Which lights to bring on night hike ?

[ginaz]

i worked in outdoor education for years and while lights were listed on the packing list, on the night hike they were strictly verbotten. as the guide, i always had one for just in case but it was rarely used. in years of night-hiking the woods of ohio my most used lights were a red photon freedom and the old school brinkmann long-life led. it was amazing how bright that light seemed in the darkness. when your vision dims it's amazing how acute your hearing becomes. it's a sensory experience.

 

[peteybaby]

As a kid, I attended a camp and we went on night hikes where only the adult hike leaders were allowed to have/use lights. I thought that was odd. I mean, it's night time isn't it? It'll be dark. We won't be able to see.

So the hike starts, and I'm thinking it's not so bad. I can't see, but as long as I can see the kid in front of me, it should be okay. Suddenly a commotion ahead... turns out one of the kids had walked just a few inches too far to the left and had slid off the trail down the hill several metres. The kid was okay, but what if he had slid into a tree and had his eye popped out? Or slid and tripped and fell head-first into a rock?

If the moonlight is very strong, okay no lights allowed, but otherwise I think everybody should be allowed to use a light if they want to.

On a different but related subject, I am sure that everybody's night vision is different. So some people will be able to see a lot better than others in the same amount of dim light. I have lousy night vision, so I would not want someone with excellent night vision telling me what amount of light I should be satisfied with.

 

[iapyx]

Did you know that people who are colourblind have better night vision? It was in a newspaper a few years ago in the scientific section of the NRC (good reliable Dutch newspaper)

Found the article and quoted and translated a part of it:
The NRC article is of 22nd of August 1998 with the title:
'Kleurenblinden zien beter in het donder dan kleurenzienden'

Seeing colours happens with light sensitive cones in the center of the retina. Watching in darkness happens with small sticks that have a higher density along the border of the retina. The people who did the test were students of which 13 were colourblind. The students that did the test first had to look at a white filter for two minutes to give everyone an equal starting position. Then they looked into a small hole (9 by 9 cm) in the door of a dark room in which a light was burning. In front of the light was a colourfilter (six different colours were measured) and a changing number of filters with which the light was protected. Every minute in a session of half an hour the students had to indicate if they could distinguish the lamplight from the darkness in the dark room. In that time they got better used to the darkness.
The 13 colourblind students needed three times less light (with all colours tested) in order to distinguish the lamplight. They clearly distinguished themselves from the others of the group.

 

[NeonLights]

On a different but related subject, I am sure that everybody's night vision is different. So some people will be able to see a lot better than others in the same amount of dim light. I have lousy night vision, so I would not want someone with excellent night vision telling me what amount of light I should be satisfied with.

You're so sure that everyone's night vision is that different and yours is so terrible? Under what circumstances? How often in the last five years have you been in near total darkness for more than 20-30 minutes, with no lights around except starlight? My night vision is crappy when I first walk outside of my house, but after 30 minutes of stargazing or other no-light activity, it is amazing how much better I can see than I could just 15-20 minutes before. If you or any other person has such poor night vision that a bright flashlight is required to be on for safety sake so you don't trip and fall, then I'd suggest taking night hikes with a group of nature lovers is not something you should be participating in.

The point about careful flashlight usage on a nighthike is twofold, how bright the lights are that you're using, and where they are pointed. No one is likely to object if you have a very dim red led flashlight or headlamp pointed straight down at your feet so you don't trip and fall. What people object to is when the light is too bright or is a distraction such that their night-adapted vision is destroyed because someone inadvertantly (or on purpose) flashes a light around.

On a slightly related topic, I used to attend an annual 4-day music festival that had 80,000+ people camping overnight in the hills of Pennsylvania. After the last concert at around midnight, there were tens of thousands of people streaming back to their campsites along unlit dirt roads and paths. Some of the kids would flash their "bright" 3 or 4D cell Mags in peoples faces either because they wanted to see who was talking to them (stupid) or because they wanted to just be immature and show off their bright flashlight (even more stupid). I would typically use a dim LED headlamp pointed down to see where I was going, or sometimes the LED's from my A2 pointed at the ground. The second a kid would flash me or someone in my group with their Mag or other flashlight, I'd hit them in the face with the light from the incan bulb on the A2 or with an SF 9P, and give them a mild warning. WOrked like a charm.

 

[peteybaby]

You're so sure that everyone's night vision is that different and yours is so terrible? Under what circumstances? How often in the last five years have you been in near total darkness for more than 20-30 minutes, with no lights around except starlight? My night vision is crappy when I first walk outside of my house, but after 30 minutes of stargazing or other no-light activity, it is amazing how much better I can see than I could just 15-20 minutes before. If you or any other person has such poor night vision that a bright flashlight is required to be on for safety sake so you don't trip and fall, then I'd suggest taking night hikes with a group of nature lovers is not something you should be participating in.

