For your situation, I would suggest looking at Godox. Honestly, for a $300 budget, you're gonna get way more bang for your buck than the expensive OEM gear. I've used the Godox V860III-C TTL Li-ion Flash on a 7D Mark II for ages and it's super solid. The recycle speed is actually insane because of the Li-ion battery—probs way faster than AAs in the older flagship models. Here's what I recommend:
* Godox V1-C Flash for Canon ($259) - Round head gives a smoother falloff for portraits.
* Godox V860III-C TTL Li-ion Flash ($229) - Traditional head but has a cool modeling light. Both support E-TTL II and HSS. Plus, if you ever go off-camera, the 2.4G radio system is literally the industry standard. It just works... save the cash for a modifier! Good luck 👍

For your situation, I've honestly found that you can get incredible performance without nuking your bank account. Since you're looking at events and portraits, the big thing isn't just the raw power—it's how fast that flash can fire again and how it handles that high-speed sync. Basically, HSS is a total game changer for outdoor fill light, but it drains batteries like crazy, which is why I'm highkey obsessed with Li-ion units. Here's what I recommend for that $300 budget: * Godox V1-C Flash for Canon: This is usually around $259 and it's a beast. The round head gives a much more natural, soft falloff than the traditional rectangular ones. * Godox TT685II-C Flash for Canon: If you wanna save some cash, this one is like $130. It's got full E-TTL II support and works perfectly with the 7DII's AF system.
* Yongnuo YN600EX-RT II Flash for Canon: A solid budget clone of the Canon 600EX that costs way less, usually under $150. I've used the V1 on my 7DII for ages and it's been pretty solid, honestly. The recycle time is like 1.5 seconds at full power which is lightyears ahead of the built-in flash... ngl I haven't missed a shot because of recycle lag in a long time. Tbh, as long as you keep your firmware updated, Godox is super reliable for the price. Good luck with the event gig!! 👍

Ok so I’m like, fairly new to this too, but I’ve been doing so much reading on different brands lately! It feels like everyone is always debating Canon vs Godox, but have you looked at Yongnuo YN600EX-RT II? From my research, it’s basically designed to mimic the high-end Canon system but for a fraction of the cost. I think? It might be a good middle ground if you want that "Canon feel" without the huge price tag. Tbh, the market is sooo saturated right now with options. Like, there's also the Neewer NW655-C TTL Flash which is super budget-friendly but still does HSS and E-TTL. I'm not 100% sure if the recycle time is as fast as the Li-ion ones people usually talk about, but for $300 you could honestly buy two of these and have a backup? Just a thought! Is it better to have one pro flash or two decent ones for events? I'm still trying to figure that out myself haha, but those brands seem to have decent reputations for beginners.

Would love to know this too

Noted!

Any updates on this?

In my experience, for event photography where you cant afford a misfire, sticking with Canon is the safest route. I've tried many flashes over the years, and while third-party options have improved, they still lack the absolute consistency and build quality of OEM gear, especially for a workhorse like the 7DII. * Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT: This is the industry standard. It’s built like a tank and the weather sealing actually matches your 7DII body. It’s basically the most reliable HSS tool out there, though it might push your budget unless you buy used.
* Godox V860III-C Speedlite for Canon: Honestly, this is a solid budget choice if you're careful. It supports E-TTL II and HSS well, but the hot shoe connection isn't quite as robust as the Canon’s. Id personally look for a used Canon unit to stay within budget while keeping that pro-level reliability. Have you checked out any reputable used gear shops yet? Cheers!