Recommendations for camping: two needed

OK< I am a Scoutmaster with a new batch of Scouts whose Dads are rather new to camping. I have been asked to recommend "something good and bright for out in the woods, and a small LED light for in the tent." and probably a good online vendor. Now I am a Surefire guy with Princeton Tec as my main camping lights, but heck, I carry Gen II night vision, have thermal imagers and have been known to bring the x990. In other words, I am not a useful example. I think they are looking for something reasonably cost effective and have figured out that even the reasonably sized Mag lites aren't that bright for their weight. A lot of boys bring the elcheapo 2 D cell 1.19 Target flashlights -- I think the Dad's are looking for the best stuff in the 20-50$ range. I have a lot of tent lights, but I think they want "look in the backpack without waking everybody up" light to light up the tent after dark but not too much lights. Sadly, my Firefly fits the bill for one and the motion sensitive tentlight for the other. Both not necessarily the optimum price points.

TIA /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sleepy.gif

I know this is the place to ask.

Not sure about the woods, but a CMG Infinity Ultra or Ultra-G fits the bill for a tent light. Small and goes everywhere on a lanyard, put one on backpack, hang one in the tent.

Not bright, but waterproof, can take a beating and lasts forever.

Photons on lanyards are nice to have on backpacks too, but they aren't waterproof, but even smaller than an infinity and less intrusive.

A Streamlight scorpion is about $30-40, and makes a nice woods light, but the runtime is quite short.

How about a 1L or 2L streamlight twin task for both your needs?

Out in the woods it usually get dark, really dark. I grew up in the city and not that many places get pitch dark (lots of street lights.)

Night adapted eyes sense light very well. I saw a lite cigarette 1/2 mile away in the middle of a pitch black forest during a night adaptation class while at combat training school (better known as MCT for Marines.)

Cost effectiveness in my opinion is build, output, battery life, and durability.

For camping, an Inova X5 is a great around the camp light IMHO.

Click here for X5T

I gave one to my brother and it is a bit big for the output but its a nice flood light to illuminate the camp grounds. For ~$35, its a nice deal.

I have a Inova 24/7 and that is a nice light too. On high setting it can't quite match the X5T but it is really small and unconventional in terms of flashlights. it also has a few different functions too, sometimes useful for the little scouts in distress.

Inova 24/7

For LONG run time and low output to find stuff in the backpack, try a CMG Infinity. The Infinity Ultra is brighter but with 1/4 the run time and I find the Infinity Ultra bright, but if you need something jsut to look for soemthing in the backpack, I think a regular Infinity will be fine.

Infinity

A few selections of CMG products that might be interesting to take a look at and present options for each scout's individual kit load outs.

Meridian's CMG selection

Want a cost effective light that will stomp on a Mag ltie in terms of size/output, Pelican M6 Lithium. I am about to get one of the Pelican M6 LED's because I need a back-up to my Tigerlight. $32 at Battery station, or $45 for the HD LEd model. Fit and finish can be improved but at that price, its good.

Battery station specials

Another option can be a Streamlight TL-2 or a Streamlight TL-3 for those bumps in the night.

I want to stick to LED's since bulbs CAN blow at the times you need them most. Thats why there are always back-ups so you are never left in the dark.

A headlamp may also be good beause you can have you're hands free.

The Yukon HL looks nice. It might be an all in one thing, has the 5mm LED's for low light and a 1 watt LS for more light.

This headlamp, the Streamlight Argo may also be a nice choice.

There are a lot of flashlights out there by Streamlight, Princeton Tec, UK, CMG, Inova, Petzl. Way too many to list.

Kevin at Batterystation.com, Greg at Bright Guy, Chris at Meridian Tactical, the folks at Texas Tactical Supply, Dan at Tacticalwarehouse.com, Nick/Frank at County Comm, I have had VERY nice dealings with them.

HTH,
Jason

For a trail light the UK 4AA eLED for $20 at Brightguy

I think the SL Twin Task lithium lights would be fine if they do not want a Mini Mag. I am not so sure that the MM would not be fine for the general purpose light. It is small, and the use of AA batteries is an advantage. I don't think the Scouts will worry about how perfect the beam is, or whether or not Maglite sues other manufacturers.

