Lights for Afghanistan

I have a couple of friends who are either deployed or are leaving out of country within a couple of weeks and one of them is leaving for Afghanistan and I'm looking to send him off with a couple of lights.

I cannot tell you what he'll be doing but it won't be a civilian or military job. It will involve work in remote areas that will not have rescue readily available and support isn't likely to be close by or on the other hand, it could be. The details aren't for public consumption and revealing more won't change my basic questions.

I understand that AA batts are readily available worldwide and I have an Infinity Ultra to give him. The second light is more perplexing although a headlamp of sorts seems to be a good choice.

I'm looking at the PT EOS or the Petzl Tactikka. I like the EOS because of all the already posted reasons. I like the Petzl because it's black and has the red filter for night work but I wish it had the larger LED like the PT.

Above all I'd like to send him off with battery commonality but alas, it isn't possible with these lights. I'm open for suggestions but I'm wondering if AAA batts are as available as AAs.

Perhaps there are other lights that I'm overlooking that will work better. He leaves on 1-14 so I have to hurry.

if you want a AA headlamp, i'd look @ the Princeton Tec Corona. if you want a AAA headlamp, i'd look @ the Princeton Tec EOS. tho the beams aren't quite the same, i'm sure either would be extremely useful in just about any conditions.

Police Gear USA.com has some pretty good prices on each of the headlamps.

Take a look at the Pelican 2630 headlamp - 3 levels, extremely bright side emitter with a nice hot spot and ample spill. Battery pack is on the back for good balance, all around a very nice light. Uses 3 AA's, I use Energizer 2500mAh NiMH cells, very long run time. Brighter than my QIII and SL JR. Probably the best light I've bought in several months.
Rob.

The Fulton D cell anglehead lights are military issue.
Where there's U.S. military, there are D cell batteries, right?
I have one regulated 6D cell maggmod that can go a coons age on 6 D cell batteries on it's TWOJ Luxeon3 emitter.

For many developing countries, it seems to me that AAs are more accessible than AAAs in general. If the destination is truly remote, then it will be even harder to get the AAAs, and any 123s are definitely out of question.

Just as a dare devil suggestion, Niteize did have a handband that could hold Minimag or any flashlight that has 1" diameter body. Anything heavy like a PM6 might get uncomfortable for longer duration.

I would recommend Minimag(with red filter) with sammie or terralux depending on his need(and if you could get one before his leaving), for it is more versatile than a headlight.

I have the Niteize headband. I don't know if it's me, but it doesn't feel right nor does it aim right. I always have to be tilting my head a little more down than I want. Now I just use a Arc AAA or E1e with a clip and a visor, much better.

http://www.niteize.com/head.html

This is probably irrelevant considering the short timetable. I think the ultimate setup would be a pair of Nuwais, a modded Q3 for white light and a modded Q1 for red. I'd also get him a 2X123 incandescent like a PM6 Xenon or Surefire G2/6P for a dedicated throw light if he doesn't already have a weaponlight system that can serve this purpose. And a couple dozen 123 cells. Since reliability is obviously important in this situation I'd be modding the Nuwais personally if I was on your side of the screen. (I realize this isn't possible because time is short, it's just for the sake of discussion.)

Q3---TWOJ star, UCL lens, two stage tailcap/O-ring addition so it will stand up

Q1---Red LUX I, UCL lens, two stage tailcap/O-ring addition so it will stand up

A headlamp may very well serve him the best depending on his specific requirements, but I've always preferred a hat bill clipable 1X123 or 1XAA light for maximum comfort/versatility. Many people prefer pocket clips that hold their lights bezel down, but I like the way most of them come stock because of their ability to serve as a headlamp. However, he may not be able (or want) to wear a baseball style cap. Especially during the winter months since it gets cold in Afghanistan and he'll probably be wearing insulated headgear, especially after dark when it's the coldest AND a light will be needed. If he'll be wearing a helmet then a headlamp is probably optimum, or for maximum versatility a UK AA torch like this one that can be used with a helmet attachment device would be the champ if it wasn't so heavy. Too bad the 2XAA model doesn't use a LED.

If you really want to spoil him, get him a Surefire L1 LumaMax with a Red LED, a Gerber Trio with Red LEDs, the Petzl you mentioned, and a 2XAA white Luxeon light. Personally, I'd think twice about giving him anything that uses AAAs.

I know this is going to sound a little strange and he may not want to spend at these levels (why is it I always feel bad about recommending *THAT* particular black colored LuxV light, even though it may well be the best tool for the situation?), so just take these as my random thoughts of the day.

If I had to go out to the middle of nowhere with no chance of resupply, I'd want a light as ridiculously efficient at sucking batteries and delivering runtime. I had lunch with someone who camped out in the sticks for close to 20 days, a heck of a long way from home, and he did it without a single light. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/au.gif tales of having to take a shower in pitch darkness with no electrical power, etc. whole nine yards.

The lights I picked were the CMG Infinity Ultra - we all know that one, 12 hours in regulation, 3 solid days of useable light (I left a Duracell and my Ultra on to find out). Literally 36 continuous hours. The other light is, of all things, the Digital Ultra. If I was going to end up in a similar situation I'd take my U2, because level 1 runs nearly 50 hours IN REGULATION, and many more hours of moon mode. Assuming I used the light for 3 hours a night on a 21 day trip, two sets of batteries (one loaded in the U2, so I only need to carry a backup) would last me the entire trip and then some. In the event of an emergency, I'd have all six levels at my disposal.

