Woods walking

I don't know why it took me three years to realize how much fun it is to walk the woods across from the house I bought then the road that leads to the beaches... better late than never, and I only have 2 good lights both Malkoff aa ha and 2xaa ha and let me tell you the single aa is more then enough, the 2xaa lights everything up I'm wondering if I really need to upgrade to md3 or 4... anyway I also did my first sunrise hike with these lights and the woods at night gives such a different perspective, the moon reflecting off the streams, the wildlife (even in a NH winter) and of course an excuse to use my $100+ Lights lol and my 3 year old girl has been loving it... wanted to share, and get any one else's opinion on night hiking!

ps my daughter has her own cheapies I bought for her single aa Chinese and it really is amazing the quality difference I would NOT use one of those for any hike ever barely illuminates ten feet ahead

I've been doing a woods walk almost every night for 8 years. You don't need a lot of light. When the moon is high in the sky turn your lights off and you can sometimes see deer moving around in the winter woods. A low power hedlamp helps for pointing down to light your footsteps. Have fun.

Any flashlight that gets used alot, I gotta only go with USB rechargeable.

As for an AA light, the Browning Crossfire has been good to me and gets used daily at home. Looks like Browning has an USB upgrade, the Alpha Elite. Here is their website- https://www.browning.com/products/lighting/flashlights.html

I also like Streamlight and Pelican, but dont think those are what youre looking for.

hsa said:

I've been doing a woods walk almost every night for 8 years. You don't need a lot of light. When the moon is high in the sky turn your lights off and you can sometimes see deer moving around in the winter woods. A low power hedlamp helps for pointing down to light your footsteps. Have fun.

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last night the moon was so high and bright we barely needed light, beautiful this time of year

I'm in Virginia and went out in my bear infested woods at about 3 am to enjoy the moon. : D glad I'm not the only one.

Dude there's so many coyotes (and bears) but the coy dogs make me more nervous henceforth I bring an equalizer just in case lol

And yes to the point of the moon it was spectacular last night!

klip88 said:

I only have 2 good lights both Malkoff aa ha and 2xaa ha and let me tell you the single aa is more then enough, the 2xaa lights everything up I'm wondering if I really need to upgrade to md3 or 4

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Not for woods walking in the dark(though a headlamp's better most of the time), but you could probably make up some other reasons with no trouble!

Owen said:

Not for woods walking in the dark(though a headlamp's better most of the time), but you could probably make up some other reasons with no trouble!

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A head holster for my light would've came in handy tonight, two pulling dogs a tired daughter and no mom tonight plus! My phone went off and had to take a call talk about hands full lol... I'll prob buy another one just to have a beast light lol

bigburly912 said:

I'm in Virginia and went out in my bear infested woods at about 3 am to enjoy the moon. : D glad I'm not the only one.

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We used to stay in the houses my karate teacher was building in the poconos. We get exercise, fresh air, and free karate lessons while we helped out. One morning as the sun was rising, our sensei yelled at us to get up for a run. We all slapped on sneakers and he jumped out the rear of the house where the deck was supposed to be. It was an 8 foot drop. We looked at each other and said you heard the master. Next thing you know he jumps back up into the window and climbs back in. He couldn't talk. We looked out and there was a bear in the back yard. I have never walked in the pocono woods to this date but if i did, I'm sure a park ranger will be more than happy with the malkoff he found in the bear's belly after having me for dinner.

Now in the Watchung mountains where I take some of my hikes, there's more and more bear sightings. I hike during the day, but always have a zebralight just in case I'm stuck after dark

aginthelaw said:

We used to stay in the houses my karate teacher was building in the poconos. We get exercise, fresh air, and free karate lessons while we helped out. One morning as the sun was rising, our sensei yelled at us to get up for a run. We all slapped on sneakers and he jumped out the rear of the house where the deck was supposed to be. It was an 8 foot drop. We looked at each other and said you heard the master. Next thing you know he jumps back up into the window and climbs back in. He couldn't talk. We looked out and there was a bear in the back yard. I have never walked in the pocono woods to this date but if i did, I'm sure a park ranger will be more than happy with the malkoff he found in the bear's belly after having me for dinner.

Now in the Watchung mountains where I take some of my hikes, there's more and more bear sightings. I hike during the day, but always have a zebralight just in case I'm stuck after dark

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We only have black bears here in NH while scary (and we've seen them on our road) I know one warning pop would def have him running

Anyone take a firearm out with them in the woods. I am a 9mm fanboy and would atleast take my S&W Shield 9.

desertrunner said:

Anyone take a firearm out with them in the woods. I am a 9mm fanboy and would atleast take my S&W Shield 9.

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I just take my 9 as well honestly something smaller would suffice against anything in NH to at least scare them off

I've always enjoyed night hiking. Even solo footing it for miles in unknown territory. I used to live in Florida where the woods literally teem with animals. Now I'm in the mountains of NH and that moon has been so bright the last few nights, it's hard to tell day form night,... No torch necessary!
I like to carry a weak flooder and a stronger thrower. Strong flooders just blind you with all the reflected light off of the trees and a thin beamed thrower will reveal distant secrets when aimed between trees.

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MAD777 said:

I've always enjoyed night hiking. Even solo footing it for miles in unknown territory. I used to live in Florida where the woods literally teem with animals. Now I'm in the mountains of NH and that moon has been so bright the last few nights, it's hard to tell day form night,... No torch necessary!
I like to carry a weak flooder and a stronger thrower. Strong flooders just blind you with all the reflected light off of the trees and a thin beamed thrower will reveal distant secrets when aimed between trees.

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where in the whites are you? I'm in the foothills near Parker, and blue job but yea it was so bright when I looked away from the moon I had worms in my eyes !

MAD777 said:

Strong flooders just blind you with all the reflected light off of the trees

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I'm glad to hear someone else say that. I've been experiencing this and not liking it! Thought it would be awesome having the whole path lit up but it's annoyingly bright with the reflections. A narrower hot spot has worked much much better.

HRace said:

I'm glad to hear someone else say that. I've been experiencing this and not liking it! Thought it would be awesome having the whole path lit up but it's annoyingly bright with the reflections. A narrower hot spot has worked much much better.

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good thinking when deciding on my next woods light, I carry the two but neither are heavy duty throwers... many fun things to find in the woods !

klip88, I had a lot of fun reading your original post. I started out with a malkoff MDC AA and 2xAA also. Coming from an old Incan 2xC maglite, it was amazing! Similarly, I was walking in the woods with the kids. Tons of fun. Since then I've added my first 18650 lights: malkoff Hound dog 18650 and MD2. Honestly, usually the hound dog is in a pocket until we want to look way across a field or something. I do enjoy having that option!

klip88 said:

where in the whites are you? I'm in the foothills near Parker, and blue job but yea it was so bright when I looked away from the moon I had worms in my eyes !

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Albany, NH where my property abuts the National Forest. Love to spend nights sleeping in my hammock throughout the Forest.

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MAD777 said:

Albany, NH where my property abuts the National Forest. Love to spend nights sleeping in my hammock throughout the Forest.

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small world I lived in tamworth for a bit, still visit quite often the wife has never done a hard mountain and she wants my chocura might be a bit snowy at this point LOL... I go up to her moms place in bethel Maine quite often great hiking in the whites... I'll shine my light when driving through 16 LOL