I have a uf-h2 and a zlt h-31..both are cool..h2 is a good deal for the cost..
I would say H2 is close to 80 lumens or about the same H51w puts out on High2.
for close-up work thats plenty. For throw with that wide angle beam, it’s going to give only say 15m.
Oh. Yeah, I really don't need a thrower for a headlight. :D
Another vote for the H2. I use mine regularly but then again, I'm not sensitive to PWM. If long runtime wasn't a requirement, I'd suggest you also check out the TF Z1. From what I read, the H3 should be better than the H2 in just about every way (mine should be here any day now ).
I was just going to ask about the H3... I have 18650 cells so that's not a problem. Where's the cheapest place to get one though?
There was a group buy a few weeks back. I just checked and at the moment, the H3 is $48 at DD so even with 20% off, MF still has a better price ($32). That also seems to be the going rate if you try ebay sellers that allow you to make an offer.
Edit: $28.76 on eBay. :)
If it needs to be one battery I think you've limited the choice pretty much to Zebralight, Spark, or one of the UF models listed.
If you can use 3AAA then you can get a Princeton Tec EOS or maybe an older model of the Black Diamond Spot for about the same money.
I mention the last two since if someone asked me what I thought the best budget headlamp was I'd probably say the PT EOS.
I don't have the UF models, a lot of people on here do and seem to like them. They are all probably decent choices and the rest just depends on your personal preferences.
Isn't that (the PT EOS) more of a spotlight type (i.e., more throw, less spill)?
The Ultrafire uf-h3 is a fantastic light if you already have 18650s and a charger. Any light option, headlight or otherwise, with a 3 aaa configuration is so inefficient in terms of energy/ size as to deserve no consideration. 3 aaa batteries barely have more power than 1 aa. The h3, in a very compact form, provides over 200 lumens of pure flood for a couple hours, infinitely variable output and a magnetic base (especially useful for working on autos).
At $28.76, as mentioned above, this headlight has no competition at this time. Zebralight h600 will be a better light in nearly every way, but more than 3x as expensive.
Had my h3 stolen in a break-in, along with a lot of other items. The h3 was the first thing I ordered a replacement for. It's hard to explain just how good this light is, for the money. I've got an h51 Zebralight and I think the H3 is just as well built. Just works, every time.
I wouldn't really call it throw. It doesn't really have much of a spot but the overall beam is less than a pure flood. It's probably 60 degrees or something like that so it is useful to 100 feet rather than just to 20 feet.
I put some diffusion film over the optic on mine and it reduces the throw a bit and widens the beam as well (eliminates the hard outer edges).
It's a good multi-purpose light. If you never need a headlamp to go more than 20 feet it will throw a bit further than what you are looking for but if you want to go into your backyard at night and have plenty of light to see where you are going it would do that well.
So, that's why I said that it's personal preference at a certain point. All of the lights mentioned are reasonably floody in my opinion but not so floody as to not be useful for hiking for example. I don't know much about the UF lights. I think they may be too floody for hiking (others can comment on that).
I think the original models of the EOS were more geared for throw but that's not the case now IMO.
AA only have 10%* higher energy density than AAA. and using 3AAA has certain benefits, the number one being higher efficiency while using cheaper circuits. with the exception of Zebras and maybe Sparks, 1AA headlamps don't run as efficiently as 3AAA headlamps and give back their energy density advantage in the form of lower efficiency. if you were to compare 3AAA lamps and 1AA lamps on runtime to weight ratio, they would be about equal.
the only disadvantage i see for 3AAA headlamps is that after a while, dealing with 3 batteries at a time turns into a real hassle.
*for Eneloop batteries, the following calculation applies:
AAA | 1.2v x .8Ah = .96Wh | .96Wh ÷ 12g = .080Wh/g
AA | 1.2v x 1.9Ah = 2.28Wh | 2.28Wh ÷ 26g = .088Wh/g
AA energy density over AAA energy density as a percentage | (.088 Wh/g - .080Wh/g) ÷ .080Wh/g = .1 or 10%
the Eos's only serious weakness is for area lighting inside of ten feet. the beam gets kind of narrow looking inside of ten feet. if you're going to use your light as an up close work light, i would advise against the Eos unless you don't mind adding scotch tape or some other form of heavy diffusion to the lens.
I agree with Robo, it's dealing with the 3 batteries that is more of a hassle (and much more expensive as well if you are using lithium primaries since AA and AAA cost about the same).
The only big difference (to me) is that a single AA headlamp is much more compact. It goes beyond the weight difference which is not always that great (plastic vs aluminum) but it's simply that most 3 AAA headlamps are bulkier by comparison...especially when you consider how they adjust the beam angle (hinged head vs simply twisting the AA body).
The main reason for considering 3 AAA lights (other than driver efficiency as Robo mentions) is that there are many traditional outdoor hiking/camping headlamps available with features you might like (dual beams, red LEDs, etc).
For my uses however, nothing works better than the Zebralight H51f.
I love my ufh2 on and ufh3. Ran my ufh2 on 14500 down to 2.6 v the other day until it stopped working. Works great on eneloops too. Hate 3 battery headlamps. I prefer the Ufh3 for night fishing due to it being brighter.
For a bargain I'd go for UF-H2. At the moment you can snap one up for 22.39$ at DD using "Thanksgiving" code 
Can't go wrong!
I have a UF-H2 and a UF-H4. I like the H2 but I love the H4. The H2 is all flood as everyone has mentioned already. It can go pretty dim, and fairly bright. The H4 is the only one of the UF-Hx series that has a reflector, and that's why I bought it. I use it almost every night, as a skunk light: I look for skunks in the back yard before I let the dogs out. I need throw, but some flood as well, and the H4 is great for that. It also uses an XP-G LED, while the others use XR-Es I believe. The H4 can go much brighter than the H2, but not nearly as dim, if you need a low low.
The only drawback to the H4 for me is that it uses 16340 or 17670 batteries, which I wouldn't normally own. Luckily, a friend gave me some of both since he no longer uses li-ion batteries.
I don't know why the H4 isn't more popular than it is. I think it's a much better headlamp than the H2 but then different people have different uses.
I have a question for any of you who own any of the UF-H... headlamps. Can you easily open up the head to get to the front lens? For instance could you put a piece of diffusion material behind the front lens?
I realize that you can put something in front on the lens of course.
Thanks.
Looks like the one I ordered a while back from KD but I can't get their website up to post the original link. No headband with this one, though..
Update: Just found the thread that pointed me to the KD version. Their website seems unavailable. https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/2103
"old" link : http://old.kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=11342
"new" link: http://kaidomain.com/product/details.S010075
DX has it even cheaper. The beam is very different from the H2. The H2 is all flood but the angle light is very throwy. The headbands can be bought separately. (I'm too lazy to search it on KDs new website.Found it) I am still thinking about a Zebralight, everybody who has one, tells me that they are worth the money.
Here are some comparison pics, you'll notice the size/weight difference especially on your head with a headband.
Thanks guys. I guess I really don't need much throw, since most of my usage will be using it to read in the dark (I do this approx. an hour every day). That's partly why I'd like it to last a good while on one battery charge.