Recommend LED light & Headlamp light.

[Northslope Nimrod]

1. LED Flashlight (Under $35)
Looking for a small LED that uses AA or AAA batteries. I want it to be pretty bright but I also want it to last a long time per battery(ies). I will use it for hiking and hanging in tent. I like the idea of having a diffuser like the Fenix lights have (buy separately) but not a must. Maybe something with low and high?

2. Headlamp (Under $35)
Want something that will light the trail ahead of me. Would be nice if it uses AA or AAA batteries but not too bulky. I would go with a Petzl E-Lite but many say it is not bright enough for primary light...only a backup. (also, doesn't use AA or AAA). I can be flexible on the battery issue.

3. Keychain LED
For fun, also recommend a small LED light for a keychain. Must be SMALL. Can use coin type batteries.

 

[rantingredneck]

I've had very good luck with the River Rock brand of lights that are sold at Target stores. They are inexpensive and solid.

Have a headlamp that takes CR123's (I know you said AA or AAA), it is insanely bright and a solid unit. Used it all hunting season last year walking to and from stands and it's still on the original set of batteries.

Have a smaller handheld River Rock unit that takes AA batteries and it's been a good one as well.

Also check the Coleman branded lights sold at walmart. CREE LED's and most take either AA or AAA batteries. I have 2 or 3 of those as well.

 

[rantingredneck]

As for the keychain LED, INOVA. At Target for 6.00 or so. Have 2 or 3 of those on various keychains. 3 mode, high, low, strobe.

 

[bgdv1]

checkout www.solarforcestore.com they have a lot of choices and i have 3 of there lights and they are tight in comparison to the 3 surefires i own.

 

[treefarmernc]

I would suggest one of the Pelican lines of lights. I use there HeadsUp 2640 model. It has been used primarily during nighttime wildland fire operations in which it provided good visibility through every thing even dense smoke. The 2640 has both LED(low beam) and Halogen (high beam) and operates on AA batteries. The 2640 is a little on the bigger size but Pelican has other models to choose from. Best of all they have a life time, no questions asked warranty.

I have already had to take advantage of the warranty once for a broken strap bracket of which they sent me a whole new unit. Another guy I work with had a 15 year old model that recently broke and they replaced it with one of their newer models comparable to the one he had.

Here is a link to the Pelican product page:
http://www.pelicanproducts.us/c.Pelican.Flashlights.html?gclid=CIH29_q1gqACFQeenAod333ptg

 

[sholling]

The keychain is easy. You can pick up a Fenix LD01 for $36 or the much weaker E01 for $12.50 at Amazon.com. The 2x AA is a little harder with your budget. I wouldn't go below Fenix's L2T for $41 at Amazon and I'd rather spend the extra $6 and buy an LD20.

I'm fond of the $30 Garrity KH021G headlight but they only put out 40 lumens.

 

[Northslope Nimrod]

OP

"The 2x AA is a little harder with your budget. I wouldn't go below Fenix's L2T for $41 at Amazon and I'd rather spend the extra $6 and buy an LD20."

I have been looking at the LD20. I wish it went lower than 9 Lumens for the lowest setting. I like the Nitecore D10 for that reason, but it is well over my budget.

Anything else that compares to the LD20, but will have a longer battery life? (ie: can dim below 9 lumens)

 

[Bill DeShivs]

http://billdeshivs.com/bd/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=83
I'll throw in a keychain flashlight. If you don't like it, send it back, and keep the keychain light.

 

[dmazur]

I'd go with a Zebralight H501 for both #1 and #2 (that way you can justify the $60 cost...)

Here's a link -

http://www.zebralight.com/H501-Headlamp-AA-Flood_p_11.html

Waterproof, easy to use, multiple light levels, can be used as a headlight or a hanging light. Flood, not spot, but I find it works quite well on trails.

For #3, I'd get a Nanolight (Streamlight) -

http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=141

Small, well made, uses camera batteries (4xLR44, I believe)

 

[Bill DeShivs]

The Streamlight Nano is cute, but the head comes unscrewed in your pocket and the batteries fall out.

 

[Regolith]

Wal-mart has several good 80+ lumen LED lights that use AAA and AA batteries for under $30 or so. The one made by Rayovac (uses two AA batteries) is pretty good, as is the one made by Coleman (uses three AAA batteries). The Coleman one is supposed to have 120 lumens, while the Rayovac only 80, but I can't really tell the difference between the two; they're both brighter than my 3 D-Cell Maglight, though. Both cost right around $20.

They also have LED headlamps made by Energizer that are pretty decent. Four white LED's with two red ones. Brightness is decent. I think it costs around $15; may be wrong, by maybe $5 either way.

For a keychain LED, you can't go wrong with a Photon II. Something like $10, extremely compact (it's not much bigger than the coin batteries it uses) and works well.