Like the title says.

Petzl Tikka 2

Surefire

Nitecore HC50

Petzl Zipka. The headband allows you to put it around all sorts of stuff.

I get by with a mini Maglight while hunting. Hiking or camping I keep a Surefire 6PD close.

DX special.

T6 emitter I think, and will work with one or two 18650's

Hell of a light for 20 bucks.

I've got a Fenix that has 225 lumens in high mode and three other not so bright settings. I don't know the model number but it is an older one and it effin rocks.

Fenix HP11

Zebra headlamps.  I much prefer the single-battery lights.  These have by-far been the best performers in the field for me.  For more "tactical" applications Streamlight Sidewinder (Compact version) is really growing on me...different modes and will use a single AAA, AA or CR123 battery.  

ROCK6

This

Petzl Tactikka XP Headlamp. I like this one because it has a red filter that you can slide over when needed which allows you to keep your night vision intact.

Black Diamond Gizmo

Thanks for the suggestions everybody.

http://www.zebralight.com/H52w-AA-Headlamp-Neutral-White_p_120.html

There is no substitute.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Surefire Saint.

Not a fanboy, I am well aware of the junk that Surefire makes. But the headlight is something they really got right.

I would add to the list Black Diamond head lamps. I was a Petzl fan only till a guy at REI turned me on them them. I own one, not sure which exact model, but I would buy them again. I really like the compact form factor of both the Petzl & Black Diamond. Anything more to me it too bulky. YMMV

ETA grammer

Petzel Nao

It really depends on what I'm doing. I bought http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009QX8B2Q/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 one recently and it has been awesome for frogging, navigating while driving a boat, coon hunting, etc.

I have just a simple Princeton I use for menial tasks.

I highly recommend you check out the Zebralight H51/502 lights, Streamlight Sidewinder Compact II, or Black Diamond Spot/Storm. All of these lights are widely regarded as some of the best lights across the candlepowerforums, CPF reviews, Amazon reviewers, and some notable gear reviewers like our own FerFal! In particular, the ZL and Streamlight are really good. (That got long fast....TLDR @ bottom of post)

#1 Zebralight. Zebralight are arguably the top overall lamps as far as highest highs, lowest lows, user interface, run times, reliability, build quality, and price. Their lights come in either AA or 18650 variants with a variety of color temperature, CRI, and beam shape selections.

For woods use, I highly recommend an AA high CRI warm temperature ZL H51d, H51c (both have more throw with useful flood) or the newer floody H502c L2 or H502d L2. Warm high CRI LEDs produce light that is closer to natural light, which makes it a lot easier to see things at night in foliage like grass or leaves compared to cooler LEDs. It really makes a big difference. Zebralight uses numbers and letters to designate beam type and color/CRI. 51 series have throw with some flood, 502/501 series are mostly flood with no throw. C and D are warmer with generally higher CRI, W are still warm but closer to white or neutral, etc. If you are familiar with 18650 batteries and usage you could go for an 18650 lamp, but I'm pretty sure they are NOT compatible with any CR123 batteries. The 18650 lamps (H600x) produce higher outputs with somewhat longer run times.

With ZL headlamps you get:

- 190 to 250+ lumens on high for AA, or close to 1k lumens high with 18650
- Various low and medium settings with long run times
- Easy slightly programmable UI and the ability to turn the light on in either high or low with one press
- EXTREMELY low moonlight modes down to .02 lumens that can last upwards of 4-6 months on one battery. These are useful at night for preserving night vision or reading. For outdoors use, and particularly with headlamps, run times and low lumens are more important than high lumens, imo.
- Durable & lightweight aluminum body with decent water resistance
- Can be removed from the headstrap to be used as a regular flashlight and even has a pocket clip
- They are based in America (Texas I believe?) but the lights are produced in China. If you purchase from their website you get access to quicker customer service based in Texas
- Large following on candlepowerforums with tons of info available
- Replaceable head straps are available and cheap

For the price they are hard to beat at around 68$ for AA or 78$ for 18650 versions. You may want to buy direct from ZL as I've heard in the past that if you buy direct you get access to their Texas/American based customer service for repairs/replacement. I don't know if that applies to lights bought from dealers or 3rd party vendors. Everyone interested in a headlamp should own at least one Zebralight imo!

