Best tent light to hang on flashlight loop?

[jayflash]

Whatever you do, stay away from coin cells for anything but a keychain light. Even a back up light should have at least an AAA cell (IMHO). Something like the Infinity ultra, the 3 LED Dorcy or other efficient, single AA, LED will last much, much, longer with steadier brightness than coincell lights.

 

[carrot]

While I agree that coin cells should be avoided when possible, it's exceptionally handy to have a few Photonlights around. A coin cell light is a lot better than no backup light, too.
I am planning on getting an Arc-AAA (soon/eventually), because its batteries are *much* easier to find.

 

[Amadeus93]

You should note that the Photon III (almost the same as Freedom Micro, except without SOS signalling and user-variable dimming (3 brightness modes -- high, med, low)) is on sale at the photonlight.com website for only $12.20 (no box, bulk packaging).

Just to clarify (because there's conflicting information on the Photon website), the Photon III actually does have SOS signalling. The diagram on their site implies that there are three strobe modes (fast, medium, slow), when there are just two (fast and medium, I guess) and then SOS.

 

[cy]

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!:rock:

A little light to hang on the stock flashlight loop, that's perfect! How bright is that inside your tent? Can you do any sort of task without resorting to a bigger light?

I'm looking for a definitive tent light, no more big lights, lanterns or headlamps inside the tent, only the light on the loop.

inside a tent, Arc AAA is plenty bright enough to read by. runtime is long enough to not worry about batteries. finish is tuff enough to leave inside tent when you fold tent away.

note little clip attached to end of Arc AAA in picture above.

here's another config that works really well.
small knife attached to Arc AAA threads thru tent loop

 

[paulr]

When I say a 5mm led light is too dim for reading, I mean through indirect lighting, when it's lighting up the whole tent and not pointing at the book. When pointing right at the book, if anything it's TOO bright, and the hot spot is annoying. Some diffusion helps. I actually like to use an amber led, since it's easier on the eyes than the typical blue/white led.

I don't like the Photon 3 very much. The Freedom is a big improvement. If you don't need the dimming feature, I'd just go for one of the cheap knockoffs though.

 

[ernsanada]

Left, River Rock Lantern. Right, Osram Lantern

I like the light the Osram puts out, more diffused. Plus the Osram has high and low.

Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting

 

[Mike Painter]

It looks nice, but it's not regulated is it? I don't want a 200+/- hours with diminishing brightness, i'd rather have 3+/- hours of solid regulation.

Lighthound is/was selling the nuwai TM115X for about $30.00 delivered to your door.
It's a very nice light and with the top off puts out a *very* nice light that will work in your tent.
However, it does not have the run time you want on high.

(I say was/is because only his home page is showing up from here right now.

 

[BamZipPow]

I'm surprised no one has made a diffuser that you could stick on the end of the flashlights to give you a lantern mode...

I've noticed that the traffic cone accessory fer the MiniMags seem to work okay...only if it had a white cone insert that could fit inside towards the lens you could get a better flood output...

Something like these...

 

[TranquillityBase]

:wave: If you can't decide what is best, here is a free tent lantern that diffuses light perfectly and can be modified easily. (Saline solution bottle)

Spray some aerosol glue inside the bottle and dump in some glow powder, shake it around, let dry...hey how do I turn this damn thing off?

Poke two holes 180 degrees apart for a homemade D-ring, for hanging and carrying.

If the hole is cut to the right size, your flashlight will not fall out.


Have fun!

TB

 

[TranquillityBase]

I haven't found anything that diffuses light better than these bottles, plus they are free, light weight and durable. I haven't tried the spray glue and glow powder idea yet, but I think it would be kinda fun.

Cutting the hole perfectly round is quite a challenge. If you don't like it, you can always through it back in the recycling bin.

TB

 

[paulr]

I think some people use film cans as diffusers. You could also just put a piece of frosted scotch tape over the end, though that doesn't work nearly as well. Finally, you could put the light in a drinking cup or something on the floor of the tent, so it's pointing up and bouncing off the roof, giving indirect light.

 

[carrot]

Just to clarify (because there's conflicting information on the Photon website), the Photon III actually does have SOS signalling. The diagram on their site implies that there are three strobe modes (fast, medium, slow), when there are just two (fast and medium, I guess) and then SOS.

My bad. I must have missed something somewhere then.

