The PEAX Backcountry Duo Headlamp is a powerful, rechargeable headlamp created by hunters for hunting. That’s not to say you can’t use it for hiking, camping or backpacking, but ultimately, it’s fantastic for hunting.
In particularly, the PEAX Backcountry Duo Headlamp is designed for hunting in rugged terrain — and that’s why I bought one last year to test while elk and deer hunting in Idaho. After using it on hunts while hiking in before dawn — and hiking out after dark — this is what I learned:
Review: PEAX Backcountry Duo Headlamp
The PEAX Backcountry Duo Headlamp delivers a bright 1,000-lumen white beam and includes a particularly powerful red light mode.As we note in our guide to the 10 best headlamps for hunting, the greatness of the PEAX Backcountry Duo Headlamp starts with its powerful 1,000-lumen beam.
Most headlamps for hunting or backpacking have primary white light options that deliver 400-550 lumens. Sure, you can find headlamps that are more powerful, but they usually are too heavy or cumbersome in their design. Hunters generally want a lightweight headlamp that’s easy to use and easy to stow in their backpacks. I really like the power delivered by the PEAX Backcountry Duo in person on rugged terrain.
While 400 or so lumens is generally powerful enough for 90% of what most big game hunters need, sometimes you want to use full power with as much light as possible. Running your headlamp on full power usually comes at a steep cost to battery life, so many hunters live with dim beams. The PEAX Backcountry Duo Headlamp, however, uses a large 3600 mAh rechargeable battery that makes a big difference.
PEAX Backcountry Duo Headlamp Specs:
Max Lumens: 1,000
Max Beam Distance: 149 meters
Run Time: 6+ hrs on high; 16 hrs on medium; 55 hrs on low
Batteries: 1 rechargeable 18650 battery
Weight: 4.3 oz (with battery)
Great Rechargeable Batteries
The Backcountry Duo includes a hefty 3600 mAh rechargeable battery.The Backcountry Duo Headlamp uses a 3.7V 18650 lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The 18650 batteries are shaped like oversize AA batteries, which explains the cylindrical shape of the Backcountry Duo Headlamp housing.
With a whopping 3600 mAh capacity in its battery, the Backcountry Duo can run at full power in the PEAX ‘Ultra’ 1,000-lumen mode for 6-8 hours! Why the variation in reported run time? In general, you’re going to get a bit less runtime in colder temperatures.
On the High setting, you’ll get 16-18 hours of runtime and on the Low setting 55-59 hours.
These are extremely competitive runtimes compared to most hunting headlamps.
The PEAX Backcountry Duo red light option is jaw-droppingly powerful.
For hunters, better battery capacity and longer runtimes lets you use your headlamp at brighter settings without fear of running out of light. We like brighter beams for extra safety, particularly when we’re wicked tired while hauling out elk quarters over deadfalls, through brush, and down steep descents.
While the powerful white beam and long battery life get most of the attention, the Backcountry Duo’s red light mode is what truly sets it apart from the competition.
Awesome Red Light Mode
PEAX doesn’t skimp on the optical lens construction for its red beam mode: It’s just as big as the white beam’s reflector.The best hunting headlamps include red, green, or blue light modes so that hunters can navigate in the dark without spooking animals. In addition, red light modes help hunters retain their night vision, which is when their pupils have dilated to let in the most light possible. White lights shrink those pupils fast (which makes it very hard to see anything that’s not illuminated by a white beam of light).
The PEAX Backcountry Duo red light option is jaw-droppingly powerful. Most red light options on hunting headlamps are weak, low-lumen options that make picking your way off trail an exercise in caution. Sometimes, though, you need to be able to move quickly in the dark before dawn, and the powerful PEAX red light beam lets you step through rugged terrain with confidence.
