I have been a fan of headlamps for years. Before becoming a flashaholic and learning about the quality of lights that weren't available at Walmart, I bought and used a few different headlamps. This energizer light has served me pretty good and didn't cost me too much. The price has increased over the last 3-4 years but it's still a good, usable headlamp. It came with batteries and worked well for my hunting and camping purposes. The biggest problem I had with this light was that it turned on too easily in my backpack. It's not the sturdiest light either. I still have a few of these stashed away for a rainy day. Some day someone will be mighty glad to have one of these.
In the last 4-5 months I have found headlamps that are much better quality. This Zebralight H51 was my first quality headlamp. I like it a lot. Quality is excellent and better than any of my other headlamps, output is top notch for only using one AA battery, lots of useful modes, great UI and overall just a great little headlamp. It has more throw than my other headlamps and the hot spot is quite bright. On the downside, it's not a budget light. Although there are higher priced headlamps on the market, this is the most expensive headlamp I own. I like to read using a headlamp and this one isn't as good for reading as some of my other headlamps because of the bright hot spot. I find myself having to keep moving my head to focus the hot spot on where I'm reading. The headband is good quality and it comes with an extra glow in the dark rubber flashlight holder. It's a nice looking little light.
I bought my first iTP H01 because I wanted a light that used just one AAA battery. I had already bought a iTP A3 E0S and really liked it. The H01 is the same light just shaped into a "T" and comes in a great little headband. I like this type of headband because it centers the light at the front of the forehead and allows easy up and down movement of the light to focus the beam exactly where you need it. Although not as bright as the Zebralight, it's smaller, lighter, more comfortable to wear and my first one at about $30, cost me less than half of what the Zebralight cost me. I recently found a deal at all-batteries.com where these lights were on sale for $11.99 minus 12% when using a discount code. I bought 2 more last week before the price went up that afternoon to $15.99 which is still a great deal and about the same as I spent to buy the Walmart energizer headlamps. This is a great lamp to use for up close work and reading, yet it still has a usable amount of throw. You can read with it on low mode and one AA NiMh will last about 50 hours. You will get about 55 minutes on high mode. AAA batteries charge up much faster than AA NiMh's do.
I decided I wanted a headlamp that used 18650 batteries because I have quite a few of them but I didn't want to spend $89 to buy a Zebralight H600. I read some good reviews on the Ultrafire UF-H3. I went to MF and ordered one for $32 delivered. Does some things really well. It's all flood and only really good for about 10 to 15 feet. However, up close and for reading it's the best headlamp I have. No hot spot at all. Battery life is good, magnet on the tail cap is handy, still small enough to be handy and easy to wear and overall a good light at what I consider a budget price. The headband isn't as good of quality as the Zebralight or the iTP H01 which is has the best quality. MF has a UF-H2 which is the same price and uses one AA battery. I don't own one but I understand output is about the same as the UF-H3 but battery run time is shorter.
I recently bought another light and although I have only had it for a few days, I had the chance to use it quite a bit yesterday and last night. It's an UniqueFire UF-V4. Just might be the ugliest light I own and I'm still trying to get used to the looks of this light. Lucky for me, when I'm using the light, I'm not looking at the light but at where the light is shinning. That is where this light excels. Thought not as bright nor does it throw as far as the Zebralight H51, it's still no slouch. The beam is far better than my H51. It doesn't come with a headband but you can pick up a headband similar to the other 3 lights for less than $5. It doesn't ride as nicely on your forehead as the other three lights but it's still not a problem. The 90 degree beam angle is great for up and down focus of the light just like on the other 3. The UF-V4 works great just like the Zebralight and UF-H3 for tailstanding and pointing the beam sideways when you remove it from the headband. Lots of spill in this light and the hot spot is very large and is very easy on your eyes. The light only has 3 modes with one of them being the useless strobe (IMHO) but both the lighting modes look to be very useful. Too bad the light doesn't have a lower low mode instead of the strobe. You would swear that this light was built in the same factory in China where the Zebralight and the Sparks lights were built. It's build quality looks quite similar. The UI is a little different on this light. Click the button and the light turns on in high mode. Click it again and it goes to low and then to strobe and back to high with each click of the button. There is no memory. The part that takes some getting used to is shutting off the light. Press the button and hold it down for one second and the light turns off. I find that almost every time I click the button to turn the light off, I don't hold it down long enough. The light just goes to the next mode and I have to turn the light off again. Now for the best part. The light is only $16.34 from MF. It just might be the best quality to value of all my lights, not just my headlamps. Pick up a head band and you can still have this headlamp for about $20. I'm going to order several more just to have on hand. It also makes a handy little pocket flashlight.
This headband is $3.54 at Kaidomain and works with the UF-V4.
Here is another option for a headlamp. You can use different lights and most all 2xAA lights work well in this setup. With this option you will not only have a headlamp when you need it but you will have your larger, more powerful flashlight with you if and when you need a hand held light. This headband works with all my 2xAA lights as well as some of my larger 18650 lights like my Shiningbeam S-mini and Shiningbeam Blaze. This headband also works with the UF-V4 very well.
There you go. I'm by no means an expert here but headlamps are something I feel strongly about and these are working well for me. I look forward to all the input you guys can send my way.