For a second light, the Ultra would be my choice. It is rugged and probably not too bright. If one wanted a less expensive second light the Dorcy 1AAA is hard to beat.

As for getting up in the night, and not waking others, I have a SL Stylus on my night stand. I suspect that the AAAA batteries, and the fact that it is not bullet proof might disqualify it.

I have not used the Infinity, but maybe the dimness of it might be an advantage in not waking others. The Inova X1 might also fill the bill.

I don't see how you can beat one of the lithium TT lights for the primary light. If you reverse the spring, the tailcap can be used as the on/off switch without going through the whole mode cycle each time.

The TL-2 lights are great, and small, but they are somewhat more expensive, and might be too bright. I have a TL-2LED, and today ordered the incandescent model from Blackhawk.

The TT using the LED mode most of the time would be much easier on batteries.

Jerry

OK, This is going to be a fun post to write!

I loved my time in the Scouts, although that was a long time ago.

I would also suspect that a lot of CPF members are also former Scouts!

There are lots of good vendors, others might have other suggestions, but I have used BRIGHTGUY.COM and find him to be very reliable, with good prices, good inventory, great selection and great web site.

There are hundreds of options here, but one good light, that would actually meet ALL of a scout's needs, would be:


At about 30 bucks, that is cheap for us flashoholics, but parents might find that expensive.

Streamlight 3-C TwinTask

The CMG Bonfire Blaze is specifially designed as a tent light:

CMG Bonfire Blaze

An ARC AAA around the neck would be a nice thing to have for a week in the woods, maybe suggest a Turquoise.



This is one of the lights that I would take into the woods for a week. Really really bright, uses AA batteries, relatively cheap, long run time!
Princeton Tec Surge

I do not own either of these lights (yet) but the Princeton Tec Impact XL and the UK 4AA eLED w/Switch (AS2) would be nice lights too.

Hope this helps.

First try, lets see if this works.

Lots of good recommendations for good lights.
However, we must remember these lights are for 'BOY' scouts.
Ten years as an outdoor activity trainer has taught me alot about equipping young boys.
#1 Bullet proof if possible.
#2 Murphy proof as possible.
#3 Identical equipment with names on EVERYTHING.
For camping and backpacking light and compact with common parts to other systems.
For flashlights (sit down, take a deep breath everybody) the unit you want is a two cell AA minimag.
It is bright enough to get camping chores done.
It is not bright enough to damage your eyes even with the dozens of times lights will be pointed directly in your face.
It can be used as a candle in tents by removing the head, without worry of a hot bulb caused fire.
The light is turned off by tightenning the head back on the body, clickies are Murphy prone in boys pockets, tents and backpacks.
One set of batteries is cheap and will last through most weekend outings.
Last, most allowed battery powered items run on AA batteries so you have fewer spares to carry.

Theepdinker Troop 533

I'd have to say Ultra G/Infinity Ultra for short distance light, and something like the UKE4AA eLed (long runtime) or the UKE 2L (good throw, decent runtime). The X5t is a great camping light too, that'll probably fit into the mid-range distance light category.

Otherwise, you might want to also consider dual output headlamps? I think Ray-o-Vac has a 3 in 1 headlamp that's not too expensive too, red leds, white leds and a xenon. Oh, and not forgetting the UKE 2AAA Xenon/eLed too, they're great bang for bucks, IMHO. Happy hunting (for lights) and camping!

