Which Headlamp Brand Wins?
In our test we compared 18 headlamp options head to head. Fenix came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Fenix
Price shown in test: $121
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Wurkkos
Price shown in test: $53
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The quick take
The short version of why each pick lands where it does, built straight from the measured results.
“If I could only pick one headlamp, I would definitely buy the Fenix. It has a great battery and earned As in every category except for run time.”
Best in 2 of 9 measurements, including Beam Quality and Comfort Rating.
The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Products are listed in the order they finished.
Brightness 15 Min Lm
- 1Fenix1,216
(brightest of all headlamps at 15 minutes)
- 2Coast210
(headlamp automatically lowered power setting after overheating)
- 3Wurkkos474
- 4Nitecore HC68271
- 5Nebo329
- 6Ledlenser9712nd
(second best sustained brightness after Fenix)
- 7Amaker528
- 8Sofirn637
- 9Millertech543
- 10Zmoon661
- 11Zebralight693
held up best of any headlamp with the smallest 15 minute dropoff
- 12Princeton Tec632
- 13Bud K439
described as having overheated
- 14Olightaround424
- 15Lepro496
- 16Danforce221
described as not very much light
- 17Odear288
- 18Mioisy133
Temp 15 (min)
- 1Fenix
pretty hot at 114 F
- 2Coast
pretty hot at 132.2 F
- 3Wurkkos
a little bit hot at around 114 F
- 4Nitecore HC68around122 F
- 5Nebo
a little bit warm at 102 F
- 6Ledlenser
pretty hot at 124 F
- 7Amakeraround99 F
- 8Sofirn
pretty hot at 126 F
- 9Millertech
pretty hot at 127 F
- 10Zmoon
by far the hottest at 154 F
- 11Zebralight
pretty hot at 125 F
- 12Princeton Tecaround130 F
- 13Bud Karound105 F
- 14Olight91 F
- 15Leproaround95 F
- 16Danforce
a little bit warm at around 109 F
- 17Odeararound80 F
- 18Mioisyaround97 F
Weight (g)
- 1Fenix207.71 g
- 2Coast225.59 g
- 3Wurkkosjust over211 g
- 4Nitecore HC68just over169 g
- 5Nebo164.17 g
- 6Ledlenserjust over400 g
- 7Amaker396.91 g
(very heavy)
- 8Sofirn169.43 g
- 9Millertech125.3 g
- 10Zmoon380.46 g
by far the heaviest headlamp tested
- 11Zebralight127.94 g
extremely light
- 12Princeton Tec262.66 g
- 13Bud K371.59 g
- 14Olight220.13 g
- 15Lepro153.07 g
- 16Danforcejust under265 g
- 17Odear164.15 g
- 18Mioisyjust over150 g
Initial Brightness Lm
- 1Fenix2,953
(better than its 2,700 rating)
- 2Coast2,373
(exceeded its 2,075 rating)
- 3Wurkkos2,330
- 4Nitecore HC682,165
(better than its 2,000 rating)
- 5Nebo2,081
- 6Ledlenser1,878
(well below its 4,000 rating)
- 7Amaker1,614
- 8Sofirn1,563
- 9Millertech1,132
- 10Zmoon812
(well below its 100,000 lm claim)
- 11Zebralight713
- 12Princeton Tecjust over700
(better than its 550 rating)
- 13Bud K1,221
- 15Leprojust over670
described as more than twice as bright as the Odear
- 16Danforce334
- 17Odear315
(well below its 40,000 lm claim)
- 18Mioisy239
(well below its 20,000 lm claim)
- 14Olightnot tested
Brightness 30 S Lm
- 1Fenix2,187
(below its 2,700 rating)
- 2Coast2,164
- 3Wurkkosaround2,000
- 4Nitecore HC682,115
- 5Nebo1,985
- 6Ledlenser1,854
- 7Amaker1,503
- 8Sofirn1,115
- 9Millertech1,106
- 10Zmoon785
- 11Zebralight710
- 12Princeton Tecjust under700
- 13Bud K1,135
- 15Lepro653
- 16Danforce322
- 17Odear309
- 18Mioisy199
- 14Olightnot tested
Battery Capacity Test
- 1Fenix
rated 5,000 mA hours, actual 4,890 mA hours, second place among 21700 cells behind Wurkkos
- 2Coast
rated 4,000 mA hours, actual 3,780 mA hours, barely outlasted Olight
- 3Wurkkos
rated 5,000 mA hours, actual 4,927 mA hours, best capacity among the four 21700 cells tested (Fenix second at 4,890)
- 4Nitecore HC68
rated 3,500 mA hours, actual 3,363 mA hours
- 5Nebo
rated 3,200 mA hours, actual 3,267 mA hours, beat its own rating
- 7Amaker
rated 3,000 mA hours, came up over 600 mA short of rating, graded a C
- 8Sofirn
rated 3,000 mA hours, surpassed its rating (exact figure not stated)
