CPF Hikers/Backpackers: What lights your way?

[Fooboy]

I don't hike at night, but for my dad's birthday i just pre-ordered him one of the new E1L (45/3) lights.

He's going on a 4 day/night hike on the applachian trail in late March. He doesn't own any lights but he will love this little bad boy.

I will open it up before I wap it :devil: and post some beam shots vs. my L1 cree.

 

[:)>]

I don't hike at night, but for my dad's birthday i just pre-ordered him one of the new E1L (45/3) lights.

He's going on a 4 day/night hike on the applachian trail in late March. He doesn't own any lights but he will love this little bad boy.

I will open it up before I wap it :devil: and post some beam shots vs. my L1 cree.

Great choice! I think that he will love it.

 

[RdlyLite]

Many hikers/backpackers i see...Nice to know. "One or two" of you may recieve a pm from me. lol. Sorry. :twothumbs

 

[mossyoak]

cool, i was thinking about bringing a new e1l with me if i was to hike the AT in late march as well, im not sure if i want to yet tho, 100 days/nights outside doesnt seem that appealing to me. i mean i love the outdoors. jsut not that much.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

When I go backpacking, I bring two or three lights. A floody headlight, a thrower flashlight, and a backup/battery changing light. The headlight is my PT Quad. It's bright enough to walk down a trail easily and lets you see everything in your peripheral vision. It has three levels so it works for hiking at night with trekking poles (the poles are also my tent poles), doing camp choirs, and reading in bed. The flashlight is an L1D CE or P2D CE (same head, different battery choices). I need a thrower light for all the things a floody light can't do. I use it for trail finding if I get lost, locating or scaring away dangers at a distance (I have dealt with bears and mountain lions before), and for knowing which rocks are safe to step on. Keeping a thrower light low to the ground allows me to see shadows of rocks on rocky trails so I can tell which ones might slip out from under me. Both the headlight and the flashlight have multiple power levels to save on batteries and weight. Both lights are waterproof. Even if it never rains on a backpacking trip, that tent condensation shower in the morning is still bound to get everything wet. The last light I bring is a Photon 2 light with Nichia GS l.e.d. and a 2032 battery in it for long runtime. I only use this light in case of an emergency or so I can see to change the batteries of another light in the dark. The last thing I would want while backpacking would be to change flashlight batteries in the dark, accidently put the battery in backwards, and ruin the light. Total weight of these 3 lights with batteries is 5 or 6 ounces, more if I bring spare batteries. The L1D also gives me the option of making it a P2D or an L2D for hikes so I can adjust accordingly and still technically bring the same light.

 

[Blue72]

Those who bring multiple or big lights. How much gear do you bring?

 

[trek551]

HI, I have a 3 flashlight remote battery setup. First I use a headband from and older Headlamp and removed the front light. I sewd a Niteize head band (only the velcro part) on the top band. For the lighting part I use my P3D Q5 (195 lumens)for trekking. For cross country skiing I add my solarforce SF6 Q5 (up to 390 lumens now!) for better throw. For biking I will add my solarforce T7 Q5 and attach all of them on my helmet. I will be up to 575 lumens or roughly 43 watts of light! I purchased a 6 volt 5 amps nimh C pack from Batteryspace and did all the wirering with my father. I tested the battery and lights yesterday and went 2 hours on max (all 3) before going out of regulation. I expect the runtimes to be 3 hours with 2 lights and 6 hours with 1 light. And even more at lower power settings.


I use the remote battery pack mainly because it's cold up north.

David

 

[hopkins]

Multiple lights need not be heavy.
A keychain light or two is nothing really so having one on a neck lanyard and a 2nd clipped to the top pouch of the backpack as a smart backup for a reliable headlamp. and if you lose your whole kit...well...

 

[astrogrub]

SFA2 white
or
Arc aaa, McGizmo Ti PDs and a SF12ZM a lot can depend on where you actually like to backpack though........

 

[:)>]

Those who bring multiple or big lights. How much gear do you bring?

I don't bring a lot of gear with me but I do bring multiple lights. I have never had one fail on me, and the lights that I bring are all durable high grade / high quality lights but I just like lights enough that I am willing to carry the extra weight.

When I backpack, I typically go w/my wife and we share some of the common gear. Here is what I typically carry:

• Tent
• 2 Liter pot
• Stove
• Fuel for stove
• Lighter
• Compass
• Water filter
• Food
• (4) Nalgene (1) liter bottles (I don't always fill them all)
• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad
• (2) changes of clothes (1 for hiking and 1 for sleeping / camp)
• Marmot Precip jacket no pants
• (1) Small MSR PackTowel
• Headlamp
• Flashlights
• Knife w/multitool
• Medical kit
• (2) Trekking poles
• (1) Pr. Teva Sandles

I carry this in my Osprey Aether 70 backpack and it maxes it out. I would guess that my load w/food and water is around 40 to 45 lbs. The flashlights and the big knife (Strider Sniper or Busse Steelheart SE) make a difference as does the multitool, but I am o.k. w/that.

I should be going out again at the end of this month for a 4 day hike w/my boys and maybe the wife. My choices for flashlights will be tough, but I plan on bringing on of my HDS Twisty's (when it arrives; I don't know which I will prefer) and my Black Novatac and leaving my headlamp at home (I plan on putting the Novatac in a NiteIze headband instead).

I don't know of a light better suited for backpacking than the new Ra / HDS Twisty.

 

[:)>]

cool, i was thinking about bringing a new e1l with me if i was to hike the AT in late march as well, im not sure if i want to yet tho, 100 days/nights outside doesnt seem that appealing to me. i mean i love the outdoors. jsut not that much.