In fact, if you’ve ever ventured into the mountains before light . . . and tried to sneak out after dark . . . you’ll immediately appreciate PEAX’s ‘ULTRA RED’ light setting. Plus, you’ll have no doubt that the guys who developed the Backcountry Duo have spent time traversing dangerous terrain.
All-in-all, the new PEAX Backcountry Duo is the most exciting hunting headlamp we’ve seen in years.
How does the red light mode compare to other hunting headlamps? A good red light option is usually equivalent to 20-40 lumens — or so we thought before we tested the Backcountry Duo Headlamp!
The Backcountry Duo red light mode is astonishing: PEAX says it is equivalent to a 200-lumen white light, and we believe it. Technically, red lights and white lights aren’t easy to compare — kind of like comparing apples to oranges — but dang, the Backcountry Duo red light option is very strong.
The biggest benefit to this powerful red light mode is safety: It’s much easier to pick your way through a forest if you can easily see roots, branches, and ankle-rolling rocks.
Meanwhile, the red mode has another huge benefit: When we tested the Backcountry Duo on an Idaho elk hunt, we could easily identify fresh elk tracks in the dirt in the red light mode. With most other hunting headlamps in their RGB modes, we had to strain to identify details in animal tracks — or kneel down to get a closer look.
Add an extra rechargeable battery from PEAX to qualify for FREE Shipping on the Backcountry Duo!
Rugged Build Quality
The Backcountry Duo has a rugged housing made from 6061 machined aluminum. It’s waterproof and dustproof with an IPX6 rating.
To change the battery, you basically unscrew a cap to slide it out. There are no hinges to worry about.
For charging, just unscrew the end with the power button to reveal a USB-C charging port. This port lets you charge the battery within the headlamp itself.
We like this design because there is very little to go wrong.
Easy Operation
Unscrew one end to reveal a protected USB-C charging port.The Backcountry Duo operates through one single large button. It’s even large enough to find and press with gloves on, which we appreciate. Most hunting headlamps have very small on/off buttons and switches.
The light modes are simple: White and Red, both of which include three power levels as well as a strobe.
Quickly pressing the button upon startup will cycle you through the modes. The startup mode is the last mode you used before you turned off the light.
Related: PEAX Backcountry Z Sissy Stix Review!
Drawbacks
To hold such a great battery, the Backcountry Duo is a bit larger than most hunting headlamps. The orange AA and AAA batteries help show the size.The biggest drawback to the PEAX Backcountry Duo is its weight. With the large rechargeable battery, our headlamp weighs in at 4.3 ounces. Most competing hunting headlamps weigh a full ounce or more less . . . and have less lumens and lower runtimes because of it.
In addition to the overall weight, the design of the PEAX Backcountry Duo positions some of that weight far out from the headband. The physics at play here means the headlamp can feel as if it’s heavier on your forehead than it really is.
That said, while the Backcountry Duo is not the most comfortable headlamp we’ve tested and used while hunting, it is surprisingly comfortable. During testing, I was curious how it would handle steep and fairly quick descents: Would the Backcountry Duo bob or dip when stepping down steep hills? Answer: Not much. It wouldn’t be my first choice for trail running, but it remains stable for typical hunting situations.
For most people, I don’t believe the weight will be an issue — especially because the people who want the Backcountry Duo will be ready to trade a bit of weight savings to gain the powerful light output.
For us, despite the weight, the overall power — and the awesome red mode — are great enough to propel the Backcountry Duo Headlamp into our number 1 position in our guide to the best hunting headlamps for 2024.
The Verdict: Best Hunting Headlamp
The PEAX Backcountry Duo is the best hunting headlamp for 2023 for several key reasons: First, its powerful 1,000-lumen light beam can light up rough ground and make difficult hikes safer. Second, the red light mode is wildly more powerful than the competition. Third, large 3600 mAh batteries are easy to use and deliver competitive overall run times. All-in-all, the new PEAX Backcountry Duo is the most exciting hunting headlamp we’ve seen in years. Very highly recommended.
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