Besides weight, what other criteria do you use in evaluating illumination devices?

What is the primary purpose of your illumination device (night hiking vs. just puttering around camp vs. ???)?

Which brands/makes/models do you own or are you happy with?

Thanks...

As you said, the intended purpose is very important. When I was planning my thru hike I had several requirements.

I wanted extremely long battery life so I'd have light despite the long hours of darkness I'd experience due to my very early start date.

I wanted it to use AA batteries so that the batteries in all my electronics would be interchangeable or be able to supplement each other.

High brightness was a mere luxury until I spent one long night using all 225 lumens to keep chasing away a persistent cougar.

I ended up with Fenix HP10 that I've been very happy with. Now the new Zebralight looks like it'll provide almost all the same advantages with less weight and bulk.

Over the past year I've learned that if I'm just doing camp chores and putting around camp then I need surprisingly little light. I normally use a Petzl e-Lite (1oz inc. batteries) which is more than adequate as long as the batteries are reasonably fresh. I like the e+Lite over a lighter Photon because I like the headband and the clip on the back is great. It's also a bit easier to keep track of. I do like the photon as well though....when striving for minimum weight I'm happy using that.

If I'm actually planning on doing hiking at night then that all changes of course. I use a Princeton Tec Apex which is great, although it does burn through the batteries on high and carrying multiple sets of 4 AA batts gets heavy. There are probably better choices than this light that give you a bit less light for a lot less weight.

Edited by dandydan on 08/11/2010 00:33:10 MDT.

Eugene and Dan hit the big points. AA cells are standard with me, and AAA cells are the only alternative.

Normally, I am not trail hiking late at night, and normally I just need some light for stumbling around camp in the middle of the night. However, when wildlife comes near, I need to light up the place for photo purposes. I really need a floodlight to find the wildlife, but normally only for ten seconds or so. Then I can let the big camera flash do its thing up to a range of 100-150 feet. There are some high-wattage LED lights, and the battery consumption is tolerable if they are on for only seconds at a time.

--B.G.--

For me, it's the Freedom clip-on LED -- for puttering around camp.

I carry around a 4sevens Quark Mini 123 every day including backpacking trips. The battery is rated 1.2 to 150 hours and 3-189 lumens out the front. Weight is only .62 oz + battery. The AA version is an excellent choice as well. For the $ you get the latest CREE emitter and superb construction. The lenses are glass so even carrying it in my pocket it doesn't get scratched.

4sevens Quark Mini

Photon Freedom or Princeton Tec Pulsar II. If I feel like some night hiking is in order, then I'll pack my Princeton Tec Quad, but it rarely sees the black of night, never needed it.

Mammut Lucido T1 headlamp
3x AAA batteries
2.5oz with batteries
Three switchable LED's, 80/52/39 hour life
Switch lock
http://www.mammut.ch/en/productDetail/232000090_v_0001/Lucido+T1.html

Petz e+Lite for day hikes and SUL trips

Fenix E01 single AAA LED flashlight. 0.7oz/20g with battery. 10 lumens, 11 hour full output "sun" mode/10 hour low output "moon" mode. I carry one everyday on my survival keyring. I just can't say enough about these tough little flashlights. FAR superior to any of the coin cell rigs like the Photon. About $12-$13

Edited by dwambaugh on 08/10/2010 08:22:24 MDT.

I use the MightyLite Mini with Lithium batteries. Love this handheld light. Bright as hell for some lite hiking at night but great for the camp. It pulls out to a little lantern. Great for reading in a tent. Doesn't give you that bright spot on the page a headlamp usually gives.

Uses one AA battery. With a normal AA battery you get 10-12 hours; with a lithium I have gotten well over that.

Weighs 2.5 ounces. Hard to beat

my Petzl Tactikka XP does the trick. When it doesn't, I use a Maratac AAA, up to 80 lumens at 1oz, or a Surefire 6p with a Malkoff drop-in, up to 300 lumens at 5oz, on a headband (or in hand). These three cover all bases.

