Petzl Swift LT Headtorch Review

Petzl Swift LT Headlamp Review

If you’re toeing the line of a 100k or 100 mile ultra, your mandatory kit list will likely demand a backup light source. Usually, that means hauling a spare battery or lugging around a clunky secondary torch. Enter the Petzl Swift LT.

Priced at just under £50, this headtorch has been quietly turning heads in the trail running community. I’ve been testing it out on early morning runs and rainy trails to see if it deserves a permanent spot in your running vest. Here’s the breakdown.

Petzl Swift LT Specs

• Brightness: 380 lumens
• Weight: 43g
• Beam pattern: Wide
• Battery: 880mAh USB-C rechargeable
• Waterproofing: IPX4 (weather resistant)

First Impressions: Weight and Build

The most striking thing about the Swift LT is its size. Tipping the scales at a ridiculously light 43g, it easily fits in the palm of your hand. When you stash it in the side pocket of your race vest, you honestly forget it’s even there.

Despite its tiny footprint, the build quality feels premium and robust. A nice feature is the pivot mechanism, allowing you to tilt the beam through a wide range of angles. Unlike some other torches that bounce downwards on technical descents, the Swift LT locks into place with a satisfying, secure 'click'. Once it's angled, it stays put.

It also boasts an IPX4 water resistance rating. While that doesn’t mean it’s fully submersible, it’s rated to withstand splashing water from any direction for at least five minutes. I’ve taken this out on several grim, rainy UK runs and haven't had a issue with water getting in.

How Bright Is The Petzl Swift LT Headtorch?

Operation is dead simple. When you power it up, it automatically starts on its lowest setting, cycling through the brightness modes with a single button press. Starting on the lowest output is a nice touch for runners because it stops you from blinding yourself and ruining your night vision.

Here’s what you get from the three white light outputs:

• Low (7 lumens): 60 hours of burn time.
• Standard (100 lumens): 6 hours of burn time.
• Max (380 lumens): 2 hours of burn time.

For map reading or rummaging through your drop bag, there’s a dedicated red light mode. Give the button an extra click whilst in red mode, and you trigger an emergency red strobe. Apparently, this strobe is visible from up to 700 metres away for 200 hours. Because the headtorch is so light, you could easily strap it on backwards during road sections to act as a tail-light for oncoming vehicles.

Charging

Like the majority of modern tech, the Swift LT is USB-C rechargeable which is great as it saves you from having to carry proprietary charging cables.

When you turn the torch off, a tiny LED serves as a no-nonsense battery indicator:

• Green: >50% charge remaining
• Orange: 50% - 10% remaining
• Red: <10% remaining

One thing to note: unlike bigger models like the Petzl NAO RL Headtorch, you cannot swap out the battery. But given how compact the Swift LT is, that’s an understandable trade-off.

To stop the torch from accidentally switching on inside your pack and draining the battery, there’s a handy lock function. Just hold the power button down for 4 seconds to lock or unlock it. Try turning it on whilst locked, and the red light will flash three times to politely remind you.

Is The Petzl Swift LT Comfortable?

I’ll admit, I was sceptical about the bungee cord headstrap at first. I expected it to dig in or bounce around, but it is incredibly comfortable and lightweight. It fits securely and is an absolute breeze to adjust on the fly, you literally just pull the two plastic triangles at the back away from each other to tighten it.

Petzl has woven reflective threading into the headband for an extra hit of nighttime safety. It’s also completely detachable, making it easy to wash out the trail sweat or replace it if needed. If you don't fancy wearing it on your head or stuffing it in a pocket, the bungee cord means you can easily wrap it around your wrist too.

Verdict: Is The Petzl Swift LT Good For Running?

With a max output of 380 lumens, the Petzl Swift LT isn't going to light up the trails like daylight. If you’re navigating technical fells right through the night, you may want something more powerful, like the 1,500 lumen NAO RL.

But raw power isn't the point of the Swift LT. Its magic lies in its form factor.

For 100k or 100 mile races, this acts as the ultimate spare headtorch. It weighs less than a spare battery for your main rig, but brings the added advantage of total redundancy, if your main torch breaks or you drop it, you have a fully functional fallback. It’s also the perfect companion for shorter, late afternoon runs when you aren't quite sure if you’ll make it back to the car before dusk.

At less than £50, I think it's a great addition to your running kit list.

Petzl Swift LT Headlamp

Petzl Swift LT Headlamp - £47.69