Good all round flashlight for camping

[dsherlock]

Hi,
Long time reader, first time poster, so please bear with me

Until now, I have been using Fenix torches, and I feel it's about time to upgrade. I am after a 1x18650 torch, and believe I have (finally) narrowed it down to the following:

TK11 R5
Olight M20 (XP-G)
Olight M21
Jetbeam RRT-2
Microfire TL2 (either P7 or SST-50).

I live out in the country in the UK, and will mainly be using this light for camping, so am after something that gives a combination of flood and throw, and a good runtime (not after much I know). Obviously, on top of this, a good WOW factor is never a bad thing
There doesn't seem a huge amount to chose between the lights above, with the exception of the TL2, which is in a different price bracket, although I am unable to find any reveiws, etc on the web for this light.

Really just wondered what people's opinions were on these lights for camping....

Any help would be greatly appreciated, as the more I read, the more I am going round in circles.

Darren

 

[Jash]

Why not consider the TK30. You can use it as a single 18650 if you want and then shove another one in it for that WOW factor.

Jolly good combination of flood and throw too.

It even has a specified 'camping' mode.

 

[dhouseng]

camping huh. i wonder why you chose tk11 over tk12. the tk12 is lighter than the tk11 and has more modes. the 10 lumens mode on the tk12 with very long runtime might help you in case of emergencies.

anyway, a tk11 or tk12 will do. you get full constant brightness for at least 2 hours. i dont think other lights can beat them in runtime.

also, the fenix TK's are built like a tank, so if you encounter wild animals like tigers while camping just hit them with the flashlight.

 

[Zatoichi]

Hi, I'm in the UK too, and go camping in the Peak district. I always take a big handful of lights! I don't have any of the ones you listed, though I did use my TK10 (similar to TK11) quite a lot. I would suggest, if you're only taking one flashlight, to get one that has a decent low on it. For inside the tent at night, and reading etc, I find 5 - 10 lumens is more than sufficient.

I'm not a fan of wearing headlights, but after reading here about the advantages of having 2 hands free, I bought us all a cheap one each and they really were useful while camping. You still need a nice bright one too of course, for scaring the sheep .

Also if you're only thinking of taking one, I'd reconsider and stretch to a cheap second light like a Fenix E01 for backup, and it's long runtime.

 

[jhc37013]

I use the RRT-2 often while camping I like the solid feel and the output selector ring that makes it very to change with one hand or one finger. It has all the throw I like to have while out exploring but also has the low mode, question is will it be low enough for you.

 

[aggiedude]

Hey folks, I'm mostly a Surefire guy I guess due to trying to buy American made and such, but I received an email that I can get the Fenix TK12 R2 for $48.99 or the PD30 R2 for $45.99 and would love y'alls opinion on which would be "best" for all around usage and camping/fishing times....
Thanx for an awesome forum and any replies are appreciated !!!
Oh, and as far as my Surefires go, I have an E2D Defender a G2 and a G2 LED.....

 

[aggiedude]

Hey folks, I'm mostly a Surefire person just due to the fact that they're American made, but I ran across an email that has the Fenix TK12 R2 for $48.95 and the PD30 R2 for $45.99 and was wondering which would be best for all around camping/fishing and such. Right now I own a Surefire E2D and 2 G2's but saw these prices and don't know if I should pass it up.
Any replies would be welcome. Thanx a million

 

[TyJo]

Why not consider the TK30. You can use it as a single 18650 if you want and then shove another one in it for that WOW factor.

Jolly good combination of flood and throw too.

It even has a specified 'camping' mode.

I like the TK30 and I own one. However I would recommend that you take a look at the TK35. It uses the same battery set up (I don't think it can run on 1 cell), but it is cheaper and brighter.

 

[aggiedude]

I like the TK30 and I own one. However I would recommend that you take a look at the TK35. It uses the same battery set up (I don't think it can run on 1 cell), but it is cheaper and brighter.

Well, the 2 I mentioned ( TK12 R2 and PD30 R2 ) were the only 2 that were on sale like this..The others were at everyday prices...I just thought that getting one of these at these prices might be a good idea...

 

[aggiedude]

I like the TK30 and I own one. However I would recommend that you take a look at the TK35. It uses the same battery set up (I don't think it can run on 1 cell), but it is cheaper and brighter.

Main reason I'm only considering the TK12 R2 and PD30 R2 is the price of them...The others are more expensive and I was just thinking that these prices were too good to pass up, but then I'm only wanting one and not sure which.

 

[phantom23]

PD30 has less throw, has more modes, TK12 UI is more complicated (it has 3 modes but u can use 2 in single setup, changing isn't intuitive) but has more throw and accepts 18650 cells.

 

[Outdoorsman5]

Deleted

 

[phantom23]

'aggiedude' resterted this topic with his own question in post #6.

 

[aggiedude]

PD30 has less throw, has more modes, TK12 UI is more complicated (it has 3 modes but u can use 2 in single setup, changing isn't intuitive) but has more throw and accepts 18650 cells.

So overall I would probably be happier (( after learning it )) with the TK12 ya think ?

 

[Jay R]

If you are down south don't miss the UK meet thread. Good chance to compare lost of lights before you buy...
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?311299-UK-meet-at-Virginia-Water-West-of-London.

 

[Thefo]

I use the RRT-2 often while camping I like the solid feel and the output selector ring that makes it very to change with one hand or one finger. It has all the throw I like to have while out exploring but also has the low mode, question is will it be low enough for you.

+1

 

[swrdply400mrelay]

Definitely Zebralight.

The low low is good for navigating around without destroying your night vision, and on top of that, it's hands free.

 

[DaveyJones]

i reccommend researching a bit about what kind of accessories are available for
each light u look at.
a simple light cone can really expand the usefullness of a light, especially in a camping situation.
lots of cool stuff on the market, but not everyone makes everything, so be sure to look at that aspect before you buy.

similarly take a look at replacement parts.
camping can be a challanging application at times for any type of gear, and being able to replace parts as to buying a whole new light
might be an advantage for some campers.

 

[carrot]

I'd take a headlamp like the venerable Petzl Tikka 2. You don't need a lot of light for camping, but when you do it is often very handy for it to be hands-free.

 

[Murray B]

Before retirement I was a camper for more than thirty years. It also happens that I own a hundred and some flashlights which is sufficient for most purposes. Of all the lights I own, which include LED, lithium powered, and whatever, there was one light that I liked more than all the others for camping.

That light is an MX-991\U. It looks cheap but is made to military specifications and never failed me in all the years I went camping. They were made by at least three contractors, Bright Star, Price, and Fulton, and can usually be found at army surplus stores.

It is a simple light that uses two D cells to under drive a PR-3 bulb rated for 3.6 Volts at 3.0 volts. Under-driving the lamp increases the lamp life expectancy from 10 hours to 180 hours and reduces the amount of blue light in the beam. [Blue is not good for clarity for most people because it does not focus at the same distance on the retina. A few years ago there was even a company that made blue-blocking glasses for that reason.]

The PR-3 lamps and D cells were always available anywhere, even at remote country stores, and the light worked well with plain old cheap old carbon-zinc cells.

Even today, an MX-991\U would be my first choice for a personal camping light.