Suggestions on a great Camping/Hiking light?

Looking to help a freind who wants a great camping light. He goes on longer treks (several days) through some open areas and some rather closed in areas, all the while camping along the way. He wanted me to reccommend a light that had all the makings of a great camping light: LED, longer lasting runtime (or at least a high and low lumen option), extreme reliability, really waterproof (not just dunkable or weatherproof, etc.

I gave him a few suggestions but i wanted to throw this out there to see what you all could come with for ideas.

Oh and because your going to ask... price really isnt important and battery options really isnt important.

Does your friend prefer regular flashlight form factor or something which clips on so he has both hands free? Spot or flood beam?

For regular style beam and form factor go for the Fenix P3D CE should fit the bill for its very long runtime on the lowest level and extremely bright output on turbo mode.
Also check out the Regalight WT1, currently the brightest LED based light in the 2xCR123/18650 form factor.

Alternatively for a flood beam and hands free operation, go for the ZebraLight which also has multi level output.

surefire e2L cree cant beat it for a hiker. 9 hours of light going full blast followed by a few hours+ of usable light. get it from batterystation with 8 free cr123 batteries. if he really wants high/low and/or the option to throw far - the lumahunter m1 special edition, the fenix t1 or a tiablo a8. all also built tough, with a low/high option - and with lots of throw at the high option, and good runtime at the low option. this is all from my hours upon hours of reading about these lights, i decided on an e2l cree for myself and santa should be bringing it. i was picking from the above 4 lights. but out of all these lights, the e2l will be the toughest, most waterproof AFAIK. and that is worth somethin when you are out in the backwoods i am sure. sorry it wouldnt let me use paragraphs, just jumbled it all together.

dano101 said:

Looking to help a freind who wants a great camping light. He goes on longer treks (several days) through some open areas and some rather closed in areas, all the while camping along the way. He wanted me to reccommend a light that had all the makings of a great camping light: LED, longer lasting runtime (or at least a high and low lumen option), extreme reliability, really waterproof (not just dunkable or weatherproof, etc.

I gave him a few suggestions but i wanted to throw this out there to see what you all could come with for ideas.

Oh and because your going to ask... price really isnt important and battery options really isnt important.

Click to expand...

The Fenix T1 has replaced my L2D-CE as a hiking light. It's far more robust and feels much more solid.

With over 10 hours of low-level light, and 1.5 hours of blindingly bright light, it's a great light.

I'd thow in an EternaLight, and also one of my trusty CMG Infinity Ultras on a lanyard around my neck. Another good choice would be a Princeton Tec Aurora headlight. A headlamp is probably the most useful, because it allows you to use both hands for cooking, setting up a tent, gathering firewood, or whatever.

I would say a Fenix L2D as the main light(Unless he needed throw, then the Rapidfire because it has a low low and good throw on high) and a 5mm white LED light like the EternaLight or a Safelight as a backup.

He has quite a decent headlamp already it is more for an around the camp type of light to see into the trees a bit and around the place.

A couple ideas that were proposed to him were the T1 (because it has an amazing high throw when needed as well as a lower level output that can last many many hrs) as well as the Novatc 120T or 120P and the new Surefire L1... (all of these were thought of because of a need for quality and reliability) although I dont thing the T1 has fully been battle tested yet.

Not that the T1 doesnt fit the bill as a quality battle ready light (im just posting this as im quite certain the Surefire L1 was never meant as such either). I just wanted to reccommend something that you know will start up and work as promised every time you go to use it, 100 miles away from the nearest human being.

E2L Camping usually requires a long runner.

I prefer the Rebel emitters for outdoor use. Just my 2cents:thumbsup:

if i was ever stuck with one light, it would be the l2d q5
some might like the rebel100 tint better, but i'm a q5 guy

dano101 said:

Looking to help a freind who wants a great camping light. He goes on longer treks (several days) through some open areas and some rather closed in areas, all the while camping along the way. He wanted me to reccommend a light that had all the makings of a great camping light: LED, longer lasting runtime (or at least a high and low lumen option), extreme reliability, really waterproof (not just dunkable or weatherproof, etc.

I gave him a few suggestions but i wanted to throw this out there to see what you all could come with for ideas.

Oh and because your going to ask... price really isnt important and battery options really isnt important.

Click to expand...

