traveling to south east asia

[steinstern]

i´m going to visit laos, cambodia, vietnam, myanmar, thailand.

my travel mates will be a Quark mini AA R5, a Quark AA2 R5, and a zebralight h501w.

i don´t think i will use them very much. just some reading, packing my backpack, etc. but on the other hand i think it will be handy having a good source of light, especially in the more remote areas.
you can get alkalines pretty much everywhere in the world, but the quality varys. so im thinking about just buying 8 energizer lithium (4 for the lights and 4 as an backup)

the alternative is to take my eneloops with me. but than i need a really small smart-charger (220V -> same as here in europe). can you recomend me something?

furhermore, i´m thinkin of buying an AA body fore the quark and leaving the AA2 body at home. i would like to pack light and reliable.

what would you do?

and ist there a way to buy a single neutral head for my quark aa2?

 

[neoseikan]

A mini light with low low is needed, especially in night bus.

 

[steinstern]

but that should be fine with the zebralight, right?

 

[neoseikan]

but that should be fine with the zebralight, right?

I think so. Keep it in the nearest place you can touch.

 

[red02]

.......
the alternative is to take my eneloops with me. but than i need a really small smart-charger (220V -> same as here in europe). can you recomend me something?..............

look into the MDR02NU its a great smart charger, small and inexpensive. I wouldn't expect reliable power in any of those counties though...

 

[Locoboy5150]

My suggestion based on my travels to the Far East is to have more than one EDC light on you at all times. Have a primary light and then a backup light.

Even walking down some busy city streets can be pretty dark and you don't want to get hit either by cars or bicycles. Having a bright light in your hand can help others see you.

 

[NightKids]

I reckon just bring the Quark Mini AA, it should be more than enough!

 

[kengps]

When I'm in SE Asia I carry my Mini 123, Lumapower VX Ultra (with 16340 tube), and a Nano Charger. It's barely bigger than the battery, works on 220 volts too. I also carry a spare CR123A. Gives me over 100 hours of run time with the Mini, though I carry the mini with a 16340 for 255 OTF Lumens. I rarely use the Ultra, but carry it when I'm out at night time. What more do you need? "So what" alkalines are available everywhere. I've yet to use the extra battery even after 4 weeks over there. You will not have any trouble finding an outlet somewhere. Ask the front desk if you can plug your little Nano in somewhere up front. No problem. Give a buck or two to a clerk at a 7 Eleven to plug it in, and come back in a few hours and pick it up. 7 Elevens are on every corner in SE asia these days. A Mini 123 is a really cool light over there. It's a good conversation starter. The women are good looking over there......

 

[NightKids]

The good ol' Mini 123 does attract a bit of attention, especially when I blast it with an AW 3.7

 

[Mike V]

Photon ReX.

You can then buy almost any battery and recharge your light.

 

[hyperloop]

i´m going to visit laos, cambodia, vietnam, myanmar, thailand.

my travel mates will be a Quark mini AA R5, a Quark AA2 R5, and a zebralight h501w.

i don´t think i will use them very much.

One of my female friends was very grateful for the EZ AA clone i gave her when she went travelling, when they went to visit Angkor Wat, they left the hotel at 4 a.m. and it was pitch black.

How will you be travelling? If you're taking lots of land transport, i.e. bus, rail, car etc, then obviously having lights will be very useful, good call on stickin with one cell type too. If you arent staying in the outlying areas, most cities in SEA will have adequate power so you can confidently carry eneloops and a charger but you may not even NEED to charge so your first call of going with lithiums and carrying spares should be more than ample.

How long will you be in SEA for? If you intend to detour to Singapore, you will seldom need a light here

 

[strinq]

How long will you be in SEA for? If you intend to detour to Singapore, you will seldom need a light here

+1
It's just bright all the time lol.
Come to Malaysia too, we're friendly (at least we'd like to think so).

 

[steinstern]

How will you be travelling? If you're taking lots of land transport, i.e. bus, rail, car etc, then obviously having lights will be very useful

for 2 months+

yes, lots of land transport, rural/remote areas, etc. thinking of this lithium should be the better desicion..

usually i don´t need much light. if your eyes are adopted to the darkness, some moonshine is usually enough.

so it is just for fixing something/ reading/ walking on harsh terrain in the dark. (if necassary)

i think im going to pack the quark aa mini, the zebralight h501, 2 energizer lithium and 2-4 backup cells (lithium aswell)

​

 

[labrat]

In Bangkok and Pattaya, big cities in Thailand, Surefire CR123 batteries are easy to find, and fair price too.
Also in Manila in the Philippines.
In Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos or Burma I am not so sure.
You need to find specialized hunting/camping shops selling them; buying cheap batteries/cells in the outdoor stalls or in the local shops almost always gets you poor working copies!
This goes for alkalines as well as Lithiums!
Rechargeable LiIons and a cheap Nano charger works well too, bring a small Voltage meter to check on the charging when you do recharge them!
And bring a few spares!
I have a small LED light with high and low in my pocket, Power Outs are not uncommon occurences there!
But also have an Incan light in my luggage for when I visit temples like Angkor Waht and wants to look at the murals and painting, or to see the indoor scenery inside caves.
LED's are good for lighting up your surroundings for emergency and daily occasions.
But for seeing colors and details, incans are the only option!

 

[NightKids]

Yes definately bring some spares cause you never know, some places might not have the batteries you need.