This season I've adopted the Tikka XP2. I find myself hiking after dark often enough to not rely on button-cell lights and the XP2 provides ample light for navigating on lousy trails (much of the Sierra). Of course it's also a fine campin' light because of the diffuser and separate red mode. I typically have a Photon Rex in my ditty bag as backup.

I keep an e-lite with my day hike gear, but I can never remember how much I've run the batteries.

cheers,

Rick

I'm with you Rick. I use the Tikka XP2 and love it. Of the ten or so headlamps I have it's my favorite because of the features you mentioned. At 3 oz it won't beat a Photon in a lightweight contest but I have never been comfortable putting myself in the position of not having the option of night hiking if it turns out to be necessary. I also have a Mammut xZoom but I never use it because it is just too much of a good thing. I have a Petzl eLite and it is not quite enough for stumbling across rocks on a trail at night. The sweet spot for me is the XP2. It's the one I always grab on my way out.

I am now normally using a iTP Light A3 EOS Upgrade Edition and have been pretty happy with it. I have ordered a Zebralight H51. If it has adequate throw for night navigation it will become my new default light.

Criteria... besides weight from my recommended lighting page.

• headlamp for hand's free use, but will use a flashlight if the light hits all the other criteria below
• light weight and compact
• uses AA or AAA batteries since that what most of my other battery powered items around the house use
• efficient regulated so I can use lithium batteries and maximize my run time
• multiple brightness levels, lowest <=5 lumens... because that's all I need for most tasks around camp.
• If I am night hiking, at least 75 lumens with a good through
• reasonable user interface (can be used with gloves and doesn't have many blinking modes you have to cycle through)
• For around the camp use adequately floody (Zebralight are ideal)

Edited by verber on 08/10/2010 15:45:56 MDT.

petzel e-lite here as well- I care a set of spare batteries- they're pretty light

I have used the e-lite to hike at night (this wasn't a planned night hike!) and while not the lamp I'd choose if I'm knowingly going to do a bunch of night hiking, it certainly did the trick and got me to where I was going. Around camp it's more than adequate

Yeah a spare set for the e+Lite (2 x CR2032) weighs just 0.2oz. I usually get about a week of regular camp chore use on a set.

An extra little factor to think about is the changing of batteries.

Just suppose that you were using a small flashlight that uses two AA batteries, and suppose it just went dead on you. You fish around and find two new batteries in your pack. Now you have to open the flashlight up, pull out the dead batteries, figure out the correct orientation of the new ones (by feel), then slide them in and close the flashlight case. But you have to do that in the dark! With some flashlights, this is a royal pain. With others, it is a breeze. When you get out of AA or AAA batteries and get off into type 123 batteries, it gets harder. When you get off into button-type batteries, it gets harder yet.

--B.G.--

I carry the Tikka XP2 for night hiking and carry the e+Lite for around camp.

Dirk

Mammut Lucido TXLite Headlamp

2.5oz with 3 AAA batteries. Its pretty bright, even on on the low setting, and the batteries seem to last forever. I've gone on a lot of night hikes with it and its never failed.

I also have a Princeton Tec Pulsar attached to the drawstring of my pack. Its my backup light and also what I use for rummaging around my pack.

For a headlamp I use the Black Diamond Ion. Weighs about an ounce, plenty bright, very good light. For a backup, the Streamlight Nano. I wear the Nano on a neck lanyard along with a whistle and small compass. It weighs just .36 oz and is amazingly bright for such a tiny light.

G

Edited by swearingen on 08/29/2010 00:26:26 MDT.

I have a tactikka xp, weighs 100g, just under 4oz, including 3 rechargeable AAAs. white spot and red flood, with a white flood carried on the headband. three modes and very usable, its not the lightest but i've had it for ages and it comes on all camps with me

I often have a coin cell light with me as well, just as backup in my FAK

I also have a zipka but I don't use it much