Best LED light for backpacking?

[Sesoku]

Hi,
I have been looking at some of the Trek lights as a primary flashlight for backpacking. I like that they are waterproof and I also like the configuration of the LEDs, but I the three AA model still seems a bit large and heavy for what I want. Has anyone used the mini-trek? Isn't it two AAAs? I was also considering an eternalight, but I want one that will throw a nice beam a considerable distance. I also want more than one LED for brightness. All suggestions are appreciated!!!

 

[Badbeams3]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Sesoku:
Hi,
I have been looking at some of the Trek lights as a primary flashlight for backpacking. I like that they are waterproof and I also like the configuration of the LEDs, but I the three AA model still seems a bit large and heavy for what I want. Has anyone used the mini-trek? Isn't it two AAAs? I was also considering an eternalight, but I want one that will throw a nice beam a considerable distance. I also want more than one LED for brightness. All suggestions are appreciated!!!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The mini Trek has 3 AAA`s and it can be a bear to change batts. I like the 3 AA Trek..but if you think it`s to long... The Turtle light two could be an answer and are highly regarded but it would be a little bulky. Have you thought about a head light...some are both led and holagen. The Petzel might be a good choice and is highly regarded as well.
LRI has a light coming out now that is both hand held a head light, it might be hard to change from mode to mode...as it has the same I/C chip as the Photon 3...but still it might be nice. www.photonlight.com if you want to check it out...it`s a little pricey...around $70 I think...it`s called the Fusion.

 

[Alan]

I won't recommend any handheld flashlight as primary light for serious backpacking. You need a headlamp when setting up your tent, filtering water, cooking, doing dishes, reading in the tent and anything that tied up your both hands.

I would recommend Tikka from Petzl, it's small, bright and light, 3AAA on 3 LEDs. If I were you, I will carry a small bright handheld flash as backup and for longer range. UK2L is my recommendation for this purpose. It's small, waterproof, bright and light (lighter than a E1). This 2 lights combined might weight less than many of 3AA light.

If you don't mind carry more weight or you're going for long backpacking trip and not in solo, the soon-to-be released Switchable from Princeton might be perfect headlamp for backpacking and caving.

Alan

 

[RonM]

I've got to agree that a headlamp is the answer for most serious hikers. If you still want a handheld I'd go with the PAL Gold. Not much bigger than a 9V battery. Bright and throws a long beam. 20hrs on high and 100hrs on low, and low is very respectable. The Turtle Lite II is a great all around flashlight with a terriffic wide beam. Perhaps a bit too bulky and heavy for a backpacker though.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I've tried several LED flashlights for camping / outdoors but eventually found them less useful.
The leds give a nice light at close distance, great for reading a map in the tent at night, but in order to find a campsite at night or visit a dark and wet cave, you need power. For setting up a tent, a LED headlamp is OK, but then you're not always looking at the stuff in front of you, you may want to raise your head and look into the forest (what's that noise?) or down to the boat (did I leave the .. down there ?) or ...
Today, I bring a Surefire 6P and a Petzl Duo. A Photon II is inside my medical box as a last resort. When I need little power, I use the low-power bulb of the Duo,with a flick of a switch I can have long-range view. The Duo's low-power beam is as well OK for reading in the tent. If Petzl could make this an LED source, it would be fine.
Martin.

 

[Spidey82]

which light will provide a switch from led/lowpower lamp to high power halogen, with a simple button or switch??

from what i see, mose princeton tec headlamp will required u to remove the led and put in the halogen.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Sesoku,
backpacking is an activity where stuff gets destroyed or lost.
I had an LED light which was OK but eventually lost. I could not replace it here because of the cost and difficulties in importing stuff. Then I found that a non-LED light doesn't really spoil my outdoor experience.
Today I would say, one important factor for a backpacking light is that you can afford to lose it.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Spidey82,
you could modify a Petzl Duo and get exactly what you want.
Replace the low-power lamp with an LED, but you need a regulator or resistor as the 4AA deliver 6V.
Martin.

 

[Spidey82]

hummm..........
Thanx martin,
but is the another light that does this straight from the factory??

