ATNKE LED Beanie Review: The Head Torch You Forget You’re Wearing

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In a British winter it’s dark by half past four, and the jobs don’t stop just because the light has. The dog still needs walking, the bins still need taking out, and when the power goes, you’re suddenly trying to find the fuse box while holding a torch in your teeth.

The ATNKE LED beanie fixes that with something you’d be wearing anyway: a warm knitted hat with a rechargeable 4-LED light built into the front. Your hands stay free and the light points wherever you look. This ATNKE LED beanie review covers what it does and where it earns its place, from winter dog walks to the power cut kit.

What Is the ATNKE LED Beanie?

The ATNKE LED beanie is a soft knitted winter hat with a 4-LED light set into the front of the turned-up cuff. Press the button in the middle of the light to switch it on and off and to step through the three brightness settings. The light is USB rechargeable, so there are no batteries to buy, and it comes out of the hat so you can charge the light and wash the hat.

The knit is highly elastic, so one size fits most kids, men and women.

Here’s what you get:

• Light: 4 LEDs on the front of the cuff, with an IP44 waterproof rating.
• Brightness: 3 modes, switched with the button in the middle of the light.
• Run time: up to 6 to 8 hours on low, 4 hours on medium, 2 hours on high.
• Charging: any standard USB port, such as a computer or phone charger.
• Washable: the light separates from the hat.
• Fit: one stretchy size for most kids and adults.
• Colours: 37 to choose from, including patterned versions.

A Beanie With Light That Keeps Your Hands Free

A hand torch is fine until you need both hands, and in the dark you nearly always do. A beanie with light built in puts it on your head, so it points wherever you look and your hands are free for the job: a lead and a poo bag, a fuse box and a screwdriver, a car jack and a wheel nut.

And unlike a head torch, there’s no strap to dig in or slide off. It’s simply a warm hat you’d be wearing on a cold night anyway, which means it’s on your head when you need it rather than in a drawer.

Three Brightness Modes and How Long They Last

This hat with torch built in has three brightness settings, and you choose the one that suits the job. The lowest setting lasts up to 6 to 8 hours, which is plenty for an evening of power cut chores or a long dog walk. Medium runs for about 4 hours, and the brightest setting gives you about 2 hours when you need to see properly, like changing a wheel or checking a fence after a storm.

A full winter evening on low, with a burst on high when you need it, covers most nights comfortably.

A Rechargeable LED Beanie Hat You Can Wash

Two things make this rechargeable LED beanie hat easy to live with. First, there are no batteries to buy or change. You charge the light from any standard USB port, the same as your phone, so it’s always ready.

Second, it’s washable. Pull the rim of the hat open, push the light inwards and it separates from the hat. Wash the hat, charge the light, then pop it back in. The 4-LED light itself has an IP44 waterproof rating, so rain and splashes on a wet walk are no problem.

A Head Torch Hat for Power Cuts and Winter Kit

Winter power cuts usually happen in the dark, in the cold, and often in the evening. A head torch hat covers two problems at once: it keeps your head warm when the heating’s off, and it gives you hands-free light for everything you need to do.

• The power cut kit: charged and ready by the back door, with your torches and spare batteries.
• The winter car kit: light for checking the engine, changing a wheel or digging out of snow, with both hands free.
• The get home bag: warmth and light in one, if you’re walking home after dark.
• Dog walks and the school run: see where you’re going and be seen.
• Camping, fishing, cycling and the barbecue: light where you’re looking, all evening.

If you’re building a power cut kit or a winter car kit, a hat with torch built in is one of the simplest things you can add: warmth and light, in one hat.

37 Colours, Including Patterned Versions

It comes in 37 colours, from plain black, grey and navy to bright fluorescent shades and patterned designs. That makes it easy to get one for everyone in the house without anyone walking off with the wrong hat, and the bright colours are a good choice for being seen on dark winter roads.

What the Rest of the Team Think

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Pros and Cons

Pros

• Hands-free light that points wherever you look
• Warm knitted hat you’d wear anyway, so it’s with you when you need it
• Three brightness modes, up to 6 to 8 hours on low
• USB rechargeable, with no batteries to buy
• Light comes out so the hat can be washed
• IP44 waterproof light for rain and splashes
• One stretchy size for kids and adults, in 37 colours

Cons

• About 2 hours on the brightest setting, so save high for when you need it
• Needs a USB charge rather than spare batteries
• A hat, so it’s for cold weather rather than summer

Frequently Asked Questions