Headlamps

[Skybird]

I am searching for one and am looking for tips and advise.


I want a headlight with these special specifications:


1. it must have red light that is bright enough to really allow you walking in a forest at pitch-black night. Not some 1 lm gimmick that is meant to be used stationary to check the map or adjust the astronomy telescope, but a walker's and hiker's red light.


2. It shall not be limited to Li-Ion batteries , NiMH-batteries, but I want ordinary, non-rechargable AA batteries. CR123 batteries are okay as well.



3. It must be stable, durable, and water-proof. The new production standard of Petzl for example - its terrible. They once made good lamps, and then dissappeared in the gutter, maybe because they now produce in China? Clearances between hull and lid in the battery compartment on the top are up to 2-3 mm (!!!), so that in rain water drops for certain must be expected to reach the inside and the electronics - what are they thinking when producing such garbage?


White light must not be a killer laser application, must not do 500 or 1000 lm, 200 lm or even slightly less would be good enough. Also so that battery life is reasonable.


I own the Nitecore NU-25, which is close to perfect, its brilliant, its tiny, it has three types of fanstic white (focussed cold white at three levels and colour-neutral dispensed white) and very bright red light, its ultra-lite - but has an in-build battery that must be charged via USB. Still, it is a fantastic, an idela headlamp (weighing less than 50 gr). This light, especially this red light, I want - but with CR123 or AA batteries!


The Nitecore HA-20 I checked, it has AA batteries, and very good red light - but is heavy, is clumsy, has design issues, is not stable and does not win my trust.


All other headlights I checked so far and that were meeting my specifications (not many there were left), were rechargable only, did not allow AA or CR123 batteries. Fenix is a company I check by habit for torchlights, since they make very good ones, I own three of theirs, but their headlights also do not seem to cut it regarding my demands, but then they do not present the many models they have in an easily comparable fashion, so maybe I miss somethign there.


Has anyone a recommendation that meets my asked-for details?