View Full Version : light
hey guys,
i need you to shed a little light on the subject of lights :D
basically need something to help me get around at night (NOT night hiking, just latrine calls, cooking at night, ect) and for reading in the tent at night (me and my gal). there's way too many choices on light sources and would like your opinions. candle lantern? headlamp, if so which? flashlight, if so which? guyot firefly? ect...
as always thanks for your experience...
Tikka Plus with lithium batteries, lightweight and versatile, long lasting, multiple intensities with emergency flash feature. Mines been very dependable.
Definitely go with a LED headlamp. Mine is a slightly older Petzel, still works great with minimal battery changes.
fiddlehead
03-30-2008, 23:37
a simple Photon II. weighs only .2 oz. that's all i carry unless it's a winter hike
(in winter i use a petzl zipka headlamp)
Wise Old Owl
03-31-2008, 00:45
If you are older 1 led won't cut it, needs at least three.
Unless you have my eyes... Owls don't need light.
taildragger
03-31-2008, 01:17
energizer 3 LED headlamp ~ $12, had it for about 2 years now, still going strong
jersey joe
03-31-2008, 08:50
The biggest pro of using a headlamp is that it frees up your hands to do whatever it is you are doing. (cooking, privy, night hiking)
Johnny Swank
03-31-2008, 08:56
Take your pick of any 3 led headlight. We've got a Tikka and Tikka-plus, and have also heard good things about that Energizer headlamp. We'll probably pick one up to keep in the car one of these days.
Walmart Energizer. Price is right. Hands free is much nicer than hand held.
TN_Hiker
03-31-2008, 10:12
Tikka Plus here. I use reg. alkaline AAA's and has lasted over a year -- still haven't changed the batteries.
Tikka Plus here. I use reg. alkaline AAA's and has lasted over a year -- still haven't changed the batteries.
Another vote for this one - switches seem to go bad on me for cheaper ones.
Appalachian Tater
03-31-2008, 13:06
No question. Definitely a headlamp with multiple LEDs. The expensive headlights tend to have better LEDs than the cheaper ones. Petzl is good, they have multiple models. One thing you might look for is different brightness settings to conserve batteries and your vision. The batteries are long-lasting anyway. Some headlamps are designed to work with lithium batteries, which are lighter, but some aren't.
Are you getting the impression a Petzl Tikka is just what you're looking for?:-? If not, may I suggest one.
Jaybird62
03-31-2008, 13:24
I have a princeton tec fuel that i picked up for around 25 bucks.......uses 3 aaa's and stays really bright for 25 hours.....dims slowly after that......I thought it was a good buy for the money
sounds good. i'm off to check out some headlamps! thanks
Another vote for the Petzl line of headlamps. It's for you to decide how simple/cheap or options/expensive you want to go. I have a basic Petzl Tikka and the Petzl Tactikka (high end model). The first one is on/off while the Tactikka's cool features are a battery life indicator, multiple brightness settings, and multi-colored diffuser lenses, so you can be a red light one night, a blue the next, a green or white the following. In a shelter setting with a fair crowd, non-white lights are less intrusive on other folks, so they say. ;)
Nearly Normal
03-31-2008, 21:35
http://www.photonlight.com/Photon-Micro-Light-II-Keychain-LED-Flashlights-p/p2-keychain-led-flashlight.htm
I take two.
One to hang in the tent and one for my pocket.
Glue on velcro dots to hat and light for no hands operation.
I don't hike at night and it is more than enough light.
People are always surprised at how much light they throw.
aaroniguana
03-31-2008, 22:21
Husky 3LED headlamp. Almost exactly like the Energizer. Three for $15.00 at Xmas, at Home Depot. I use them for hiking and caving.
There are lots of good headlamps out there. I have a number of them. This is one which I like very much because of the weight and focused beam:
http://www.e-headlamps.com/cyclops_atom.asp It's cheap, too. (Batteries aren't, but I get them at cost from the bike shop I work at, so it isn't a big deal to me).
It has a twist-on switch, which I like much better than push buttons. Impossible to accidentally turn on in your pack, and won't wear out or break.
I also have heavier lamps with more lumens and longer battery life, but they're much, much heavier, and I tend to use them only in winter when the nights are longer.
anyone want to unload one?
Nope. Headlamps are like lawyers: once you have one, you need another one to deal with (i.e. find, for headlamps...) the first one, and so on.
sheepdog
04-01-2008, 08:30
Have you ever thought of the panther vision baseball cap? If you wear a baseball cap anyway it has 3 led's built right into the brim. It has two replaceable 2032 batteries and lasts about 20 hours. It's a nice light I used it on my section hike last year.
take-a-knee
04-01-2008, 08:40
Petzl's suck 'cause you can't use lithiums, the new Princeton Tec headlamps are regulated to accomodate lithiums. Alkaline batteries, even duracells, don't work in the cold. If you are a warm-weather hiker only then this won't matter, if you go out in the winter, get a headlamp that will take lithiums.
And this: An EMS employee in Augusta, ME told me returns of headlamps were the most for
Black Diamond
then Princeton Tec
then Petzl.
take-a-knee
04-01-2008, 09:25
And this: An EMS employee in Augusta, ME told me returns of headlamps were the most for
Black Diamond
then Princeton Tec
then Petzl.
