Pacific Crest Trail headlamp and battery choice

[hopkins]

Xris - An $80 headlamp? Ask yourself how much night time hiking in pouring rain without a hat you will be doing? Hopefully none.

Also note you will not encounter any situation on the PCT where you will find yourself swimming underwater at night!!! and need such a headlamp as the Spark. Haha!

Consider a $14 Walmart Energizer headlamp or any similarly priced lamp and carry it in a zip lock bag rubber banded into a tight bundle so it cannot turn on.
They have no electronics in them to fail.

Answering the call of nature, or getting more water at night in the rain for a few minutes a low cost lamp is fine especially if you have your poncho hood up
or hat on.
Plus it hurts less when the low cost headlamp is lost.


Simplicity is the word for Thru-Hikers. No prep and/or easy prep foods -just add hot water. An alcohol stove.
Simple tarp /tent sleeping system supported by your trekking poles. etc.
Keep it simple. Most hikers slip into a routine of going to sleep as the sun sets and getting up at first light to continue north.
The headlamp may not be used every day.

 

[vēer]

Ill just chime in to say thanks for GOOD advices Hopkins, thanks a lot!
Sometimes folks over here go over the top with light requests and suggestions!
However, OP should buy whatever he desires to, be it cheapo 15$ lamp or 100$ lamp.

 

[Sno4Life]

Has anyone here completed or attempted the PCT? or the AT? or any other long distance trail?

This approach is not helpful. There are many people here who know quite a bit about both backpacking and lights. Please refrain from baiting an argument.

 

[YoSeKi]

This approach is not helpful. There are many people here who know quite a bit about both backpacking and lights. Please refrain from baiting an argument.

The followup question I wanted to ask, if anyone answered in the affirmative, was how much night hiking they did on their trip and how they managed their batteries.

I was not implying that you are qualified to give advice on long distance thru hikes only after you have done one. I just wanted to ask a question directed only at those that have. That is all.

 

[Xris]

Xris - An $80 headlamp? Ask yourself how much night time hiking in pouring rain without a hat you will be doing? Hopefully none.

Yes, it would be excessive if I were buying it just for this one hike, but I have used several $14 price range lights (the last one fell from head hight and the 'impact resistant' battery case broke). I want a light that will last (for this trip and after) and can be depended on; not to mention the high output compared to cheap lights is nice.

Sno4Life: I have never been on a hike long enough to warrant anything more than a a spare set of batteries for my light (couple weeks at a time). I have found that you only end up using your light for a few minutes most days (if that); maybe cooking dinner late, night bathroom runs, and chasing off critters every so often (a brighter light is nice for this). So I would say unless you have other electronic devices that will need charging on a long trip, a spare set of batteries is good enough.

Fenix: I am keeping a close eye on the snow levels, I will have a set of microspikes in one of my resupply kits for the snowy spots, last time I checked there are several passes with quite a few feet of snow still! Thanks for the info.

 

[Sno4Life]

The followup question I wanted to ask, if anyone answered in the affirmative, was how much night hiking they did on their trip and how they managed their batteries.

I was not implying that you are qualified to give advice on long distance thru hikes only after you have done one. I just wanted to ask a question directed only at those that have. That is all.

I'm sorry I misinterpreted your post. This thread had just gotten back on track after an argument, and I didn't want to see another one.

Sno4Life: I have never been on a hike long enough to warrant anything more than a a spare set of batteries for my light (couple weeks at a time). I have found that you only end up using your light for a few minutes most days (if that); maybe cooking dinner late, night bathroom runs, and chasing off critters every so often (a brighter light is nice for this). So I would say unless you have other electronic devices that will need charging on a long trip, a spare set of batteries is good enough.

I couldn't agree more. Most of my light use on the trail is very low level, intermittent task lighting. That said, I think getting high quality lights that support both task lighting as well as moving at night are a very good idea on any hike.

 

[ryguy24000]

disreguard!

 

[B0wz3r]

Yes, it would be excessive if I were buying it just for this one hike, but I have used several $14 price range lights (the last one fell from head hight and the 'impact resistant' battery case broke). I want a light that will last (for this trip and after) and can be depended on; not to mention the high output compared to cheap lights is nice.

This is my mind-set as well. I admit to being a bit of a gear whore, and I have a few more of most pieces of equipment than I truly need. But, of the things I do have, such as three different headlamps, I find I end up using different ones for different purposes.