H502c L2 (brand new version)


#2 Streamlight Sidewinder Compact II. This is arguably the ultimate survivalist flashlight. The outstanding feature of the Sidewinder Compact II is its ability to run with a huge assortment of batteries, including AA, AAA, or CR123 in alkaline, rechargeable, and lithium form. It is recommended that you do not run on the highest mode if using the rechargeable version of CR123 batteries as you can overdrive the emitter. It has 4 different LEDs and 3-4 different brightness settings per LED. These features make the Sidewinder a "battery vampire" (to quote a CPF reviewer). Have any "dead" batteries that won't run in any other flashlights or electronic devices? They will probably work in the Sidewinder and produce some useable light from at least one of the 4 LEDs.

There's the standard neutral/white lamp along with red, blue, and IR lamps. I think you can get an aviation version that swaps out the IR LED for a green LED. The standard lamp has a lot of throw and some useful flood. The lights are "assembled in the US" for the military and have a clip designed to attach to ballistic helmets, belts, MOLLE vests, or the included head strap. They're lightweight, have fairly high run times (6-100+ hours depending on setting and LED), and decent 60 lumen output. Replaceable head straps are available on Amazon. FerFal did an excellent review of this light covering a lot of its capabilities with some cool uses for some of the features.

FerFal's review article

FerFal's video review

CPF review

Thank you, FerFal!

#3 Black Diamond / Petzl. The Black Diamond storm and spot both run on AAA batteries (3 for spot, 4 for storm) and have the highest overall brightness and run times of the Petzl/Princeton Tec/Energizer style of AAA flashlights. The BD storm/spot should hit around 90-100 lumens on high/burst mode. They both have the ability to drop down to around 4 lumens for extended (200 hour) run times. They're equipped a larger main lamp for brightness and throw, 2 5mm side LEDs for flood on lower settings, and red LEDs for night vision and increased run time. The spot I have has warm, yellowish tint LEDs. The UI is nice but not quite as simple as the Zebralight or Sidewinder. It always starts on high or bright. You can lock out the switch by pressing and holding the button for 6 seconds. There's a remaining battery power indicator light that changes colors depending on how much juice is left. They both have a (capacitive?) touch side switch that allows for  jumping from whatever lumen level you are on to high in case you need instant access to more brightness.

I'm not personally familiar with Petzl lights. They have several versions that are typically fairly well regarded on CPF and Amazon, but don't have quite the rabid light enthusiast following that ZL have. From what I've seen, Petzl headlamps generally lack the ability to switch into usefully low lumen or moonlight modes (<20 lumens), especially compared to ZL or Black Diamond. I don't know of any Petzl lights that can switch to 20 or lower lumens manually, but I could be wrong. It does sound like Petzl lights are well made and may be of higher quality and water resistance than the Black Diamond lights. If you want something that has decent all around output, throw, and spill for walking in the woods, Petzls (Tikka/TacTikka, Tikka XP, etc) are great and may beat Black Diamond just for build quality.

Overall, if you want a traditional AAA style headlamp that is a bit cheaper than the ZL or Streamlight, go with a Black Diamond or Petzl. Head's up: the spot has very limited water resistance, if any. The storm is sealed against water and supposedly decently waterproof, but runs off of 4 AAAs instead of 3. The Petzl Tikkas are supposed to be extremely water resistant.

BD Storm

#4. Another great option is the Fenix flashlight head band that allows you to use many handheld AA or CR123 flashlights as headlamps. The 4sevens Quark AA/CR123 or 4sevens Mini ML are great hosts for this setup as they have moonlight or low settings and long run times.

