Lost in the wilderness, which lights?

Okay, here's the situation, you've been backpacking for the first time but you're a flashaholic. You're lost, which lights do you have or wish you had with you? Try to be realistic.

my answer isn't what you're looking for....but, it almost doesn't matter. You should be moving during the day and resting at night, so you don't need much light once the sun goes down, I'd have a fire burning for area light, and would only be using my flashlight for gathering wood or food. Since a little light goes a long way when you are away from civilization, all you'd really need is a light that can give you 25 lumens for 6-8 hours ( 2 hours/night x 4 nights ). Heck...I think a 2C incan Mag could do that. If you can't find your way back in 3-4 nights, you're not smart enough to be out there, and you'll have bigger problems than what light you have with you.

I know its not a good flashaholic answer...but its realistic.

Anything with long runtime will do.

Would HIDs consider realistic?

Ok ok... here's the flasaholic answer you might be looking for.
I would take my E2DL, good throw for seeing the Indian smoke signal about 100 metres away and it has a low mode (76 hours) for the wood and food gathering GPB mentioned. I would also take a P7 light for those "who-goes-there?!!" situation in the hope only a raccoon and not a bear answers back. In the case if it's a bear, and my girly screams wouldn't scare it away, I hope my E2DL's crenelated bezel might look threatening enough to discourage him seeing me as snack worth fighting for.

The third would be my Mako or Sapphire for those bedtime stories I love reading before I sleep in my tent. AND if you consider light coming out of a screen "lights", I would take a GPS navigator....

Surefire U2 digital ultra for me

G2l with malkoff m60ll.

I'd like to have my Surefire E2DL. And a Surefire spares carrier with 6 spare 123's, just in case. My E2L, or E1L would be my other choices. If I were many miles from civilization, I'd include my Eternalight Ergo Xray.

GPB said:

You should be moving during the day and resting at night, so you don't need much light once the sun goes down,

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That would depend on the temperature during the day for me.

Out of the lights I've got, probably an E1L. Small, decent high and low, economical to use and reliable.

E2L. More than bright enough on low for most tasks and high more than bright enough for distance while still giving a long run time. Plus do not have to flash by high power to get to low.

Probably Ra Twisty.

So, is being lost supposed to affect this hypothetical at all? Otherwise, it's just like a "What's a good light to take camping/backpacking?" question, isn't it?

If I were lost and wanted to be found, I think a laser "flare" would be mighty handy in the dark.

Otherwise, whatever flashlight you took with you for normal times should be fine for when you're lost. There are folks who hike the entire Appalachian Trail with just keychain LED lights.

If you could be lost for a very long time (we're talking Donner party-wait-till-the-spring-thaw long) then something like a Nightstar shake light would be reassuring to have.

Fenix L2D, since its usually with me if I am walking away from camp.
Of course, I always have my Fenix LOD and a pair of coincell keychain lights with me.

1) any floody headlamp with a long runtime mounted on the strap of my backpack for general illumination.
2) a sub compact thrower like Pelican M6 with a 200+ lumen drop-in for intermittent use
3) any light with a blink help: strobe, distress/locator beacon, etc) on the rear with a long runtime

of course, as many sets of spare batteries as i could possibly carry.

Being lost in the wilderness was the whole reason I enjoy flashlights. My flashlight batteries died and I did not have spares because it was supposed to be a short walk to the cabin. Luckily I was able to find my way out after an hour in the dark.

I now carry a flashlight with long runtime with no high power option that can drain batteries. Because when you are lost you panic a little bit and use the high beams hoping to find a way out, landing up with the situation I was in above.

Zatoichi said:

That would depend on the temperature during the day for me.

Out of the lights I've got, probably an E1L. Small, decent high and low, economical to use and reliable.

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I agree with the temperature perspective posed by Zatoichi and his E1L idea. Personally I would like to recommend a headlamp first and foremost, either the PT EOS Rebel 50 Lumen or even the Older Luxeon Eos 26 Lumen would work if you should already have one.

As a backup/thrower, I would go with Oddjob's RA Twisty and or any good quality single cell multilevel flashlight with a long run time on low and a high of 50 lumens or so that runs on CR123's. I hike quite a bit at night because it is so peaceful and quite beautiful and having a headlamp allows hands free backpacking so I can use trekking poles. Having a really bright light makes finding that ideal set of branches to hang a bearbag a much easier task. Yeah sure, you can get away with less output and I have yet to try the new 50 LM-Eos so that alone may be enough but having a backup light is great insurance against loss, breakage, or outright failure of your primary light.

