Thanks for the specific info on the BD lamps QL, it will be a tremendous help if I decide to go with one of the BD lamps

Exactly.



The headlights I like the most work exactly this way.

Getting older sucks (but it beats the heck out of the alternative).

I hear you,Mark, and I heartily agree. I am dealing with some of these same issues myself. Adapt and move forward.

Getting old is not for sissies!

"Old Age and treachery will overcome youth and skill." - Anonymous.

Just a thought for us, ummh, less young guys. . .

Mark,

My absolute favorite light - of any kind - is the Princeton Tec EOS headlamp with the rebel LED. It takes 3 AAA batteries.

I'd call it a floody spotlight.

The highest level will light up camp. The mid-level is great for most uses. The lowest level is just enough for inside a tent.

I have two in my drawer next to me, one in my travel bag, and another next to my bed upstairs.

I was a Scout leader since my son jointed at age 6 through his 17th birthday, and found that the EOS headlight was all I really needed. Compact enough to slide in a pocket on the way to camp (driving), super bright at high to see what's on the other side of camp at night, dim enough at low, lasts a good long time on medium, and waterproof.

Some Scoutmasters are really into using gas lanterns and like to leave them on all night - turning night into day, but personally I think boys should learn to live and enjoy the dark, and when things get too dark to work then learn to use headlamps at low settings.

One really good reason for standardization is for your Go Bag. You don't want to have to carry all kinds of batteries on your back.

Note that manufacturer's stated runtimes are for alkaline batteries. You can get up to nine times (9X) the runtime using lithium batteries (the non-rechargeable kind). Lithiums come in lower rated forms (I have seen 4x, 6x, and 8x), but I would avoid them. Lithiums also have a ten year shelf-life, don't leak, and work in colder temperatures. In an emergency you don't want to find out that your batteries are dead (including your spares) because of the shelf-life, or that they have leaked and ruined your device.

I have standardized on AAAs and I only use lithium 9Xs. I mainly picked AAAs because I wanted a really small EDC flashlight and I found a excellent one that uses a single AAA (Fenix E01). I also wanted batteries that would be easier to find in a pinch.

In my Go Bag, I have a 3 AAA multi-mode flashlight (Nebo Redline) and a tiny 2 AAA radio (Kaito). I don't have a AAA headlamp yet, but do plan to get one. There are lots of AAA ones to choose from.

I've managed to get it down to three main sizes.
Rechargeable: AAA, AA, & 18650's
Primaries: AAA, AA, & 123's

EDC Lights are a Fenix PD35 & LD01. The PD35 has a 18650 rechargeable. It can also run on 2x123's The LD01 is a Lithium.

Main weather radio is 3xAA rechargeables that it will recharge them when plugged in to a 5V source.

I've had some luck using the AAA to AA adapters.

Ken,

Thanks for the input, that princeton looks nice and the price is right too. A recommendation coming from a fellow scout leader means a lot, but now I am torn, as one of our assistant scout masters uses a light similar to the black diamond. This will be a tough decision but I need to come up with something before Labor Day weekend, we are doing a 2-day canoe trip and I don't want to be stuck out on the water in the dark (not intentionally by any means but we could be herding stragglers who didn't keep up the needed pace) with my current headlamp. Thanks again for your input Ken.

One thing i noticed the black diamond has that the princeton does not, is the red led's for preserving night vision. Any opinions on how important this feature would be to the average joe person like myself? I've got by so far without ever having that feature so I'm thinking for me it's not all that important but I'd like to know if i may be missing something?

Ken, if you wouldn't mind commenting further on the princeton model, you mentioned the low output mode is good for inside the tent, however I noted on the user manual that the low output setting is rated for distances up to 30 meters? I'm no expert on how they come up with that data or how that relates to the light output, but in your opinion, does the low output mode provide just enough ambient light to see by in the tent? or are we talking enough light output to really light things up?