Need flashlight for walk to Mount Everest Base Camp

David18

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I intend to go on a walk to Everest Base Camp. The walk will last 12 days (8 days up, 4 days down). I want to take a good primary flashlight. Criteria are as follows:

1) Lightweight.
2) Multimode including low power mode for reading at night and a high power mode for seeing things at a distance.
3) Must be able to use disposable lithium primary cells, not rechargeables as mains electricity is either not available at all, or unreliable and only works for a few hours per day.
4) Reliable.
5) Waterproof.
6) Rugged.

For those thinking I should take a TK40, I already have one but I think this is probably too big and heavy, although not out of the question....

I will also take as secondary lights an Arc P with lithium cells (neck carry), a Photon Proton Pro (with lithium, belt carry), Photon Freedom (neck carry), Fenix MC10 with lithium (backpack carry).

Thanks for your comments.

EDIT: I will also take a Pak-Lite with lithium battery.

David
 
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upriver

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Depends on when you are going...I'd definitely look at the Quark 123-2 that's shipping at the end of the month in Neutral White, which I think would look great outdoors. Actually...The Quark 123-2 WARM has already been shipping for a few weeks, and has a turbo head model available too. If you go for the Quark, I'd probably wait for the Neutral if you can over the white...they both look better outdoors than cool white (my opinion), but the Warm takes a 28% brightness hit vs the 7% hit for the Neutral versus comparable Quark cool white models. I have a Warm Preon 2 and love it.

Otherwise, I've had real good luck with Fenix, and I'd look at the PD series (PD20...PD30...PD10 for really small if size is at a premium for you).

I was also going to recommend a cheap head-band add-on, the Nite Ize headband (cheap!)...but I don't think it will fit thicker CR123 lights. Mine fits my AA lights (Fenix P2D) and AAA lights (Maratac AAA size) real well.

Last option of course...AA light with Energizer lithiums. Any of the above mentioned Quark or Fenix models in AA would work just as well.

Good luck!
 

lightfooted

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For a primary light I can suggest an Olight M21 Warrior. Mine feels ruggedly built and is IP68 waterproof with type 3 anodizing. I really do like this light as it throws a nice bright, wide beam. Where I work I can light up the inside of six automobile carrying railway cars in a row. Despite the other light sources around me I'm certain the beam is usable beyond that. The low beam is great for when you don't want to blind yourself just looking in dark corners and would be perfect for reading at night or doing camp chores.

Momentary clickie switch turns light on or off only. Quarter turn lockout too.

The cigar ring for it has the hole intended for the lanyard, which is of the button stopper type, nylon pseudo para-cord, in white. The battery tube is sized for 18650's and they included a plastic battery magazine to keep standard CR123s from rattling around inside. You can order more magazines. The holster is high quality nylon with a D-ring at the top of the belt loop. The belt loop can be separated via velcro to attach to something you could not otherwise thread through the loop. Nice strong belt clip on the body but hard to use and only allows for bezel down carry.

I really like my M21 if ya couldn't tell :wave:

So there is my ... eight cents, or so... good luck on your expedition! :thumbsup:
 

*Dusty*

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Consider a headlight, and/or possibly two flashlights. One specifically for throw and one with a low low output for reading or moving round camp, but I'd consider a headlight for that to be honest.

Single cell lights while not providing as much power can still be surprisingly bright while needing less faffing about in the dark to change cells if necessary.
 

Arcus Diabolus

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I would suggest the Surefire KX2: 11 hours on high and 100 on low. And/or the Saint 6 hours on high, 144 hours on low, waterproof to 3 feet, variable from 1 to 100 lumens, can use one, two, or three CR123s or 2 AA batteries.

EDIT: And a Surefire E1L OR E1B OR L1. And only those three: Headlamp, Handheld primary, pocket backup, and batteries. 5 lights is way too much. Happy trip!
 
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kengps

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Can you tell us what specifically does Mt Everest have to do with your flashlight selection? Are the laws of physics different there? Is there something different about the darkness there as opposed to say....walking up the local valley at night ? I think a little more info would help me to choose a light for you. You need another one to add to the 5 you are carrying already. Are you sure you have the decision making skills to deal with possible life threatening situations in wilderness, altitude, and remote locations....if you cannot choose a flashlight for yourself?
 
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David18

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I also forgot to mention I will take a Princeton Tec Quad Tatical as a headband lamp in addition to others I mentioned.

Is that too many lights????
 

jhlee0218

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I think you should look into RA Clicky. It is certainly smaller than TK40 and it seems to meet all of your criteria.
 

kengps

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Honestly folks....this is a joke right? He's already carrying 5 flashlights. One in a back-pack, one on his belt, Two around his neck, plus he didn't mention where he'll be carrying the Pak-Lite. In his shoe maybe?

EDIT- now he's added a 6th light, a headband lamp. He's rubbing it in people.
 