I'd say stick with less expensive lights. For a non-flashaholic, $20 is a crazy amount for a flashlight. If the cheapo 2D lights are working well for bright-out-in-the-woods, I'd say stick with them. For an LED tent light, the CMG Infinity or Ultra is great, but kind of expensive. The UKE 2AAA eLED at $10 from Countycomm is an alternative, as is the $6 Dorcy 1AAA if you can find one. Finally there are the $1 Countycomm coin cell lights, great for zipper pulls or whatever.

well, the cheapest thing would probly be Dorcy AAA's for about $6 apiece or a group buy on the $1 coin-cell lights.. that'll cover everyone's close-up needs.. an alternative would be the Ultra G, which will last much longer and is waterproof..

for everyone's wandering light, you've got the new Underwater Kinetics eLED on sale @ Brightguy for $20 each.. and there's no way in hell those kids will run thru a set of batteries.. and a very slim chance that they'll break any too.. an alternative could be something a bit brighter like the Streamlight 3AA luxeon or the Streamlight Propolymer LED..

if some kids/dads prefer to have a much brighter light then there's always 4AA lights like the Streamlight Propolymer xenon and the PT40 and the UK 4AA incan which all get @ least 5 hours of light.. these can be had for closer to the $15 mark, i think..

i guess you'd have to find out what everyone prefers..

alot of avid campers like myself and many many other CPF members could get by on something like a Streamlight Propolymer LED for an entire camping trip.. however, ppl who aren't routine campers might not feel safe in the dark and could prefer something brighter/longer throwing than LED's for certain things..

you might have to set up interviews, haha. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Quite a few good suggestions. You can't go wrong with many of them. I would recommend staying away from the CR123 lights for obvious reasons and I am very biased towards LEDs. I don't want to need to buy a bulb, don't want to buy a bulb, and don't want to have to change a bulb.

A long running single cell LED light is a must: ARC AA or AAA, CMG Infinity, Ultra or Ultra G. The CMGs will be the best bang for the buck for the boys. While the dimmer Infinity lasts for 40+ hours and will meet their low level needs, the bighter Ultra or Ultra G at 10+ hours will end up meeting 80-90% of their needs. The cheaper Dorcys from Walmart or Target are cool little LED lights and work fine, but won't take the abuse that the others will. The CMGs and ARCs are water proof, mud proof and pretty much everything else proof.

For the brighter lights, like someone already said, once you're in the woods, you really don't need extremely bright lights. The SL 4AA 7LED is a CPF favorite: good, bright flood for 3-6 hours, with usable light for 150 hours. It's waterproof, etc, very durable and it's smaller than a standard 2D light. $23.95 from Bright Guy.

The brand new UK 4AA eLED that has been suggested has received a 5 star rating from one of our distinquished reviewers. It's a little bit more compact than the SL and uses a 1W Luxeon Star that is completely regulated and runs at a consistant, flat output for 10-12 hours. It's drop tested, waterproof, dustproof, etc, etc. It's not as bright as most LS lights that CPFers are used to, but you gotta sacrifice something for that kind of regulated run time. It's very adequate for general use and it's a brighter and much more usable light than a mini mag. It retails for $37.50, but is available now for an introductory price of $20 from Bright Guy.

The $1 coin cell lights (20 for $20) from County Comm are an unbelieveable bargin. You should get those for the kids "just because." That'd make great prizes for competitions during the camping trips. If you do a group buy for Ultra Gs and the coin cells lights, you can get free shipping and you should call and ask about special pricing (they just went off sale from $14.50).

The PT Attitude could be a reasonable alternative to both the 2aa minimag and the 1aa led light. Uses four aaa's, long runtime, bulletproof, waterproof, bright enough for most things a minimag is good for, dim enough to not be a big disturbance. They were $8.95(?) at the TTS closeout and I bought several, but they're normally more like $15. They are favorites for campers.

Hello Fracman,

In our Boy Scout Troop, we have standardized on the PT 40 as a good choice for a main light. It is rugged, waterproof, and has a little over double the run time than the Mini Mag.

The "in tent" light that everyone loves is the 20 for $20 countycomm.com lights. We do group buys. The Scouts love them because the are cool. The parents love them for their price. Some have graduated to the Infinity and the Infinity Ultra, but most stick to the $1 lights. I must caution that the $1 lights are not waterproof. They have held up well in wet weather, but we have had a few die when dropped in a mud puddle (or a pot of soup).

