A comprehensive article on the use of torches for outdoor hobbies - HELP WANTED!

Hello everyone!

I've been reading stuff on CandlepowerForums for quite a while, but it seems I've only bothered to join now that I need help on something! I guess I'm not the only one who does that, but apologies anyway!

I'm working on an article about torches (I'm in the UK, so I can't help calling them that!) for a new web site geared towards general outdoor hobbies. The article will strictly focus on torches (i.e. not lanterns etc), but is still fairly wide in scope. I want it to be a very good quality reference article for anyone thinking about buying a new torch for their hobbies. Hand torches and head torches are the focus.

I'll certainly be linking to this forum in the article, but I want to help the reader not have to trawl through loads of threads just to get a good feeling for what is available (I've already done that for them, and this request is another effort!)

I'm appealing to anyone, particularly people into the great outdoors, to chime in with anything which they think should be in the article. I would guess a lot of people here have had experiences which have led them to use particular torches in particular scenarios in the outdoors.

I think I've pretty much covered all bases in the article so far. There are 3 extensive sections [Components of a torch; Quality of torchlight; Getting the most out of a torch] but I'm sure there will be lots of useful stuff to add to it based on first-hand experiences people here have had.

All input gratefully received,

Thanks!

You'll want to review what's important for a flashlight, for particular activities. For what types of activities does flood beat throw, does battery life beat output? What are baseline needs for popular activities (e.g., backpacking: more flood than throw, light weight, sufficient brightness to set up camp in the dark but probably no brighter required, long battery life). Then you'll go through the why's ... and options to "get it all", such as flashlights that have both flood and throw, output and battery life.

A wide scope indeed.

I can't help but think that this would include just about every flashlight (torch - whatever) from night vision saving 3 lumen single LEDs to 3000 lumen retina seering flame throwers and more.

I'll defer to those more knowledable and informed.

Welcome to CPF.

Flashaholism is a dark and slippery slope. You're going to need a good flashlight.

73
dim

"Torch"?
Do You mean open flame torch? (Sorry, thats what my dictionary says)

..would make a very nice light, great area light, nice feeling.
but providing smoke and fire smell

(wanted to type in a story, but it is too long.
In short: some time ago, when caving, I was about to argue with some guy who led an "environmental" group inside a cave. I just heard him telling his group WE damage the cave, but he had given them torches (open flame) for illumination. And they entered to watch the bats inside. Damn, there was smoke everywhere, poor bats)

Thanks, you lot, for responding.

Joe: Those are indeed the considerations I'm interested in. I've come to the conclusion, though, that I shouldn't make assumptions based on activity. One "backpacker" wants something very lightweight, another "backpacker" also wants this, but would like the kind of throw that will get them safely down a mountain gully in the middle of the night! Therefore I want to just present the factors to be aware of in a torch, and let the reader decide what is best for their particular application. Some readers might decide they want to carry more than one torch as a result! I know I do these days, thanks to this forum!

Dim: Yes, it's a wide scope! Curiously, though, I've found that the more detail one is willing to go into, the more manageable it becomes. That's why I'm going into the detail of describing the components of a torch (not a huge amount of factors, really), rather than examples of actual torches (though some examples of torches might be added, just for interest). That way, the 3 lumen jobbies right through to the 3000 lumen jobbies should be covered, without any bias towards particular torches or manufacturers.

Yellow! Okay, yes. We English are backward! We still have a Monarchy, apart from anything else. Don't ask! I don't understand it myself. I know what you mean about environmental issues. It's so hard to know what things damage the environment and what things don't. I remember I used to ride a 100cc motorbike, thinking I was being good to the environment on account of the fact I wasn't using much petrol (or "gasolene" - conscious of different nationalities here!). Until someone told me the 2-stroke oil it was burning off made it much worse for the environment than "normal" vehicles!!! Mind you, you'd think people burning smokey torches in caves would realise that something was wrong. Hmmm...

Thanks so far for your input...

A multi-level light with good throw is what I'd take bushwhacking. I'm not very experienced in this thing you call "outdoors" but I assume you want a low output light to conserve energy but still see, and then high output with throw. The Surefire A2 fits here if my assumptions aren't too off-base, and I hear that the U2 also throws pretty well... but always carry a backup light (maybe Streamlight 4AA Propolymer Luxeon).

Or something like a Fenix L1P or L2P as a main light and a Gerber Infinity Ultra or a Minimag + NiteIze, for "low output" -- reading or taking a pee, or whatever else you do. The L1P is what I'd consider mid-range output, because it's not all that powerful but I think I'd be suitable for most needs. I think if you choose to go with the latter suggestion (L1P + Ultra), you might want a higher output light, like the fairly inexpensive Surefire G2 (along with the spares carrier, extra lamp, and batteries). You could also go with the beefier Streamlight Propolymer 4AA Luxeon instead of the L1P/L2P. Good runtime, too. If you drop the Propoly while it's off, it'll be a lot easier to find... nice yellow casing.

