Head lamps and flash lights

Looking for opinions of what trappers choose for headlamps and flashlights.

Both would be used for all around purposes but also used to check and set in the dark.

Please share what has worked well for you.


Thanks
Mac

Those Energizer headlamps you can pick up at Walmart are hard to beat. They're cheap, dependable and the battery life is good. More than enough brightness to light your way.

I use the Energizers too. Have one in the pocket of all my hunting coats.

Moosetrot

I have a Klien headlamp that i like pretty well. Charges off a USB cable in the truck so its always ready to go for doong nuisance work inspections or hunting/trapping.

Third vote for the Energizer headlamps. I'm sure there are better ones at a higher price but they put out plenty of light, have three brightness settings to save batteries, and I can afford to carry several spares in my pocket and in my truck's toolbox.

I go through a set of batteries every couple of hours though. Rechargeable sounds nice. Not sure if the savings in batteries justifies the cost of the light.

Ive got a pair of coast headlamps, $20 each at home depot. Extremely bright will throw a beam like 400 feet and for the price have been hands down best lights ive ever used.
Jim

Don't laugh, but I like the $1 flashlights at Walmart. Lowes sell similar ones but theirs are $4. I've been using one of the lowes one for coon hunting for over a year now and I never changed batteries. I use it as my walk light so as not to run down my headlight. I bought 8 of the $1 Walmart ones and stuck them in all the truck glove boxes and in all my hunting coat pockets.

I bought a nebo einstein 400 headlamp from basspro for 20 bucks. Its waterproof and dustproof and made with an aluminium housing. Its more than bright enough and comes with a red light mode. And it lasts two hours on one usb charge

Nite Lite rechargeable from F&T. Get the soft ball cap. Use it for everything. Had it for probably 7 years. Never had it go dead or even get dim that I could tell.

Yep

I use a sunspot hd mini. I have several. One for me Nd then the kids
They are coon lights and thats what i use it for as i run dogs year round
5 nights a week but i use the lights for everything. Very handy

Still use the Wheat lights

2 pack of coast headlights my Daughter bought me at Costco ...3 AAA SUPER Bright long last batterys

I like the Kline also have 2 of them , on the flood setting they go a very long time they claim 11 or 14 hours

I have one on the head mount and one on the hard hat , hard hat is more comfortable to wear long term , I am not a fan of elastic around my head and it always rides up

I’ve been using these for a couple years now and for the money i don’t think you could get anything better.

A big thank you for all the responses. I appreciate it.

Mac

This. I always used those Energizer lights too, until I realized you can see in the dark 10X better with a quality light.

Yup.I have several of them.

I guess it depends on what you're doing. You can definitely see way better with a quality coon light. But anytime other than the dead of winter I much prefer a small handheld flashlight for walking, than a bright bug beacon on my head, lol. When I'm in the woods at night the only time my headlight comes on is to search the tree.

Flashlight technology has come a long way the last 20 years. My dad always use one of the old square flashlights with the giant square batteries so it would stay put on the bank. It seemed fine back then, but absolutely anything you purchase now would be far superior.

Railroad lanterns. My dad was a railroad man and I sure remember those.

Ledlenser.com. They make an incredible line of lights. I bought the H14R.2 this year. I just ordered more for Christmas gifts.
It’s an LED head unit with lots of adjustments easily used. It charges like a cell phone.
The best thing I can speak to is it’s charge longevity. It claims 8 hours per charge but mine went way beyond that being heavily used in this years bear season. This use was on its highest setting.
I found it far brighter than the lights on my ATV’s so I wore/wear it for night riding now. I’ll do so for sno-machine use as well this winter as well. I believe my unit is 1k lumins. On spotlight or broad beam and anywhere in between its terrific.
Not cheap, but a long warranty.

Osky

Past week picked up a neck light from Aubuchon Hardware , "www.catlights.com" # CT7100, +/- $25. "Hands Free Use". Endless Advantages , hi/lo beam . For me , a Great all around light . Check it out.............. Tut

I been lookin at the streamlight protac 90

I don't care for wearing a headlamp unless I just absolutely must have my hands free. You can get light on what you want to see faster with a handheld so that's what I prefer to do, but that can be done with a headlamp in the hand.