The point about careful flashlight usage on a nighthike is twofold, how bright the lights are that you're using, and where they are pointed. No one is likely to object if you have a very dim red led flashlight or headlamp pointed straight down at your feet so you don't trip and fall. What people object to is when the light is too bright or is a distraction such that their night-adapted vision is destroyed because someone inadvertantly (or on purpose) flashes a light around.

On a slightly related topic, I used to attend an annual 4-day music festival that had 80,000+ people camping overnight in the hills of Pennsylvania. After the last concert at around midnight, there were tens of thousands of people streaming back to their campsites along unlit dirt roads and paths. Some of the kids would flash their "bright" 3 or 4D cell Mags in peoples faces either because they wanted to see who was talking to them (stupid) or because they wanted to just be immature and show off their bright flashlight (even more stupid). I would typically use a dim LED headlamp pointed down to see where I was going, or sometimes the LED's from my A2 pointed at the ground. The second a kid would flash me or someone in my group with their Mag or other flashlight, I'd hit them in the face with the light from the incan bulb on the A2 or with an SF 9P, and give them a mild warning. WOrked like a charm.

You've misread a lot of things in my post so I'll correct you.

First of all, I said "lousy" not "terrible". Sorry I don't have any numbers or quantitative analysis for you; I just know that when other people can see stuff in the dark, I can't.

Second I didn't say how different everybody's night vision is. I just said "different".

You ask how often I'm in near-total darkness? Often! I walk my dogs in a forest at night year-round.

Third, you say I need a bright flashlight so I don't trip and fall. I never said I wanted a bright flashlight. I just said a flashlight. Remember I'm one of the people that said a night-hike flashlight should not be bright.

Fourth, I said that that hike where the person fell, was when I was a kid. (That was 30 yrs ago or more!) Are you going to be so arrogant to tell some kids that they can't go on a night hike with all the other kids, because they can't see well enough in total darkness to avoid tripping and falling? These are normal kids. Their night vision is probably distributed along some kind of bell curve.

 

[BlackDecker]

Definitely you need a headlamp. Check out the Rayovac 'Sportsman Extreme' at Wal-Mart for $18.82. Uses 1 AA battery, has a nice white Luxeon with a flip over diffuser.

 

[NeonLights]

You've misread a lot of things in my post so I'll correct you.......

Please, chill out, you obviously misread what I wrote, just like you are accusing me of doing. It wasn't meant as a personal attack. My post speaks as much to the original poster and people in general reading this as it does with you specifically. If I were just trying to speak to you only or address you or make accusations, I would have done it in a PM.

When using the word "you", I was speaking in general, not necessarily to you specifically, only the first three sentences/questions of my reply were addressing you specifically, peteybaby, responding to the part of your post I quoted.

Are you saying you walk your dogs in a dark forest at night with no flashlights at all? I thought you used a headlamp?

Peace

 

[firefly99]

Well, I went for the night hike with Inova 24/7, Surefire L4, 9P, Glo-Toob Red.
Guess what, it was quite bright for the entire trip. I do not even have the chance use any of those lights that was brought along.

Notice some in the group had the following lights:
a) 1x Mag Charger
b) 1x 2AA Mag
c) 1x Streamlight
d) 1x big Everready maybe a 4D

I am the only one in the group with a headlamp (Inova 24/7)

 

[Patriot]

Did anyone comment or have any questions about your hardware Firefly?

 

[Radio]

AE PL24 :thumbsup:

 

[TORCH_BOY]

All of them

 

[KingGlamis]

Wow... I think NeonLights should change his name to TotalBlackout and go find a Sierra Club site to post on. Why be on a flashlight forum if you don't like flashlights?

I walk in total darkness too. But when I hear a noise that could be a bear or wildcat, you bet I light it up with my brightest light (and I hike with 4-5 lights). Oh, and the places I walk in the forest, there are no other people, so I couldn't "offend" anyone with my lights anyway.

 

[firefly99]

Did anyone comment or have any questions about your hardware Firefly?

No comments from others because all the lights remained in my bag for the whole journey.

 

[ScottB]

Skylite mini from Rigel Systems on a neck lanyard:
http://members.cox.net/rigelsys/flashlight.html

I use the green/white combination set to green. It has an analog brightness knob and runs 300+ hours on the lowest setting. This light runs nicely on replaced smoke alarm batteries (9v).

I put a red glo-toob on the dog's collar.

Scott

 

[Botnik]

Oh, and one of my buddies used to bring along spare lights in case any pretty girls showed up unprepared.

Did that work?

 

[Supernam]

My only strenuous and long night hike was the down hike from Half Dome in Yosemite. The sun set as we peaked so it was a long 8 mile strenuous hike down in the dark with no moon. I had a headlamp and an L6 in my pocket (this was when I was a flashlight enthusiast and not a flashaholic). My unprepared cousin was lent my X5, and his buddy had an E2d which the batteries were replaced about 5 times on the trail.