I don't like the Photon 3 very much. The Freedom is a big improvement. If you don't need the dimming feature, I'd just go for one of the cheap knockoffs though.

What's the difference? I never read that there was much difference except for the Photon 3 using two buttons for control instead of one.

 

[carrot]

:wave: If you can't decide what is best, here is a free tent lantern that diffuses light perfectly and can be modified easily. (Saline solution bottle)

Spray some aerosol glue inside the bottle and dump in some glow powder, shake it around, let dry...hey how do I turn this damn thing off?

Poke two holes 180 degrees apart for a homemade D-ring, for hanging and carrying.

If the hole is cut to the right size, your flashlight will not fall out.


Have fun!

TB

TranquilityBase, this sounds interesting. I've got a few questions about this- Are the bottles transparent/translucent or opaque white? Also, what glue would you recommend? Where can I obtain the glow powder?

 

[The-David]

Anouther vote for glo_toob, I have a white, red and green one. They are varey usefull and just birght enouf for my little two man bacpacking tent.

 

[paulr]

Re Photon Freedom vs Photon 3, it's a matter of preference and some people do like the P3 better. The P3 has three brightness levels that are IMO too close together. The Freedom has "continuous" adjustment down to a very dim level. The Freedom's 1-button interface is also nicer, it seems to me. YMMV.

 

[woodfluter]

Whoa, I just ordered a Gerber Infinity Ultra from Amazon.com
Woodfluter, can you elaborate on the reliability issues you've been having with the Gerber models? I want to know what I'm getting into.

Oh, well, I posted something on a recent thread about that, but in brief, the first one was getting finicky about switching on when I lost it on a plane; then its replacement did the same up to the point of not switching on at all unless you slammed it hard on its tail; returned that and its replacement did exactly the same. Not all that heavy use either. Played with the last one before returning it and it turned on when you pushed gently on the side of the LED - then it finally failed completely. I suspect a loose connection at the head contact so that when you turn the switch, the battery twists something up there and eventually causes the LED leads or other wiring to break. Just a wild guess. Might be a defective batch - all gotten from REI. So I truly hope your luck is better.

[QUOTE-paulr]When I say a 5mm led light is too dim for reading, I mean through indirect lighting, when it's lighting up the whole tent and not pointing at the book. When pointing right at the book, if anything it's TOO bright, and the hot spot is annoying. Some diffusion helps. [/QUOTE]

Oh, now I understand - we are on exactly the same page about that! Thanks.

 

[carrot]

Oh, well, I posted something on a recent thread about that, but in brief, the first one was getting finicky about switching on when I lost it on a plane; then its replacement did the same up to the point of not switching on at all unless you slammed it hard on its tail; returned that and its replacement did exactly the same. Not all that heavy use either. Played with the last one before returning it and it turned on when you pushed gently on the side of the LED - then it finally failed completely. I suspect a loose connection at the head contact so that when you turn the switch, the battery twists something up there and eventually causes the LED leads or other wiring to break. Just a wild guess. Might be a defective batch - all gotten from REI. So I truly hope your luck is better.

I guess if I have any problems I'll just phone up Gerber and ask them wtf is happening. I hope it was just a bad batch. I'll find out soon enough... scheduled to arrive between Dec. 30 and Jan. 9.

 

[wwglen]

I trake one of the film bottles. Cut 4 slits in the top.

You then can take the top off and slide the light through the top and when the light gets so that just the top of the light is showing you put the top on the film bottle.

I can use the same bottle for everything from a ARC AAA look alike up to a minimag with the head off.

The cut top acts like a gripper and grabs any light that will fit in.

I especially like my Finix with the 2 stage switch and my minimag with the nite-ize.

wwglen

 

[IsaacHayes]

I vote for a ArcAAA rev4 Premium with a clip. Take it with you and wear it around your neck. Put it in the tent, should be plenty of light. I'd stay away from coin cell led lights as they won't have the runtime needed.

 

[CLHC]

You know, I have that Gerber Infinity Ultra in that "green" looking color. Overall appearance wise it looks well built and I like the small form factor. The switching on it is easy to manipulate and it can be set as a momentary on when you depress the tail cap.—But for me, this little thing doesn't put out that much light. Maybe in complete and total darkness it'll look bright. Tried that, but not enough light for my tired eyes. So I simply gave that away after a day or two of use. And that was last week!

Maybe that might have been good for use as a tent light since it's got a sturdy enough clip. I don't know. . .