We'll, if you want a truly "waterproof" light, you'll definitely have to go with Pelican or Princeton Tec...but Pelicans have a lifetime, no BS warranty...I've gone cave-swimming with my stealthlight and beat the crap out of it underwater...and it's still running fine, plus the thumb switch make's it easy to turn on, even with bulky gloves. For a headlamp, try the Foxfury signature series...once again, battle tested and approved...I have the outdoors one (Waterproof to 9 feet) but they also make a scuba one, waterproof to 30'.

I also take an Inova 24/7 with me for marking camp, or as an emergency SOS light...or use the red to save my night vision/maintain stealth...

Oh yeah, a Glo-Toob FX is a must have personal marker as well...waterproof to the bottom of the ocean!!!

Hope this helps!!!

I always use my PT Apex Pro when camping, can't say enough good about it, but you said he already has a headlamp. So with my headlamp, ilike to carry something that can throw...my L1 works great for that, for spotting far off deer and things. and a nice RED light is invaluable for camping. The low on my P2D (10lumens) kills your eyes after a few hours around a campfire.

Try the inova X5 red, it'll run forever on a battery, and i actually prefer to use it with a batt that another light already killed. It's a bit dimmer and perfect for just going to pee without ruining "campfire eyes"

Gunner12 said:

I would say a Fenix L2D as the main light(Unless he needed throw, then the Rapidfire because it has a low low and good throw on high) and a 5mm white LED light like the EternaLight or a Safelight as a backup.

Click to expand...

Yes, redundancy. That's what I was going to say, if your friend is going to be gone for a few days at a time. Even the most durable light in the world can get lost (use lanyard when possible, of course).

I also recommend the L2D. Un my opinion its "low" is a nice amount of light for cases when you wish to balance seeing what's in the beam with preserving some degree of night vision, and the runtime is great on that setting. "High" and "turbo" are high enough for me. I do wish it had a forward-clickie switch, but other than that, I think it's great.

Princeton Tec EOS. Headlamps are generally more popular with hikers/backpackers. The EOS is light, has a good choice of beams, has a long battery life, will take NiMH, AAA, or lithiums.

A smaller hand held would be good as a backup.

Checkout this thread on the Backpacker Gear forum: http://www.backpacker.com/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=832107219;t=9991095249;hl=headlamp

If I were going on a camping/hiking I would bring my Fenix P3D RB100 + Fenix Diffuser, with the diffuser it can function like a tent lantern. Or be used with the SOS/Strobe mode.

I would also bring a smaller piece like a Fenix E0 or L0D as a backup light.


Check out this P3D torture test.

[FONT=&quot]cpf.com - Fenix P3D Premium 100 abuse


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I used my P3D a lot and like that it had a low output which was used most of the time for trail walk. The Turbo mode was great to really light things up. The runtime is great. And best of all it fits in pockets very easily.

I also took a nice Pila G2 but did not carry it as much since it does not fit in the pocket.

Depending on the type of hiker/camper he is (especially ultralight), I'd standardize batteries so they can be shared/swapped between flashlight and headlamp.

If his headlamp uses AAA's, I'd recommend a Fenix L0D CE. You get long runtimes on low, good output on high, flashing modes if needed, and extra batteries are small and light to carry. Lithium L92's (if usable in headlamp), NiMH, or Alkalines are all usable. The light takes up almost no room to pack/carry. An even cooler choice would be a Millermods Arc AAA Cree conversion. You get the classic, rugged Arc body/format with a low and hi and the output of a Cree.

If his headlamp uses AA's, the Fenix L1D CE and L2D CE would be good choices, also capable of using any common AA battery and swap lights with the headlamp if one or the other lights depletes its batteries.

I agree with many of the point here. I would suggest you definitely tell him to bring a headlamp and a two handhelds (a main one and a back up) and standardize his battery type for the headlamp and the pimary handheld. The back up could be something like an ARC AAA. I also suggest lithium batteries all around for slightly less weight, longer runtime and better high and low temperature performance.

Not very helpful in terms of your request; yet I'm holding off on a purchase until more of these manufacturers figure out that this is indeed the way to go (designwise) with these headlamps: http://en.petzl.com/petzl/LampesNews?News=147
(whether your battery is integrated or not; there's no sense in it being permanently affixed to the headstrap).