How do you carry your flashlight while hiking?

Hey CPF,

So, please chime in and tell me how you like to carry your light while hiking (when the light in question is not currently in use in your hand...) Bonus points for pictures! :naughty:

I'm particularly interested in lights that you cannot comfortably put in your pocket, such as the 2x123 format.

(And please, no headlamps )

Thanks!
Woodentsick

I carry 2x123 (Quark Regular) and 1x18650 (JetBeam IIIM) flashlights in my pocket while hiking without difficulty.

Pocket clip it to your belt loop.

I carry a SureFire L1 or L2 in a BlackHawk belt holster. I like those lights because the low beam will give me a long battery life if I need to hike or do something close at hand in the dark. The high beam will help me to identify things in the darkness, signal for help, search for things, etc.

I have a RipOffs # 153 belt holster.

Perfect for carrying my 4Sevens Quark AAx2 flashlight !

_

If possible, I try to use a lanyard loop to make the flashlight readily accessible since I usually use two trekking poles when hiking. Since both hands are already occupied with trekking poles I almost always end up just relying on my headlamps.

My Quark 123-2 tactical in my left front pocket of my shorts...my EDC today and tomorrow, whether camping, hiking, or for urban use:

Thanks for the responses!

I'm going to use a Malkoff MD2 (without the pocket clip attachment thing) so I cannot attach it to my person without either a lanyard (which I don't want to use) or a holster. Maybe sometime I'll get a nice nylon holster, or maybe one of Hogo's awesome leather beauties....

Woodentsick

If it is still daylight, in the top pocket of my pack for easy access.

If it is dark, then...

The Niteize 360deg. Stretch holster is easy to use, fits all lights and has a multitude of options. It's worth a look!

http://www.niteize.com/products/lite-holster-stretch

woodentsick said:

...chime in and tell me how you like to carry your light while hiking...

Click to expand...

My day pack/EDC pack is a Maxpedition that has tons of MOLLE webbing. I usually just slip my A2 in the webbing on the back strap at night or around caves, etc. It's in a Maxpedition Mini Pocket Organizer when not needed quickly.

Aeon in my left front pocket. Minimus in my torsopak + a few spare cells in a orange match carrier. If weight is not a factor I will have an L1 or LX2 in my kit.

My Fenix LD01 fits in a side pouch of my Leatherman case on my belt. When I carried an iTP Polestar A6, it came with a holster that I put on my belt. Now that I use a TK45, though, I have been carrying it in my hand or a backpack. I'm looking to buy a holster to make things easier.

If I'm day hiking, where I'm supposed to be back before dusk, I put one light in my backpack (usually a 1X CR123 light) and a Quark mini or LD15 in one of my cargo's pocket.... that way I'll still have a light even if I lose my backpack for some reason.

Now, if I'm NIGHT hiking, this means I'm out for beamshots or just pure testing, then I will often have 5-6 lights holstered around my waist, a few in my cargo pockets, another 5-6 in jacket pockets when it's not too warm, plus I'm likely to have a backpack with another dozen lights or so, depending on how I feel. And I haven't mentioned the headlamps...

I dont hike but I have modded my Tad Gear Fast Pack with pouches and holsters for my lights. Here is an old pic I took.

I took the Blackhawk modulock holster and mounted the teklock style mount sidewise and clamped it onto the straps on the outside of my shoulder strap.



I can mount it lower as well.



Here are a couple pics of my Tadgear Fast pack. It has a special flashlight cave pocket. It is a pocket that is rotated 180 degrees. So you reach under, with your right hand, unzip the pocket and pull out a flashlight. Which is tethered with a gear keeper. And you can do this obviously without taking the pack off.

Hey, that holster and attachment system looks nice! :thumbsup: