Best headlamp & best Handheld Flashlight

charlottebuckeye · Aug 30, 2011

I need some advice.
I am a hunter, fisherman and outdoors person.
With that in mind, I am looking for two flashlights
One headlamp & one handheld.
I want the most 'lighting power' of lumens I can get while still being able to use over the counter batteries that I may be able to get at a local gas station.

Please give me recommendations for below
Headlamp:
powerful lumenation...as much light as I can get
cost of around $50-100
uses sources that include single AA alkaline battery

flashlight:
powerful lumenation...as much light as I can get
cost of around $50-100
uses sources that include 1-6 AA alkaline batteries

I don't care about color of light, indiosyncracies of light characteristics, lens configuration, etc
I want as much light of the dark forest, woods, water that I can get at a reasonably, reliable and dependable price point.
Please give suggestions & where to buy if you have any insight.
Thank you very much for your time and experience.
I appreciate that there are wonderful forums like this and more educated people who can help us all. Well done.
My past considerations were Zebralight 51 or 501 for headlamp and flashlight Fenix HL21.

Norm · Aug 30, 2011

:welcome:

Moved to LED flashlights - Norm

tre · Aug 30, 2011

Pretty easy answer actually.

Headlamp: Zebralight H51
Handheld: Sunwayman M40A XML - uses 4AA cells (get the XML, the old one used an MCE emitter)

flasherByNight · Aug 30, 2011

imo, If you're looking to use both a headlamp and a handheld concurrently, I'd be looking for a floody headlamp and a handheld with more throw...

51 and 501 are quite different beasts, I find my 51 (The "F" Version to boot), not very enjoyable to use for close up work due to the hotspot.
If it's purely for closeup I'd suggest the 501 or hold off till the 502 arrives. If you like the idea of both long range and close range but not ideal for either...51 is perfect (51F or 51FW if that's your thing).

gcbryan · Aug 30, 2011

I don't get the hotspot thing with the H51F...with the H51 yes but not the the H51F. I have both. I can easily read a book with the H51F without noticing a hotspot. I use it for hiking as well. I wouldn't want anything (for hiking) that had more flood and less throw or I wouldn't be able to see where I was going. I also carry a thrower handheld but I don't use it unless I need to spot something up ahead.

I've even put a piece of tape over the lens of the H51. I've heard that comment from others however so everyone's different I guess. I'd recommend the H51F. For the thrower I'm looking for light weight (which doesn't seem to be an issue for the OP) so I carry a small single AA handheld with an aspheric lens. I think the OP has many choices however but I don't have any recommendations.

tre · Aug 30, 2011

I agree with you guys about the ideal beam character of a head lamp and wanting no hotspot for close up work but he said:

charlottebuckeye said:
I don't care about color of light, indiosyncracies of light characteristics, lens configuration, etc
I want as much light of the dark forest, woods, water that I can get at a reasonably, reliable and dependable price point.

and if he does not care, the H51 has the most output on a single AA cell.

whiteoakjoe · Aug 30, 2011

I use a set of lights for the same thing that you do, hunting fishing trapping and general lighting in the woods. I have used all sorts of combinations and in my opinion Zebralight headlamps are the best for this kind of activity. I can imagine no better light for hanging a treestands or walking a trail at night. I have the H51F I highly recomend the flood for your headlamp in a dark woods it will light up the trail better than any focused light, 10 to 15 yards out in front of you and a wide spill that keeps you from getting the tunel vision we are all use to with falshlights. Standing in the bow of a 20ft boat the ZL H51F will light up the entire boat. I used the ZLH51F to walk trails into the woods during turkey season and the mid level was plenty for dark adapted eyes. I have tried other headlamps I just purchased my father a Fenix HL 21 and took it out last week for an early morning squirrel hunt and it worked well, with the diffuser, and was a good spot light without the diffuser. I really did like this light and if I could only take one light this might be my choice, becuause it has a nice ballance between spot and throw with the diffuser. But it cannot do what the ZL H51F and a good thrower flashlight can do together. I like to pair the ZL headlamp light with a Quark 2xAA Turbo or a Fenix LD40, The Quark Turbo will reach out 75yards easy and the Fenix LD40 will go out 100yards. The Quark is smaller and lighter therefore I take it out most of the time, because both the Zebralight and the Quark turbo both fit into a small zippered case along with a pack of energizer lithium AA's in my pack. sticking with the AA is a good choice, I run the rechargable eneloops and energizer lithiums, I made my decisions the same way you are making yours, I asked questions and got good advise here on CPF.
I purchase most of my lights from GoingGear.com they have good service and a great web site...

