Best flashlight for camping?

Hi guys, im pretty new to the world of flashlights. I am looking for the best camping flashlight. I go on trips that are usualy 3 or more days so I need something with good run time. And I cant spend over $30. Any suggestions? Also, any suggestions for a head lamp?

I would recommend the Streamlight ProPolymer Luxeon 4AA ~ $30. The Petzl Tikka XP is my favorite headlamp. A good place to buy online is:
http://www.brightguy.com/

Enjoy your camping trips!

Fenix E0 ?

Single Nichia CS 5mm LED and runs regulated 12hrs from a single alkaline AAA
16hrs if you use an Energizer E2 Lithium

Output is not high, but it's great for when your eyes are adjusted to darkness. I use mine with a diffuser made from an old glowstick cut in half. Fantastic little area light.

Would certainly recommend the E0 for camping, as a tent light and general close up lighting it's heard to fault. Lightweight and durable, too.
I keep mine clipped to my front belt loop.
Always accessible - and with the glowstick diffuser attached, it serves as a useful "crotchlite", illuminating my immediate surrounds like a halo

For that budget, and pure simplicity, I'd recommend the Maglite 2AA LED, The Princeton Tec Apex or Petzl Tikka headlamp, and a cheapo (dim) AAA single LED, keychain type light. When your eyes adjust to the dark you will won't need (and won't want) more than dim light to see your way around. Of course it helps to have a bright light like the Mag to spot things if you hear a noise in the bushes.

you really want to protect yourself and others you camp with. Light can save your life, i would strongly urge you to look at lights twice the price... Look for a cree that tickles your fancey.

under,
Are you car camping, backpacking, horsepacking . . .
Is weight a concern and how much light do you need?

For general camp setup and chores I like the princeton tec aurora headlamp with its nice floody beam, very light weight and extremely long runtime with variable output on 3 AAA batteries - leaves your hands are free to get camp set up. It's not a great thrower and is not my first choice for night hiking (I prefer a hand held) but it is a good all around, useful choice.

If I'm backpacking and wan't to shave ounces I'll take a Photon Freedom Max with some backup batteries. For the white light photon figure 2 hours of max output per set of batteries with declining output thereafter for 5 or 6 hours. Output is comparable in brightness to low on a fenix lodce, plenty of light to do chores, can even hike a trail carefully with it. For really long runtime and to preserve night vision, the Freedom with red led can't be beat around camp. Both Freedom's come with optional clips allowing you to clip them to the brim of your cap - read hands free.

When I need long runtime (efficiency), light weight, variable output with max output capability, my all around choice is a fenix! They're just beyond your price range but really hit the mark on all counts. An L2dce is smaller than a minimag, provides all the light you could want (65 hours on low), throws great when you need to spot something in the distance, it's light weight and uses common AAA batteries.

I sometimes still use an old fenix L1p with a two stage mod that gives me plenty of useable low camp light and very good throw on high for trail hiking and night spotting. It takes a AA battery that I can pick up anywhere on the trail. The current fenix L1Dce is light-years better and only $20 or so more than your budget.

If I need big light and very light weight I take the fenix P1dce. It's light enough to wear as a headlamp (headband improv) and as a hand held trail light it's great. The P2dce is a little heavier, a little cheaper, and just as good in terms of output. If I don't need max throw, I'll take fenix's LODce with a spare AAA battery. Lots of useable light and almost no weight.

Of course if I'm car camping around alot of 2 legged company, I bring a 3d mag just in case someone tries to take my firewood!
Absolutely reliable

I find a headlamp much better for camping than a flashlight, first get a headlamp - then maybe a flashlight (but you are not going to use it that much). Don't think that the most expensive, biggest ouput headlamp is the best. Take something smaller, you will have sufficient output on low. I have spent many nights out in the woods and I am very happy with my Petzl Tikka XP (which is small, lightweight, no external battery pack), or you might consider a PT EOS (which has regulated output). Most of my friends don't even have a headlamp or light and they live happy .

Well at that price level there are a few nice lights, but you are just below the level where lights start getting REALLY good in terms of performance.

How bright of a light do you need? If you only want around 10 lumens or so you might want to look into the old style Inova X1 which uses a single Nichia LED. It runs for around 10 hours on a single AA Alkaline.

If you don't need the light really soon (less than a month) then I would buy this light:

http://dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2944

It pretty much fits your needs perfectly. It has three levels of output (lo,med,hi). The low level will have very long runtime while the hi level is very bright and will run for around 1.5-2 hours.

If you are willing to pay a little more then the L2DCE is the absolute PERFECT camping light. It sells for a little over $50 but honestly it is worth the price! It has 4 levels of output and runs for over 80 hours of constant brightness on the low setting (when using 2 Lithium Energizer cells). On the highest setting it is over 100 lumens and runs for 2 hours. With the Lithium Energizers it is also weighs virtually nothing.
I have this light and when I go camping later this year it will be my go to light.

again, just above your budget, but very very worth it, especially if you are seriously into camping. i really prefer 123s, and recently got the streamlight argo xp. it costs 50 dollars or so, and it has two levels.
low, which is more than adequate for most anythign you will do, lasts roughly 25-30 hours (if i remember correctly). high lastsw 5 hours. you can back the battery cover out half a turn and prevent the light from coming on in your pack. the last few trips i have been on, this has been my primary light. as other have mentioned, a nice little aaa or aa low power led light will run for days (litteraly) on a single battery and is quite usefula around camp. i am currently looking for a 123 equivalent of the innova x1.... suggestoins anyone?


also, the P3D i just got will light up the woods quite well if you feel so inclined. don't kid yourself. you NEED many lights while camping.......

tygger said:

For that budget, and pure simplicity, I'd recommend the Maglite 2AA LED.

