Is the SF E2e too bright for hiking?

photometric

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I have a question to ask about hiking lights. Is the E2e suitable for hiking, by that I mean will it be too bright that it would be too blinding to be used for walking? What other lights are suitable for hiking. My budget $100. :thanks: all.
 

Lunal_Tic

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Might want to check out the Electroluminescent/Headlamps/Hybrids forum and look into a headlamp. For $100 you could get a nice headlamp and a backup handheld light too.

The E2e isn't that great for hiking since it's runtime is less than most hikes though I guess you could carry lots of batteries.

Welcome to CPF. I'm guessing that your "budget" for lights will change substantially if you spend any time at all here. :D

-LT
 

Gimpy00Wang

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No, not too bright. On a side note, I didn't think there was such a thing. :D Anyway, if your budget is $100 for a Surefire incandescent, you might consider the G2. You can get a G2, SC1 spares carrier, extra batts, and extra lamp assembly for under $100.

Another option if you're looking into a headlamp would be a Rock River 2AAA head lamp from Target. They may still be on sale. Plenty bright and batteries would be cheaper/lighter.

- Chris
 

quokked

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The E2e is a pretty good light, it's nice and bright for walking around the dark in, put a beam filter in it too so you can keep your night vision pretty preserved.
but however i'd be worried about the amount of runtime you get from the stock E2e light, 1.25 hours specced on the SF site, you'll be chewing through CR123s pretty quick if you're out for a while,
If you're looking for SF quality you can't go wrong with something like a G2 which is dead cheap for what you get... The SFs lean towards the more expensive sides for flashlights but u get what you pay for :)

Suggestions on other lights...
Um... the Inova range is prety good, I've had a X5 for a while and it's practically bullet proof, good wall of light for walking round in the dark..
and there's all sorts of other lights out there under your budget, check out
www.lighthound.com and www.brightguy.com (most CPFer's know about these two dealers)

Good luck :)

YES I'M FINALLY ENLIGHTENED! :party:
 
Last edited:

beezaur

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Hi photometric, welcome to CPF!

The problem I see with the E2E is that it is too short lived. If you are just taking walks every now and then, and are willing to feed it, then it is fine. My own personal criteria for a hiking light is that you have enough light to get you through an entire night, in case of an accident.

60 lumens is more than enough for walking. It is more like what you would want for ocasionally checking something in the distance. The extended runtime lamp (25 lumens for 2.5 hours) is a little better. One of the best SureFires for hiking is the L2. It has a longer runtime on the low beam, something like 12 hours.

One option that I would consider is to get the SureFire you want and use a cheaper light for your main walking light. Get something waterproof, relatively cheap, and floody. I have a Princeton Tec XL which has given me good service. Or a UK 4AA eLED would be another good one. That way you get good runtime for comvenience and safety, plus a bright light for checking things in the distance.

I prefer headlamps for backpacking because of all the tasks you do after dark that require both hands. I haven't paid much attention lately, but I think the Princeton Tec Apex (?) is one of the current best options. Check www.rei.com too. They have a ton of hiking lights.

Scott
 

AW

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Too bright for hiking!? I'm carrying a 10W HID, 24W Brightstar and a 35W Havis Shields HID for night hiking ;-)
 

photometric

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Wow! That's quick! You guys are great :thumbsup: I'll go with your advice, would get a headlight and an E2e or G2 probably. How does the Princeton EOS fair? :thanks: guys!
 

Lunal_Tic

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I've got an EOS and like it. You should be able to find reviews on it in several places. One thing you might consider is getting lights that run off the same batteries so you don't have to carry 2 or more types. (You really should be carrying extra batteries.)

While I like my E2Es and wouldn't want to put you off getting one, I would shelve it for the time being and concentrate on matching your light for your activities. The only CR123 headlamp possibility of which I know is an Inova 24/7 with the head band adapter. So if you are dead set on the E2E but want to use the same battery type then you are limited here.

-LT
 

assassin337

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Heres my thought get the river rock headlamp and a fenix l1p to back it up a fenix puts out a good 48 lumens which is plenty bright for hiking and has a 4 hour runtime, its about 45 dollars and its really small and really light making it easy to carry[url=http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs52&d=05433&f=IMG_0481_2.JPG]
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and you can make a DUCTTAPE fenix flashlight headlamp holder:) (go ahead laugh:crackup: ) but it really works:rock: .
 

greenLED

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AS Gimpy said, there's no such thing as too bright. If you're going hiking, however, you might want more runtime than the e2e's going to give you. I'm a big fan of headlamps for outdoor use. I was a long-time Petzl user, but my current favorites are Black Diamonds. It all started with a BD Gemini, but now I'd like something like the Soliras... I've also been eyeing the BD Zenix IQ.
 

twentysixtwo

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Echoing what other folks have said :

Is the E2e too bright? No
Is it a decent hiking light? Yes.
Is it the best hiking light? No

If I had a $100 budget for lights for hiking I'd probably get a Princeton Tec Apex or Eos (Reading a map or GPS or pitching a tent is much easier with a headlight) and then a handheld incandescent thrower like the Scorpion. Surefires are awful nice, but not the best bang for the buck. You can get both the Scorpion ($26, amazon) and Eos (31, Brightguy) and still have enough left for batteries and jerky.

