Generally, LED lights offer a good price / value proposition and value for money!
You need to keep your requirements in mind, and then buy a headlamp which fulfills those needs as much as possible instead of buying an expensive one with functions you are not even going to use.
The Best Headlamp for Fishing at Night – Our Top Picks
The Best Headlamp for Fishing at Night
Soft Digits Headlamp
Pros
- Comfortable
- Adjustable Head Strap
- Very bright: 12000 Lumens
- Main light mode: 8 hours runtime
- Zoomable
- Outstanding Price / Value
Cons
- Slightly bulky
The first product on our list today is the Soft Digits Headlamp and for good reason it occupies the pole position. It has an incredibly high lumens rating of 12.000 which means that you can light up an area of approx. 500 metres with relative ease. The lamp has 5 lights that work together to create a powerful, bright lighting system. The light can tilt at 90 degrees which makes repositioning the lamp pretty easy.
The headlamp is made of aluminum alloy and ABS. These materials help in giving you a stylish and durable headlamp, which you can take with you when fishing at night. The headlamp is rechargeable. Once charged, it lasts for 4 hours at maximum brightness, or 8 hours on normal mode. What’s more, this light is waterproof so you do not have to worry about getting it wet and damaging it.
It is comfortable and the head strap is adjustable. Since the center light of this headlamp is zoomable, you can easily see long distances. It has 4 modes and you can use them according to your requirements.
Amazon
The Best Value Night Fishing Headlamp
Ultra Bright CREE LED Headlamp
Pros
- Easy Handling
- IPX6 Waterproof
- Long battery life – we are talking days
- Light
- Compact
- Cheap
Cons
- Not as bright as others
The Ultra Bright CREE LED Headlamp provides you two color choices – white and red. The white light is perfect when you want to see deep into the water. On the other hand, the red light helps in preserving your night vision. There are easy to reach buttons on the top of the headlamp for each light. There are 5 modes to choose from and there is a light option for SOS as well. In general, if you are looking for a cheap headlamp that is easy to use, this is the one.
What also makes this headlamp great is that you can tilt the beam angle up or down in 5 different positions. It has an IPX6 rating, which means that you can rest assured that it will not be damaged by water. If you drop it from a distance of 5 feet, it will likely not break since it is shockproof.
Nevertheless, it is no doubt a cheap night fishing headlamp, without compromising too much on quality. The stylish headband and curved forehead panel fit easily on your head. The lamp uses AAA batteries which last for quite some time, days even.
Amazon
The Brightest Headlamp for Night Fishing
No products found.
No products found.Pros
- Very Bright
- Adjustable Beam
- Durable
- One-Year Warranty
- IPX55 Waterproof
Cons
- The lid of the battery compartment reportedly comes off frequently
What makes the MsForce LED headlamp unique is the fact that it has 5 LEDs, which give a super bright light of 1200 lumens. With this bright light, you can see for a long distance and penetrate the darkness of night easily.
Not only is the headlamp bright, but it also has the feature to adjust the beam. You can pinpoint the beam, or you use a wider beam to light up a large surface area. It’s all about you and your requirements with this headlamp.
Furthermore, the lamp comes with 4 different modes. The battery saver option and the strobe options are pretty helpful. If you use the headlamp with battery saver mode, it can last for up to 20 hours easily.
It is a rechargeable headlamp. The product comes with an in-built wall charger. It takes only a few hours for the headlamp to be completely charged. This product is waterproof with IPX55 rating as well; thus, you no longer have to worry about water damage when you have this headlamp.
Amazon
The Best Quality Fishing Headlamp
Odear Super Bright Headlamp
Pros
- One strong, very bright beam
- Illuminating areas even even on long distance
- Long Lasting
- Lightweight
Cons
- Rather Pricey
The last product on our list is the Odear Super Bright Night Fishing Headlamp. It is a rechargeable headlamp which supports hands-free operation. This means that you can continue fishing without worrying about handling the lamp.
It only has 2 operating modes (high/low), but even on high you get minimum 6 hours battery time. The headlamp is waterproof with an IPX4 rating, thus taking another problem out of the equation.
As you can see in the picture, the strong light produces a focussed, incredibly bright beam that will illuminate the night easily. At the same time, it is incredibly lightweight. A really solid, quality choice for a headlamp for fishing at night!
AmazonBest Fishing Headlamps – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How can the brightness of a fishing headlamp be measured?
The brightness of a fishing headlamp is measured in terms of lumens. It tells how bright the source of light is. Most of the headlamps for fishing have a high lumen rating.
LED lamps are usually present, which last for a long time and consume less energy.
Which color is best in a fishing headlamp?
The different colors of the headlamp are for use in various conditions. The red color is optimal because it attracts fewer bugs. Fishes don’t get scared and flee from red-colored light as well, which is very beneficial when you are fishing.
White light, on the other hand, is stronger and more powerful than red light. You should get a headlamp with both white and red light, and use them according to the situation.
What is the source of power for a fishing headlamp?
The power sources vary according to the manufacturers and models of the headlamps. Mostly, fishing headlamps use batteries. AAA batteries, as well as NiMH batteries, are used. Rechargeable batteries are also present in some headlamps, which is a great, more sustainable option.
Why should headlamps be used instead of flashlights?
Headlamps have several benefits over flashlights. The main one is that they give you the freedom of using your hands, which is not allowed when you are holding a torch.
Thus, it is ideal to use a headlamp while fishing instead of a flashlight so that your hands can be free to fish comfortably.
What should I look out for if I want to buy the most sustainable fishing headlamp?
Mainly durability and the previously mentioned battery usage. Some options come with a lifetime warranty, which ensures that A it will be very durable, as otherwise such a guarantee would not make sense for the manufacturer and B if it breaks it will be repaired, which is always preferable to it being trashed. Finally, if you can, go for a rechargeable model.
Can you point me to a discussion on different fishing headlamps?
Sure can, check out the fishraider forum!