I've only used Eneloops (actually the Duraloop made-in-Japan-by-Sanyo variety) because the self-discharge from traditional NiMH cells (~1% per day) would drive me crazy - that's a deal breaker for me.
For budget 'LSD' (low-self-discharge) NiMH cells, see if you can find the Rayovac Hybrids or the 4.0's around - I hear that Fry's carries them at good prices. They are usually somewhat cheaper than the Eneloops but also not quite as good. I've read the CPF threads on the Rayovac LSD cells and I'd still choose them over any top-quality
non-LSD cell - I
really like knowing that a light I charged up a few months ago is at ~97% of maximum compared to being nearly completely drained, even though it hadn't been used.
I'd even choose the Chinese-mfg 'black-top' Duracell LSD's (rebadged ROV 4.0's) if the price was good enough - IMO the normal price for these ones is somewhat higher than the comparable ROV's. These are very easy to find in Target, etc, but since the good sales from last year are now only a fond memory, I'm not a fan of the current shelf price.
Also, check online for free shipping on the Rayovac 4.0's - they are pretty common online and a lot of places carry them. Also, check the
'good deals' section on CPF/MP - particularly if you're patient enough to wait for a new good deal to be posted.
And we could also discuss the topic of older non-LSD NiMH cells which start to exhibit significantly greater self-discharge after only a couple years of use - which would make them them pretty near useless IMO. I intend on using my Duraloops for 5+ years, I fully expect them to retain much of their LSD property over that timeframe. Cheaper non-LSD NiMH's might be worthless due to high-self-discharge (I've read of situations as bad as completely drained in as little as 1-2 weeks) after only a few years. :shrug:
