[poll] Headlamp vs. Headlight: which word do you prefer?

[raccoon]

• Headlamp
• Headlight

Which word do you prefer to use, headlamp or headlight (for a lamp or light strapped to your head)?
Also, if you decide to comment, maybe mention which country/region you live in.

[raccoon]

I voted for headlight and I live in the U.S.

[Northman]

Headlight, Canada

[Lightbringer]

“Headlamp”, if only by convention.

Say “headlight”, and people go to the shiny things on the front of cars. Ain’t worth the ag to explain the difference.

[TARTARACERBERUS]

HeadLight All The Way !

[Snoman002]

Headlamp, headlight(s) are the things on cars that make you see gooder

[raccoon]

There are no wrong answers to this poll, but what cars use to illuminate what’s in front of them are known both as headlights and headlamps.

Headlamp

That’s why I wish there was a different commonly-used word for a light strapped to your head that isn’t used for cars as well.

[Quadrupel]

The terms “headlamp,” “headlight,” and “head torch” are often used interchangeably, but they can have slightly different connotations depending on where you are or the context. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Headlamp:

   • Commonly used in North America.
   • Refers to a portable light source worn on the head, often powered by batteries or rechargeable cells.
   • Typically used for activities like hiking, camping, running, or working in dark environments.
   • The light source can be adjusted (focused beam or broad light).

2. Headlight:

   • More commonly used in the context of vehicles, like car headlights.
   • In some places, the term “headlight” is used interchangeably with headlamp when referring to wearable lights, but it’s less common for this meaning.
   • Might imply a more focused or powerful light source, though this varies by context.

3. Head Torch:

   • Commonly used in the UK and some other parts of the world.
   • Refers to the same kind of head-mounted light as a headlamp.
   • The term “torch” is the British word for a flashlight, so head torch and headlamp are essentially the same thing, but with regional naming differences.

In summary, all three terms refer to a light source mounted on the head, but “headlamp” and “head torch” are often region-specific terms for the same type of gear, while “headlight” might be used more for vehicle lights or less commonly for head-mounted lights.

[raccoon]

Hmm…
I don’t remember seeing the term “head torch” before, and I’ve been on BLF since 2010.
Maybe I saw it and promptly forgot about it.

[blizzard_108 (Jimmy)]

Until i discovered r/flashlight and this forum, i’d have say headlamp …

but now i would use headlight (in reference to flashlight) so i voted headlight.

Cheers from France

[Chris100575 (Chris)]

“Head torch” is mainly what they’re referred to here in the UK. I’ve started using “light” online because here and r/flashlight have a lot of members from the US and some of them have been confused by the use of the word “torch”.

[raccoon]

I like “head torch” because it has nothing to do with cars’ lights.
Too bad it’s mostly just used in the U.K. and it generally hasn’t been adopted by other English-speaking nations.

[brad]

FLASHLIGHTS

Early flashlights ran on zinc–carbon batteries, which could not provide a steady electric current and required periodic ‘rest’ to continue functioning. Because these early flashlights also used energy-inefficient carbon-filament bulbs, “resting” occurred at short intervals. Consequently, they could be used only in brief flashes, hence the common American name flashlight.

TORCH

A torch is either a wooden or metal rod wrapped at one end with a material that has been impregnated with a flammable substance and ignited. It also means, in British English, a battery powered portable light source: compare flashlight. Flaming torches have been used through history and currently for various purposes including use in processions, symbolic or religious events and in juggling entertainment.

[mcjtom]

@Chris100575

Head torch

Or maybe we should promote some other names like ‘forehead light’, ‘hands-free light’, ‘miners light’, ‘cap lamp’ or ‘helmet lantern’?

[Chris100575 (Chris)]

I had heard the etymology of “flashlight”, I think it’s fascinating knowing where words and phrases come from.

I’m voting for “cap lamp”, it has a nice ring to it!

[Perception]

Headlamp. Headlights are on your car.

[NightTime (LumiReviews.ca)]

Headlamp. From Canada. Headlight sounds like a car part for me. But at the end, I dont care much.

[Oli]

Before these definitions get too crazy, this is a head torch.

This is a horse headlight.

[Paul321]

Headlights are on my Bikes!

[Ninety9_Lights]

Headlamp. I call it that as most flashlight companies call it that too.