 

[MY]

As a very avid backpacker who has spent over 45 nights in the backcountry the last two years, I can speak from experience. I own probably over 30 different flashlights and I can say that the eternalight model 2 is just about the perfect light for backpacking. In my use during the past 2 years, it has worked perfectly. When it rains, it just slip a small ziplock over the light. With lithium cells, it weights 2.4 ozs and using the dimmer, the run time is more than enough for a trip of several days.

It is surprising how bright and how far you can see with this light in complete darkness in the backcountry.

I have made a head band light holder and now the eternalight is the ideal headlamp. Even though the ergonomics is not great in the hand, it works well as a headlamp. To make the head light holder, get the nylon maglite head strap (walmart-$3) and sew a large wide loop made of elastic webbing on the nylon. Slip the eternalight in the loop and adjust the light for the angle desired.

You can also make a wrist loop for the light from a strip of very thin nylon ribbon. Tie a small knot at both ends and insert this knot inside the case between the two shells. Once you set the screws in, the knot will keep the ribbon in place.

As most people can tell, I really do like eternalights. All the other lights mentioned are either too bulky, heavy, low run time or not bright enough.

The eternalight is a compromise for sure, but I still believe that it is still the best for backpacking.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

another feather in the cap for the folks at techass inc. an ideal "holder" i found for classic model is an adidas id holder, don.t know model#? but is a small zippered nylon case that holds the classic model near perfectly. throw all this into zip-lock bag, toss in a set of aa lithiums and a philips#2 and a turtlle II and the incandescent of choice and be prepared for a moonless night

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Spidey82,
if there'd be one, I'd probably have it already. If you find one that I missed, let me know !
But...the Petzl Duo low power lamp is a two-pin thing and it seems it can be easily exchanged for a homebrew circuit of white LED plus 27R series resistor. Need no soldering on the headlamp, just plug in. Haven't done it myself, as I'm not so unhappy with the 8h runtime of the incandescent.

 

[funk]

Spidey,
I have mentioned this before with Alan, but the Princeton headlamp hasn't been released - but has 2 leds in the reflector and with a push button switch will go back and forth between the LEDs and standard bulb. They say that it is waterproof and that with the battery pack will provide 7w from the halogen bulb (dual filament). I saw a prototype in January. It was working and was quite impressive.
Karst has some info on their site about it: http://www.karstsports.com/printecswitl.html

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

You can use the Petzyl Duo with a screw-in 3 LED 'cluster bulb' - keep the bi-pin for distance viewing - with no modification. You may have to reverse the leads supplying power to get the current to flow in the right direction for the LEDs, OR you can put the batteries in opposite the indicators...ie; 'backwards'...

 

[Free]

Stop it Ken... You're scaring me

 

[Alan]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Spidey82:

from what i see, mose princeton tec headlamp will required u to remove the led and put in the halogen.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not for the Switchable. Those 2 LEDs are built-in.

Alan

 

[Spidey82]

thanx.
and if anyone get their switchable, how abt doing a reviwe on the headlamp.
i am sure the rest will be excited.

 

[Alan]

The Switchable hasn't been shipped yet and its shipping date has been slipped several time already.

Like I mentioned on my other post, this light look GREAT on spec but a little bit confused. I still couldn't figure out how it works on its redundant power source (it could have 4 C-cells as primary and 2 AA as secondary) with different voltage on the same bulb.

The 4-Cells can't be 2 C-cells in parallel either due to its current draw on its high beam.

Besides, how those 2 LEDs was driven, by 2 AA and 4 C-cells? It has to be coming with an extremely good voltage regulator, but at this price range and size, I would say it's tough.

So many questions

Since Funk has seen the prototype, I hope he could help.

May be that's the reason their shipment keep slipping

Alan

 

[Badbeams3]

Good point Alan, it would have to have a step up to run the led`s brightly...but would three volts from 2 AA be enough to run the two main bulb choices properly? I could understand if the whole thing was 4.5 volts...but...hmmm? My sad guess is the main bulbs are 3 volt 2 watts and the leds light sadly with no step-up, about as bright as a Infinity clipped to a hat. And the batt pack is as you guessed...4 C`s...2 in parallel...for 3 volt output...hope this is all wrong.

 

[Free]

I have the Petzl 7LED and it is quite bright. You can also adjust it to have one LED on only, 3LED on only, or all 7LED's by twisting the housing. It can be a bit confusing though.