flasherByNight · Aug 30, 2011

*shrug, I read that.
But seeing as it was his first post, I still thought it was worth reiterating...plus I never know how to interpret "as much light" (as possible)...ie lux/lumen (flood/throw ....).
I usually read that as not understanding the difference especially coming from new posters (seeing as I sure as heck didn't know the difference when I started).

tre · Aug 30, 2011

flasherByNight said:
I never know how to interpret "as much light" (as possible)...ie lux/lumen (flood/throw ....).
I usually read that as not understanding the difference especially coming from new posters (seeing as I sure as heck didn't know the difference when I started).

a good point.

EnduringEagle · Aug 30, 2011

whiteoakjoe said:
I use a set of lights for the same thing that you do, hunting fishing trapping and general lighting in the woods. I have used all sorts of combinations and in my opinion Zebralight headlamps are the best for this kind of activity. I can imagine no better light for hanging a treestands or walking a trail at night. I have the H51F I highly recomend the flood for your headlamp in a dark woods it will light up the trail better than any focused light, 10 to 15 yards out in front of you and a wide spill that keeps you from getting the tunel vision we are all use to with falshlights. Standing in the bow of a 20ft boat the ZL H51F will light up the entire boat. I used the ZLH51F to walk trails into the woods during turkey season and the mid level was plenty for dark adapted eyes. I have tried other headlamps I just purchased my father a Fenix HL 21 and took it out last week for an early morning squirrel hunt and it worked well, with the diffuser, and was a good spot light without the diffuser. I really did like this light and if I could only take one light this might be my choice, becuause it has a nice ballance between spot and throw with the diffuser. But it cannot do what the ZL H51F and a good thrower flashlight can do together. I like to pair the ZL headlamp light with a Quark 2xAA Turbo or a Fenix LD40, The Quark Turbo will reach out 75yards easy and the Fenix LD40 will go out 100yards. The Quark is smaller and lighter therefore I take it out most of the time, because both the Zebralight and the Quark turbo both fit into a small zippered case along with a pack of energizer lithium AA's in my pack. sticking with the AA is a good choice, I run the rechargable eneloops and energizer lithiums, I made my decisions the same way you are making yours, I asked questions and got good advise here on CPF.
I purchase most of my lights from GoingGear.com they have good service and a great web site...

+1 on this. That being said I use a petzel head lamp and it has great burn times and uses AAA batteries.

Cogitria · Aug 31, 2011

tre said:
a good point.

:thumbsup:

Gregozedobe · Aug 31, 2011

Note that the ZL lights don't get maximum output on alakalines (too much voltage sag on the higher levels), they need Eneloops for best performance.

Best headlamp & best Handheld Flashlight

charlottebuckeye

Newly Enlightened

Norm

Retired Administrator

tre

Flashlight Enthusiast

flasherByNight

Enlightened

gcbryan

Flashlight Enthusiast

tre

Flashlight Enthusiast

whiteoakjoe

Enlightened

flasherByNight

Enlightened

tre

Flashlight Enthusiast

EnduringEagle

Enlightened

Cogitria

Newly Enlightened

Gregozedobe

Enlightened

Similar threads

Latest posts