Petzl Nao RL Headlamp

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The Petzl Nao RL is a high-performance headlamp with intelligent lighting technology, balance, comfort, and extreme power. It is designed for athletes moving quickly on technical terrain.

Petzl says: 

Ergonomic, ultra-powerful, and rechargeable headlamp featuring REACTIVE LIGHTING® technology. 1500 lumens.

The iconic choice for trails and ultra-running! The NAO® RL rechargeable headlamp provides 1500 lumens of brightness and weighs just 145 grams. Comfortably balanced, the headband is easily adjustable and maintains excellent support throughout long and committing races. With REACTIVE LIGHTING® technology, the brightness automatically adapts to the ambient light. Manual operations are reduced and burn time is optimized. Additionally, red lighting at the rear of the headlamp allows you to remain visible at night.

Our Verdict

The Petzl Nao RL is a high-performance headlamp that combines intelligent lighting technology, balance, comfort, and extreme power. It is designed for athletes moving quickly on technical terrain. Nao RL features Reactive lighting technology that automatically adjusts brightness to suit the terrain. This means you don’t have to worry about changing the brightness, as the headlamp will do it for you. This is especially helpful when you’re moving quickly, say on a trail run, and do not have time to fiddle with the settings. The feature can be turned off, and you can opt to use one constant output setting if you choose, which is a better option if you are conserving battery.

The NAO RL can kick out an impressive 1500 lumens of brightness. This is a lot of light, and it will be more than enough for most activities. This will also use a lot of battery, but having that amount of power in an emergency situation could be a lifesaver.

The ergonomic shape means the headtorch is comfortable to wear for prolonged periods; the battery house is located around the back of the head. I admit, at first, this took a little getting used to, as I am more familiar with “traditional head torches”, but the better spread of weight made the head torch very comfortable.

The Petzl Nao RL uses a USB-C charging port, which charges quickly and efficiently. It also has a battery status indicator to see how much battery life you have left. The battery can also be removed and can be used as an emergency power bank, which is a fantastic feature.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Please note: We cannot ship this item outside of the UK as it contains a Lithium Battery.

Features

• Ultra-bright and lightweight: 1500 lumens for a weight of only 145 g
• Lighting for movement automatically adapts to ambient light:
  – Wide, uniform beam so you can comfortably see up-close or at your feet
  – Mixed beam (wide and focused) allows for proximity and distance vision for movement
  – Three white lighting levels: MAX BURN TIME, STANDARD (better power/burn time balance), and MAX POWER
  – Longer burn time, greater visual comfort, and less manual operation with REACTIVE LIGHTING® mode, which allows the light sensor to automatically adjust brightness and beam pattern, optimizing battery usage
  – Minimum burn time of 5 hours in REACTIVE LIGHTING® mode (STANDARD level), built to power through long activities like trail running and ultra-running
  – Red lighting, continuous or strobe, at the rear of the headlamp, and a separate button to quickly turn it on or off
• Ergonomic:
  – The battery pack is in the rear to distribute the weight of the headlamp over the entire head, making it balanced and comfortable to wear
  – Thin and flexible front plate, to better adapt to different head shapes
  – Quick and easy rear adjustment
  – Additional top strap for optimal support
  – Lithium-Ion 3200 mAh battery, rechargeable with a type C USB port
  – Carry a spare battery for long distance trail runs, or simply to switch out the battery when it dies (R1 battery available as an accessory)
  – Battery charge indicator with five-level gauge for precise monitoring of the battery charge level
  – Rechargeable R1 battery can be used as a spare battery to charge other devices, such as phones or watches
  – LOCK function to avoid accidentally turning on the lamp during transit or storage, or to lock lighting settings during your activity
  – Reflective headband to remain visible at night
  – Storage pouch allows you to turn the headlamp into a lantern in STANDARD mode, or carry an additional battery

Specifications

• Weight (including battery): 144g
• Brightness: 1500 lumens (ANSI FL 1 Standard)
• Technology: REACTIVE LIGHTING® or STANDARD LIGHTING
• Beam pattern: Wide or mixed
• Energy: 3200 mAh Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (included)
• Charging time: 3.5 h
• Certification(s): CE
• Watertightness: IPX4 (weather-resistant)

Lighting Performance

Reactive Lighting

• Max Burn Time (white light): 250 lumens / 70 metres / 10 hours (reserve 10 lm for 2h)
• Standard (white light): 550 lumens / 100 metres / 5 hours (reserve 10 lm for 2h) 
• Max Power (white light): 1500 lumens / 200 metres / 2 hours (reserve 10 lm for 2h)
• Continuous (red light): 2 lumens / 5 metres / 60 hours 
• Strobe (red light): visible at 700 m for 400 h

Standard Lighting

• Max Burn Time (white light): 10 lumens / 10 metres / 80 hours (reserve 10 lm for 2h)
• Standard (white light): 250 lumens / 70 metres / 5 hours (reserve 10 lm for 2h)
• Max Power (white light): 900 lumens / 140 metres / 2 hours (reserve 10 lm for 2h)
• Continuous (rear red light): 2 lumens / 2.5 metres / 78 hours 
• Strobe (rear red light): visible at 150 m for 400 h

Help & advice:

• Choosing a Headtorch