Of course, I'm no ultralight hiker or fan thereof, but I also learned from experience the truth of the mantra here that "Two is one, one is none". Thus, as I mentioned earlier, I always carry two of all the tools I consider absolute essentials, but I try to be diverse in my selections. So typically I carry both a handheld and a headlamp, a SAK and a small MT, and a folder and a fixed blade, etc.

At the same time, I've found over the years that it pays to invest in good equipment. When I was in college, I had a few friends who were hardcore mountaineers, and they taught me, and I learned through experience, that it's wise to buy better quality equipment that will be more robust, less likely to fail, and usable in a wider range of applications, than cheap stuff that you never know when it's going to crap out on you.

I'd say that in situations such as yours it's wise to go ahead and make the investment. In fact, barring some sort of unforeseen catastrophe, once you've run your light through its paces, you probably could get by without the weight and bulk of a second or backup light. I personally would not, but that's just me. But, both my Spark and my Zebralight have been very reliable, such that were I to find myself in a situation where I only had one of them as my source of light, I'd still feel pretty secure with them. (Although, I'd be damn careful about dropping or losing it in that situation!)

 

[Bolster]

Consider a $14 Walmart Energizer headlamp or any similarly priced lamp ....

Oof. You've tried to use an inexpensive Energizer? I have one and it's a miserable piece of equipment. Narrow beam, ringy, artifacts, triple-AA, not waterproof, fragile, uncomfortable to wear, mediocre tint, must click through all the modes, virtually no difference between spot and "flood." I bead-blasted the lens of mine to spread the beam and that helped a little, but this would be one of the last lights I'd consider for camping.

If you're just taking one for the trail, that would indicate the need for a quality headlamp.

 

[hopkins]

Bolster - heavens no! Not the 6 LED but the 3LED Energizer with the slide switch. And you are so right on about it losing every white wall test
for smooth beam. Haha!
But it will find the bottle of ibuprofen at 3am as well as any Petzl or Spark. And its weighs less.

So much gear thru hikers carry is fragile due to weight constraints, from the soda bottles filled with denatured alcohol, or the titanium cooking pot
that's little thicker than foil, to the 1lb backpacks that they live out of for months.

And hey its only $14 out the the door with tax, with 2 white and one red LED (which is entertaining at lonely mountain camps as you
marvel at how your food packages look so different under white vs red light).

 

[pcthiker]

This bowzer guy does not know what he is talking about lol. I found this forum just now through a link on a backpacking forum and thought I would chime in from an actually experienced point of view. I took down the PCT in 95 days 2 years ago and if your out there Ill be going SOBO this year on the PCT starting June 15! There is no reason to carry a light besides some tiny little coin light like someone here suggested. I only ever used mine EVER to look into my pack on a few nights the entire trip. This year I am going to not even bring that, my iphone which I use for keeping a video blog as well as its gps/map uses/music etc. You do not need a light, its just silly for the pct. My baseweight without food or water is 8lbs, I would say keep it under 12 max or it will start to slow you down! GL I hope to see you out there!

 

[Sno4Life]

... There is no reason to carry a light besides some tiny little coin light like someone here suggested....

Wow. That is a pretty definitive statement about a piece of equipment that many if not most backpackers consider to be a crucial piece of equipment: a reliable and effective light source.

 

[YoSeKi]

This bowzer guy does not know what he is talking about lol. I found this forum just now through a link on a backpacking forum and thought I would chime in from an actually experienced point of view. I took down the PCT in 95 days 2 years ago and if your out there Ill be going SOBO this year on the PCT starting June 15! There is no reason to carry a light besides some tiny little coin light like someone here suggested. I only ever used mine EVER to look into my pack on a few nights the entire trip. This year I am going to not even bring that, my iphone which I use for keeping a video blog as well as its gps/map uses/music etc. You do not need a light, its just silly for the pct. My baseweight without food or water is 8lbs, I would say keep it under 12 max or it will start to slow you down! GL I hope to see you out there!

Thanks for chiming in. It's nice to hear from someone who has actually completed the PCT.

What charging system are you taking for your iPhone?

