See and Be Seen with the Best Running Lights

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Whether you’re trying to beat the midday heat or simply don’t have the time to squeeze a run while it’s light out, chances are you’ll have to run at dusk or in the dark at some point (if you haven’t already). And as thrilling as it can sometimes feel to run at night, the low visibility of both you and your surroundings makes for a far more dangerous environment, especially on busy roads and technical trails. Cars might not be able to see you on the former, and you might struggle to see rocks, roots, and other ankle-breaking trail features on the latter. To combat this visibility problem, it’s not a bad idea to have a reliable running light.

If you prefer to run in the early morning or late at night, an effective running light is an essential piece of gear. Not only can powerful models illuminate the path ahead to help you avoid tripping hazards, running lights also alert drivers, pedestrians, and other runners to your presence. And proper running lights sit snugly on your body or your gear as you stride. Ideally, you won’t have to fuss with them during your workout.

Whether you opt for a headlamp, a body-mounted light rig, or a simple set of clip-ons, make sure you’re rocking the best equipment—an unreliable light could leave you in a rough situation if it runs out of juice in the woods, for example. Fortunately, we’ve sought out the lights that have best served us, and we’ve listed our favorites for you here. Read on for quick info on the best running lights, followed by things to keep in mind as you narrow down your options, plus our full reviews.

The Best Running Lights

• Best Overall Headlamp: Black Diamond Sprint 225 Headlamp

• Best Lightweight Headlamp: Petzl IKO Core Headlamp

• Best Value Headlamp: Energizer Vision Ultra HD Headlamp

• Best All-Round Visibility: NoxGear Tracer 2 Light Vest

• Best Value Torso Mount: Avanto Pro Chest Running Light

What to Consider When Choosing Running Lights

To See or Be Seen?

The first thing to consider is whether you’re looking for a light to help you see, to help others see you, or both. While some two-in-one light combos, such as the Avanto Pro, can do both at one, the average single light will serve only one of the two purposes.

For seeing, we recommend a light with a high lumen count—200 to 500 is ideal—and a steady beam. Some fancier lights can also switch between a spotlight and a floodlight, allowing you to change your depth of field on the fly if you’re changing speeds. The one issue: A steady beam isn’t always going to catch the attention of others, even if it’s bright, so it’s not best to bring only this light on a road run, especially if you run in the street.

On the other hand, other lights are made for conditions where you simply need to catch the attention of others, even in better-lit environments like a lamplit street. These LED lights usually offer several different settings, like a flashing or strobe mode, and are more set-it-and-forget-it type lights. These products, however, won’t provide the same all-round illumination as more powerful headlamps and dedicated spotlights.

Mounting Options

If you’re primarily concerned with making sure others can see you, select an option that can clip on or otherwise secure easily to your clothing, as these lights are most likely to stay in place and provide a better picture to other road users of where you’re standing.

On the other hand, if you want the light to follow your line of sight and illuminate potential tripping hazards, we recommend a headlamp or chest-mounted spotlight that you can more easily reach to adjust on the fly.

Waterproofing

If you tend to sweat a lot on your runs, or if you’re trying to tap out some long routes in the rain, look for a light with a high IP water-resistance rating. These indicate a device’s ability to block dust and water from passing through its outer shell, and they can range from IPX0 (no protection) to IPX8 (totally waterproof when submerged for sustained periods). When you see “X” like that in place of the first digit, it means the light hasn’t been tested for dust resistance. If a brand has tested it for that, the number will be between 1 and 6 to represent the device’s ability to filter out solid particles.

For all-weather applications, we recommend looking for an IP rating of 4 or above, but any rating will suffice on a dry evening if you don’t sweat heavily.

How We Selected

Collectively, we’ve been running for decades and frequently head out before the sun rises or has already set. We recognize the importance of visibility for runners, and have experience with a variety of lights and reflectors. We’ve used this insight—as well as extensive online research—to put together this list of options.

We’ve tested the majority of these lights in-house, with several of them undergoing rigorous testing to measure exactly how much light they can put out and for how long. We also evaluated any changes over the long term in their durability and charging speed. We’ve worn them on nighttime runs, packed them away for backpacking trips, and even thrown them on in bed to read books.

For the lights we haven’t tested, we relied on metrics like weight, light output in lumens, waterproofing, fit mechanisms, and price. We then cross-referenced our picks by checking user reviews online to get a better look at each light’s long-term performance in a wider variety of hands. We collected the results of our testing and research below—read on to see the lights we wager will keep you the safest for the longest.

For more great ways to make every run safer, check out our picks for the best headlamps and the best reflective bands for nighttime runs.

