"Slick" Olight M30

[Ozgeardo]

Just getting ready for my next adventure and sorting my illumination needs.

In my role as a Team Leader in a wilderness therapy programme I often need a good SAR light even if it is just for assisting in night navigation or indeed searching for a lost team member or "runner". Of recent times I have been using a Olight M20(R2) or Fenix TK11(R2). Both of which have been good but I am looking for that little bit more (the quest for perfection :duh2

This trip I intend to pack the following illumination including my "slick" M30).

Now remember weight is a critical factor for me and operational ergonomics are paramount to my mission critical equipment.......So my M30 evolved :

I was not a big fan of the pocket clip so that went
I was not a big fan of the spread eagle tail cap so that went (ordered a smooth tail cap)
I was not a big fan of any of the hand grip rings available so they went
I was not a big fan of the accessory mounting harness and clip (too flimsy for my requirements) so that went
I was not a big fan of the 2 x 18650 combo so the extension tube went (I Love the 2 x 18500 combo)
I was not a big fan of the Rubber Mounted diffuser so that also went

Now this left me with some issues

How do I still use the diffuser (I like and use this animal but just did not like the rubber mounting, to big & awkward for my requirements)
How do I mount a lanyard handle as there are no mounting holes left to attach

Well we popped the diffuser lens and with a little sandpaper and super glue it is now mounted firmly in the removable bezel. The crenulations on the bezel are ideal to grip with cold, muddy or gloved hands (not their intended purpose but works for me). If I need to remove the diffuser the removed bezel fits nicely in my shirt pocket or a slot pocket on my pack. :thumbsup:

Then I needed to attach a small wrist lanyard, (the chances of me taking a tumble at night and loosing my M30 over a cliff or in a creek etc are quite high plus I always safety cord my equipment to my pack or self when not in use. A quick bit of windlassing with some nylon cord and hey presto I have a wrist lanyard and now when using the M30 for extended periods I have some insulation around the main body. :thumbsup:

Hmmm I recon I am on a winner . This is not intended as a review just sharing some ideas for the better or worse

For those of you who have picked up on the fact that the M30 does not have a lock out feature (and I loath taking batts out of the torch just to prevent activation) I am now in the habbit when packing my M30 in my pack, I ensure the M30 is set at its lowest level, then big deal if it accidently goes on as it will only use less than "one bee's wisker" of power if left on for a few hours or a day until the next time I use it the following night.

Here is the rest of my field illumination for the next trip:

5 x Nite Ize "SpotLit" various coloured markers (I recon they are better and more versatile than cyalume sticks).
1 x Jet Beam Mk1 TAD edition AA (an oldie but goodie and in a pinch it will also run with 1 x AAA)
1 x Nite Ize synch marker (modded with a plastic safety pin to prevent unintentional activation)
1 x Fenix E1 (another oldie but goodie lives on a lanyard with my jet scream whistle attached to me at all times)
1 x Petzl XP Tactikka, modded with SCCP4 (my favourite and most used light in the field) , I often have a requirement to use RED light which does assist me in many situations including preservation of night vision (but that has been argued to death elsewhere).

I use Eneloops in all AAA and AA equipment and AW 18500's
Spares carried:
2 x 18500
6 spare AAA (also used in my GPS Foretrex 101)
(and a spare Lithium Icom Radio battery)

I would like to hear from others what they pack for extended field trips.

 

[Ozgeardo]

Well I have returned from several weeks in the field and I am pretty happy with my illumination. The M30 "Slick" in combo with my Petzl Tactikka XP covered just about 99% of my personal illumination needs.

I am very happy with the M30 in the 2 x 18500 format, only requiring 1 change of batts near the end of my time in the field (10 days) with plenty of juice left.

I think I will dump the spare "Jet Beam" from my field gear (I never used it).

The Fenix E1 got limited use but I like some personal illumination redundancy on me at all times.

