BioLite makes several quality headlamps. My wife and I carry the BioLite 330 in our packs as part of our 10 essentials. The BioLite 330 meets most of our needs: bright, lightweight, rechargeable, comfortable, and easy to use. BioLite has upgraded the BioLite 330 with the new BioLite 425. With new features including a larger power button, rear red light with solid or strobe mode, four hours on HIGH, recharge via USB-C, and Pass-Thru Charging to an external powerbank for extended runtimes, the BioLite 425 is a solid choice for most people, and I highly recommend it.

The BioLite 750 headlamp (and the new 800) is designed for longer and more serious pursuits. The BioLite 750 got off to a rocky start. There were problems with the power switch that rendered the headlamp useless. BioLite has corrected the problem, and their customer service department replaced units with failed switches. The BioLite 750 was the first Biolite headlamp with Pass-Thru Charging and Constant Mode.

Most headlamps auto-regulate brightness to extend battery life. This means dimming over time. Since our eyes adjust to the darkness, the works well in many cases. However, there are times when you don’t want the light to dim, and that’s why BioLite built in an optional constant output mode. This mode shortens battery life considerably, but that’s where Pass-Thru Charging comes in. You can attach a cable from the headlamp to a powerbank to extend the runtime of the headlamp.

Another great feature is Burst mode. Burst mode increases the output to 750 lumens for up to 30 seconds. I use this feature to extend my sight range, a handy feature when the trail becomes indistinct, or to spot wildlife out of normal range (like a big horn sheep on a night hike in the Grand Canyon.) The only gripe I have with the BioLite 750 (and 800) is it uses a micro USB port instead of a USB-C. (The BioLite 425 was upgraded to USB-C, I don’t know why the BioLite 800 wasn’t.)

I enjoy night hiking and trail running; there are things you see at night and in the twilight hours that most people never experience. And BioLite headlamps, with their quality and versatility, are always a part of my kit.

DISCLAIMER: This is my standard note that the opinions in the gear reviews are my own. All the equipment was purchased with my own funds (unless it was a gift from a friend or family member) and I didn’t receive any compensation from any of the vendors. All links are for your convenience, and I don’t receive any ‘click’ revenue, or even track that sort of thing. In fact, I don’t include links for many of the items mentioned since links change, and you can just google the product yourself.