- 9Millertech
rated 3,500 mA hours, actual 3,238 mA hours
- 11Zebralight
rated 3,000 mA hours, actual 2,821 mA hours
- 13Bud K
rated a low 1,200 mA hours, actual 1,217 mA hours, met its rating but called awful for an 18650 cell
- 14Olight
rated 4,000 mA hours, actual 3,750 mA hours
- 15Lepro
advertised 2,200 mA hours, actual 2,564 mA hours, called pretty good for a budget headlamp
- 6Ledlensernot tested
- 10Zmoonnot tested
- 12Princeton Tecnot tested
- 16Danforcenot tested
- 17Odearnot tested
- 18Mioisynot tested
Beam Quality
- 1Fenix
best possible rating of 1 for focused beam (tied with Olight, Zebralight, Ledlenser); best possible rating of 1 for broad beam (only headlamp to earn this)
- 2Coast1.5
rating for broad beam (tied with Nitecore and Ledlenser)
- 4Nitecore HC681.5
rating for broad beam (tied with Coast and Ledlenser)
- 6Ledlenser1.5
rating for broad beam (tied with Coast and Nitecore)
- 11Zebralight
best possible rating of 1 for focused beam (tied with Olight, Fenix, Ledlenser)
- 14Olight
best possible rating of 1 for focused beam (tied with Zebralight, Fenix, Ledlenser)
- 3Wurkkosnot tested
- 5Nebonot tested
- 7Amakernot tested
- 8Sofirnnot tested
- 9Millertechnot tested
- 10Zmoonnot tested
- 12Princeton Tecnot tested
- 13Bud Knot tested
- 15Lepronot tested
- 16Danforcenot tested
- 17Odearnot tested
- 18Mioisynot tested
Light Throw
- 1Fenix
did not place in top three throw distances (Zebralight 129 m, Amaker 57 m, Danforce 46 m named)
- 7Amaker57 m2nd
throw distance (10 lux assumption), second best of named throw leaders
- 11Zebralight129 m
best throw distance of the group (10 lux assumption)
- 16Danforce46 m
throw distance (10 lux assumption), third among named throw leaders
- 2Coastnot tested
- 3Wurkkosnot tested
- 4Nitecore HC68not tested
- 5Nebonot tested
- 6Ledlensernot tested
- 8Sofirnnot tested
- 9Millertechnot tested
- 10Zmoonnot tested
- 12Princeton Tecnot tested
- 13Bud Knot tested
- 14Olightnot tested
- 15Lepronot tested
- 17Odearnot tested
- 18Mioisynot tested
All measurements (6 more)+
Total Lm Over Time
- 1Fenix3,131 lm3rd
cumulative, third place behind Ledlenser (4,103) and Princeton Tec (3,260)
- 6Ledlenser4,103 lm
cumulative, tops the list (Princeton Tec second at 3,260, Fenix third at 3,131)
- 12Princeton Tec3,260 lm2nd
cumulative, second place behind Ledlenser (4,103)
- 2Coastnot tested
- 3Wurkkosnot tested
- 4Nitecore HC68not tested
- 5Nebonot tested
- 7Amakernot tested
- 8Sofirnnot tested
- 9Millertechnot tested
- 10Zmoonnot tested
- 11Zebralightnot tested
- 13Bud Knot tested
- 14Olightnot tested
- 15Lepronot tested
- 16Danforcenot tested
- 17Odearnot tested
- 18Mioisynot tested
Comfort Rating
- 1Fenix
best possible rating of 1, most comfortable headlamp
- 4Nitecore HC681.5
rating, very comfortable (tied with Sofirn)
- 8Sofirn1.5
rating, very comfortable (tied with Nitecore)
- 2Coastnot tested
- 3Wurkkosnot tested
- 5Nebonot tested
- 6Ledlensernot tested
- 7Amakernot tested
- 9Millertechnot tested
- 10Zmoonnot tested
- 11Zebralightnot tested
- 12Princeton Tecnot tested
- 13Bud Knot tested
- 14Olightnot tested
- 15Lepronot tested
- 16Danforcenot tested
- 17Odearnot tested
- 18Mioisynot tested
Max Current Test
- 2Coast18 A1st
first place among headlamps tested for max current (Olight 17 A, Nitecore 15 A)
- 4Nitecore HC6815 A3rd
third place among headlamps tested for max current
- 14Olight17 A2nd
second place among headlamps tested for max current
- 1Fenixnot tested
- 3Wurkkosnot tested
- 5Nebonot tested
- 6Ledlensernot tested
- 7Amakernot tested
- 8Sofirnnot tested
- 9Millertechnot tested
- 10Zmoonnot tested
- 11Zebralightnot tested
- 12Princeton Tecnot tested
- 13Bud Knot tested
- 15Lepronot tested
- 16Danforcenot tested
- 17Odearnot tested
- 18Mioisynot tested
Visibility
- 7Amaker
decent visibility at around 75 ft on medium zoom
- 16Danforcearound25 ft