US made Princeton headlamps have a lifetime warranty,
Petzl's suck 'cause you can't use lithiums, the new Princeton Tec headlamps are regulated to accomodate lithiums. Alkaline batteries, even duracells, don't work in the cold. If you are a warm-weather hiker only then this won't matter, if you go out in the winter, get a headlamp that will take lithiums.I would certainly prefer my Petzls to be able to use lithium batteries, but it's not a show stopper, not enough to make me go buy a Princeton and consider my Petzl money a waste.
Since the Tachtikka lasts 80-100 hrs. on alkaline batteries, more than enough for any two or three-week section hike, and since I've never had problems with non-lithium batteries in the winter in the South, I'll stick with my Petzls. The cost savings of alkaline batteries over lithium ones is a factor as well.
head lamp, you can hold it in your hands, you can hang it to light a larger area, no need for any other form of flashlights
recommend walmart, $13, w/ lithium batteries, even has a red light, good for not shining a bright light when u have to get up for the 2am privy trip.
Even if the Wally World ones do not say "no lithium batteries," at those prices they cannot have a regulator and you'll likely fry your LED(s) fairly quickly. They also do not get the 80-100 hr. battery life that more expensive brands get. I guess like most things, you get what you pay (or don't pay) for.
Princeton Tec Pilot, they're like $4 on sale at STP right now, I bought half a dozen of them. No multiple intensity setting, but they do have a strobe setting and and a positive on/off
A link to "STP" would be nice?
www.sierratradingpost.com (http://www.sierratradingpost.com)
i believe is what he meant
Johnny Swank
04-01-2008, 17:13
And this: An EMS employee in Augusta, ME told me returns of headlamps were the most for
Black Diamond
then Princeton Tec
then Petzl.
I buy that. We had aHUGE problem with Princeton Tec gear at the shops I've worked at.
No Belay
04-01-2008, 22:18
I use the Petzl Zippka plus and have never been disapointed. Had several Princeton Tecs but found their "life time" warranty to be a farce. It took a month for a rep to get back to me on my return request and then an other 2 1/2 weeks to get a replacement. The Zippka uses a high tensle string with a spring loaded retractor for the head band so you save allot of weight over the elastic head band on the other PT lights. It makes it nice for hanging on various objects because it self adjust from nothing to about 18".
bigcranky
04-02-2008, 20:19
Zipka Plus. Great headlamp.
Photon in summer.
hikingPA got it, I meant sierra trading post. Sorry about that.
slowandlow
04-03-2008, 18:22
I have used lithiums in my tikka plus for three years with no ill effects.
88BlueGT
04-03-2008, 22:57
Hey, I have the Mighty-Lite mini which I think is AWESOME. I always bring this and my headlight (some people think its pointless but I like hanging this in my tent at night and not having to worry about my headlamp). If you leave it regular its a flashlight but than you pull the top and it extends about 2 1/2 inches and turns into a lantern. Works very well for its purpose and its only 2oz. Plus, its pretty cheap.
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39330967&memberId=12500226&catalogId=40000000226
88BlueGT
04-03-2008, 22:58
Sorry, I lied. It doesnt extend about 2 1/2 inches. Maybe 1 3/4-2".
earlylight
04-03-2008, 23:07
Check out the Brunton LampLight LED Flashlight and Lantern. (http://sectionhiker.com/2008/01/18/brunton-lamplight-led-flashlight-and-lantern/)
2.9 oz. Great for hanging out, reading or whatever.
the brunton looks pretty sweet, as does the mighty lite. as does the zipka plus. decisions decisions
early, brunton weight w/ the 3 batteries?
earlylight
04-03-2008, 23:39
2.9 oz, that's including the 3 batteries. It's really nice to sit out with friends after it gets dark, or to read if you are on a solo. I like this light because it is multi-purpose and a wee luxury.
I also carry a photon as backup, with the hat clip.
oh, can you 2 read by the light from them?
think i'll give the bruton a try. for 20 bucks and this statement "And get this: the 3 batteries will run for 200 hours. Really nice." i can't really go wrong...
thanks friends!
88BlueGT
04-04-2008, 01:06
Nice choice for a lantern/flashlight :)
ahh i changed my mind! i went w/ the tikpa plus. had a gift certificate at bass pro shop and there was absolutely nothing there i could see myself buying. so i ended up paying like 10 bucks of my own money for the light. nice. sleeping outside tonight so i'll put it to the reading/getting around in the dark test. it worked well enough to set up my tent in the blackness :D
sofaking
04-04-2008, 23:22
energizer 3 LED headlamp ~ $12, had it for about 2 years now, still going strong
just replaced my old petzel with one of these today, $9.97 at malwart, sweet!
hopefulhiker
04-04-2008, 23:35
I used two of those little photon lights.. They were fine for around camp.. just not night hiking...
88BlueGT
04-05-2008, 02:45
I have three of those energizer headlamps that have been threw hell and back, still work perfectly. I use them when working on my car and they are constantly getting banged up. I think I will get rid of them because the cover is so scratched that the light cant shine threw before they actually break lol. They're definitely not a bad buy. About a month ago I seen a three pack for $20 bucks.
88BlueGT
04-05-2008, 02:46
at home depot.....
the tipka was perfect! just tossed it up in the gear loft and on its lowest setting it was plenty for both me and my girl to read by. my tent (BA muddy slide 2) has a lime green colored rainfly that seems to reflect light even in darkness, so i don't know if that played a role, but it was excellent! thanks for the advise guys. so much better than the old flashlight i was using :D