Fenix flashlight head band

Surefire has several nice headlamps but they are VERY expensive compared to the ones listed here, and from what I've seen or heard, might not be quite up to typical surefire durability. They're well regarded on CPF but not as popular as the ZLs. Spark are good competitors to ZL and are china made lamps. Several other well known handheld manufacturers, including Fenix and Eagletac also make headlamps.


TLDR: Zebralight for single AA uber lows, run times, versatility, and overall quality. Streamlight for overall versatility and ability to accept 8 different battery types. Black Diamond Spot/Storm or Petzl Tikka series for much cheaper traditional 3/4 AAA style dedicated headlamps. In that style, Black diamond has the edge in run times and useful low outputs, while Petzl has the edge in overall build quality and likely waterproofing and ruggedness.

zebralight, single AA

This. Love it.

There are no "woods" in South Texas.

For the occasional nocturnal stumble through the local Mesquite- and Prickly Pear-riddled landscape, I like using this guy -



...along with any nearby flashlight that happens to fit it.

^ This



Also a Princeton Tec EOS Tactical and a 4sevens AA/2AA Quark Tactical w/ Prism kit



I used to use a Princeton Tec Fuel but I got sick of breaking off the battery door latch and having them send me replacements, really poor design.  I also had a Byte that went in the garbage after it trashed one of my rechargeable cells and I realized it has a parasitic battery drain.



 

Cyclops Atom.  Less than $10, lightweight and small.

Another consideration that FerFal alluded to is having a single-cell light.  You can have problems with the multi-battery lights if one is dead or damaged.  Of course, with a single-cell light, it's prudent to carry a spare, but with the regulated LEDs, you'll have plenty of dim light to dig out the new battery before needing to switch (unlike the older flashlights that would just shutoff without notice).  

I've found this type the best use to squeeze out battery life.  Even when backpacking, I'll keep a battery in my Zebra light until it's dead (unless I'm using rechargeable batteries) and then switch to my spare battery (my spare is now what gets rotated out).  My military habits always had me changing batteries before every trip or outing, but that gets expensive on your own dime.

ROCK6

Excellent point. Two is one, one is none when it comes to flashlights. That way it's easier to dig up batteries if you need to in a pinch. Especially with cr123 lights.

I go cheap and use a cheap WalMart $20 Energizer
I've broken or lost so many over the years its not something I'm willing to buy a high end  model of.

I have a Princeton Tec Fuel that I got at REI several years ago. It puts out 70 lumens so it's a good task light. If I need to really light something up I use my Fenix LD 20 flashlight.

Petzl, w/ AAA batts.  

These days, look for waterproof, and super long runtime.  I like headlamps that illum 10 or 20m  ahead.

The biggest problem with most of the cheapies is that they still use 3 AAA cells - which means you have to keep yet another battery size in your stash.

AFAIC, if it doesn't use AA cells, it's to be avoided.

Petzl Tikka.

I could never stand the darn things on my head for any length of time.

That is why I was so tickled with the Larry Light someone here recommended.

ZebraLight..

I already stock AAAs for my ear pro, so no issue there

got an old streamlight.still works great.

AAAx3,got plenty of eneloops.

usually just clip my 4sevens to my hat,tho.

clown

I love my zebra floody headlamp  

Money well spent

ZebraLight H51f

Zebra

Expensive, but worth it.

My most used one is an old rayovac head lamp that I've had for about 10 years. It just has a set of features that I really like.

What I need in a headlamp is a single red led and then a white light that's adjustable for a couple of different brightness's, and being able to be adjusted vertically and hold that position. What I don't care about is having one that gives off a bunch of lumens or whatever. 99% of what I use it for is to see my hands when I'm working on something or to watch the ground right in front of me while I'm walking around. It's amazing the number of high quality lights out there that can't be adjusted vertically and/or won't hold that position. To me this is a very vital feature.

This.



I've used mine extensively for work/play/camping/emergencies.

 

Which of the ones recommended is best for running/jogging?