of visibility on medium zoom, focused zoom barely adequate at 75 ft
- 18Mioisy
only about 15 ft of good visibility
- 1Fenixnot tested
- 2Coastnot tested
- 3Wurkkosnot tested
- 4Nitecore HC68not tested
- 5Nebonot tested
- 6Ledlensernot tested
- 8Sofirnnot tested
- 9Millertechnot tested
- 10Zmoonnot tested
- 11Zebralightnot tested
- 12Princeton Tecnot tested
- 13Bud Knot tested
- 14Olightnot tested
- 15Lepronot tested
- 17Odearnot tested
Run Time
- 2Coast
lasted about 9.5 hours on highest setting, best run time of the group
- 12Princeton Tec
lasted about 9 hours on highest setting, second best run time after Coast
- 1Fenixnot tested
- 3Wurkkosnot tested
- 4Nitecore HC68not tested
- 5Nebonot tested
- 6Ledlensernot tested
- 7Amakernot tested
- 8Sofirnnot tested
- 9Millertechnot tested
- 10Zmoonnot tested
- 11Zebralightnot tested
- 13Bud Knot tested
- 14Olightnot tested
- 15Lepronot tested
- 16Danforcenot tested
- 17Odearnot tested
- 18Mioisynot tested
Medium Width Beam
- 1Fenix
amazing visibility at around 150 ft, best of the group
- 2Coastnot tested
- 3Wurkkosnot tested
- 4Nitecore HC68not tested
- 5Nebonot tested
- 6Ledlensernot tested
- 7Amakernot tested
- 8Sofirnnot tested
- 9Millertechnot tested
- 10Zmoonnot tested
- 11Zebralightnot tested
- 12Princeton Tecnot tested
- 13Bud Knot tested
- 14Olightnot tested
- 15Lepronot tested
- 16Danforcenot tested
- 17Odearnot tested
- 18Mioisynot tested
How it was tested
- initial, 30 second, and 15 minute brightness measured in lumens with a light meter
- beam temperature after 15 minutes of use
- weight
- hot spot and spill visibility assessment at set distances
- battery capacity test (mA hours) versus advertised rating
- battery maximum current draw test (amps) for select removable-battery units
- light throw distance in meters using a 10 lux assumption
- subjective beam quality rating for focused and broad beam (1 is best)
- medium width beam visibility distance
- run time until brightness could no longer be sustained
- cumulative total lumens produced across the full test duration
- subjective comfort rating
- drop test from 4, 5, and 6 feet onto concrete
- battery cell voltage sag test at increasing amperage (Ultrafire cell vs Nitecore's own 18650, used only as a battery-quality demonstration, not a headlamp ranking)
“If I could only pick one headlamp, I would definitely buy the Fenix. It has a great battery and earned As in every category except for run time.”
Data notes and caveats
18-headlamp mega comparison (this channel's Products Tested list confirms all 18: Fenix, Coast, Nitecore, Wurkkos, NEBO, Ledlenser, Olight, Amaker, Bud K, Sofirn, Millertech, Zmoon, Zebralight, Princeton Tec, Lepro, Danforce, ODEAR, Mioisy). Several brand names were caption mangled and resolved against the description/tags list and, for Wurkkos, the narrator's own later self-correction: Moosy to Mioisy, Leapro to Lepro, Zeemoon to Zmoon, Miltec/Millertec to Millertech, Workos to Wurkkos. The video does not give one single composite rank across every metric; products[] here is ordered by initial brightness in lumens (the one metric measured for nearly every unit) as a derived, verbatim-sourced ordering, not a rank the video itself declared. The narrator's closing section instead gives an overall pick (Fenix, directly quoted), a compact and value pick (Wurkkos), and an adjustable-lens category pick (Amaker); those are preserved as the winner, budgetPick, and in Amaker's notes respectively. Two genuine data gaps are flagged rather than guessed: Olight has no initial or 30 second brightness figure due to a self-dimming feature, and the Zebralight is said to ship without a battery but is later given a battery capacity result, an unresolved contradiction in the source video. The Ultrafire battery appearing late in the video is a battery-brand quality demo used for comparison, not one of the 18 tested headlamps, and is excluded from products[].