Best Headlamps

Sprint 225 Headlamp

It’s simple. It’s lightweight. It’s bright as hell. Black Diamond’s Sprint is one of the sleekest headlamps we’ve tested. We’ve used it in a range of applications, from rainy day runs to backpacking trips, and it has always performed exactly as well as it needs to. Nifty extra touches include a sliding touch-activated brightness adjustment (that even works with gloves) and a perfectly tensioned headband.

One thing to note: The highest brightness setting does dim after about 5 minutes, according to some of our tests. But we found the “medium” setting holds a more than adequate brightness for up to 3 hours.

IKO Core Headlamp

We know how frustrating bulky and heavy headlamps can be, which is why this ultra-lightweight light made our list. It weighs just 2.8 ounces, and unlike similar models that have thick fabric headbands, the IKO Core uses a flexible plastic frame to give it a snug fit around your head. It also, conveniently enough, stands on its own, making it an effective camp light alternative in a pinch.

The IKO Core additionally has a single button, through which you can access all of its functions. That makes it easy and quick to operate without you having to remember which button does what—ideal for a fumble-free trot on a rocky trail.

Vision Ultra HD Headlamp

Who would have guessed that you can find one of our favorite running headlamps at the hardware store? While running wasn’t the original focus when Energizer designed this budget-friendly light, it still outclasses plenty of purpose-built headlamps, especially those that hover around the $20 mark.

The Vision Ultra HD is equipped with a solid variety of settings that make good use of the light’s claimed 400 lumens, including a spotlight that reaches impressively far down the road and a floodlight that can illuminate your feet with ease. The model we tested came with a faulty charger, but we were able to fix it and get back on the road in no time.

Best Body-Mounted Lights

Tracer 2 Running Light

When we were initially acquiring a sample of the Tracer 2 to test for this article, NoxGear’s reps warned us that it might be difficult to capture the full brightness of this light vest on camera. They weren’t wrong—this setup is intensely redundant, relying on a central back light, illuminated shoulder straps, and a reflective waistband to bathe every inch of your torso in light. And despite its slim appearance, it stays in place quite well.

NoxGear also offers a separate light, called the Tracer Lamp, that fixes to the buckle of this vest’s reflective waist strap. It puts out a considerable 500 lumens, it’s rechargeable, and it’s super easy to attach and remove.

Pro Chest Running Light

Sporting a set of front and rear lights for the best balance of seeing and being seen, this chest- and back-mounted combo is ideal for nighttime road runners who want a more secure, mass-centered light fixture than a headband or clip-on.

You can control the beam settings on both lights with a button on the side of the headlight, allowing you to cycle between high, low, and strobe beams. The rear light is quite a bit smaller than the front, but it still does the job plenty well, especially when it’s strobing.

LED Light Up Band Slap Bracelets (6-Pack)

These bands don’t have any straps or buckles to adjust or tighten—you just slap them on your wrist, arm, or ankle. They feature three light modes—full, slow flash, and fast flash. And they’re not wastefully single-use; they run off of replaceable watch batteries. Their full-length LEDs also shine in 360 degrees, unlike other types that only make you visible to people in front or behind.

The lone knock: These bands have lower water-resistance capabilities and can only withstand light to moderate rain. If downpours are in the forecast, consider a different option.

Best Clip-On Lights

HyperBrite Mini Running Lights 2pk

The two powerful LEDs on Nathan's small-but-mighty clip-on lights offer considerable illumination despite their quarter-sized package. And although they're made of a cheaper-feeling plastic, they weigh next to nothing as a result, meaning they can clip almost anywhere on your clothes or gear without bouncing around too egregiously.

These lights cycle through a steady mode, full strobe, and alternating strobe via a quick push of the power button, all of which were bright enough to cast a visible beam on my hands through my t-shirt. Not bad for such tiny lights.

270 Shoe Lights

If you’re looking to take advantage of the most mobile part of your running body—your feet—to boost your visibility even more, check out these clip-on shoe lights. They clamp onto your shoelaces and rest on your shoe’s tongue, holding themselves in place even as you thrash them around at your fastest paces. They also illuminate the ground immediately in front of your feet, which can help you stay on the lookout for tripping hazards as the daylight wanes.

EverLightFX Clip-On Lights

Made to fit almost anywhere, these lights can clip onto a pocket, vest, bag, or whatever other straps you might have on your running gear. Even better, if none of your clothes feel like they could comfortably hold the weight, the EverLightFX comes with adjustable hook-and-loop straps, allowing you to attach these to your arms and legs. They also come in a variety of colors, which offers the functional advantage of having distinct front and rear lights—or the aesthetic advantage of matching the rest of your gear, if that’s more your thing.

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