The Niteize Synch marker ran every night, all night marking "Latrine areas" and was just starting to run down after 10 days.

The Niteize Spotlites have now done several trips and I only needed to replace batts in one light. The are just so handy for tagging personnel on night moves/navex, games and general camp duties that one would usually use cyalume for. (but you can not turn a cyalume "off") Carrying a couple of spare 2016 button cells is a no brain-er.

I have finally found a use for all my old AA Minimags
I have installed coloured led upgrades (that cost next to nothing) and give them to my participants to use for different tasks. (ie: if I see a blue light heading off into the distance I know it is just someone heading to the latrine).


I left a couple of "play lights" in base camp for other unenlightened people to play with. (A 5D Mag with 300M and a Olight M20) needless to say I now have to purchase/upgrade more lights for my colleagues.

I would really like to see more reports/reviews of various lights being used in the field/outdoors and what works for you? :thinking:

 

[hyperloop]

Great story. My outdoor requirements are no where near as stringent as yours as i usually just do a bit of night fishing on a beach and at most we need to walk in a couple of minutes.

The synch marker looks very interesting, it would be good to mark the spot where we leave our tackle boxes and other stuff as we move up and down the beach to cast.

The spotlit markers look interesting too and i can see how it would be useful to keep track of where each of us is along a dark beach (assuming no moonlight).

Most of the time, i use a zebralight H501 headlamp, its a pure floodlight no hotspot to walk in. Its usually on med for the walk in (or high if necessary e.g. when walking on breakwaters with large holes) and low for tasks like tying fishing rigs, untangling line etc.

If i need more light, i usually have other lights on me, currently using a Akoray K-106 on 14500 and i have a Fenix E01 for backup. A larger light would probably be my LED Lenser P14 or Jetbeam M1X (warm tint) with either 2x18500s or 2x18650s and spare cells (though i doubt i would need the spare cells as it's usually a one nighter trip and we don't need light all the time unless we're playing a fool).

I like your setup and analysis of your needs, could you direct me to where those Nite Ize products are available?

 

[Ozgeardo]

Thanks hyperloop, I enjoy hearing about the "what & how" in regards to the lights people are using for various tasks in the great outdoors.
I have no problems with collectors and the techno obsessed (whose articles I do read and find interesting & helpful) but I often think the forum lacks a lot of real time reviews of equipment being used JMHO

I find Battery Junction has a good range of Niteize accessories.

 

[purelite]

You should try a GloToob sometime. They are pretty cool also!!

Thanx for the rundown and update on how you use your illumination tools. I find this sort of stuff informative and entertaining.:twothumbs

 

[gcbryan]

Interesting thread. Something a little different!

For camping, hiking or even rock climbing if it might get dark I always wear a ITP A3 around my neck and tucked into my shirt.

I forget it's there but if I need light I always have it. On low it can get me out of the woods and into a more open area where there will be at least some illumination at night.

I pack a P60 host using (1) 18650 and a XP-G R5 with 3 modes including a decent low (3 lumens). This would run for 200 hours on low if necessary and high is 325 lumens.

I'll throw in one more light just for redundant purposes and it doesn't really matter what it is. I'm not usually in the mountains/woods for more than a night or two.

For (night) diving, sometimes we'll carry a small beacon to mark the entry/exit if it's a confusing area such as a lake where everything looks the same or even houses along the water at the beach if they all look the same.

Sometimes we'll leave the beacon attached to a piling out of the water and sometimes we'll attached it underwater to note that is the exit area.

Those are my main outdoor lighting situations. Usually, I'm not planning to be out overnight however and most times I don't need/use the beacon for dives either but when they're useful I have them.

The light around my neck is the most useful light I have because it's easy to carry just in case. It's hand-free and lightweight. It also has a clip which I hate in general and remove on all lights but on occasion I'll reattach it and clip it on to the bib of a baseball style cap and use it as a headlamp.