I do all my running in the early morning hours and use a flashlight.  I would avoid running with a headlamp from spring through mid-fall; those headlamps attract bugs just like a car's headlights and you'll be hit in the head...ask how I know  I use a handheld LED light for running.

I have used my Zebra when hiking at night or in the dark.  Either it was an early morning to my hunting stand or just misjudging hiking distance or just not finding a good camp site.  A head net really helps if you have it on for a more significant amount of time as bugs just naturally gravitate towards "the light".  

The big key is getting a headlamp with an adjustable or variable output.  Always use the lowest amount light for the task as it attracts less, is less noticeable and more battery-efficient...not to mention even white light is less damaging to your night vision on very low output levels.

ROCK6

I have had very good luck with my Raovac Indestructible 100 lumen.  
It has two modes: high, and low.  Very simple basic, and tough.  I have been using my original one for just over a year now.  I have used it hunting, camping, working, etc.  It rides in my EDC bag with a spare set of batteries.  Best of all they are only $13 at your local home depot so you can grab a spare (though I have not needed my spare yet.)  I find that 100 lumen is plenty bright enough for a head lamp.  It also has a low setting: 36 lumen.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rayovac-Indestructible-3AAA-100-Lumen-Headlight-DIYHPHL-B/202968174



The top strap makes them very comfortable for longer wear time because you don't have to cinch the head band so tight to keep it on.

Of course it takes 3 AAA and I see some on here don't like that particular battery but I stock both AA and AAA because so many little things use both like my Fenix e01 edc light.

Here are a few pictures of my well used lamp:

I bought the Led lenser H14.2  and so far I like it .

I use the streamlight sidewinder headlamp it takes a single cell and it will use either a AA,AAA, or a 123A so battery choice isn't a problem for me, and I don't have to keep it on my head it will clip to my pocket or the strap will go around my fore arm to.

I have 2 of those they are fine but not so great if you wear a ball cap 24/7 like me because of how close the sit thats one reason why I prefer my streamlight

I recently picked up the Sidewinder Compact II that takes different batteries.  This light is growing on me and is very versatile.  The modes are excellent and the output on high is very decent but you can dial down the output and even switch to the red LED to really reduce your signature.  I haven't used the IR with NVDs yet, but that option is great if you do use them regularly.

The clip really makes it perfect for options other than the head band.  Although its a little bulkier in the headlamp mode, the strap is wide and comfortable.  The ACH mount works well to on my issued Kevlar...

You do have to practice with the settings.  Since this is a "tactical" light, I use it for our minimalist outings and selecting the right LED or output takes practice when working blind or in the dark.  The option to take AAA, AA or CR123 is simply excellent and their design keeps batteries from rattling. Great light!  It won't supplant my Zebra Headlamp for backpacking but this will be perfect for my bug-home bag or when my son and I do some "stealth" camping...

ROCK6

Fenix HL-30 here.  2xAAs, 4 mode (200LM turbo) XP-G R5 and 7LM red Nichia.  At $42 shipped, it's not too spendy and works well for my limited needs.

Chris

I happen to agree with Ferfal's evaluation of the Sidewinder Compact II.  That's what I currently have and I love it.  Consider the aviation model though to get a green LED in place of the blue.  A green LED is better than blue for map reading.  Blue is good for blood tracking if you need that.  But for backwoods operation . . .



       


. . . the Tactikka XP is superior because it is lighter, less bulky and slightly easier to engage the color filter.



When we were in New England, my son had the Tactikka and I had a cheap-o Energizer POS.  For backwoods camping, the Tactikka is about the most perfect light I've seen.



One thing to consider is brightness.  IMO, high brightness is a huge disadvantage in a camping headlight.  Whether you're navigating the woods or doing close-up work in the dark, you want just barely enough light to get the job done.  In most cases, moonlight is enough.  I only used the headlamp on moonless nights or under extremely thick canopy.  I prefer just a couple dozen lumens on the headlamp.  If I needed serious light, I kept a handheld flashlight available, but only when absolutely necessary because it kills your night vision.