The Maglites that take 2 AA batteries used to be my go to flashlights. The new led version is much brighter than the old halogen bulbs, but they are not dependable any more. The leds don't last and are not replaceable like the halogen bulbs.

https://thrunite.com/th20/

I have had great luck with this one....sometimes they come on in my pocket is the only issue....I like the single AA battery idea....nice and light

Another vote for streamlight here. I have two of them for work and they are unbelievable. Still looking for a headlamp I like though, been through a pile of them

Shooting deer at the last legal shooting light,,ends up with field dressing in the dark.Thats why I went from Mini Mags to a head lamp.Gutting a deer while holding a Mini Mag in your teeth is a pain in the rear end.

Just picked up a biolite 330 and like it. my previous headlamp would turn on in my pack. So far with this one the guard on the power button stops that from happening.

If I kill a deer late and find It I always hang a light at the kill site. Then when I come back with the wheeler and my sled i can find It with no problems.

Thanks for all the responses

Mac

I have a beanie hat that I got for Christmas. It has an LED light built into it. When the battery gets low, you just take the light out of the hat and plug it into a USB port. I was skeptical at first but I absolutely love it. Wear it daily.

I keep a pack of them dollar store glow sticks in my pack for that reason.

I have a rechargeable boruit head lamp works great.

... this little thing... keep a few AAA batteries in the glove box and go ... light weight and plenty bright

X2

Good way to mark where the boat is at when you hunt in swamps near the river. The water may come up several feet and make it look much different in just a few hrs. Depends on what they do at the dam. One glow stick in a tree on the hill above the boat at the creek & another 80 to 100 yards on the slight ridge. Two points makes it easy. It can get dangerous fast. Come in on land thing you're coming down in your climber in a few inches to find a few feet when you hop out of the climber. Splash. Add in all the low spots that are now feet deep glow stick are very nice.

That glow stick idea is an awesome idea. I definitely will start using them. I had two instances this season where that would have been the ticket.

I have a Cabelas Alaskan Guide headlamp and it has been great. It has laid out in the weather for weeks a few times after losing it and still keeps ticking. It is the one with both white and green led options. 3 AA battery pack on the back to balance it out.

We use stream light flashlights at work and they are pretty darn durable.

Thanks for all the responses
Mac

In my experience I'm getting a little tired of LEDs. Maybe it is just me, but it seems that the light is bright with new batteries and after while the light dims and then it will last forever on dim. It seems the LEDS do not like it when the batteries get to maybe 25% discharge. It is almost like I go through more batteries, if I want bright light, than the old incandescent headlamps that give IMO a more focused light. Find a headlight that uses D's. It will pay for itself. JMHO from somebody that operates in the dark during the day in winter.

Nother thing on flashlights if you use disposable type battery powered lights, try to buy ones that take the same kind of batteries. Lot easier and cheaper to just buy one kind of bulk packs or AA or AAA than to have to keep multiple types around.

Also if you only use headlamps for just hunting or trapping season and rarwly anything else, remember to remove batteries or risk ruining them

I have a Princeton Tec which takes 4 AA batteries that I have used for over 10 years for just about everything from fishing to trapping to deer hunting to working on stuff where I needed to see better. It has never had any issues and I have been happy with it. I use rechargeable batteries so it is cheap to operate. I also have a much smaller version Princeton Tec That I got new in box at a garage sale cheap that I have for backup.

X2 on the Princeton Tec. I have been using the same 3 for 10-15 years now. This year I upgraded to one of the better models. Only down side is mine take AAA.

I also have been a fan of the Coast single AA flashlight. Not the brightest but when they can be had for $12-19 and have lasted more then 5 years. If they start to look dim or not working change the battery and back to work. I may have ran one though the washer just fine also.

Next sept up would be the pelican line. I totally used one when I was active firefighting where it was throughly used. Tried their lifetime warranty and got a new one back.