Cheap Headlamps That Don’t Die in the Cold

[spinninggriller]

Bought a $20 Coast headlamp at Home Depot out of spite after my fancy rechargeable died mid-packout at 2 a.m. in 20°F. Thing’s ugly, heavy, and takes AAA batteries like it’s 1999—but it worked the entire trip.
Moral: sometimes old-school plastic junk outperforms “ultralight innovation.”
Anyone found a rechargeable that actually holds up below freezing?

 

[Big_wals]

The sofirn headlights have worked well while ice fishing in single digit temps.

 

[Macintosh]

in cold, lithium batteries are your friend. Alkaline batteries suck in the cold. I dont know about rechargeables, but I've had very good success with all sorts of lights using AAA lithiums. The only caveat is that you have to carry a spare set of batteries, becasue the lithiums carry full voltage right up until they die so you dont have the light "fading" to warn you your batteries are low. No matter, lithiums are lighter than alkaline, too.

 

[Weldor]

I have a Kimball Midwest rechargeable. been very reliable in the cold and heat. I don't see them on their page anymore but here is the same one ..

 

[ChasingSqwach]

Lite core has some great headlamps under $50. I’ve been very impressed with their offerings. The nu33 outperformed my buddies peak headlight at half the cost and half the weight

 

[journeyman713]

Bought a $20 Coast headlamp at Home Depot out of spite after my fancy rechargeable died mid-packout at 2 a.m. in 20°F. Thing’s ugly, heavy, and takes AAA batteries like it’s 1999—but it worked the entire trip.
Moral: sometimes old-school plastic junk outperforms “ultralight innovation.”
Anyone found a rechargeable that actually holds up below freezing?

Coast is not "old-school plastic junk". It seems you discovered that, kind of.
The do make a rechargeable version too, it works well, it's durable, it's light weight, and cost effective. Nothing junk about that.

 

[Ron.C]

not OP, sorry rechargeable but hard to beat

 

[HuntHarder]

Fenix makes some solid products

 

[journeyman713]

Compare this one against your favorite

Coast® FL85R

 

[Weldor]

looks like a winner

 

[MacGyver]

Bought a $20 Coast headlamp at Home Depot out of spite after my fancy rechargeable died mid-packout at 2 a.m. in 20°F. Thing’s ugly, heavy, and takes AAA batteries like it’s 1999—but it worked the entire trip.
Moral: sometimes old-school plastic junk outperforms “ultralight innovation.”
Anyone found a rechargeable that actually holds up below freezing?

Bought a $20 Coast headlamp at Home Depot out of spite after my fancy rechargeable died mid-packout at 2 a.m. in 20°F. Thing’s ugly, heavy, and takes AAA batteries like it’s 1999—but it worked the entire trip.
Moral: sometimes old-school plastic junk outperforms “ultralight innovation.”
Anyone found a rechargeable that actually holds up below freezing?

Is the problem the batteries or the light?
To find out what is causing the light to not work at 20*. You can get a cheap thermometer for a few $$ to measure the temperature of your freezer. Put the headlight with batteries and the batteries you want to test in the freezer. The next morning is the headlighting working? if not, put a warm set of batteries in the headlight, if it still not working the problem, is the headlight. The next test is to find which batteries works the best when cold.

You may find that none of the battery are any good in the cold. I carry a 2nd headlight under my coat, and use then the first one dies, I put the cold headlight under my coat. If you prefer to put in warm batteries, having a 2nd light to see what you're doing and to find any battery you drop.