Petzl's flagship headtorch, the Nao, has been improved to new heights with the introduction of the Nao +. It now features a massive 750 lumen max output, reactive lighting and Bluetooth connectivity.
The NAO+ is THE premier headtorch for off road night runners and with the 750 lumens you'll be able to light up the trail for hundreds of metres ahead, allowing you to concentrate on your running and not what the terrain ahead is like. The innovative REACTIVE LIGHTING technology of the NAO+ analyzes ambient light and instantly adjusts the brightness to the needs of the athlete. This means longer battery life and less fiddling between modes to find the right light for your surroundings. Basically it automatically makes the torch brighter when its very dark, or less bright when it not so dark. You can of course override this function if you require constant level of light output.
The cradle for the NAO+ is incredibly light and comfortable, and adjustable with a single pull. The battery pack is USB rechargeable, has an integrated red flashing safety light and gives you up to 6 hours on full power (750 lumens in Reactive Mode).
The NAO+'s Bluetooth connectivity means that athletes can consult their smartphone or tablet in real time to check remaining burn times and adjust headlamp performance accordingly all through the MyPetzl Light App. You can download tailored profiles designed for specific activities, such as trail running or mountaineering, or create their own personalised ones. You don't need the App to be able to use this headtorch.
Buyers Guide To Lighting.What should you never go out into the hills without???? This key little piece of equipment is not just there to help guide you through your night time adventures but it can be an emergency beacon and signalling device too. It can literally save your life!
When faced with a wall of torches it is likely one of the key pieces of information visible is how many lumens each torch will emit. A lumen describes the amount of light radiated showing how bright a torch may be.
A good headtorch will offer a choice of beam type; a spot light and a flood light, with some having intelligent lighting that adjusts beam type and distance automatically. Others can link to an app on your phone allowing you to manage output and therefore battery life. A lot of torches have “regulated output” so they remain bright for a majority of their battery life and then die quickly. Make sure you have spare batteries or a powerbank to hand. Look out for a torch with a locking facility to stop it accidentally turning on in your backpack and draining the power.
Weight and bulk should also be a serious consideration depending on the activities you wish to use your torch for.
Any of the brands we sell have been through a stringent design, quality and testing process. In some cases this includes real world, low tech testing involving dropping from height, immersing in buckets of water and dropping large metal blocks on prototype torches before they are allowed anywhere near the marketplace.
Buy well, buy once.
Top Tips:
In rain or snow move the light from your head to chest height (i.e: on a pack strap) this is more comfortable for your eyes and improves your vision. This technique also works really well in still, damp cold conditions – with the light at chest height the light will not reflect off the water molecules that condense in front of your face as you breath out.
An orange light option preserves night vision but still allows you to read contours on maps. This function can work well for ultra’s or orienteering.
Try it on. Elastics come in a variety of widths and even if you are planning on using your torch on a helmet there will be times it will be on your head in camp. If you wear a pony tail – make sure it fits!
Outdoor Gear Chat Podcast
Cathy and Wayne take a light hearted look at the science of headtorches: