In the summer, dusk can be as late as 9:45 here, so I don’t tend to do a lot of dedicated night hikes. I usually carry a single light like an SC63w or SC600w HI, depending on trail conditions and how late I anticipate being out. By December, dusk has shifted back to 5:15, and since I’m out with my dog every night, it’s almost always in the dark. For proper night hikes I usually take a headlamp (E21A Wizard Pro) and small dedicated thrower (D1S or GT mini) so I can periodically check down the trail for people and animals.
Regardless, I tend to top up cells after any significant use. It’s not great for longevity, but I’d rather carry a fully charged cell whenever possible.