If anyone is familiar with the Half Dome hike, they can attest to how dangerous the hike COULD be at night. It is very easy to lose your footing and slip or get caught in a crevice. I was glad that I had my headlamp which was a Black Diamond "Spot". I used the 3 5mm LED's on high mode. I loved having the SF L6 also because sometimes you need to light your groups path for the really rugged parts of the trail. Additionally, its nice to light up the trail way ahead of you to see where you are and to be aware of any wildlife (BEARS!).

Most hiking should be done with a little light from your headlamp, but I would like to stress that sometimes when the trail gets really rough and even outright dangerous (wet rocks, gravel, steep), it may be imperative that you have a somewhat bright light. This may not be for your own safety but for the safety of the group. It is also wise to have a strong light in the event of an accident or emergency for obvious reasons.


Now that I admit to being a flashaholic, if and when I do that hike again, I will be outfitted with the following:

Princeton Tec EOS with Seoul and stippled reflector (primary "ON" light)
Milkyspit ML-1 floodmaster (pocket/in hand light)
Novatac 120T (belt carry for bright blasts of light)
X5 (back up/lend out)
X1 (back up/lend out)
extra batteries for EOS, and about 6 primary 123's.

 

[kelmo]

Supernam I hiked down from Half Dome in the dark exactly one year ago today! Well the last 1.5 - 2 hours were in total darkness. I used a Petzl Tikka+ and HDS B42 XRGT (used mostly the 21 lumen setting with occassional 42 lumen blasts). The 2 slow pokes I was hiking with had my Arc AAA-P + Pelican Versa and my SF L2 + Princeton headlamp of some sort. We stayed bunched up on the Mist Trail. For those who are not familiar it is step and wet with a very big drop if you fall.

5 sets of cells for the E2d?! Wow, you should use a MN02 lamp next time.

My dedicated trail lights are now my NovaTac P85 with 2 spare cells, Arc AAA-P and my Tikka+. Sometimes I'll take my E2O instead of the NovaTac. 25 lumens of incan goodness is perfect on a dark trail. When its really dark the Arc AAA-P is perfect.

I'm heading up to Pyramid Lake in Nevada this weekend. My hand helds will be my E2e w/MN02 and my M4. Its gotta be incan for wide open spaces and quality darkness!!!

 

[chalshus]

There you go. 830 lumens.

 

[NeonLights]

Wow... I think NeonLights should change his name to TotalBlackout and go find a Sierra Club site to post on. Why be on a flashlight forum if you don't like flashlights?

Don't like flashlights? Where did you get that? I don't like having my night adapted eyes ruined by lights when on a nature hike or when stargazing, when the purpose is to enjoy nature or the stars. I still bring lights on any kind of hike or outdoor excursion at night, I just bring appropriate lights for the task at hand. If walking with a group on an improved trail, I'll typically use a very low-lumen red or white LED light unless the occasion calls for something a lot more powerful.

If I am hiking by myself at night where the purpose is to make time from point A to point B, I'll use a brighter headlamp to light the way. The OP was asking about what lights to bring on a nature hike with a group of people. Different situations require different lights. Flashlights are just tools, pick the right tool for the task at hand. Brighter isn't always better.

 

[Supernam]

Supernam I hiked down from Half Dome in the dark exactly one year ago today! Well the last 1.5 - 2 hours were in total darkness. I used a Petzl Tikka+ and HDS B42 XRGT (used mostly the 21 lumen setting with occassional 42 lumen blasts). The 2 slow pokes I was hiking with had my Arc AAA-P + Pelican Versa and my SF L2 + Princeton headlamp of some sort. We stayed bunched up on the Mist Trail. For those who are not familiar it is step and wet with a very big drop if you fall.

5 sets of cells for the E2d?! Wow, you should use a MN02 lamp next time.

My dedicated trail lights are now my NovaTac P85 with 2 spare cells, Arc AAA-P and my Tikka+. Sometimes I'll take my E2O instead of the NovaTac. 25 lumens of incan goodness is perfect on a dark trail. When its really dark the Arc AAA-P is perfect.

I'm heading up to Pyramid Lake in Nevada this weekend. My hand helds will be my E2e w/MN02 and my M4. Its gotta be incan for wide open spaces and quality darkness!!!

Sweet! I love Yosemite! It was my buddy that had the E2d, his only real flashlight. You have a great selection of lights. I must admit that incandescents go better in natural settings, it's just hard when you look at efficiency.

Neon Lights,

I agree with you. The whole point of hiking in the dark is to hike in the dark! You should use as little light as necessary to guide your way safely. As mentioned earlier, your sense of smell and hearing are more sharp without visual distractions.

I'm a nature nerd and love it.