Stoof-tabsallday
Well-known member
I used and still use my varta rechargeables I got in my racer pro pack.
They hold alot more than the stated MaH on them.
I strictly use rechargeables and if I could find the varta here is buy them.
But I've had very good luck with Panasonic eneloops (normal not black pro HC). They don't necessarily last as long as the Energizer 2500mah ones but they do hold their charge extremely well while sitting.
The higher the capacity the faster they die when sitting.
Of course all modern rechargeable NiMH batteries are waaaay better than the older ones as far as discharging from sitting in a drawer. Nicd batteries were horrible lol.
But almost all modern rechargeable batteries are low self discharge (LSD) and do very well.
But out of all I would say Panasonic eneloops for overall performance and holding charge.
I've done my own testing with my 2 lacrosse battery charger/analyzers and while the Energizer and Duracell can have more power, they don't hold as long while sitting.
This is all relative. What I mean here is that I've had a set of Panasonic eneloops sitting for 6 months and they still had over 90% of their charge left. Same with ones for a year. They are advertised to hold 60-70% after 10 years.
Now in comparison a set of ion core Energizer's while charged hold 25% more than the eneloops but after 6 months were only between 70-80% charge left.
Any ones you choose will be great but out of all brands, from Panasonic eneloops, Amazon basic standard and high capacity, varta, EBL, Energizer 2000 and 2400 mAh, and Duracell ion core, the eneloops may not hold as much but you can be sure that when you throw them in even if they sat for a year, they will still have practically a whole charge. They can also be charged 1900 times!!! Lol. Now noone will likely make it that far before losing them but still. I don't doubt they will.
No modern batteries have memory either.
For me it was a bit of an investment, but I always have batteries (60 cells now from all the testing) and for me well worth it.
Not to say if you find a sale on reputable alkalines, by all means grab them!!! Lol. I still use them in remotes and low drain stuff.
But I even use liIon 9v rechargeables in my tesoros made by EBL. They last a really really long time.
Also did some real world testing and my eneloops (regular not pro) only lasted 10 min less than my alkalines in a flashlight test. And that whole 10 minutes the alkaline light was dim anyway and at the point I'd change them anyway.
Some things to consider too. Most people don't properly recycle their batteries and it adds alot of waste and hurts the environment when they end up in landfills.
While this wasn't my main reason for switching it's a good one.
If you charge your batteries once a day (not likely but if you hunt alot and all day maybe) eneloops should last over 4 years (and that's saying you only get 1500 charges instead of the 1900 advertised) get 2 sets and it doubles. I most likely will never kill the sets I have. But if you got the 8AA+4AA and charger on Amazon you'd be set. If you happen to kill a set, when you get home and charge them with the newest charger (has color changing LED on top of each cell on charger) in that set, it's done in a couple hours (7hours if you get the older charger set). When I bout them it was $30. Not bad.
They also sell 4cell holders for them (get tangsfire or some off brand. I got 12 4cell ones for $9)
In the end it's a personal choice. Like I said I still buy alkalines when they are cheap. But for my detectors and other higher drain stuff, eneloops are my winner.
I'm curious to know what others use.
I know I just saw that Monte prefers alkalines and I've met many others that do.
Just wanted to explain all that and not overtake anyone's thread that it was mentioned in.
(It was an Impact thread where someone said only 5hrs if using certain settings which can get expensive)
But please feel free to join in and explain why you use what you use and why. Also how you recycle your non rechargeables if that's what you use.
Happy hunting!!
They hold alot more than the stated MaH on them.
I strictly use rechargeables and if I could find the varta here is buy them.
But I've had very good luck with Panasonic eneloops (normal not black pro HC). They don't necessarily last as long as the Energizer 2500mah ones but they do hold their charge extremely well while sitting.
The higher the capacity the faster they die when sitting.
Of course all modern rechargeable NiMH batteries are waaaay better than the older ones as far as discharging from sitting in a drawer. Nicd batteries were horrible lol.
But almost all modern rechargeable batteries are low self discharge (LSD) and do very well.
But out of all I would say Panasonic eneloops for overall performance and holding charge.
I've done my own testing with my 2 lacrosse battery charger/analyzers and while the Energizer and Duracell can have more power, they don't hold as long while sitting.
This is all relative. What I mean here is that I've had a set of Panasonic eneloops sitting for 6 months and they still had over 90% of their charge left. Same with ones for a year. They are advertised to hold 60-70% after 10 years.
Now in comparison a set of ion core Energizer's while charged hold 25% more than the eneloops but after 6 months were only between 70-80% charge left.
Any ones you choose will be great but out of all brands, from Panasonic eneloops, Amazon basic standard and high capacity, varta, EBL, Energizer 2000 and 2400 mAh, and Duracell ion core, the eneloops may not hold as much but you can be sure that when you throw them in even if they sat for a year, they will still have practically a whole charge. They can also be charged 1900 times!!! Lol. Now noone will likely make it that far before losing them but still. I don't doubt they will.
No modern batteries have memory either.
For me it was a bit of an investment, but I always have batteries (60 cells now from all the testing) and for me well worth it.
Not to say if you find a sale on reputable alkalines, by all means grab them!!! Lol. I still use them in remotes and low drain stuff.
But I even use liIon 9v rechargeables in my tesoros made by EBL. They last a really really long time.
Also did some real world testing and my eneloops (regular not pro) only lasted 10 min less than my alkalines in a flashlight test. And that whole 10 minutes the alkaline light was dim anyway and at the point I'd change them anyway.
Some things to consider too. Most people don't properly recycle their batteries and it adds alot of waste and hurts the environment when they end up in landfills.
While this wasn't my main reason for switching it's a good one.
If you charge your batteries once a day (not likely but if you hunt alot and all day maybe) eneloops should last over 4 years (and that's saying you only get 1500 charges instead of the 1900 advertised) get 2 sets and it doubles. I most likely will never kill the sets I have. But if you got the 8AA+4AA and charger on Amazon you'd be set. If you happen to kill a set, when you get home and charge them with the newest charger (has color changing LED on top of each cell on charger) in that set, it's done in a couple hours (7hours if you get the older charger set). When I bout them it was $30. Not bad.
They also sell 4cell holders for them (get tangsfire or some off brand. I got 12 4cell ones for $9)
In the end it's a personal choice. Like I said I still buy alkalines when they are cheap. But for my detectors and other higher drain stuff, eneloops are my winner.
I'm curious to know what others use.
I know I just saw that Monte prefers alkalines and I've met many others that do.
Just wanted to explain all that and not overtake anyone's thread that it was mentioned in.
(It was an Impact thread where someone said only 5hrs if using certain settings which can get expensive)
But please feel free to join in and explain why you use what you use and why. Also how you recycle your non rechargeables if that's what you use.
Happy hunting!!