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kengps

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Been reading these "newbie needs a light" threads a while, and it's obvious nobody pays any attention to the OP. The thread quickly turns into a showcase of everyones favorite light, whether it fits the mission or not.
 
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sjmack

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I would take a peek at the new surefire stratum or the surefire E2DL.

Nothing will be water'proof' but both will be very resistant to water. You will be hard pressed to find lights that will take as much of a beating as surefires.
 

kengps

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I would suggest adding two SR90's....one to each hip on a holster. That will help to balance out the load. Or you could just have one SR90, and carry the other 6 lights in a pocket on the opposite side to balance the weight. Of course you can still wear the headband light, and carry the two lights hanging from your neck without affecting your balance if you decide to go with a two SR90 configuration. The SR90's are very good lights. Waterproof and rugged. And even if you lose one, you still have one more left. And then if that one quits, and you lose the two lights in your back-pack, and the head-band light, you still have the Pak-Lite and the two lights around your neck for dire back-up emergency use. That's what I would reccomend.
 
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oceanside

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I would recommend something like a Surefire E2D LED defender. It is a 2-cell flashlight, it's LED with two modes, and it has a strike bezel, just in case you need to another tool to pick at ice
 

kengps

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I would recommend something like a Surefire E2D LED defender. It is a 2-cell flashlight, it's LED with two modes, and it has a strike bezel, just in case you need to another tool to pick at ice
Hmmm, never thought of that. But I think you can get a strike bezel for the SR90's too. And they would be useful should he have to fight off a curious Alpaca that might get attracted by the lights he's carrying around his neck. Maybe getting the neck-lights in a flat black color might help with that. Definately no GITD switch boots. Plus HA III is really rugged and helps to dissipate heat. It would help too I would think should it get swallowed by the Alpaca or the adventuror. the digestion system is really tough on Aluminum I would think. Should come out of the ...uh .."Ordeal" with flying colors.
 
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nbp

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Get a Ra Clicky 170 narrow, program it before you leave.

Pop a lithium primary in the Arc P and hang it around your neck for backup.

Get a decent lightweight headlamp for handsfree cooking/packing/etc.

That's all you'll need. Leave your giant TK40 and your 16 other lights at home and pack something more useful in the extra space. If you're hiking, you'll want to keep weight to a minimum.
 

Vesper

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Been reading these "newbie needs a light" threads a while, and it's obvious nobody pays any attention to the OP. The thread quickly turns into a showcase of everyones favorite light, whether it fits the mission or not.

Lol. True. OP, get a TK40! That would rule the camp!!!
 

NE450No2

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I would take a Petzyl Tac Tikka, with 3 extra sets of AAA batteries.
Then I would take a Surefire A2 Aviator. I would put in a brand new Lumans Factory bulb, and carry an extra bulb in a SureFire carrier, which has 4 extra batteries. I would carry 4 other extra batteries as well.

If I wanted another light for emergency use It would be a Sure Fire G2L.
 

Chrontius

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Any of Surefire's classic A2 series. (A2, A2L, AZ2; the first two are probably your best choices; the AZ2 has grip rings, but sacrifices runtime for output)
Any Ra product, pick the user interface you prefer.
Either the E1L or E2L. Both are surprisingly bright (45/60 with a TIR lens for a lot of throw) on high, and go down to 3 lumens. Both also place a strong premium on runtime over brightness, at (8.5/11) hours on high. Low will run for (2/4) days.

The most rugged and waterproof is the Ra lineup, though I'd lean toward the Twisty. They're a little beefy for their size, but they're moderately small and don't actually weigh too much. They go brighter on high than the Surefires, and dimmer on low, and probably what I'd go with.

(Um, if it's not clear, I'm recommending **one** of that lineup, not all of them!)
 

jankj

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Too much redundancy for my liking... ditch a few of those and get a quark AA with lithium batteries to complement your headlamp.

It's a 12 day journey - 11 nights. Assuming 12 hours of darkness each day, that's 132 hours of darkness. The majority of those 132 hours you'll be sleeping. The paclite's capacity for several hundred or even thousand hours of continuous lighting (depending on version and battery) is totally, absurdely and excessive overkill.

Similar for your other key chain stuff. One is OK. 3 or 4 is just obsessive. Cut whatever weight you can. 1 headlamp, one main handheld and one key chain sized should be maxium, IMO. The headlamp and handheld complement each other and are backup for each other. Most of the time you need a light you'll be wearing the headlamp anyway, so that IS in fact your primary light. The key chain size is just for those "I need 3 seconds of light to find X" - moments when you can't be bothered to dig the headlamp out from your pack.
 

Egsise

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Why do you need a flashlight?
For climbing?
Climbing in dark?
With one hand while the other is holding a flashlight...?

Get a headlamp and a backup headlamp, you can always use the headlamp as flashlight but TK40 etc. as headlamp..... :sssh:
 
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