My dry weight on my pack is roughly 24lbs without food and water so I am pretty light and cutting weight all the time but I believe in balancing weight and safety.

Personally, I wouldn't want to carry a 2C-cell Maglight due to the weight, possibly a Surefire E2l or 6PLED but all of those extra ounces add up very quickly.

In the end, everybody creates their own style and that is always changing due to age, terrain, experience level, wether you are solo or in a group...ect...ect.

Hope that this helps.

Robert

saabgoblin said:

Personally, I wouldn't want to carry a 2C-cell Maglight due to the weight,

Robert

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I should have been clearer. I wasn't suggesting that a 2C Mag would be a good option here. I was trying to build a case that for this scenario you don't need a lot of brightness or run time ( I think I had said 25 lumens for 8 hours ) I used a Mag incan as an example because its not very technically advanced, and if that could meet the requirements, then just about anything else would as well.


Its funny, since my post this morning I have been thinking about all the advanced lights that we all have. If they all vanished and were replaced by $20 Target specials, what would happen ? We'd still be able to walk our dogs, set up our tents, change a flat tire, look behind the copy machine, etc. Most of us would be just fine ( I'm not counting military or law enforcement here ). Most people survive with a handful of flashlights that aren't very advanced or fancy. I enjoy my lights and get a great deal of satisfaction out of them.....but I am starting to re-evaluate what I "need" and what I "like". There's a big difference.

I don't really "need" hardly any lights at all, but boy do they make things easier when I do need them. I got by just fine for years on an old 3D or 4D Mag that came with a used car I bought. Having such good lights now is just a bonus and makes everything more convenient.

This is a hobby, just like knife, coin, or stamp collecting, and not everything has to have a purpose as long as I get enjoyment out of it. This hobby just happens to be useful sometimes! :candle:

Every time when you are packing for a mountain and/or wilderness tour you have to prepair for such a scenario. But everything, you are packing, must be carried for several hours or days. My choice is almost always the same. At present it would be: headlamp - PT EOS or Tikka XP, a multifunction light - NT 120P or RA Clicky 140 w. narrow spot and a backup - Fenix P1D Q5 or NC EX10. Plus enough spare batteries.

> richard

I'd go with the ones I usually take backpacking. A 50 lumen PT EOS headlight for setting up camp in the dark and hiking with trekking poles, a Fenix P3D Q5 for finding the trail and for in case the headlight fails and I need bright light, and a Fenix EO1 for a long running backup for emergencies. Of course, I'd bring plenty of spare AAAs and 123A batteries. All three lights can run on low for at least an entire night. All are waterproof and can take lithiums for cold weather survival.

GPB said:

I should have been clearer. I was trying to build a case that for this scenario you don't need a lot of brightness or run time ( I think I had said 25 lumens for 8 hours ) I used a Mag incan as an example because its not very technically advanced, and if that could meet the requirements, then just about anything else would as well.


Its funny, since my post this morning I have been thinking about all the advanced lights that we all have. If they all vanished and were replaced by $20 Target specials, what would happen ? We'd still be able to walk our dogs, set up our tents, change a flat tire, look behind the copy machine, etc. "need" and what I "like". There's a big difference.

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I understand what you are saying and I could have read your post a little better as well. I remember when M@glites first came out and they were the bomb, much like my first Headlamp, a PT Solo 8 Lumen Halogen with about a two hour run time and then the dreaded drop off but it was the best thing going in my mind because it was hands free. I scrambled and bushwhacked through Tahoe snow covered trails with that lamp but mostly used around camp and a few night hikes in Big Sur. Recently, I used a Lumapower LM33 on a trip and the difference blew my mind and as I said earlier, it made scoping out a bear bag spot a 2-5 minute job as opposed top the 20+on the 8Lumen HL, that's a big difference in frustration when you are tired and hungry.

Hooked on Fenix said:

I'd go with the ones I usually take backpacking. A 50 lumen PT EOS headlight for setting up camp in the dark and hiking with trekking poles, a Fenix P3D Q5 for finding the trail and for in case the headlight fails and I need bright light, and a Fenix EO1 for a long running backup for emergencies. Of course, I'd bring plenty of spare AAAs and 123A batteries. All three lights can run on low for at least an entire night. All are waterproof and can take lithiums for cold weather survival.

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I like your style, HOF.:naughty: