battery standardization and general light question

hello everyone,

Once again I am calling on the collective knowledge, experience and wisdom of the folks here at ETS. It's time to upgrade my headlamp and flashlight for scouting activities this year. I was also thinking of standardizing battery size, so I am looking at a smith and wesson MP7 series flashlight in AAA and a black diamond storm headlamp in AAA. Anyone with experience with either of these lights care to comment on quality? Also, other than the convenience of only having to bring one type/size of spare batteries, is there any other reason to consider standardizing battery size? I have never really given that idea much thought as I always seemed to have gadgets around the house that took lots of different size batteries, so i always seem to have ready supplies of AA, AAA, 9 volt, C and D batteries hanging around. Comments and insights are appreciated and welcomed. As always, thanks in advance for your words of wisdom.

I see it as a trade off. If you only need one kind of battery for your gizmos, keeping them fed is easier. If you have battery diversity, you might find it easier to find a battery that will work for one of your flashlights. You also may find that different battery form factors work better for different purposes.

I have no hands-on with the MP7 but I do not care for the 3xAAA form factor. You get less power than you would with other form factors (such as 2xAA or 1xCR123A) and they're more fiddly to change batteries.

For me, I would in almost every circumstance for EDC and emergency use recommend an LED. After that, most non-flashaholics are better off with AA-powered lights. Flashaholics will often want CR123A or 18650 or 14400 or
10440 or some other kind of oddball cell. When you've figured those things out, output, runtime and whether you need variable output and disco modes should help you narrow the field.

Mark... I attempted to standardize my lights to AAs a couple of years ago, and except for the CR123s on the weapons lights have pretty much done so... I chose the AAs over the AAAs for the added run times, but this did lead to some difficulty in finding the right appliances... for a headlight I went with the Black Diamond Icon (earlier version on closeout that does not have the red LEDs for night use) for a flashlight I went with the Fenix E21... I use Sanyo Eneloop AAs and have a Goal Zero 7w panel as well as a Fujicell SCH808F multi input charger...

these are what I came up with ... good luck

lower left... Black Diamond Icon, Gerber Infinity task light, Fenix E21, and Coleman 3AA High Tech area light...the battery pack will not charge my older Motorola...Midland W300, and Reecom (not shown) weather alerts and older Grundig all use AAs

Maybe you could skip a headlight:
How well does the photon freedom micro light Doug sells work?
Is the clip used on a cap brim or something as good as a headlight?
And is the protective LED tube removable?
Anyone know?
qjs

It works very well, certainly the best coin-cell flashlight I've ever seen. The clip works well on a cap brim, keeping in mind that you won't get as much output and runtime as you would with other form-factors. The tube around the LED is removable, once. I managed to do it without destroying the light. You might not want to, though, as the glare is noticeable when it's clipped to the cap brim after that.

I don't use headlamps a lot but when I do I prefer one that's AA or (more commonly) CR123A powered and with a lot of output.

Chaos, I had never even really thought about standardizing battery size for my lights and other gizmos before, i just accepted the fact that the gizmos i bought used different sized batteries, and did my best to have them on hand. However, over the years I've noticed it is frustrating to have every battery size on hand except the one the gizmo in question needed. It's never been in a critical situation before, thank goodness, but since I've seen a lot of people here mention standardizing battery size I thought I'd ask and see what people's opinions are about the subject.

I would (maybe) prefer a AA form factor, but I'm ok with the 3 AAA form factor, I deal with it frequently on other gizmos without too much trouble. Also, I didn't see much in the way of AA headlamps (granted I haven't really looked at many yet). I was looking at a petzl pixa 2 pro, a nice and rugged looking light but the performance of the light seemed pretty dismal, only 6 hours run time on high at 40 lumens and 12 hours on low at 30 lumens. I'm sure there are better performing AA headlamps available, but i expect the cost will rise substantially and I'll end up with one that has the battery pack on the back of the head and the dreaded over-the-top head strap.

I guess I'm not truly a flashaholic then, I tend to prefer standard AA and AAA cells these days rather than the others you mentioned. Shopping for them is dreadful, especially if, like shopping for the myriad of coin cell type batteries, someone has put a pack on the wrong hook, and you're not paying as close attention as you should to the actual battery pack you put in the cart. As far as narrowing the field, goes, I really like the options on the ones i mentioned, dual outputs, good run times, and uses a more standard battery size. I just hope I am on the right track.

Thanks for the options les, I will give those a look

QJS and chaos, the reason I am upgrading my headlamps is my existing cyclops type just isn't cutting the mustard. We tend to end up setting up a lot in the dark for scout activities, and I need something with more light output, with the option of switching to a lower output setting. A headlamp is absolutely needed in these situations so the hands are free to work.

I am upgrading my mini-maglites (AA form factor) for the same reason. They've been good lights, not used very often, but I'd like an upgrade to something with much better output for the times when i do use it.

If you have one light, you want it to be a headlight. It is much easier to hold a headlight in the hand than to fix a flashlight to the head, and there are situations where you do not want a light on the head. The ability to switch modes rapidly is very useful. My basic light is a headlight.

There are AA headlights using single batteries. Consider Zebralight - http://www.zebralight.com/. They aren't cheap, but I have found their headlight to be satisfactory, once I modified and simplified their headlight strap. Check out candlepower forums for similar brands - there are quite a few.

One feature of the Zlight that I really appreciate is that it comes with a clip that allows you to attach the light to clothing so that you have both hands free and depth perception capability.

I have more or less standardized on AA, with some AAAs in the mix. Primarily, I like my GPS and light(s) to share the same batteries. Right now I can go afield with either a AA set, or a AAA set, or conceivably both. What is really critical if the ability to recharge, which I can do in either house current, 12V DC, or solar. The solar option adds weight and bulk, critical in backpacking, but not to a totally unreasonable degree.

I note that I am beginning to acquire more and more units, charged through UPS technology, that use 18650 batteries, which well might replace AAs as a standard.

Battery standardization is a worthy goal, but probably unattainable in the real world. The alternative is organization, not something that comes naturally to me.

Yeah, I tried to standardize on AA batteries but failed. Some goodie would come along in other than AA and I went for it. GPS and LED flashlights are AA. My headlamp is AAA; both lights for my handgun and shotgun are CR123A. A couple pocket lights are AAA and the DR light on my keyring is a coin-cell.

One reason to standardize on AA NiMH rechargables is that my Goal Zero solar panel uses AA NiMH batteries as part of its system. That's one very good reason to standardize on AA batteries. YMMV

It takes all kinds. You're choosing sanity and fiscal responsibility over whatever it is I get out of flashaholism .

For what it's worth, here are some of my favorite flashlights in various form-factors:

• 1xAAA: The Preon ReVO was pretty amazing, but unfortunately it isn't made any more. You can't have mine. I can't recommend any of the current-controlled multi-mode 1xAAAs out there because as far as I know none of them come on in lowest mode first (they're either H>M>L or M>L>H, ruining your night vision before you can get to the lowest mode). If you can live with that, the Fenix LD01 is probably my favorite (note that I do not own one). The Thrunite Ti has only two modes, but performs admirably and is cheap enough to stash one everywhere.
• 2xAAA: Preon P2.
• 3xAAA: Hate 'em. If I want something this big I'll go with a 1xCR123A.
• 1xAA: Nitecore SRT3 (truly a 1xCR123A light but has a AA extension tube) or FourSevens QPA, FourSevens Mini MA for honorable mention.
• 2xAA: FourSevens QP2A. Mini M2A for honorable mention.
• 1xCR123A: Nitecore SRT3. It finished the race, held a press conference, showered, took its girlfriend out dancing and brought her home before the next one finished. For me, anyway. I use this flashlight the most out of the collection and it's rarely not in my pocket or in my hand. Second place goes to FourSevens QPL -- which is an amazing light. FourSevens Mini ML for honorable mention.
• 2xCR123A or 1x18650 (head is same diameter as the body): Nitecore SRT5.
• 2xCR123A or 1x18650 (head is larger diameter than the body): Nitecore SRT7.
• headlamp: Fenix Headband, followed by FourSevens Quark Prism in close second place.

I have no affiliation with any of these manufacturers.

It is worth mentioning again the 1xAA Gerber Infinity, illustrated in an earlier post by Les Snyder. Not dazzling bright, but dependable, with great run time. I've got three of them, including two early models.

In my experience, run time is more critical than lumens. I would cheerfully use a Gerber Infinity as my main light for an all night hike.

ah yes i see your point russ, standardizing on one battery size may be ideal, but it may also just be a pipe dream I'll have to just be happy trying to obtain (and maybe pic up some nifty gadgets and gizmos along the way to boot )

some more great looking options, thanks hikermor and chaos, I'm now reconsidering that black diamond storm, the 100 lumen main light seems a bit much, especially considering I'm used to the measly 2 to 5 lumens of my cyclops atom headlamps, so now I'm also looking at/considering a black diamond cosmo with a 70 lumen main light. As an added bonus this one is a bit less pricey. Any thoughts on whether that would be enough for setting up camp as well as the possibility of lighting up a trail at night? or maybe too much? it does have some lower output options tho.

and just a quick FYI, I have no affiliations with any lights being mentioned or sites being linked to in this thread.

Lumens ain't everything.

Briefly, think of light as being grains of salt. Take a picture of whatever you're illuminating and pour salt on the picture (in your imagination, please). Wherever a grain of salt is, there's a little light. Where there's lots of salt, there's lots of light.

Lumens measure all the salt on the picture, no matter how densely they're packed or widely they're scattered.

Candela is a measure of the maximum intensity of light, or how high the salt gets piled up in the analogy.

Throwy lights have high candela, good for illuminating things far away, but not much spill (this is what flashaholics call it). In other words, most or all the salt is piled up in one spot on the picture. It may be hard to light up an area.

Floody lights are the opposite, great for illuminating large areas close up but very poor for spotting things far away. The salt is spread fairly evenly all over the picture.

At night, with your eyes adjusted, 70 lumens can be a heck of a lot for setting up camp. It can be too much, especially if the light doesn't have much spill. So I guess the answer is, I don't know. My 70 lumen lights would work quite well for setting up camp at night, for me.

Yep, battery standardization is just a goal. Due to form & function limitations, it is probably not attainable unless you really fine tune your needs. If I only had one light the FourSevens QP2A has a wide range of output (0.3-336 lumen). Two AA batteries gives it good runtime on the lower power settings, but it has good throw if you go to the high end -- solid light imo. No affiliation other than as a past customer.

For quite awhile my go to light was the Gerber Infinity hikermor mentioned. I too have a couple, they're good lights.

'Lumens ain't everything." Hear! Hear!

Absolutely true. When hiking at night on a trail, I prefer to let my eyes become fully dark adapted, and use a light sparingly at a very dim setting. Actually your feet will tell you when you are on the trail - the footing is quite different once you wander off the tread. Be cautious about this if you are in unknown country with cliffs around.

There is a surprising amount of ambient light available, even on a moonless night. If there is a full moon one can usually get along just fine with no light at all.

I was once told that the light from the flare of one match would hinder your dark adaptation for about thirty minutes. It does make sense to have a light that turns on to a low light level, or else learn to shut one's eyes while cycling through the levels.

Yep again. When I get up at night and need a light the 0.3 lumen setting is much appreciated. It does a nice job of illuminating softly without totally ruining your night vision.

Looking at my favorite lights, you'll see a number of them that have very low output available.

I, like others have standardized on AA batteries. The only survival related exception to this is my headlamp which takes 3x AAA batteries.

With the headlamp batteries fully charged, there is well over 100 minutes of burn time when the light is on low and about 50 hours on high.

With this amount of burn time, I don't mind having AAA batteries and never carry spares for the headlamp as I could not foresee having to have the lamp even on high for 40 + hours which would stretch for many, many nights with judicious use.

Hello Mark,

I own 3 BD Storms and I also own the BD Cosmo.

I chose the storm because:
I wanted a high output when needed but the ability to dial it down when not.
It is more water resistant (gasketed battery case) than most if out in the rain or around water and clumsy :-)
It is both regulated when the batteries are fresh for a consistent output and then it drops to unregulated when the batteries are running low. The high lumen numbers on any headlight are for brand new batteries. After 30 minutes the total drops down in any headlight. Regulated lights keep a higher output longer but they drain quicker than non regulated.
I like and use the red led feature frequently.
I wanted a strobe if I needed to signal the calvary.

I like it a lot and bought more so I could keep 1 for my bob, 1 for edc and 1 in my hiking backpack. The edc light gets used while camping / hiking and the other is backup.

I have frequently used my edc storm in place of a flashlight. It uses 4 aaa for a longer burntime but it is not heavy on my head.

The only thing I don't like is that my edc storm has developed two hairline cracks on each side by the secondary leds. To be fair it is tossed in a bag and used all the time.

The cosmo was on sale for a price too good to pass up. It is nice but less powerful and not as water resistant. It is my edc backup and would definitely work well if my storm broke.

I would recommend carrying lithium batteries. It gives a definitely longer burn time and it makes the unit much lighter. I keep alkaline batteries in the unit for the more constant use and switch to Li when I use it in the woods.

If you chose something different please let us know what and why. I'm always interested in a good light.

+1 on going without a light, when there is enough starlight/moonlight
I was gifted a Streamlight Stylus. I think it takes 3, maybe 4, AAAA batteries: I haven't had to replace them, yet. I have a pack of four, for when they do die. That light is too bright to test for DUI horizontal gaze nystagmus, but great when you can't see the trail at your feet. I wrapped the barrel in plastic electrician's tape, as I was used to using a Streamlight Scorpion, which takes two 123A batteries and has a barrel that is rubbercoated--so that you could hold it between your teeth, to change a tire (cue Ralphie, from "A Chrismas Story", saying "Oh-F...", when he kicks the lugnuts out of the hubcap, into the snow...

Standardize as best you can, but remember: batteries of that size, really don't weigh that much: if you have to carry a couple of different sizes, so what? Is your life really worth the difference the between the weight of a couple of batteries?

It can be useful to not standardize the batteries in luxuries. I know i'll empty my mini maglite of its AA's if my radio runs down and that is sacrificing a necessity for a luxury.
qjs

I don't consider a radio (information source) a luxury but 3rd priority of survival equipment perhaps??

I believe it 's importance would be determined by the event. It would be important to have realtime info in the event of a wildfire or post EQ; concerning fires, announcements concerning water & food supply points established by local authorities; etc.

I hear ya there chaos

I got through the past year of scouting activities with my cyclops atom and led mini-maglite. The mini-maglite didn't really get used all that much tbh, it stayed in the pack most of the time. The headlamp on the other hand was my go to light. With that in mind there were times when the light output of the cyclops left a bit to be desired, so I'm thinking any upgrade will be an improvement at this point.

Also, would you prefer a floody light or a throwy light for camp setup? I'm thinking a floody light might make the most sense. One thing I like about most of the newer headlamps is that they have the option for both. The black diamond cosmo and storm in particular have the high output main light for throw and lower output leds for close in flood. They also have red leds to preserve night vision and can be turned on separately without having to cycle through the higher output settings.

As for the smith and wesson MP7, that may be more of a flashaholic "I want ..." than an actual "I need ..." option lol

that's a nice looking light russ, it brings out my inner flashaholic lol

hikermor, there was a time I would have agreed with you on that, unfortunately, being type I diabetic for almost 40 years has taken it's toll, I am experiencing some desensitivity in my feet these days (the beginnings of neuropathy) and I find I need to be able to see where I am walking, what I am walking on, the contours and obstacles on the ground, etc. I wish it were otherwise, but I must adapt to continue to be able to do at least some things with my son and his troop while I am still able. Getting older sucks (but it beats the heck out of the alternative).

A low output setting seems like it would be a desirable feature

100% standardization may not be possible for me right now, but if i can get everything to take AA or AAA I think it would be a big help for the coming year. I don't really own a lot of gizmos, mainly lights and the weather alert radio, so any new devices I pick up in the next few years I can keep the standardizing option in mind when selecting from the available options.

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?

I find myself using a super-low (sub 1 lumen) "firefly" or "moonlight" mode very frequently -- it's super handy for moving around in a dark room or tent without waking one's bride, for example. A very low red light is a good second choice.

Princeton Tec has red LED's, just in a different light. Check out the Princeton Tec Vizz, single bright LED, twin dimmable white LED's and red LED's. Similar 3xAAA format as the Eos.

Ken, any idea how waterproof that EOS is? Looking at the manual, all it says is it's a waterproof case. Waterproof, not just water resistant, which leads me to believe it may be comparable to the black diamond storm's IPX 7 rating but i can find no information about it other than this. I am leaning more toward the Black Diamond Storm at this point because we'll be on the water, and the Storm, according to the specs of the rating, will withstand immersion in water.

Quote from this site:

"IPX7 – This is for full water splashdown. If you drop your device in water up to 3 feet ... your device is still going to work."

My thinking is being on the river, with about 15 or so 10 to 15 y.o. boys who will want to swamp, overturn and otherwise get out of the boats and into the water, having a light that can go into the water and still work when it comes out is going to be a high priority as I will most likely have the light on my person.

All my stuff is AA or AAA. Sometimes a really flashlight is what's desired (e.g., a cheap light on key chain or a cheap loner light). That's where AAA comes in.

The Eos is advertised as IPX7 in the left-hand column.

great, thanks for the info on the EOS russ

I'm looking at Christmas gifts, and noticed that the new 2014 model of the Fenix E05 has 3 levels...85 lumen for 45min, 25 lumen for 4 1/4 hours, and 8 lumens for 15 hours...referenced to the new E01 has 13 lumen...

well, I'm now debating on the option of getting a couple of less pricey headlamps, for fiscal reasons AND in case one ends up getting lost in the river ... losing a 12 dollar headlamp from wal-mart wouldn't hurt as badly as losing a 40 dollar plus black diamond or princeton tec or petzl light.

thoughts? suggestions?

A PT Eos/Vizz or BD Storm are great lights, losing one would not be good. OTOH, a cheap Walmart light may be better if losing one is likely. How about one good light for you and a couple cheaper lights for others and times around the river.

BTW, REI Outlet has the 2013 BD Storm on close-out at less than $40 -- good light at a good price. BD Storm is also IPX7. (no affiliation other than being an REI member since 1980-something)

yup, i've seen those russ, but shipping pushes the price up to about 45, the same model on e-bay however is 39.95 shipped, and that BD storm is definitely one of the ones I'm considering, and I was thinking the same as you, one good one for me, a less pricey one for DS ... then again, depending on what we can find, might just get 2 cheaper ones for now and maybe DW can get me one of the BD's for Christmas this year

It's also L>M>H without memory, just the way I like it. It's exceptionally good at this price point; certainly the best 1xAAA light I've owned that cost less than $60. No affiliation.

I bought the stainless steel version.

Chaos... the aluminum version is $19.95 at Fenix Outfitters...

The stainless steel version is $30. Aluminum lights have significant advantages -- they're lighter, less expensive, and dissipate heat better. But the anodizing gets banged up and scratched when kept on my keyring.

I found one guy to make me a custom leather keyring sheath for a flashlight but he's out of that business and it wasn't a great solution. Keyring lights need to be stainless steel or (preferably) titanium so that they don't look awful after a few weeks of carry.

shrink tubing?

I ruled that out for more expensive lights because I was afraid it would make the light too hard to use and not look good. At this price point I'll think about buying an aluminum version and try it out.

The stainless model has held up admirably for the last several days and looks great.

Regarding cheap headlamps vs the EOS ... I wouldn't trade my EOS for SIX cheap headlamps. No way!

I guess I don't understand how you'd lose it. Are you whitewater kayaking at night?

I still have my original EOS purchased quite a few years back and lots of camping nights ago. It was always either in my pack, in my pocket, or on my head. Works as good now as the day I got it. Even the elastic is still in great shape (was one of my worries back then).

I would always choose quality over cheap, especially for something as important as a light.

I also find that I don't loose expensive things nearly as often as cheap ones. I have had a very expensive pen for about 30 years and in the same time I have lost probably dozens of cheap pens.

"Keyring lights need to be stainless steel or (preferably) titanium so that they don't look awful after a few weeks of carry."

I prefer to say that my LD01 and PS4 have acquired character and experience. After all, their owner now sports a few dents and scratches.....

I'd definitely prefer a better light, and I don't really anticipate losing the light in the river (but then I didn't really anticipate losing my glasses in the lake at summer camp but it happened). At this point, I can't get anything shipped to me in time for the canoe trip, so I'm gonna make do with what I have on hand for now.

For fiscal reasons (we're already out quite a bit of money getting some needed gear for this trip) and as a stop gap, i'm getting a cheaper headlamp/flashlight combo for now that's on clearance at walmart (they won't get here in time for the trip but we'll have them for some other campouts this fall), similar lights to what i've been looking at, I'll see how well I like them, and keep considering all the fantastic options you all have given for a better light for the christmas stockings. Thanks for all the help and suggestions, it's been a real eye opener for me as to the options available, I'll keep looking, and if anyone has more suggestions I'd love to hear them.

Being able to transfer batteries from low priority equipment to high priority can be invaluable. It means the luxury gadgets you carry can also be considered as spare battery holders for survival items. At one point I had electric shaver, electric toothbrush, and camera all running on AAs.

Picking AAs to standardise on brings further benefits, because they are so flexible. You can own a mix of alkaline, lithium and LSD rechargeable for different situations. In addition to having fewer batteries to "bring", you'll need fewer rechargers and cables, and you can keep a stockpile of rechargeables always charged up at home.