I think it's time for a few new head lamps. All the lamps I use now take AA batteries and they usually do OK as far as brightness (lumens) and battery life.
Do the rechargable lamps offer many advantages over the AA powered lamps?
I'm looking for lamps that are rugged and durable enough to take the abuse, waterproof and reasonably bright. I've given up trying to find one I can turn on and off with gloves on my sausage fingers.
Your thoughts?

i have a rechargeable that i won in a raffle. it has three different settings. i really like it. when its on spot you can easily make out objects over 100 yds away. the only drawback is its a little cumbersome to put into a pocket. I can try to find out the name later today.

https://bowfishing.shop/product/fleixble-led-headlamp/
I don't know how it is for being water proof but it has 4 settings high-low for the band light and a high -low for the side beam light, Plus it has a sweet motion sensor light you can turn on . It's great for working under the truck, I've used it for just about everything, and so far I've yet to have it die while wearing it. And for the price you can't go wrong. This is my buddies shop so it's legit.

I can't think of the brand, but I have the type that is mounted on a bump cap and has a rechargeable battery. It has four brightness settings and has a big knob on the side you can easily use with gloved hands. Battery life is great. This light is far superior to any other I've used.

Check out this one. I used one the last couple of years i did maintenance in a forging shop. It has 3 rechargeable AAA batteries inside that charge in the light with a little usb cable, but you can swap them out for another set of rechargeable or standard AAA in about 5 secs if you need longer run time. It has a a big button in the front to turn it on and off and a dimmer lever in the rear. All glove friendly controls and a pretty solid unit. The front bezel turns adjusts the beam from spot to flood. It's tough enough for heavy industry and bright enough to track deer, get up loose cattle, run a trap line, and any other kind of homestead chore.

https://coastportland.com/products/hl7r

I have a Milwaukee headlamp that has a few different modes. I have on for my hardhat at work, I liked it enough to buy one for home. I have a spare battery but yet to need it. Well worth the money. I use it for hours at time on the job without any issues.
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Lighting/Personal-Lighting/2111-21

I will try to look at the brand that I use, runs off four AA batteries. I buy them at my local farm and home store and really like them. I typically start working before the sun comes up on the weekends and use these, as well as this time of year choring in the dark after work. The button to turn it on is big enough you could do it with gloves on

I bought one for duck hunting that I now use for trapping too. It runs off of a rechargeable lithium battery that I charge once a week. I have many headlamps and it is the brightest by far. It is too bright for setting decoys with your buddies because you blind them all. When you turn it on its like the sun came up. Perfect for trapping. It's made by Dive Bomb Decoy Company. Here's a pic I took with no phone flash and no other lights other than the headlamp

Make sure to get an LED bulb, reall extends the recharge/battery times.

I bought a cabelas Alaskan a few years back for bowhunting. I absolutely love it. It takes 3 aa batteries that are in a little pack on the back of your head band.

I mostly use it for deer and love that it has green and white. I use the green walking in and the white for trailing if needed. Usually get a full season on a set of batteries and it gets used every hunt.

The green does not seem to bother deer as I walk up on a bunch of them each season. Some even walk closer. I started using it for checking traps before or after work and it works just as good for that. It has a simple push button on the lens, and can get it with gloves. First click is green, second is white, third is off.

They don't make mine anymore in this style, now its smaller and uses AAA batteries so I don't know if its as good. It is smaller and more compact now.

I have 2 of these , great for working on stuff , I like my red option when running for hunting
these are white only
https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/...nd-work-light-300-lumens-all-day-runtime
these I keep a charger cord in my truck for and have 2 so I can charge one and use one.

if you run rechargeable batteries in the battery type you sort of get best of both worlds
cheap to run , easy to keep a spare set of batteries on you

I run a diamondback head lamp that runs on 3 aaa batteries for hunting it has red and dimable , it is one button so you have to learn long press changes red to white after it turns off then back on , press and hold works dimmer momentary press is on and to your last brightness
I run it on rechadgable batteries but worst case you can stop and over pay for a pack of aaa at a gas station if needed

the diamondback was well recommended when I asked here several years ago, all new models now and I haven't kept up on what is what with them.

I have a couple Coast adjustable headlamps. Both use AAA batteries and throw a very bright beam focused for a long distance, or can be adjusted to a wider beam for shorter close in work like set remakes.
Been my favorite trapping headlamps for a long time and got them for about $20 at Home Depot.
Jim

i went to 18650 battery ones. more light, last longer and has the chargers built in.

Thanks guys. I do appreciate your feedback. I thought about going looking at them today(Saturday) but then realized all the Christmas shoppers are out. I'll wait.

I have a millertech rechargeable that I really like. 3500mah battery, aluminum body, ipx rating of 6 or 7, 1800 lumens on high,500 on low. It also has stepless dimming from 5%-100%. An Amish guy I know lost his and found it in a mud puddle 2 weeks later, it works to this day.

where are you going to look at them? most of the stores around here don't have much in the way of headlamps , Cabela's has some selection
sadly it tends to be an item much more available online than in person.

stream light is also a good brand that has a 2 year warranty

All my headlamps take batteries. AAA or AA except my milwaukee which takes red lithium.... many good brands out there.

Haha, still running a Walmart special after 8 years. Been soaked, completely submerged, and used year round. Does take 3AAA batteries though and they last about 3 months with continuous use. Has a bright, less bright…white light. And a red lamp as well. Probably don’t make’em like that anymore, lol.

Mine is the older version of this. I don't use it daily, but when I was using it a couple - three times a week I only had to charge it once every 6 months or so.

It may be bulkier than what you were wanting but it'll light up the top of the tallest tree.

https://www.dusupply.com/k-light-the-firefly-caplight.html