Light for Africa

[micmic]

Hello,

I've been perusing the forums but got more than a little confused so I thought I'd better ask for direct help...

What I need is a flashlight to use in Africa next summer. This will include night drives (driving in an open vehicle looking for animals - the vehicles already have a couple of throwers but more is always better) and camping (without guides!) in dangerous places where you might want to check your surroundings for hippos, hyenas, elephants and lions before you venture out of your tent for a **** :laughing:

Requirements:

1) Obviously the first requirement is availability of car charger.
2) Good runtime at maximum output, so that it can last an 1.5-2 hours night drive. Without getting too hot to hold, I might add.
3) Preferably not of a monstrous weight/size so that it can be held overhead for a few minutes without feeling like you are doing serious shoulder work. And so that it can be packed without much space concern.
4) It would be nice if it isn't too expensive as well, so that I don't have to cry if I lose it/break it/have it stolen.
5) As much light as possible (as long as other requirements are met). More on the flood side though. Above 700-1000 lumens, I guess.

Thanks!

Michael

 

[paulr]

Fenix TK40 immediately comes to mind (or there is a new model that's sort of an upgrade, that I haven't checked out yet). Runs on eight AA cells so just use your favorite 8 or 10 cell nimh charger or a pair of 4 cell chargers. Welcome to CPF by the way.

 

[waddup]

1 is none, 2 is 1.

take several good lights instead of 1 great light.

just in case something happens to the first one..

lots of 'hobby chargers' connect to a car battery and can charge most battery chemistries.

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=hobby+charger&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

 

[flasherByNight]

What about throwing a solar charger into the mix as well?

(Let me know what you find, I'm looking for one myself :naughty

 

[abarth_1200]

ok if your going to camping and such, im going to ges your going to be hiking too, I would also suggest a few smaller lights not the huge TK40 monster and all the batteries and chargers needed to go with it, that would just be ridiculous.

Have a look at the Novatac 120P as your EDC, really low low mode, locator flash so you dont lose it, abilty to set desired levels and pretty much bombproof, I dont own any 700 lumen/flood lights so its up to others to help you out here.

The last thing I would want to do in the middle of africa at night is f**k around changing 8AA batteries, more parts to a torch= more parts that could potentially fail.

 

[jchoo]

I also thought of the TK40 right off the bat. If you go the AA route, I'd stock up on Eneloops and Energizer Lithiums and carry something like an LD10 or TK20 as well. You might also like the TK30 paired with a TK11 and a bunch of 18650s - but personally I'd go with the AA route.

 

[paulr]

I don't think of the TK40 as a huge monster, but yeah, it's not a pocket light. It's fine for use in a vehicle or holding overhead for a few minutes. Its size and weight are roughly comparable to a typical metal 2D light and you're probably used to those. Yes you will also want to bring several smaller lights too. Might as well use AA's in everything.

Don't forget a headlamp. Here is a classic old thread about the Zebralight H50:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/178839

 

[John_Galt]

A light with a neutral or warm tinted light... Color rendition will be a little better at range, and colors will appear more natural. Fenix TK20, perhaps? It's a thrower, very well built, two modes, and a neutral tint.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

For a powerful light in an open vehicle a nice corded incandescent spot light would serve you well, and they can be had in the 700+ lumen range. Also you would have good color rendition shinning the light out in the bush, or trails, and you would not need batteries.

Bill

 

[sqchram]

When mentioning the Fenix TK30, Fenix TK40, Jetbeam M1X, Thrunight Catapult, Olight M30, EagleTac M2XC4, Tiablo ACE-G or any other 'high output thrower' light as reviewed here http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=255044

I'd keep something like the Jetbeam M1X on my hip at all times since you can infinitely adjust its output to so low that you can use it in the tent to look for your ipod without waking your neighbor.

When talking the vast expanses that you'll be covering - on a moonless night it will be so dark that you'll want something much more high powered that can run off the car battery to reach those long distances. You still won't be able to see far enough to know you have a 'safe' perimeter, but I just don't see any of these above cutting it beyond an immediate perimeter (as far as African wild-lands are concerned) in and around the campground.

Something like a 50+ watt HID that can run off the car battery, or the Olight SR90 if you want to be mobile a bit on foot (obviously not an all day thing to carry, but again who hikes all through the night.)

 

[micmic]

Thanks for the suggestions. I already have a smaller maglite that I will take with me as well, and the camping equipment will include some lamp with enough flood but not adequate throw. And I'm not going to walk at night, although I'd love to if there was enough moonlight, I had a gun and it was allowed. Usually only poachers walk at night at those places :laughing:

 

[DM51]

I go to Africa for 1-2 weeks every year and stay in a tented camp in the bush, and we have animals wandering through the whole time – elephants, lions, hyenas, hippos etc. The big animals can be a threat; for example an elephant will flatten a tent if it decides it is in its way, a hippo sank our boat one year, and lions & hyenas can keep you awake at night with their noise; but baboons are probably the biggest nuisance as they trash everything looking for food.

I always take a 1520-size Peli-case full of lights, cells and chargers with me, including a few lights for loaners. In my carry-on baggage I take a MaxaBeam, a Polarion PH40, a BigLeef 3C-85, a SF A2 and a couple of smaller lights. I could give you a long list of all the others in the Peli-case; I've mentioned just a few to give you a rough idea of how over-prepared I am when I go there, lol.

