How many Lumens for hiking at night in the woods ?

[Dude Dudeson]

Beam profile strongly affects this question.

An extremely floody beam profile could be 100 lumens and leave one wishing for more.

An extremely focused beam profile could be annoyingly bright (while also really destroying your night vision everywhere else) with as little as 30 lumens.

When striving for "flashlight perfection" the standard answer is this: You want options.

Which usually is going to mean more than one flashlight...

 

[DaveAnderson]

Fun thread. I was out deer hunting two years ago and had two lights with me - a 1x18650 R2 thrower with a deep dish and a Novatac 120P. Well once it got dark and I was out in the brush, I had to pull out the lights to get back to the trail. The larger thrower was almost uselss. It worked fine - 180 lumens of blinding light wherever I shined it. I ended up using the Novatac on something like 5 lumens so I could keep the tree branches from whipping my face while I hiked up the valley back to the trail. Once I hit the trail, the thower was nice to highlight things I was looking at in the distance.

Going out again, a single light would be the 6P with the nailbender smo 3 mode or 3 mode MCE. Extended runtimes on low and it has a good balance of flood/throw. Quick click and I could light up a remote area pretty well. As fun as the throwers are to play with, they aren't nearly as useful as I had originally thought - once you get out into the woods.

 

[fnj]

One idea I haven't seen in this thread is the Zebralight SC600. It's a single compact 18650 light that puts 0.1 to 750 lumens at your immediate command in a single light, so you can do your own experimenting. As an XM-L with a small head, it's not very throwy, but you better believe with 750 lumens when you want it, it's going to reach out pretty good. With its rechargeable battery, it also lets you easily make sure that it is fully charged every time you go hiking.

Another idea is an HDS Clicky single CR123, which would give you 0.07 to 170 lumens. It's a pretty narrow beam, but also has good spill. A very nice choice.

 

[Darvis]

no more than 1-10 lumens. Being an avid camper, have to agree with the less is more concensus here and there is lots of great advice! When I car camp, I always have a mega bright light handy, but can't remember the last time I used it outside of just showing off (currently a Malkoff M91).

Diffused or no hot spot lights (such as a Mule) are my preference, I find the lack of a hot spot is what really makes the difference for me when it comes to sheer usability. That said, some preferred lights have been the L1 and/or E1L with the F04 or diffuser film, McGizmo's 3S Mule of any flavor (currently using the XM-L version), my SS Preon ReVo with diffuser (this one is the one I like on hikes, light, bright, great throw and only a AAA! Plus, three levels on tap. Carry as many spare batteries as you want, they weigh next to nothing and the ReVo goes 40 hours on low) For more light, the Malkoff M60LF is the cats pajamas and I always try to have this one handy. I am itching to try the E05 as well...

When you really want a keeper, though, look no farther than the Peak Eiger medium beam with a power level of 0 or 1, maybe 2. This may possibly be the handiest camping light I've ever used. I have all three levels above (and even a Subzero) and find the power level 1 to be the one I most like.

Believe it or not, around camp, a headlamp is more annoying unless camping alone. I've found that I end up blinding more people than not, so once my eyes have dark adapted, I tend to just use the handhelds when I need them. For hiking, headlamps rock, no doubt. I like my older PT Apex 4AA light with a combo of multiple LEDS and one TIR thrower, or any Zebralight headlamp. I prefer a dedicated headlamp, vs a standard light in a holder as I find that these blind me based on where they sit (usually by the ears), vs. a lamp on the forehead shining down.

 

[edkwok]

I do a lot of all-night trail running and prefer around 50 lumens in a wide beam. 50 is enough to negotiate roots, rocks, cracks, frogs etc. Most lights I have come across do not give a wide enough beam and you end up having to keep panning the light to see where you are going. I use less brightness when I am walking, maybe just a few lumens to follow the trail, as I find the scenery looks more enjoyable. I also find powerful lights get uncomfortably hot in the hand after a few hours. My favorite is the Surefire U2 which has an ideal (for me) conical beam pattern and the ring brightness control is perfect for real time adjustment. I have an assortment of Fenix but their beam patterns are too narrow for me. If I am out alone I take the Wolf Eyes Thunder for the security of 800 lumens but use it on low most of the time.

 

[Swedpat]

My experience is that in the woods at night it usually doesn't need so many lumens. Sometimes I can be surprised of how bright even 30lm actually is in the darkness! Surefire E1L and E2L AA Outdoorsmans are excellent out in the field.

 

[shuailala]

10 lumens is plenty for me to hike a trail

 

[BoarHunter]

No need for a lot as long as you stay on the trail. But if you go off and you have to figure out what is the best way to negotiate your turns and plan your path in a tangle of logs, brushes, puddle etc..., better have plenty of flood and a thrower but that you can adjust so as not to be blinded !
I use a TK35, does all that.

 

[quad088]

Here in Singapore we have tropical rain forest that are tense and trail path ranging from 2 m to 3m width. Often I had a Garmin GPSmap 62s as it record the entire course so I need not afraid I lost track on return.

I take along my surefire U2 @ 100 lumens, LL M14 and M3x with extra 3 x fully charged 18650. Usually 80% of the trail I used U2 and the rest M14 and M3x. This weekend I will take along my recent purchased M3LT instead of M3x.


Along the journey we encounter snakes, monkeys and stupid crows.

 

[scout24]

I'll add my two cents- I'm with the under-ten crowd for general hiking, and used my EO1 extensively when my son was in Boy Scouts to hike in and set up camp well after dark. Established trails, some stream crossing, etc. There were times that I realized a warm or neutral tint would have been beneficial. High-CR-I Ra Clicky set up with three low-output modes and max for the fourth level is floody enough to be very useful, and gives you the option of 100lm if wanted. ZL sc51w would work well, too, I feel.

 

[Dude Dudeson]

And again I'll say it depends on beam profile.

"Got hotspot"? Yeah, 20 lumens may (under certain circumstances or with certain users) may be too much.

Now consider a Coleman lantern running on propane or kerosene - you can go much, much higher than 20 lumens worth of output and be nowhere near overkill...

 

[jorn]

And again I'll say it depends on beam profile.

"Got hotspot"? Yeah, 20 lumens may (under certain circumstances or with certain users) may be too much.

Now consider a Coleman lantern running on propane or kerosene - you can go much, much higher than 20 lumens worth of output and be nowhere near overkill...

Yep so true. I just saw a episode on mythbuster (seson9, ep11. Let there be light). One of their result was that 0.389 lux was needed (with non night adjusted eyes) to clear a course they had set up with lots of glass in total darkness.

 

[trialt]

I think a surefire T1A would be nice for a night hike too. Anyone else agree ?

 

[ebow86]

In my own experience, at least to my own eyes, when using a quality incandescent and LED outdoors, it takes roughly half as many lumens of incandescent light for me to feel comfortable with my surroundings as it does LED light, especially in a forest type environment. So, depending on the surroundings, if I feel safe with 60 lumens of incandescent light, generally speaking, to feel that same reassurance that I have enough light to observe my surroundings to my satisfaction, I would need roughly 120 lumens of LED light. Now of course there are many other factors to consider. What incandescent light am I using? How much throw does the LED light I'm using have? Is it a cool tint or warm tint, etc etc. But in my own experience, this "double the lumens" usually turns out to be the case. I'm not saying this is Gospel truth or hard fact, it's just what my own personal experience has been over the years.

 

[Swedpat]

In my own experience, at least to my own eyes, when using a quality incandescent and LED outdoors, it takes roughly half as many lumens of incandescent light for me to feel comfortable with my surroundings as it does LED light, especially in a forest type environment. So, depending on the surroundings, if I feel safe with 60 lumens of incandescent light, generally speaking, to feel that same reassurance that I have enough light to observe my surroundings to my satisfaction, I would need roughly 120 lumens of LED light. Now of course there are many other factors to consider. What incandescent light am I using? How much throw does the LED light I'm using have? Is it a cool tint or warm tint, etc etc. But in my own experience, this "double the lumens" usually turns out to be the case. I'm not saying this is Gospel truth or hard fact, it's just what my own personal experience has been over the years.

Never heard that before, but according to all I read and my own experience it seems probable. The better color rendition of incandescents and the better 3-D feeling and contrast may require less lumens to be useful, yes it feels logical!

 

[robostudent5000]

In my own experience, at least to my own eyes, when using a quality incandescent and LED outdoors, it takes roughly half as many lumens of incandescent light for me to feel comfortable with my surroundings as it does LED light, especially in a forest type environment. So, depending on the surroundings, if I feel safe with 60 lumens of incandescent light, generally speaking, to feel that same reassurance that I have enough light to observe my surroundings to my satisfaction, I would need roughly 120 lumens of LED light. Now of course there are many other factors to consider. What incandescent light am I using? How much throw does the LED light I'm using have? Is it a cool tint or warm tint, etc etc. But in my own experience, this "double the lumens" usually turns out to be the case. I'm not saying this is Gospel truth or hard fact, it's just what my own personal experience has been over the years.

you know, i kind of feel that way too. i often feel like i get a much better feel for my surroundings with an incan than an LED at similar brightnesses, much better than even my warmish neutral LEDs.

 

[ebow86]

you know, i kind of feel that way too. i often feel like i get a much better feel for my surroundings with an incan than an LED at similar brightnesses, much better than even my warmish neutral LEDs.

I agree. Another thing I have noticed when using a good incan vs a quality LED, even warm tinted LED's, is how much more quickly I can identify things under the full spectrum of light from an incandescent. Just an example, if the edge of my beam catches the glow of an animals eye, when I turn an incandescent beam towards that animal I can instantly recognize it and what it is the same as if I was looking at it in broad daylight. Under that same scenario, an LED, especially a cooler tinted led, it might take me a second or two before my eyes can image whatever that object I'm looking at might be, due to the lack of color and depth to that object. Warm tinted LED's certainly help with the colors but that general "flatness" and lack of depth is still there.

 

[robostudent5000]

I agree. Another thing I have noticed when using a good incan vs a quality LED, even warm tinted LED's, is how much more quickly I can identify things under the full spectrum of light from an incandescent. Just an example, if the edge of my beam catches the glow of an animals eye, when I turn an incandescent beam towards that animal I can instantly recognize it and what it is the same as if I was looking at it in broad daylight. Under that same scenario, an LED, especially a cooler tinted led, it might take me a second or two before my eyes can image whatever that object I'm looking at might be, due to the lack of color and depth to that object. Warm tinted LED's certainly help with the colors but that general "flatness" and lack of depth is still there.

i guess that's where CRI comes into play. even the warmer, hi CRI LED's don't quite match the CRI of an incan.