I'd personally think a L4 is a better hiking light than a E2e since you don't have to worry about dead filaments and a wall of light is probably better for navigating obstacles than the hotspot you get from a thrower.
 

daloosh

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welcome to CPF photometric, why dontcha stay awhile!

my favorite light is the E2e, but the runtime'll kill ya, as well as the fact that you don't need that much light. The X5T mentioned above is a great walking/camping light, but you could do with even less light. a headlamp is certainly handy when out in the woods, even if it looks dorky.

a suggestion, you could get the E2e and swap out the stock MN03 for an MN02, which will give you less lumens but double your runtime, which is enough for a couple-hour hike in the dark!

welcome again,
daloosh
 

NotRegulated

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I'd second the headlamp idea.

I would also bring along a handheld light. If you are dead set on a handheld I think the E2e would be too expensive because of the batteries. However, if you do get it anyway and like it you could always in the future add a KL4 head to make it an L4 or you could add a KL1 head to make it an

I also agree that the L4 is a much better light for walking/hiking as the beam is wide with more than enough throw. I am using a Pila rechargable 168s battery in mine. It would be a good setup if you expect to hike at night on a regular basis. You can always carry regular lithium 123 batteries too in case the rechargable dies on the trail.

Another option using the E2e is to get a KL1 head and a beamshaper but that will cost about as much as a new L4. This setup will use rechargables and 123's too.
 

NoFair

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I agree with the headlamp crowd. Get a PT Apex ($60) and a G2 or other low priced hand held light for spotting. Walking is ok with a handheld light, almost everything else you do while hiking is better with a headlamp.

There is no too bright for hiking, but anything thats bright and has long runtims requires a lot of batteries..... And usually a lot of cash... Quite a few $200-300 very bright headlamps out there:)

Sverre
 

diggdug13

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lol, I seem to be following Sverre today :touche:

and again I have to agree with him get a decent headlamp, if you are just using it for hikes and general use you don't need to go all out and bust ur wallet a good Pezel or PT goes along way, with a streamlight poly 4AA as back up.


Doug
 

leukos

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Great suggestions here, but the E2e is still a fine light to have. I would get the 25 lumen lamp for about 2 hours runtime and the F04 beamshaper for hiking though. There are some advantages to hiking with incandescent light. :)
 

GadgetTravel

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diggdug13 said:
lol, I seem to be following Sverre today :touche:

and again I have to agree with him get a decent headlamp, if you are just using it for hikes and general use you don't need to go all out and bust ur wallet a good Pezel or PT goes along way, with a streamlight poly 4AA as back up.


Doug


Welcome to CPF. I think the above suggestion is a great one. If you want Surefire I would suggest three possibilities. One is an E2O which comes with the MN02 lamp which gives better output. Another is the E2L which is a bit over $100 but would let you use rechargeables. You could also later add a two stage tailswitch to it to enable you to have a low and a high power. Lastly is an E1L which can be had for under $100 and can use rechargeables. Again, you could later add the two stage tailswitch for the E1L if you wished and get two brightness levels.
 

vtunderground

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I do a bit of night hiking (and camping), and my all-time favorite hiking flashlight is the Underwater Kinetics 4AA eLED. IMHO, the beam and brightness are nearly perfect for hiking in the woods at night, and you can't go wrong with the 10+ hour regulated runtime! I also use a Princeton Tec EOS headlamp on occasion... It's a very nice, well-designed light, but the beam is all "spot" and not much "flood", so it may not be the best for use on rough trails with lots of little obstacles underfoot. Great for seeing things at a distance though.

I have an E2e, and the short runtime kinda dooms it for use hiking in the woods at night. It may be better with the long-runtime bulb.

Now, if I were you, I'd either...

a) Save up a bit more, and buy a Surefire L2 or A2 (two brightness levels, longer runtime, good beams for hiking)

or

b) Buy two UK 4AA eLED's from Brightguy.com, and whatever headlamp appeals to you. Figure out which eLED has the best/whitest beam, and use it (along with the headlamp) for night hiking. Put lithium AA's in the other eLED, and keep it in your house or car for emergencies.
 
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