>>1553296I've gradually upped my light power over the years and each time have wonder how I ever settled for less. 1000+ lumens is nice to have in areas with no lighting. Doubling the lumens doesn't double the apparent brightness.
Many lights particularly cheap ones are going to have a hot spot and a dimmer halo. Contrast between the zones makes for overall poor illumination. Multi-LED lights help even out the beam, which is probably a better option for a higher powered cheap light.
I like picking a light that puts out more light than I need because to get a decent runtime you often have to run them on medium particularly in the cold when runtime drop.
In areas with street lights I find you need a ton of light to make much of a difference in illumination since the street lights are overpowering your headlight. In those cases my light is mostly so people can see me and I just run it on low. In early September I'll often just take my wimpy AA light with me if I'm not venturing into dark areas.
