Glo-toobs good for camping?

In the spirit of keeping our packs light (no pun intended), I was wondering if anybody's used Glo-toobs instead of lugging along lanterns for illuminating eating areas and such. Or are they really only good for making sure that you are seen at dark?

Thanks,
tslugmo

I think it would take several of them to light up any sort of area larger than 1-4 people well. I would think a light equivelent to about 1/2watt in LEDs would be close to enough to eat by for a half dozen people if the light is directed well enough, colored LEDs you may have to double or triple that in order to see the food right as your green pees may look blue or red or something under a colored glo-toob.

The level of illumination for a Glo-toob is pretty low. I could use mine in total darkness for moving around somewhat, but they really are marker lights. Ditto for a Krill light. Both put out less light than most any keychain light like a Photon, for example.

And, ta-da! there is probably the answer to your weight and size needs.

Personally, I'd take along at least one light that would fit the bill of the "I need a lot of light in an emergency, which is happening right now" scenario. You know, the "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it" part of Murphys' Law.

glow toob produces very little light. You should bring a white gas lantern. There is no point of reducing weight if you are going on car camping trip, seriously.

Hey tslugmo, welcome to CPF and why dontcha stay awhile!

Glotoobs, as noted, give off very little light. If you are camping where it will be completely dark and are traveling light, I guess it's better than nothing, but even one of those cheap 12 led lanterns will completely blow the glotoob away. Not to mention a propane lantern, which is in a different class completely. Hell, those battery operated light sticks that Wits End does GBs for are much cheaper, and pretty light too!

welcome again,
daloosh

Went camping just last month and brought along my green and blue 'toobs. I can verify beyond a shadow of a doubt that they don't light up anything /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. They don't light up a pathway and they don't throw light onto your dutch oven dinner, either.

What they DO do is help you be seen and even communicate. We camped near a very loud and full creek, and because it was virtually impossible to hear someone speaking if they were more than 20 feet away, we used the FX Glo-toobs as a signalling device (strobe = ready to eat!; throb = come here please!"; etc.)

Additionally, they are a nice way to gently light up a tent without throwing your shadow all over the tent walls.

The Glo-toobs are dim but still useful. In a camping situation I would definately agree with the lantern ideas and would also mention headlights. A headlight is great for working around camp and keeping your hands free. I would like to try a glo-toob in as a low level tent/tarp light. I would also use the glo-toob as a marker light for when I and the others were moving around in the dark. In case of an accident it could be very important.

Another option would be something like the Energizer folding LED lanterns or Coleman CCFL pocket lanterns. Both are AA powered, put out light somewhere between a Glo-toob and gas lantern, and are smaller than any lantern/fuel canister I'm familiar with.

i have two glow-toob fx (green and white). true, they're not very bright but do make excellent tent lights and marker lights for campsites, etc. on the low or one of the several flashing modes it lasts quite a while - and the batteries are cheap. oh, and if you hike/walk dogs at night they are great, much better than a photon and much more visible.

Thanks for all the useful replies. Been a lurker for years, don't know why I've never posted before. But I knew I'd get tons of good feedback from the devoted CPF users. Sounds like glo-toobs are not the solution for me. I do bring a Petzl headlamp with me camping, but it's tough to engage in a conversation with company when every time you look up from your beans you thoroughly blind your mates.

Glo-toobs are the maximum size/weight I'd really want to consider. I don't car camp and have worked on paring down my equipment to relatively lightweight stuff, so adding a lantern is out of the question, for such a trivial thing. Headlamps, and perhaps creative diffusion of the light will do just fine.

Thought glo-toob might add a bit of ambience. But it seems only good as a marker. In which case Tritium "Trasers" seem appealing, if only because illumination via radioactivity impresses the ladies. I know they're not as bright as glo-toobs, but I don't think I'll have a need for the glo-toob. "Throb = Come here please". I'll say.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanks.gif

-gmo

Used them, to dull for my liking, Mag 2AA with Terralux Micro Star in candle mode does the trick well

My first suggestion would be one or two of the Energizer folding 2-LED lanterns, which use 4AA batteries each.
If your weight constraints make that too much to carry, and a glo-toob is about your max weight allowance, then I'd suggest you get a stack of the $1.25 keychain lights that KevinL sells...4-6 of these should supply enough light to eat by if you suspend them over your area, that many together would still weigh less than a single glo-toob, and put out a lot more light. Plus, they're cheaper, and you'd have lots of "backup" light sources - although very limited output - instead of a single one.
Dave