The Infinity Ultra, the Arc AAA, Peak Matterhorn AAA (1- or 3-LED), or Peak Kilmanjaro AA, are all pretty good lights as far as I'm concerned, especially with the kind of runtimes you'll get, and will come in handy when you don't need or want a lot of light.

Glo-Toobs and Photon Freedoms sound to me like they'd be good signal markers, so you can find your way back to camp (tie one to something near camp, like a branch), and Photons make pretty good "last-resort" lights (but you should never have to fall back on a keychain light, IMO).

If you distill all the information I haphazardly lumped together without much regard for structure, you'll see I recommend:
* High output light (2- or 3-cell incandescent Surefire -- LED Surefires are more floody than throw -- G2/6P/9P/G2Z/Z2/C2/C3/M2/E2e/E2O/A2/U2) -- for emergency signalling or checking when something goes *bump* in the night
* Medium output light (Fenix L1P/L2P, Peak Kino Bay AA, Streamlight Propoly 4AA Luxeon, Surefire L2 -- use on LOW only -- if you like to splurge) -- this is your main light, for nighttime navigation or whatever
* Low output light (the A2 or U2 on low work well here, or you can use an Arc, Peak, or Gerber) -- this is when you don't need that much light... for instance, when you're getting dressed, or taking a leak
* Keychain/marker light (Photon II, Photon Freedom, Glo-Toob, Glo-Toob FX) -- pretty self-explanatory

Thank you, Carrot. There are a lot of interesting examples, there.

I like your summary. It's close to what I use when out in the wilderness, though I have 3 categories rather than 4 (Steamlight TL-3; Petzl Tikka XP; No-name keychain. The Tikka XP has 3 very different levels, so reduces the need to carry more lights!). However my article isn't going to steer people towards what I use, so much as present all the considerations involved. Lists like yours are useful for opening up the issue - thanks.

The most stand-out comment in your post, to me, was:
"(but you should never have to fall back on a keychain light, IMO)"

(Not sure how you do a "proper" quote in this forum! No doubt I'll learn.)
Please explain. I'm inclined to agree, but am interested in your reasoning.

You may have already covered this, but as an aid to deciding on which torch/es to get providing links to these 2 sites would be invaluable;

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/
http://www.ledmuseum.org/

The links section of FlashlightReviews, as well as the various reference/information sections on both sites, are also a huge help to those wanting to research their choices thoroughly.

Andrew

I always overlook headlamps. Just something I never think about, and rarely need. (I hold a light in my mouth if I really need to be hands-free.)

My reasoning is... since a coin-operated keychain light will dim pretty severely in about 30 minutes of continuous use (but supposedly can last ~12+ hours), they aren't meant to be used for sustained activity. Not to mention they are small, and easily dropped (lanyard!). A keychain light like the Arc-AAA and others in that kind of form-factor is okay to fall back on since the cells are much larger and can handle the sustained drain. But if you end up having to use a coin-cell keychain light simply because you've run out of batteries or your bulbs have burnt out, it means you have a serious fallacy in your planning, and you should rethink the contents of your pack. I'm not really a backpacker, but if your lighting equipment is inadequate it could point to poor planning elsewhere as well, which could be dangerous or fatal under some circumstances.

Having one nice light means you remembered it gets dark outside, but having many (and a few replaceable components like extra lamps) means you didn't forget equipment can always fail. In my mind if you're using a keychain light like a Photon for more than 5 minutes at a time, you're either using the wrong light or all your others have failed. So where a digital light like the Photon Freedom fits in is as a marker light, you set it on a slow strobe and attach it to your bag so you can find your bag in the dark, or you attach it to something else you might want to find "blind" in the dark. Of course, in a pinch, a Photon will work better than no light at all, but using it as a primary light seems like a serious no-no to me. And of course, a light like the Photon is barely adequate in the dark to pick out things you might not want to step on or in.

Don't forget the Underwater Kinetics (UK) 4AA eLED - a long lasting, reliable medium output, highly rated light.

Here's a review:

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/uk_4aaeled.htm

Thanks, chaps, for your input so far.

I've not been getting the chance to look at this thread as often as I'd hoped, partly because we're in a bit of a rush at the moment, with this article and lots of other things. Plus I've got to go away for a bit tonight, and it's me that is doing the article.

I'll keep checking back when I get the chance.

I realise it's probably such an open-ended question that it's hard to know where to start replying! It might be easier if I finished the article first, then people could have a look and add any comments... We can always change the article after it's been "published"!

My recommendation for outside camping lights is to have several different kinds. I use a minimag with a terralux TLE-5 for general purpose, walking around. I also have a brinkman maxfire for longer range "what's over there" light. I usually only have this light on for less than 30 seconds. Then maybe I will have a mag mod for serious brightness.

If you could post a first draft or something, we could help you with what to add and so forth.
Good luck.

for outdoors, you really need a headlamp