Claymore Heady+ headlamp review: mighty morphin’ power torch

Claymore Heady+: first impressions

Perhaps more than any other category (besides GPS watches), the technology used in head torches seems to have progressed at light speed since I’ve been reviewing outdoor kit. But as they get cleverer, many of the best headlamps have become prohibitively expensive, with price tags drifting well north of $100 / £100, which puts them beyond the reach of many people who would love to go night hiking and camping.

How refreshing, then, to see what appears to be an innovative and robustly constructed headlamp like the Claymore Heady+ being released for half that price (and this is the brand’s top-end model, there are several more torches in the Claymore range that are much cheaper than the Heady+).

At least, it all looks good on paper. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been testing the Heady+ out in the wilds to see how it really performs in comparison to the very best headlamps available today, as well as assessing its performance next to the best flashlights on the market.

Claymore Heady+: design and inclusions

The Claymore Heady+ is a single-unit head torch, with an integrated rechargeable battery contained within the same housing as the optics. It’s water resistant (but not submergible) and is available in a couple of colors.

The Heady+ comes with a headband, and when it’s worn as a headlamp, the weight is all up the front. Also included is an integrated hinged clip (complete with a fold-out hang hook) that can be used with or without the headband (to stand the unit up on a camping table, or suspend it from a backpacking tent guy line for example), and a second crocodile clip, for extra attachment options.

There’s also a threaded quarter-inch screw socket on the bottom of the unit (which you’ll find next to the USB port), which enables you to mount the lamp on a tripod or even bike bars (if you have a suitable connector).

Besides the lighting unit, the headband and the clips, the Heady+ also comes with a handy storage pouch and a short charging cable (USB-C).

Meet the reviewer

Pat Kinsella

Pat has run thousands of miles on the trails, and has taken part in an ultra across the roof of Mauritius, as well as setting short-lived records for trail-running Australia’s highest peaks and New Zealand’s Great Walks. He’s also an experienced tester of running gear, and gives kit a thorough thrashing before handing in his reviews.

Claymore Heady+: beam options

Featuring two main bulbs and ring of smaller LED lights, the Heady+ has five different main modes:

• Focused (8°), where the large bulb lights up and throws a narrow beam over a long distance (up to 90m)
• Focused (25°), where the smaller bulb is activated, spreading a wide beam and lighting up your immediate surrounds
• Turbo, when both main bulbs fire up, providing both long-range (up to 150m) and peripheral illumination
• Flood, where the smaller surround LEDs come on, providing a lantern-like glow
• A pre-programmed S.O.S. Strobe, which emits the globally recognized signal to indicate you need emergency assistance

It’s extremely easy to activate this headlamp and toggle between its modes, with two large, very locatable buttons on the top of the unit (an ON/OFF switch, and another one to change settings). On each of the settings you can control the brightness of the beam (from 35 to 400 lumens) by holding the ON/OFF button down.

On the maximum brightness level in either of the Focused settings you get six hours of light, but this can be increased to 70 hours by dialling the brightness right down. To activate the S.O.S. signal, you depress the mode-changing button on the left for two seconds. The Flood mode is available in three ‘warmth’ settings (measured in Kelvin): Cool White (6,200K), Natural White (4,200K) and Warm White (3,000K).

The lamp remembers what setting it was on when turned off, and will return to that mode when you switch it back on. You can also lock the light by holding the left (mode changing) button down for five seconds while the lamp is off. There is an indicator gauge on the top that tells you how much juice is left in the battery.

Claymore Heady+: in the field

I’ve been enjoying using the Claymore Heady+ in a range of outdoor scenarios over the last month. It has proven itself super useful during the long dark nights of late winter, and I’ve found it very easy to operate, even with hiking gloves on.

Before I get into what it’s best used for, I’ll quickly say what it doesn’t do well. All the weight is carried on the front of this lamp, and while it’s not as heavy or chunky as a handheld torch, neither is it a particularly a svelte piece of kit. And the headband isn’t breathable. Suffice to say, it’s not a great headlamp for night runners or for use during dynamic activities that will see you jigging up and down and working up a sweat – but that’s not what it’s been designed for.

Where the Claymore Heady+ excels is as a headlamp for hiking, backpacking and camping adventures. While it might not appear so at first glance, the range of light settings on this torch is actually brilliant and very well thought through.

For after-dark hiking, the narrow focus beam is superb for lighting up the trail far ahead; the wide beam is ace for seeing obstacles directly ahead; and the Turbo mode, when both of these settings are activated together, illuminates all of your surroundings, enabling you to see undulations and potential trip hazards near and far.

So far, so standard – most head torches offer this level of functionality, albeit with varying degrees of sophistication. However, you can then control the level of lighting on each of these settings, which empowers you to conserve battery life for an impressively long time (most headlamps have preset levels of brightness and claim each of these as a extra ‘mode’).

But what I really love about this torch is the Flood setting. To be completely honest, when I first activated it I was a bit confused, because it’s pretty useless when the unit is being worn on your forehead, but that was user error on my part: I should have taken it off the headband altogether. This function essentially transforms the Heady+ from a headlamp into a very effective lightweight camping lantern, perfect for use during backpacking escapades. With three ‘warmth’ levels – Cool White, Natural White and Warm White – the flood settings very capably and comfortably light up a whole tent or hut.

The integrated clip on this torch tilts, so you can direct the beam towards the trail in front of you. This versatile clip can also be used without the headband, and the inclusion of a fold-out hang hook, a crocodile clip and a screw socket means you can position the lamp in all kinds of very useful ways.

The Heady+ is quick to charge, and the burn times (even on pretty bright settings) are very impressive. The range of the various beams is excellent (up to 90m on the Focused settings, boosted to 150m when the Turbo mode is fired up).

My only serious criticism of the Claymore Heady+ is that it lacks any color beam options, such as green, red and blue, which can prove so useful in a whole range of scenarios, from reading a map or locating something without shattering your night vision to finding your way out of a tent or dorm without waking everyone else up.

In a perfect world I’d also like to see a small rear light for safety when night hiking on lanes shared with traffic, and the capability to use an extra battery pack for longer expeditions. But overall it’s an excellent headlamp, particularly considering its price point.

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