Review: Petzl Swift RL head torch for runners and walkers

As I have said before, . For a successful outing, you need a good quality head torch. I look for good light output (above 450 lumens), small size, lightweight, high comfort and battery longevity. I have been testing the new Petzl Swift RL head torch for runners and walkers.

Features of Petzl Swift RL head torch

Light output: Up to 900 lumens
2 x light beam modes: Standard (steady) and reactive
Light beam brightness: Standard: 10, 200, 550 lumens; reactive: 100, 30 & 900 lumens.
Button lock/unlock function
Beam pattern: Flood or mixed
Battery: 2350 mAh Lithium-Ion rechargeable
Charging time: 6 hours
5-level battery gauge
IPX4 weather-resistant
Weight: 100g
Colours: Blue, orange, black
Cost: £96.99 from Ellis Brigham. See for stockist.
Also , priced around £75.

On test: Petzl Swift RL head lamp

Petzl has long been a leader in lightweight, high lumens head lamps. a couple of years ago.

For some time, they have also sold head lamps with what is called “reactive lighting technology”. These are part of the performance collection as “Reactive” head lamps. The Nao and Nao+ were the first head torches I saw with this technology and a few friends have them.

Reactive light beams basically describe how the head torch reacts to light. So if the torch sensor detects a lot of light in the area already, it reduces the beam output. The theory is that where you require less light you save on battery use.

According to the charts issued by Petzl, you can save considerably on battery use and if you are a long-distance runner or someone doing a multi-day race battery life is important.

The reactive sensor also reacts to what you are looking at, whether a map close up or into the distance.

The Nao was hailed a bit of a game changer at the time because it can be “programmed” for light output and synced with a smartphone to see burn time left etc. Some people have told me they have found the programming a bit of a faff and simply stick to what the head torch is set with.

(There was also a collection of Petzl Reactiks but these are no more.)

The Petzl Swift RL is claimed to be a new and improved head torch. It includes three standard light beams output up to a maximum of 550 lumens and three “reactive” beams up to 900 lumens.

But to start with I struggled to work out what mode I was in. Apparenently, the head torch turns on in the default Reactive mode. This is good to know. But what if you stop, for example for a pee, and you tunr off the torch. How long does it take for it to reset? I couldn’t find this info anywhere.

When in reactive mode, for each press of the single button on the top of the torch you get a brighter beam. There are three brightness levels: 100, 300 and 900 lumens.

To go into “standard” mode you need to hold down the button for longer. Then you press through three brightness beams. In reality I found it easier to switch off the torch and then hold down the button for a longer duration to switch mode. The three standard beam outputs are: 10, 200 and 550 lumens.

You can use the “lock” button to keep a chosen beam set.

Even after using this torch a few tines, I still found myself unsure which mode I was in. I asked for expert help from Petzl and I was told there was a simple way to know if you are in standard and reactive: “The easiest way to check you’re in reactive when the lamp is on your head is to put a finger over the reactive sensor on the left. The beam will go to full brightness in reactive but won’t change at all in standard.”

I tried this and I still got confused. Perhaps I am a bit dim or perhaps I need to get more used to the differences but in the end I just switched the beam to standard and got on with my run.

When you are mid run and trying to work out the best beam for the conditions, the last thing you want to do is stop, faff about, faff about some more, swear, ask your friend and then finally get going again.

Now to the reactive beam. Well, it does seem like a great idea. The battery is only used to the extent that you require a beam. Except, I have found a few flaws.

If you are running with someone else wearing a head torch, the Swift reduces its beam. I guess it thinks that between the two of you there is enough light for you both to run. Except, this is not the case. I like my own full beam to light my way and I don’t want to have to rely on someone else’s beam.

In any case, trail running usually sees people running side by side, behind each other and then apart. You move together, apart and behind each other all the time. Sadly, the light beam was quite slow to react to my needs. Once it dimmed, it felt like it never came back to full brightness again.

Another odd thing happened on a chilly evening. My breath appeared to cause the beam to dim, or was it the mist? Anyway, something caused the light to dim, which was annoying at best and dangerous at worst. I don’t want to have a dimmer beam when it is cold and I am breathing out, or in mist/rain/snow.

Other advice from Petzl is that to extend burn time a bit further you can point the lamp at your feet slightly more than usual. The reactive dims the beam but then gives you the brightness if you look up a little. This does work well.

In honesty, I think the reactive beam is far better for solo running or when you are walking. The pace of walking is better for the speed at which the reactive light beam changes. I read that the reactive beam change is instant but this was not always the case in my experience.

Having read a few other reviews of the Petzl Swift RL it might be that I am being a bit hopeless when using the torch. Other people seem to rave about the reactive modes. Saying that, when chatting to a few friends about their experience of reactive sensors on the Nao they agree with me. They say they find the beams vary too much. (The Swift is meant to have faster reactive times than the Nao but I still found it a bit slow when running.)

However, where the reactive beam is good is when looking at something close up and then something far away. The beam does seem to react well to distance.

I understand that the reactive beam saves battery life but, in my experience, it is at the cost of a steady beam output. I can see from the table that maximum burn time can be a lot more in reactive mode but I’d rather take an extra battery with me as back up.

Note, too, that while the Nao had the option to swap the reachargeable battery for AAA batteries, the Swift does not. You need to buy a spare rechargeable battery if you plan to use the head torch for many hours.

The thought behind the Swift is that you have two headlamps in one, a light/bright “standard” headlamp or a light/bright/extended burn time reactive headlamp, butI don’t imagine I’ll use the reactive mode as much as I had hoped I would.

I will cary on testing the reactive part of the head torch and update if I find it any easier to use.

More Petzl Swift RL features

Other features include the five energy battery bar gauge. This is really helpful when charging the torch because you can se whether it is fully charged. It also helps to show you how much charge is left while you are out on a run or adventure.

I like the head band, too. The double “split” band at the back provides a much better system for keeping the head torch in place. The single band of other head torches causes the lamps to move about, up and down. The band is also padded and that helps with comfort. I like that the split rear fits around my ponytail, too.

The button for changing modes can be easily used while wearing gloves, which is another advantage of the Petzl Swift RL.

Also, when charging the head torch you do not need to open up the case, as I have to do with the Actik Core.

The Swfit is said to be “weather resistant”. This is not waterproof although I have taken the torch out in Scottish rain and it seems to remain operative.

Conclusion: I love the size, weight and 900 max lumens output of the Petzl Swift RL head torch. The split rear strap keeps the head torch stable and on my head.

The jury is out for me on the reactive beams. I found them to be a bit frustrating. The reactive beam reacted too much to other people’s beams and to my breath/mist/rain.

I prefer the standard light beam outputs. The max standard lumens is 550 and this is actually fine for most night running situations. I could be greedy and ask for more lumens bit this wold require a larger battery and that would make the lamp heavier.

Saying that, on standard 550 lumens, the maximum battery time is only two hours. You will need to carry a spare battery if you plan to be out for longer. But when in reactive beam mode the will battery use is far less.

This is not a cheap head torch and I think I’d rather have less technology and a lighter price tag.