Click to expand...

I have a Maglite 2AA LED. It is a GREAT LED flashlight for the money, but be careful..... when the batteries are dying, you really don't notice a significant decrease in brightness because of the regulation circuitry. Many of the AA LED Maglite's will go from a decent brightness level and simply wink out in a heartbeat leaving you in the dark; an unforgivable behavior for any flashlight. If you do go with the Maglite, be sure to carry a backup. I don't think the 3 AA mag behaves that way, but I'm not sure.

If you need a 3 day runtime for real outdoor camping and can`t spend more then 30 dollars .... well then DON`T GO! cause we`ll probably read about your dead body found laying only 100 meters from the nearest road with broken neck and dead as hell because you lost your way in the dark and fell over or from whatever . You need eighter more then one dirty cheap light cause one will surely fail or at least one good light . I`d take a photon freedom for camp work and a fenix ( p2dce p1dce l2dce l1dce are all fine) to light up the path + some spare batteries. or a bulky old 3d maglite if you don`t care about weight.

For general camping, a headlight is probably the most useful - some good choices were mentioned above.

For really dim light, I'd just go with a bunch of cheap <$1 squeeze lights (i.e. photon clones), like you'll find on dealextreme.com. Good for passing out to family and friends, attaching to luggage/clothing, etc.

For an all purpose thrower, the SL ProPoly Lux is an excellent choice for outdoor all weather use. Just loaned this to my daughter for a week-long field study couse she is taking. I can't recommend the MMag 2AA for the reasons stated above - the sudden drop-off really cripples this light for camping use, IMO.

The 3xAA Magled does not just wink out like the 2xAA does, and the Magled 3xD will run just about until the next major geological event. Not the brightest, not the best, but certainly 2 of the simplest, most widely available and most serviceable lights available to the general public.

Ok, you have $30 and you're going camping. Lets not break the budget like we always try to do here.... I personally NEED a headlamp when i go camping, have a lot of stuff to do with my hands. So lets spend $10 on that, wal-mart, target, etc all have some sort of headlamp in the $10 range. Nothing fancy, not super bright, but get one that runs on AA, those coin cells can get expensive. So we have $20 left, why not a mag 2D (or whichever # of cells you prefer) Yes yes i know everyone is going to hate me for saying to but a regular old incan mag, but i know at lowe's they're $16. Have you ever broken a mag? Me either, it'll work when you need it. So we've spent about $25 now, spend your other $5 on the batteries and enjoy your trip. Now we don't have any "throw monsters" or "10 day runtimes" but once you light your fire, you shouldn't need much light in the immediate area. If you go hiking, carry your lights, but leave them off and walk by the moonlight. And if you get in some trouble, shine your mag, and swing it. Have a great trip.

Can't go wrong with a mini-Mag AA LED, it should fit your buget and they sell them at W@lmart. Take along more batteries than you think you will need.

If you can afford a little more I recommand a princeton tec EOS headlamp, it has three level of brightness and strobe. I found med suitable for most tasks(approx 10 hrs runtime), low is good for reading maps (40+ hrs runtime) and high is there if you need it (approx 3 hrs runtime).

Good luck

I know I've seen head straps that are supposed to hold mini-mags. I don't know how much they are or how well they work. Maybe someone else could help me out there? Could he kill two bird w/ one stone?
MiniMags also have a great candle mode for around the camp-site work.

Best LED for camping:

Surefire L5

But of course, any true Flashaholic wouldn't carry just one light on them:

ROP high or any other bright Incan for good color rendition (if its summer camping)
A good turbo head (incan or LED) (I prefer LED for runtime)
A small EDC type light for in the tent and around the camp sight
And of course a multitude of beater (but still bright) lights to give your company

under,
We're all kind of shooting in the dark here offering what works for us. If you can better define how you will use your light(s) and for what tasks, we can all refine our recommendations and perhaps find something YOU will find useful.

WIth your budget, you're pretty much limited to one quality light. I'd suggest shopping around for a good deal on a Petzl Tikka XP. For camping, hiking, kayaking etc., having both hands free is a godsend, and the Tikka XP is lightweight, compact, and flexible: 3W Luxeon, 3xAAA batteries that are easy to find, three brightness levels plus momentary turbo, and with a sliding diffuser that allows you to light up just your lap (low/diffuser on), or reach out into the woods (turbo/diffuser off), and most any chore in between.

However, I think it's a bad idea to rely on just one light, just like its a bad idea to rely on just one water source or fire source.

At the very least, grab a couple Photon Freedom Max lights (or even cheap-o "fauxtons" if that's all you can afford) for last-ditch back-up.

And if your car/truck camping, a MagLED in a 3-C MagLite comes in real handy for lighting up whatever made that noise 50 yards into the woods.

I would recommend the Streamlight ProPolymer 3C LUXEON or the Streamlight ProPolymer Luxeon 4AA if you need something smaller. Both great flashlights and can be purchased for about $30 each if you shop around.