The Ultimate PETZL Swift RL Headlamp (1100 Lumens) Review 2024

If you’re going to trail run in the dark, you can’t rely on just the moon (although granted, a full moon is rather glorious).

Your next best friend in this instance is man-made light, and PETZL – who have been leading the charge in outdoor lighting for more than 40 years – has released its latest compact and rechargeable headlamp that features Reactive Lighting technology – and 1100 lumens of brightness, it’s called the PETZL Swift RL Headlamp. 

Weighing in at just 100g, the PETZL Swift RL Headlamp is considered the ultimate multi-sport headlamp for all your outdoor activities – hiking, camping, dog walking, caving, orienteering and, of course, trail running.

The Reactive Lighting technology is the tech that allows a sensor to analyse the ambient light around the user, automatically adjusting brightness to their needs. That’s a bit fancy, eh? It means that if you’ve stopped at an aid station and are looking down at your drop bag, the output of the light will drop; raise your head to look at the trails ahead, and the output will increase. Essentially, it means your battery will last longer.

I should also like to mention that the PETZL Swift RL comes with strobe red lighting for to be extra visible and to signal your location in an emergency situation.

Featuring a single switch, each press of the button cycles you through from max burn time to standard and then max power and then to off. For Reactive Lighting, a longer press will engage that option – the simplicity is spot on. 

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When it comes to comfortability and usability, the headband comes in two-parts, meaning two elastic straps cup the back of the head and hold the torch securely. It’s also reflective in the back, so you remain visible at night, and it held everything in place whilst I was out on the trails. All the usual specs apply to the PETZL Swift RL too – lamp tilt, five level gauge for battery level, storage pouch, and lock function. 

The batteries are not standard AA or AAA, which may work in favour for some while for others, not so much. The PETZL Swift RL comes with a lithium-ion 2350 mAh battery and is rechargable with a USB-C port. 

This is a simple looking, yet highly sophisticated headlamp that should very well be a high priority item in your mandatory kit.