flashlight

My main lights, including my EDC, are Emisar. They are among the best lights available in many different ways and they are also among the best bargains you can get. Emisar lights feature a complex "operating system" called Anduril. It is incredibly versatile. You can configure the behavior of your light in detail and use it in all kinds of ways (such as beacon and candle modes). That can be daunting for someone who just wants a basic light.

If you like tech gadgets you will probably love an Emisar light. Just be aware of what you're getting. Also, since you said you're interested in a headlamp you should probably get a DW4 instead of the D4V2.

Having said all that, let me point you to the Arbitrary List of Popular Lights. It's a great resource for people who aren't flashlight nuts but want to find a good, practical light. Start with the Medium Headlamp section and work your way up or down if those don't seem like the right size. Everything on that list is a good choice.

I like Petzl, used their stuff a lot in camping/humid conditions (aka sweaty pockets) and they haven’t let me down yet. They also have a mini USB rechargeable battery you can get instead of three AAAs.

One thing the flashlight community usually strongly prefers is lights that run on standardized, field-replaceable lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. Common form-factors for these include 14500 (14x50mm; AA-sized), 18650 (18x65mm), and 21700 (you can probably guess the dimensions by now). Some lights have built-in charging for these, but they can also be charged in slot chargers like the Xtar VC2SL.

There are versions of these batteries with USB charging ports on them like these from Keeppower. Just note there are a few lights that don't fit them due to length - it's best to consult reviews (or just post here) before buying if you want to use those.

As for the headlamp itself, I really like the Skilhunt H150 with Nichia 519A LED in 4500K (or 3000K if you like the incandescent look). These have brightness levels from low enough to keep your dark adaptation to... well, likely brighter than your previous headlamp. The optional BL-110C battery has a USB-C charge port directly on the battery, while the headlamp itself has a proprietary magnetic charging pad. It can take an AA battery as a backup.

Going up in size from there, the Skilhunt H04 series, Skilhunt H300, and Armytek Wizard Pro, all with their optional Nichia LEDs are great options. Their 18650 batteries have about three times the capacity of the H150's 14500.

All of these have pocket clips and magnetic tailcaps, which makes them work well handheld lights and magnetic work lights as well as headlamps.

Pick up an emisar d4v2. Amazing flashlight and tons of custom led configurations depending on your use case. The firmware it runs on has so many modes and custom config Its crazy. Click 3 times and it'll display battery voltage ffs. Only like $50ish too.

Iirc they are custom made by this dude in China so shipping does take a while, but soooo worth it.

Wurkkos FC11:

• built in USB-C charging
• good size for EDC
• UI not too complicated for folks who aren't flashlight nerds
• magnetic tailcap (ends up becoming surprisingly useful)
• good value for money

I'm going to suggest the Nitecore HA11: http://parametrek.com/blog/ha11.html

Pros: very small and lightweight, has a red nighttime mode, runs on a standard AA cell (best used with Eneloop), doesn't go too crazy for high lumen output. Relatively cheap (20 USD retail here, no idea about UK).

Cons: no built in charger (but you can get a very small external one), UI is a little bit fiddly, red nighttime led is longer wavelength than ideal though I still use it. Body is black so it is hard to find in the dark. I stuck Countycomm glow in the dark tape all over mine and that makes it very easy to find at night.

Being able to remove a headlamp from its headband usually isn't that useful. A headlamp is generally perfectly good as a flashlight. Just hold it in your hand and don't worry about the headband.

For the best headlamp, I recommend the Armytek Wizard C2 Pro. It's bright, efficient, and durable. There is a Nichia version which has superior light quality, but has a lower max brightness then the non-Nichia (Cree) version. While it comes with a proprietary built in magnetic charger, it uses standard 18650 sized lithium ion cells, meaning you can either buy a separate external charger or a battery with a built in USB-C port.

On the budget side, there is the Wurkkos HD15. It's less efficient and durable, but far cheaper. It has 2 different LEDs. There are models that have a throw/flood LED combo, and ones that have a white/red combo. This headlamp does have USB-C port built in and uses the same 18650 batteries.

Here you go! This thing is bad ass. You don't really need to know anything other than turn it on and use it. There are modes, but you don't have to use them. It does everything you mentioned. It even has a magnetic base so you can stick it to things when you remove it from the head strap. I've used it when working on my car and it was perfect.

For charging, you will need a battery charger. It takes 18350 lithium ion batteries. Just get a spare and keep it in the charger. When one goes dead then swap it with the one in the charger. You'll never have to wait to charge the thing. Chargers are cheap on Amazon, as are batteries.