Day-hike lighting (flashlights, headlamps) - what do you take?

What lighting do you take along for a day-hike?

  • Flashlight only

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Headlamp only

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Both flashlight and headlamp

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Keychain light or similar

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Nothing

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
Zebralight "H30W"(H30 special ordered with neutral emitter), standard part of my hiking/backpacking gear. Keep another for general use.
Zebralight SC51fw, my EDC light.
Arc AAA-P on my keys.
 
on a 'day hike', I don't really anticipate needing a flashlight. Still, I carry a very small, light weight Surefire Ti Titan. It comes with a lanyard, and fits into one of the pockets on my day pack. It gives a LOT of light, and the CR123 battery is long lasting, as I can adjust the output from 5 lumens to 70 lumens.
 
I have a AA LED on me at all times. I wrapped a bit of electrical tape around it to bite on if I want to go hands free.
 
Normally I would just have a Fenix E01 for a day hike, but I've brought a Fenix LD20 or an Energizer head lamp along before as well just in case.
 
Headlamp only for me thank you.

I have various models from Petzl, Black Diamond and Mammut that fulfil all my light needs. Best part is that i have both hands free for work around camp, etc.

Can someone explain the benefits of using a flashlight?
 
I generally have both. The smaller the kit, the smaller the lights.
In my murse kit, for instance, I have the compact Princeton Tec Scout headlamp and the Maratac AAA flashlight.
In response to the previous question, a flashlight usually gives you more throw than a headlamp.

P1040277.jpg
 
As they say over at Candlepowerforums "two is one and one is none". Anything can malfunction at any time. It is always a good idea to have a backup. I use my headlamp for close up around camp use and my flashlight when I need to see a little farther out.
 
Now that I'm really thinking about it, I should carry both or just the flashlight in my daypack. I have enough backups to my headlamp, but if I really need a light on a day hike, it'll most likely be because I'm on my way out as it's getting dark (which rarely happens unintentionally). In that case, I'd be better served by a "full size" flashlight like a 2xAA or 2xCR123. Headlamps are pretty much what I use around camp or when doing things in the dark that require my hands. But a flashlight is what I use when walking - throws farther so I can follow the trail easily and see farther ahead, and it won't reflect light on fog, my breath, or random stuff in the air directly in my line of sight. It'd be more likely I'd use a flashlight for walking on a day hike than a headlamp for camp-related tasks.

I suppose if I really want to save weight, I'd take only the flashlight for day hikes and only the headlamp for backpacking (not counting small one-cell backup light).
 
Hey Russell, I'm like Rockywolf - I have an AA LED (Fenix L2D CE) with me 24/7. It mostly gets used at work, though. So for day hikes, I don't need to add a light to my daypack, although sometimes I throw in a Quark Mini AA. I also have a Inova squeeze light on my keychain.

Doc
 
Doc, long time no "see" :) I'll shoot you an email sometime soon to check in with you :thumbup: Thanks for your contribution!

I used to carry the Fenix L2D, great light. The quark I'm using now is very similar.
 
petz tikka headlamp and as a backup a 1.5in mec 2 led "turtle" light that gives 75hrs on a couple of coin batteries. Only 4 or 5$ and I have one in just about every pack and coat I use. They have a rubber lanyard you can use to attach to a bike handle bar or stick for aimed light.
 
I always have both and try to make them the same battery (AA, AAA or 3V). I carry the single cell LED flashlights on my belt as EDC and my headlamp is usually in my chest pouch, shoulder bag or the top of my pack when backpacking. You can go a lot of work done in the dark with a headlamp and both hands free. Even if you're day-hiking and you don't calculate your time right or just get held up, it's much easier to hike rough trails in the dark with a headlamp and both hands free...the only issue is bugs attracted to your face.

ROCK6
 
ROCK6 said:
Even if you're day-hiking and you don't calculate your time right or just get held up, it's much easier to hike rough trails in the dark with a headlamp and both hands free...the only issue is bugs attracted to your face.
Click to expand...
I made a strap with a Fastex buckle for a headlamp that goes around, or attaches to, the shoulder straps on my backpacks(in this case through the webbing on a MR Dragonslayer), since I do some night hikes.
imgp2999s.jpg
 
I usually carry too much and this is no exception- For dayhikes, I carry an Invoa 5, USCG DCell strobe and 2 chemlights- one 12 hour low level and one 2 hour bright light.

Bill
 
I usually take my H600 with me (top light in the pic) this time of year as it's usually dark by the time i'm back to the car.

IMG_0356.jpg



I don't tend to take it when i'm taking the dog for a walk in the summer if it's only a quick walk.
But if i'm going further or discovering new paths i'll take it with me as it takes up very little space and i tend to go into any new caves i find.


Also take a spare battery with me so i have just under 3 hours use on high, or it'll last till the morning on medium or low.
 
ROCK6 said:
Even if you're day-hiking and you don't calculate your time right or just get held up, it's much easier to hike rough trails in the dark with a headlamp and both hands free...the only issue is bugs attracted to your face.

ROCK6
Click to expand...
Have you hiked in the dark with a headlamp? I've heard you can lose depth perception with headlamps due to lack of shadows. Have you experienced that?

For me I carry a photon led on my keychain with quick detach biner for day hikes. If I need to be hands free I can just stick the plastic biner in my mouth and that works great. For camping I add a AA flashlight for the throw like the OP mentioned. I, for whatever reason, cannot stand headlamps.
 
I take reading material everywhere I go, and I learned a while ago the head lamps are way better than using my flashlight to bounce light off of a wall, or hang it off of a branch or clip to the visor of my hat.

My reasoning is I'll take a a low lumen headlamp that's light and comfortable, that I can use for anything from checking on the kids to reading while not waking the person next to me and I travel on airplanes enough to remember that their overhead lights suck for night flights, and after the TSA took a couple minutes evaluating whether or not my "tactical flashlight" would be a danger or not, it's a safer bet in some instances.

Also in the last few months we've taken several road trips and a low light headlamp I can check a map without destroying my eyesight.

I think for general purpose a head lamp is better, but if I really want to see what's going on further off I'll pull out my larger, heavier more battery intensive flashlight, which I will be able to find in my backpack.... because I'll be wearing my head lamp. :D
 
OwenM said:
I made a strap with a Fastex buckle for a headlamp that goes around, or attaches to, the shoulder straps on my backpacks(in this case through the webbing on a MR Dragonslayer), since I do some night hikes.
imgp2999s.jpg
Click to expand...


Good idea, I'll have to try that sometime. :thumbup:

Skimo said:
[...]I think for general purpose a head lamp is better, but if I really want to see what's going on further off I'll pull out my larger, heavier more battery intensive flashlight, which I will be able to find in my backpack.... because I'll be wearing my head lamp. :D
Click to expand...

Haha true. I put tritium fobs on all my lights I want to be able to find in the dark. It works well, especially if you wake up in your tent in the middle of the night and need a light.
 
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