A Reliable Bright Beam

Pelican HeadsUp Headlamp
Pelican HeadsUp Headlamp

Pelican, the manufacturer of very reliable waterproof cases and flashlights, has a new headlamp called the Pelican HeadsUP Lite 2610 LED! I use their waterproof and submersible flashlights when I’m on the trail, and now for the first time I field tested the Pelican HeadsUp headlamp.

Features I really like:
  • Bright. The HeadsUp definitely holds it own relative to other headlamps I’ve tested, and provides a nice broad beam of bright white light.
  • 2 modes. The HeadsUp has 2 settings: 1 click turns on one LED, and clicking again turns on all 3 LEDS. That’s a nice way to conserve battery power.
  • Easy to reach on/off switch – great when wearing gloves! Since I tend to be using my headlamp at night, I often am also wearing gloves. Therefore, I like headlamps with easy to press buttons, and the HeadsUp has that. It is a bright red colored button on top that I am able to easily switch on and off while wearing fleece gloves.
  • Pelican HeadsUp Lite Brightness
    How bright is the Pelican HeadsUp Light? Click here for a comparison!
  • Good battery life.1 LED = 150 hours of battery life. 3 LED setting = 80 hours of battery life.
  • Light weight. The HeadsUp is pretty streamlined, so I don’t really feel it on my forehead when I use it. Some other headlamps are a bit bulkier and can flop around. The HeadsUp only weighs 3.2 ounces with 3 AAA batteries.
  • Already tilted. Many other headlamps enable you to tilt the light to direct the beam towards your feet or up in front of you. The HeadsUp is positioned at a 45 degree angle, so the area in front of your feet is illuminated. This is nice, but can be limiting if you plan to use it for more than hiking.
  • A rubber strap to grip helmets! This is the first headlamp I’ve seen that comes with 2 straps – the standard adjustable cloth strap, and also a rubber strap that grips tightly to a climbing helmet (or a hardhat). I tried it on my climbing helmet, and it was a much better fit and felt a lot more secure than just using the standard strap found on all headlamps. This is a nice option, especially for mountaineers and rockclimbers!
Features that could be added:
  • Red night vision setting. A few other headlamps on the market have this feature. It is nice if you’re star gazing and don’t want to ruin your night vision.
  • Waterproof? Pelican is well-known for their diving equipment and submersible flashlights, so I was a little surprised to see the molded rubber cover for the battery compartment. It doesn’t appear to be waterproof.

Overall I like the Pelican HeadsUp headlamp for camping and backpacking. It is a good value, and certainly a better value than some of the competition.

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