Mossy,

Do the trail now! It won't ever be easier on you to complete than now; when you get a job, a wife and kids, then you will be very limited. I envy you for having the choice. I have to wait at least another 8 years before I can do it and I fully intend to.

 

[mossyoak]

Im still thinking about it.
how do you like you marmot precip? mine always felt really wet inside unless i wore a long sleeve shirt underneath when it rained.

 

[EV_007]

I don't bring a lot of gear with me but I do bring multiple lights. I have never had one fail on me, and the lights that I bring are all durable high grade / high quality lights but I just like lights enough that I am willing to carry the extra weight.

When I backpack, I typically go w/my wife and we share some of the common gear. Here is what I typically carry:

• Tent
• 2 Liter pot
• Stove
• Fuel for stove
• Lighter
• Compass
• Water filter
• Food
• (4) Nalgene (1) liter bottles (I don't always fill them all)
• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad
• (2) changes of clothes (1 for hiking and 1 for sleeping / camp)
• Marmot Precip jacket no pants
• (1) Small MSR PackTowel
• Headlamp
• Flashlights
• Knife w/multitool
• Medical kit
• (2) Trekking poles
• (1) Pr. Teva Sandles

I carry this in my Osprey Aether 70 backpack and it maxes it out. I would guess that my load w/food and water is around 40 to 45 lbs. The flashlights and the big knife (Strider Sniper or Busse Steelheart SE) make a difference as does the multitool, but I am o.k. w/that.

I should be going out again at the end of this month for a 4 day hike w/my boys and maybe the wife. My choices for flashlights will be tough, but I plan on bringing on of my HDS Twisty's (when it arrives; I don't know which I will prefer) and my Black Novatac and leaving my headlamp at home (I plan on putting the Novatac in a NiteIze headband instead).

I don't know of a light better suited for backpacking than the new Ra / HDS Twisty.

Looks about what I carry. I'm trying to scale it down even more. When I camp/hike solo, I carry even less, however, I always wish I had brought that "one" item that I excluded when I originally laid out my gear to pack.

The thing that weighs my pack down the most is some type of photo gear.

Last time I went camping, I wish I had a throwy incan to investigate further down the canyon, but then again would it have been worth the extra weight and bulk for that one or two time use? I say HECK YA now!

I guess a true Flashaholic would forgo extra food and creature comfort for light, right? BTW, the Precip is an awesome shell, although I've used the Oracle as of late for that extra durability and fit.

 

[:)>]

Mossy,

I have only owned and used the Precip so I can't compare it but I find that mine will get damp inside from my perspiration... my experience mirrors yours in this case. I don't typically hike in real cold weather so I don't mind being a little damp. Truthfully, I usually don't even wear it when it rains as I am typically in need of a nice bath anyway and my shirts are typically damp from sweat too.

EV_007,

The one thing that I always forget to bring and curse myself for forgetting it every time, is... salt and pepper.

I never forget to bring my lights with me although sometimes I have nightmares that I forgot my headlamp or lights at all... what a freak I am:shakehead

How come there is not more interest by backpackers over the new Ra / HDS Twisty? It seems to me to be the absolute cats meow for backpacking.

 

[Hodsta]

Mossy,

The one thing that I always forget to bring and curse myself for forgetting it every time, is... salt and pepper.

Goat - have you seen these?

I keep mine inside a solo cookset (1 ltr) along with a small stove and a 250 Coleman gas cartridge (the S&P shaker sits at the bottom in the space created by the doomed bottom of the gas canister).

 

[:)>]

Hodsta,

Can you shoot me a link to where you purchased your's from? If not, I will look around for one. I was thinking about getting the paper packages of S/P but I would be more likely to remember if I had the one you posted.

 

[Ritch]

At present:

- PT EOS Headlamp
- NovaTac 120P
- Fenix P1D Q5 with smooth reflector (Backup)
- 2 AAA lights (ARC and/or Fenix L0D CE)


> richard

 

[Braddah_Bill]

Goat,

Google.....

http://lightmyfireusa.com/ss_home.html

http://www.libertymountain.com/catalog.php?type=product&id=116839

Hodsta,

Can you shoot me a link to where you purchased your's from? If not, I will look around for one. I was thinking about getting the paper packages of S/P but I would be more likely to remember if I had the one you posted.

Braddah_Bill

 

[Chronos]

Until recently I'd hike at night weekly. But the new job has changed that for now... sigh.

I usually hike with more gear than most. I like to be prepared, just in case. For lights I usually have:

- A headlamp or two
- A really good flashlight (like my milkyspit X.800...)
- A couple of 1x123 lights (E1B, 120P, McGizmo...)
- Spare cells

I find hiking on with a low beam to be preferable. It helps keep my eyes accustomed to the dark. However, I've been in a few situations where I've needed BRIGHT light immediately... so I'm finding that multi-level lights are a plus. I also like to have one really bright light along just in case. My milkyspit "Creemator" is great for hiking, with four really usable light levels.

I can't wait for the HDS Twisty. And the new Arc-LS. I think the HDS would be the perfect mate to my (almost) overbuilt X.800.

Hope this helps!!!

Hodsta, I love that salt and pepper storage unit. Must get me one for my next overnighter.

Don't get me started on axes and knives... heheheheheh:thumbsup:

 

[Hodsta]

Hodsta,

Can you shoot me a link to where you purchased your's from? If not, I will look around for one. I was thinking about getting the paper packages of S/P but I would be more likely to remember if I had the one you posted.

I got mine from a B&M shop but it looks like Braddah Bill has you sorted:thumbsup:.