IMHO, there's no other Luxeon V light that comes close to the mind-bending efficiency of the U2. The only other one I can think of is the L1. 50 hours runtime on low (but much dimmer than the U2) is awesome.

The Lionheart is also an awesome efficiency contender, but the rechargeables require that you have electrical support. CR123s and alkaline/lithium AA disposables rule in the field where you can't recharge, unless you're comfortable running the LH on CR123s.

UK4AA eLEd and Opalec Newbeam.
Both have great runtime and are perfectly bright enough for use where there is little ambient light.
Both are Lithium battery friendly for cold Afghan nights.

I sent several lights with a buddy that went to Afghanistan, some of them were:

CMG Infinity Ultra G AA. Approx 24 hrs run time.

Tec Assoc Eternalight Ergo 3 EternaLight AA, Variable Power. Hundreds of hours run time depending on settings.

ElectroLumens AngleLux 1W D cell anglehead light. 24 hrs bright light then decreasing for many more hours, color lens included.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm going to spend some time today doing the research.

Thanks for again.

Whatever else gets chosed , I'd recommend an Inova X1 , small , LED , runs forever , and uses double A's .

Get him a Surefire G2 and an azzload of batteries. Bright, tough, cheap. Then get him one of those 1W LED drop-in's that are being sold in the LED forum and he'll have the best of both worlds...

The most widely available batteries in remote areas of the world are AA zinc-carbon. Not AAA. Not alkaline. Zinc-carbon AA's work ok at low current drains. They work poorly at high drains, much worse than alkaline.

If you want to be able to rely on indigenous batteries, don't select a light that needs a whole lot of current from its AA batteries. The CMG Ultra is an excellent, excellent choice. For a bigger/brighter light, go for the UKE 4AA eLED. If you choose a higher-current light than that, include a box full of alkalines (48 pack from Costco) or some rechargeables and a charger to go with the light. For the charger, pick a model that works on both 220 VAC and 12 VDC, if there's an issue with electricity availability. The Ray-o-vac 15 minute type are probably a good choice if his main charging opportunities are when he gets a chance to sit in a vehicle. Solar chargers are a good idea in the summer, but maybe not so good in the winter.

I'd also include a bag or two of the 20/$20.00 Countycomm slide switch lights, or even the $50/100 yellow squeeze lights (on their CPF specials page). Your friend can give those out as gifts and they will always be appreciated.

For now I've given him the Ultra G with a lanyard from the SF Spares Carrier which is darn near perfect in this application. I filled the tube with an L91 and gave him an 8 pack for the road.

I am not, for the time being, going to buy him another light until he reports back from training which begins next week. Thereafter he'll be in country for 3 months, out for 6 and so on for the foreseeable future. He'll let me know if a headlamp will work and if so, I'll take care of it.

He's tickled to death with the Ultra G and likes the fact that he can wear it around his neck while he sleeps, showers, sweats or freezes his buns off.

I'll post field reports as available.

My buddy called today. He's still in training but is absolutely jacked about the light. The people he's training with want to know where he got because it's ideally suited for his assignment. To bad there aren't any more Ultra G's because they'd be appreciated and come in very handy in Afghanistan. Yes, I know that you can still find the CMG lights but he likes the HA finish.

Question... isn't the new Gerber Infinity basically the same thing as the Ultra G?

If this fellow is some sort of operative, sounds like you made the perfect choice. A grunt, regardless of who his employer may be, is into small and lightweight. These days, as I use/handle my several small personal lights, I recall that I would have given a great deal to have had something similar, 35 years ago when I was busting bush.

A dependable AA light, worn around the neck, would be ideal because its always handy. But a MiniMag/OpaLec combo with a red filter attachment would have been equally appreciated...

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Steve C said:
Question... isn't the new Gerber Infinity basically the same thing as the Ultra G?

[/ QUOTE ]

It doesn't have HAIII, the light is activated by twisting the tail cap instead of a head cap, and the clip that comes with it will scratch all the way down to bare aluminum if you try to remove it. The tailcap is also cone-shaped with a small flat area (pretty much useless for tail standing). The one I have does have about the same light output and beam shape.

The one improvement that I like in the new Gerber Infinity is that is has springs in it to keep the battery from rattling. I learned from someone here to use a small Dr. Scholl's corn pad in my Ultra G to keep the battery quiet.

The Ultra G is an example of a great product being done in by corporate marketing for the masses. It's sad. Not that the new model isn't a good light - it is. It's just not in the same league as the Ultra G.

<<... not in the same league..>>

Interesting statement. You say that the beam quality is the same (which is the info I was looking for). So, the finish and activation method is inferior, to your thinking? I can understand your distaste for the less-durable finish, but what real difference does the tail-cap, as opposed to the head, activation method make?

Not trying to be argumentative; just curious.

And I hear you regarding "corporate marketing for the masses". Lot of that going around these days, in many areas of endeavor.

I can't speak for others, but for me I have an easier time turning on the old style with one had. I tried one of the new Gerbers and it's not impossible to turn on single handedly, but it does require more skill than I have. If all you care about is beam pattern, then there is no difference between them.