Your question asks which light I would choose, out of all the ones I take, for the purpose you have specified. I'm conscious that you want something that's not too large, and the answer is surprisingly easy. It would be a SF M3, with a bored-out body so it can take 2x 18500 or Leef 2x18650 tube, to run a SF MN11 Lamp Assembly. It is superb for spotting animals a good way off, and being an incan, you'll be able to pick them out much better than you would with an LED. I find myself using it a lot out there. Don't think of runtime as being an issue – when you go out, take spare cells with you. If you insist on >700 lumens, take a SF M6 with a rechargeable kit to run a LF HO-M6R, WA1185 or WA1111, but you'll usually find the M3 is enough.

Obviously, you will need a smaller light as well, and a headlamp. A Ra Clicky and a Zebralight would be good choices.

 

[SFG2Lman]

hmmm, i'll make you a deal, if you take me with you to africa i'll bring all my lights and chargers, as long as i get to do a little hunting...always wanted to get me a warthog and a zebra mounted (my grandfather has some from his safari days before his back got bad)

but in all actuality, you will get a lot of suggestions, so i'll try to make mine unique. there are some solarforce kits available on fleabay that come with the rechargeables and the wall-charger/car charger included, they aren't high quality but i have used mine at least weekly for the last 6-8 months with no issue, they run on 110v or 220v or 12vdc, the light itself puts out a respectable 200ish lumens and is pretty hardy, not a bad setup for $40ish dollars, i'd get 2-3 of them just for good measure.Oops, i forgot we had a dealer in our ranks, i think his handle is jake25 but i know his website and the packages are here

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

I go to Africa for 1-2 weeks every year and stay in a tented camp in the bush, and we have animals wandering through the whole time – elephants, lions, hyenas, hippos etc. The big animals can be a threat; for example an elephant will flatten a tent if it decides it is in its way, a hippo sank our boat one year, and lions & hyenas can keep you awake at night with their noise; but baboons are probably the biggest nuisance as they trash everything looking for food.

I always take a 1520-size Peli-case full of lights, cells and chargers with me, including a few lights for loaners. In my carry-on baggage I take a MaxaBeam, a Polarion PH40, a BigLeef 3C-85, a SF A2 and a couple of smaller lights. I could give you a long list of all the others in the Peli-case; I've mentioned just a few to give you a rough idea of how over-prepared I am when I go there, lol.

Your question asks which light I would choose, out of all the ones I take, for the purpose you have specified. I'm conscious that you want something that's not too large, and the answer is surprisingly easy. It would be a SF M3, with a bored-out body so it can take 2x 18500 or Leef 2x18650 tube, to run a SF MN11 Lamp Assembly. It is superb for spotting animals a good way off, and being an incan, you'll be able to pick them out much better than you would with an LED. I find myself using it a lot out there. Don't think of runtime as being an issue – when you go out, take spare cells with you. If you insist on >700 lumens, take a SF M6 with a rechargeable kit to run a LF HO-M6R, WA1185 or WA1111, but you'll usually find the M3 is enough.

Obviously, you will need a smaller light as well, and a headlamp. A Ra Clicky and a Zebralight would be good choices.

+100!

Listen to what this man is talking about! This is pure gold, my friend. The best advise I've head in years of CPF!

 

[Kestrel]

Very interesting reading, I'd love to hear more.

 

[DM51]

Very interesting reading, I'd love to hear more.

OK, here's a thread from a couple of years ago: The trouble with elephants. I've made other posts referring to Africa in various other threads.

 

[Kestrel]

SF M3, with a bored-out body so it can take 2x 18500 or Leef 2x18650 tube, to run a SF MN16 Lamp Assembly. It is superb for spotting animals a good way off, and being an incan, you'll be able to pick them out much better than you would with an LED.

I think this might be the crux of the matter - I'd love to see nighttime beamshots highlighting an elephant hiding in brush, but comparing an LED to an incan in this respect. One small issue would be the degree of cooperation that the elephant might provide - however I am confident of the ability of a true CPf'er to solve this minor detail.

 

[DoctaDink]

DM51,
Thank you for posting this and the previous link. Cool story and great photos.
I've only been to Africa once (Turkanaland, Kenya and Masai Mara reserve) and found it an enchanting place.
I only had a Jetbeam MX II when I went, and found it adequate for my uses, but I wasn't out after dark much. Definitely need a light though, for there are all sorts of critters and hazards to watch for. And, AMEN to the hazards of baboons and monkeys; They are the most clever, mischievious little thieves from which you surly need to protect your lights and other valuables.

 

[276]

I haven't been on a plane in a while but wow i didn't think you could take all that on as a carry on.

 

[Roger Sully]

:thinking: Whatever did happen to Hopkins ...
ANyway.. I got Donn on one side of the world living one dream and now this one traipsing off to Africa living yet another... Thank goodness for CPF where I can live vicariosly through my fellow members.
Off to read about Data's tree house now...

My thought on lights in Africa? I would tote my M2SC4 along with my M3 with LF P7 head, my M4 with the M3 head with the mn11 and at least one T20C2 with a diffuser near at hand.