One last Q: how much lumens do you recommend for an outdoors flashlight?

[Ura-Ki]

For me, Head lights really came into there own while working on my cars and hotrods! Another thing I discovered was drift fishing just before daylight, using glow in the dark corkies, I could blast them with the light from my head light, and be able to see where to cast! Once in the water, I would switch it to low or off and fish by feel! When I got bit and was ready to land my fish, switch it on and go! Another really cool light I have been really fond of is those really small stubby flashlights that I fit to a small mount I made for my AR for night work! The same little lightthe wife and I use on out key chains! I don't remember the brand but got them off Amazon for $16 I think! Takes a single AAA battery and the life is about 3+ hours continues! Really bright too, about 250 lumins!

 

[AMProducts]

Actually, I thought I would throw this in... for a "general purpose" utility light... like the kind you would want in your car. the "Larry Light" made by Nebo is an awesome choice. I've had a bunch of them over the years, the current generation is insanely bright, but it has a perfectly even cast, it's like having an LED work light in your pocket, it also has a magnet on the clip so you can hook it to your car for task lighting on a tire change or anything else. IIRC it's 200 lumen, but it doesn't get hot and it's powered by AAA batteries.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

'Ya know, I've been a premium flashlight guy since I was in the Scouts. Now that was in the last century! I still have a lot of them, but I just use Chinese, Duracell's.
The smallest uses 3 AAA batterys, for 250L and come in a 3 light clamshell w/ Duracell batteries!
The medium ones use 3 "C" batteries, for 500L and come in a 2 light clamshell, again w/ Duracell batteries!
The large ones use 4 "C" batteries, for 1,000L in an individual clamshell w/ batteries.
They are all sold at Costco, made from aircraft aluminum and cost under $30.
Oh yeah, they all have hi, low and strobe! I'd like to give you a report an battery life, but I've yet to need to change any!

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Actually, I thought I would throw this in... for a "general purpose" utility light... like the kind you would want in your car. the "Larry Light" made by Nebo is an awesome choice. I've had a bunch of them over the years, the current generation is insanely bright, but it has a perfectly even cast, it's like having an LED work light in your pocket, it also has a magnet on the clip so you can hook it to your car for task lighting on a tire change or anything else. IIRC it's 200 lumen, but it doesn't get hot and it's powered by AAA batteries.

Plus 1 with AMP! Nebo lights are, IMHO, best lights you can buy for anything like the money they cost! I was surprised to see that the one I particularly like, the Nebo, Redline, has gone down substantially in price on Amazon! $21.00!

 

[Brutus57]

I have about a 15 year old early LED headlamp I carried when on my motorcycle for emergencies on the side of the rode at night or getting up out of the sleeping bag in the tent to take a pee in the middle of the night. It still works but what seemed amazing technology back then and bright...today seems almost a joke. I got a $4.00 CREE type light off Amazon...actually 3 that gets EDC use and it's brothers live in my GHB and my wife's purse. When I quit buying more lethal stuff I'll get a Surfire or 3.

Brutus Out