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

This bowzer guy does not know what he is talking about lol. I found this forum just now through a link on a backpacking forum and thought I would chime in from an actually experienced point of view. I took down the PCT in 95 days 2 years ago and if your out there Ill be going SOBO this year on the PCT starting June 15! There is no reason to carry a light besides some tiny little coin light like someone here suggested. I only ever used mine EVER to look into my pack on a few nights the entire trip. This year I am going to not even bring that, my iphone which I use for keeping a video blog as well as its gps/map uses/music etc. You do not need a light, its just silly for the pct. My baseweight without food or water is 8lbs, I would say keep it under 12 max or it will start to slow you down! GL I hope to see you out there!

Welcome to CPF pcthiker, and congratulations on accomplishing something many only dream of doing. However, introducing yourself to the forum in such a rude fashion may not win you many friends here. While you have seem to have quite a bit of hiking experience, bowzer also makes a persuasive case for his point of view. CPF is a place for friendly discussion. You may want to reconsider your approach in future posts and disagree without being disagreeable.

 

[ryguy24000]

This bowzer guy does not know what he is talking about lol. I found this forum just now through a link on a backpacking forum and thought I would chime in from an actually experienced point of view. I took down the PCT in 95 days 2 years ago and if your out there Ill be going SOBO this year on the PCT starting June 15! There is no reason to carry a light besides some tiny little coin light like someone here suggested. I only ever used mine EVER to look into my pack on a few nights the entire trip. This year I am going to not even bring that, my iphone which I use for keeping a video blog as well as its gps/map uses/music etc. You do not need a light, its just silly for the pct. My baseweight without food or water is 8lbs, I would say keep it under 12 max or it will start to slow you down! GL I hope to see you out there!

Well I never done the PTC and I gotta say if you have who cares!!!! I can wording deleted compare back country experiences with the best of them and all I have to say is over the years of suffering I would rather be comfortable than suffer anymore. Maybe my age is finally ketching up, but a little light is a world of difference in a difficult situation.

 

[ryguy24000]

Actually Accomplishing the entire PTC is quite the feet. I just don't like A$$ H0le Faces like ptc comming in here and discounting anyone's experience or opinions about the adgenda of this forum. Why was he here anyway? looking for a new back country light? duh!!! anyway gotta go

 

[B0wz3r]

This bowzer guy does not know what he is talking about lol. I found this forum just now through a link on a backpacking forum and thought I would chime in from an actually experienced point of view. I took down the PCT in 95 days 2 years ago and if your out there Ill be going SOBO this year on the PCT starting June 15! There is no reason to carry a light besides some tiny little coin light like someone here suggested. I only ever used mine EVER to look into my pack on a few nights the entire trip. This year I am going to not even bring that, my iphone which I use for keeping a video blog as well as its gps/map uses/music etc. You do not need a light, its just silly for the pct. My baseweight without food or water is 8lbs, I would say keep it under 12 max or it will start to slow you down! GL I hope to see you out there!

And I'm sure I can say the same about you for many, MANY things as well. Care to do a two level, hierarchical logistic regression, on data for classrooms and schools as your levels with student reading assessment, and teacher experience and reading curriculum as variables in the equation? Or how about doing a five lead spike train recording from the superior colliculus of a rhesus macaque doing a visual search task for color differentiated targets?

I have plenty of outdoor experience, and, no, no long distance through hiking, but I've said as much, and even in situations where you're not planning on having to be active at night, you never know. I guess you've never heard of "Murphy's Law"? What works for you works for you, but if you wish to engage in this kind of behavior, I won't participate. I don't engage in battles of intellect with unarmed opponents. I'll let the mods deal with the brainless trolls.

 

[Xris]

My baseweight without food or water is 8lbs, I would say keep it under 12 max or it will start to slow you down! GL I hope to see you out there!

Wow, that is a light pack, I am aiming for 15lbs or less. Would you mind writing up a gear list? What sort of shelter are you using?

 

[pcthiker]

I am simply attempting to educate someone on the reality of what they are about to do. I can make his life easier by telling him that a light is necessary. Your carrying 2 flashlights for 2650 miles? You feel those batteries and lights every step of the way , might as well lighten the load. "The fun goes up as the weight goes down"-Warner Springs Monty. Take a petzl e-lite or something if you need a headlamp that bad. Trust me, almost everyone who drops out which is usually approximately 40%. You can listen to the guy who is spouting unrelated nonsense but I can just relate my experiences.

 

[pcthiker]

Wow, that is a light pack, I am aiming for 15lbs or less. Would you mind writing up a gear list? What sort of shelter are you using?

I use a simple ray-way tarp I sewed myself.