For quite a while I liked floody lights for outdoor use and camping, preferrably warm or neutral. When I tried out a Fenix TK20 this confirmed my preference. The tint was nice but the bright hotspot bothered me at close range.
I changed my mind after buying a Quark Turbo X and a TIR Surefire (E1B) and gained some foul-wheather experience with them. I found out that they are not only good for medium and far distances but can also be very useful at close range because of their more concentrated beam.
In heavy rain or mist the concentrated lights are much better. A floody light created a wall of light in front of my nose but I couldn't see too much. The throwy beams had a much better ability to penetrate rain or mist.
Secondly in wet conditions the ground "swallows" a lot of light no matter whether it is wet grass, mud or concrete. I found that a moderately throwy light is in these conditions better, even right in front of my feet because instead of a wide area with insufficient light I have at least a small spot which is perfectly illuminated.
And last not least a throwy light can also be very useful for daytime use, when looking into an engine compartment or other shady areas when standing in the sun.
I still like floody lights but in my humble opinion a moderate thrower such as the Quark X is just a lot more versatile because it is never completely useless but can still be useful when a floody light with the same output already reached its limitations. In the meantime I prefer a throwy light as my primary light.
What are your experiences with throwy lights and which other advantages to you see apart from long-distance illumination? What is your favourite outdoor go-to light?
I changed my mind after buying a Quark Turbo X and a TIR Surefire (E1B) and gained some foul-wheather experience with them. I found out that they are not only good for medium and far distances but can also be very useful at close range because of their more concentrated beam.
In heavy rain or mist the concentrated lights are much better. A floody light created a wall of light in front of my nose but I couldn't see too much. The throwy beams had a much better ability to penetrate rain or mist.
Secondly in wet conditions the ground "swallows" a lot of light no matter whether it is wet grass, mud or concrete. I found that a moderately throwy light is in these conditions better, even right in front of my feet because instead of a wide area with insufficient light I have at least a small spot which is perfectly illuminated.
And last not least a throwy light can also be very useful for daytime use, when looking into an engine compartment or other shady areas when standing in the sun.
I still like floody lights but in my humble opinion a moderate thrower such as the Quark X is just a lot more versatile because it is never completely useless but can still be useful when a floody light with the same output already reached its limitations. In the meantime I prefer a throwy light as my primary light.
What are your experiences with throwy lights and which other advantages to you see apart from long-distance illumination? What is your favourite outdoor go-to light?