Several of the older Scouts have invested in a headlight. Most have gone full LED, but some have both bulb and LED. They are free to choose and pay for (and live with) whatever they want to go with.

Good luck with your group.

Tom

I second (or third) the TwinTask lights! I would go for the AA version for uniformity of batteries. And then throw in an Infinity or Infinity Ultra (or Arc-AA for those who want Mercedes quality). Under $50 for the pair for lights that will last for decades, and that use common AA batteries.

If you want something cheaper, then go for the Infinity, and a the PT Surge.

Painting stripes of glow-in-the-dark paint on the lights might be a nice idea too. Make it easier to find in the dark.

I've been recommending the $15 (now $18)infinity ultra G for our scout troop. thanks for the $1 countycomm led sugestion. what a great idea! most parents think $15 is too much to spend on a light.

I usually only recommend bombproof items for scouts, but at $1 ea, just throw them away when dead.

There is also a $6 Ray-o-vac kid headlight (non LED)at Walmart, that has proven very durable.

all these great suggestions! keeping in mind that there will be budget considerations, i will refrain from suggesting an A2. heh, heh,heh.

when camping, i tend to think in terms of low-medium-high light output.

for the tent, i think a palight is great. LONG runtime, easy to find, can hang it upside down. i use a selector model, and on low (without the focusing optic) it is perfect for reading or wandering around at night without disturbing others.
on high, it is as bright as an infinity ultra.

for medium, i would consider an attitude or a 3 led headlamp. really, an aurora can replace the palight and cover this category as well, due to multiple lighting levels. the only thing missing is the "always on" feature.

othere possibilities for "medium/almost high beam" would be the aforementioned SL4aaLED or UKeLED. both are tremendous lights.

for a high beam, there are a lot of choices. tec 40, rage, twintask (which covers both high and medium outputs), etc.

you could standardize bats by going with: aurora + rage. aurora + attitude + rage. attitude + rage. UKeLED + ultra. twintask aa + ultra/standard infinity.

i think i could do fine with the aurora, attitude, rage, and a palight for the tent. the attitude/rage are easily carried, the headlamp is very useful, and the palight is the tent lamp.

the rage doubles as a spare bat carrier if it isnt needed much. when the bats are "dead" in the rage, they can probably still power the other lights.

good luck!!!

Bob

I'd suggest:
PAL Light. Great for the tent/backpack/finding it in the dark sine it's got the "always on" mode. It takes a cheap 9v battery and is very resiliant. I'd also specify the one with the emergency strobe, Be Prepared

TwinTask 3C. Great ratio of cheap, easy to find batteries, insane run-time on the LED's and the incandescent option if necessary. I've heard the titanium finish will stand up to wear & tear better than the black will. Also, a TwinTask 2L is another nice option for something you can slip into your pocket easily.

Pelican M6 LED. Get it from Batterystation. This does take 123's but is an AMAZING performer and throws a great distance. The spill light is beautifly white and since it's a LED, no bulb changes.

For Scouts, bothe boys and Dads, ALL lights should use common batteries....9v, AA, AAA, C, or D. For the adults the SL TT 3c....probably the only light they will need other than a single cell AA or AAA light hung around the neck. For the scouts, the above neck hanger and a 2xC or 2xD cell light.

Go with a PT40 or UK 4AA incandescent. Both are 4-AA lights and incandescent so they will have throw that an LED light won't. These are small, waterproof, easy to pack or stick in a pocket, use common batteries and a spare pack of 4AA's is easy to pack.

And like others have said buy a bunch of the County Comm LED coin size lights. Attach them to the either a neck lanyard or to the lanyards on the PT40/UK4AA.

GregR

I'll suggest the Tec40 also. Bright, takes PR base bulbs, waterproof, cheap, reasonably tough, included lanyard, Red lens for 3 or 4 dollars could be good fun, low output long burn bulb. Can you tell I like my Tec40s?

Regular Infinity for dimmer light.

The Surge would be great fun to take along. But reloading the batteries could get tiresome depending on how much it's used.

6 volt lanterns are another option, can be had for around 5 bucks.