Headlamps
Product 2020
Woman, Man
We will not engage in the rather sterile debate about the autonomy of headlamps dedicated to outdoor sports in general and trail running in particular. In the case this Petzl Swift RL, the beam strength is managed simply and automatically by what the brand calls Reactiv Lightning. You get 10 to 50 hours with a powerful 35-meter light beam (at 100 lumens) and 100 hours for a 12-meter light beam (at 10 lumens!). But the major number noted is 900 lumens between 2 and 30 hours for 150-meter light beam. As you can see, it is difficult to have an idea of the exact power and to compare it with different models on the market. Interesting note: the Swift can be kitted out with an additional 2350 mAh battery.
So we set off to test this headlamp, which has traveled for many months, from Reunion Island for the Grand Raid, to ski touring and trail running excursions in the Chamonix and Oisans mountains.
The power is there and the autonomy never lacking. The Petzl Swift RL provides a basic looking headlamp. We prefer to use the term “easy to use”. This is the type of product that we like: you unpack it, you charge it, and once you’re wearing it, just press the button and go. No need to read a thirty page manual, spend hours on an app, which basically allows the brand to retrieve the customer’s email address and data. Everything is fluid with the Petzl Swift RL.
So we really liked how easy it is to switch on: press a single button to vary the light intensity. If you press the same switch on the right, you lock the lamp.
The other great point: the five-level LED battery charge indication. You always know where you stand in terms of autonomy.
Solid, well made, it displays 100g on our scales. On your head, this compact Petzl Swift RL does have a little inertia when you’re running. We would have seen a slightly longer and thinner format to reduce it dangling and flatten the lamp even more on your forehead. In all other activities the comfort is very good.
One of this lamp’s major positive points is its up/down articulation, which can be used in any direction. You can adjust the lamp up or down, and this adjustment can also be done if you accidentally wear the headlamp upside down (after recharging, for example).
The headband is comfortable but gets dirty quickly: at the forehead and temples. Its adjustment is fast, powerful and practical (except with gloves on). It sits nicely on your head without pressure points. The small reflective strips are reassuring to be seen from behind by motorists.
The choice of colors seems pointless, it is not, it is better to have an orange or blue lamp than black so you can find it easily in your stuff… We would have liked a little protection for the USB socket to avoid mud and grit entering.
The full charging time takes six hours.
The Petzl Swift RL is a simple, reliable, and easy to use product. It is not a gadget but a real headlamp to spend hours in the depths of night without worrying.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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