Walking in the Dark?

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blazink

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Jan 14, 2008
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I own at least a dozen flashlights, but I like to practice walking in the dark. Does anyone else do this? I got it from my dad who used to make us kids use flashlights as little as possible.
There are some tricks like using peripheral vision and stepping more carefully. If you are really good you can echolocate like a bat (no kidding!). If it is not too dark you can see a lot farther than the small circle of light cast by a flashlight. The longer you go without a light the better your eyes get in the dark, it can take 10-15 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust. Of course some people naturally have better night vision. Protecting your eyes with good sunglasses in bright conditions will help preserve night vision. It also helps to have young eyes.
I get especially annoyed when I am with someone who insists on using their flashlight in the full moon.
 
I've done my best to move in the dark with the least amount of light since reading Edward Abby's "Desert Solitaire" some twenty years ago. If you haven't read it, give it a try. You may find a kindred spirit there.
 
I have spent some pretty extensive time walking in the dark while in the military, and it is something that you do become more comfortable with as time goes by. I am a big believer in trying to use as much ambient light that is available to you for walking around. A flashlight in all reality is not needed for personal movement unless it is pitch black like inside a building with no windows or a moonless night with no ambient light source that your eyes can pick up. I also find spending a lot of time in dark environments helps take away ones natural fear of the dark.:thumbup:
 
in the military yes

in a survival situation it is better to sit tight and avoid making a wrong step and getting hurt
 
I do this too.
Mainly because where I live there isn't any other lights around.
I would say on most nights you can see things and the ground fairly well without a flashlight as long I'm not in the Thick woods.

Even then I still carry a Flashlight with me most of the time.

This is mostly for Bear, LOL Just to make him see spots before he eats me.
But in snake season I use a Flashlight more if I'm not wearing snake boots or high leather boots to see what I'm walking on.



Also I like not having lights around just to see the Stars.
People that live around dusk to dawn lights or live in town don't know what they are missing.
 
Its pretty dark out here at night with no city for tens of miles. In fall and winter its often happened that I visited the neighbor and stayed over for supper and have found myself having to walk home in the dark with nothing but stars or cloud cover. The eyes quickly adjust to the conditions. About the only time I need the flashlight or the bic lighter is to find the right key for the house door. It is amazing how much light is out there even on a moonless night.
 
I'll use a flashlight (or something else) for reading outdoors, or similar things, or if the situation calls for it, like trying to find someone or something as quickly as possible, but normally, I'll go with just my eyes and whatever light comes from the stars and the moon.
 
I do it all the time. Started in the military. Unless there is no ambient light or I am under a heavy tree canopy I often walk, hike and sit around camp with no headlamp on.

KR
 
I too do it all the time, I like to do it during hunting or camping trips especially.
 
That's one of the downsides to living near Chicago. I can read a book outside at midnight.
 
I used to do it when I was younger when there is a full moon or some ambient light. Now I can't afford to break or twist my ankle again. (I have done this many times) So now I use a headlamp and use the red lamp setting to try to preserve my night vision if I need to turn it off.
 
Definitely. Unless you really need to see where you're putting your feet.

And +1 on the echolocation.
 
Hiking around Mayan ruins in the dark I've looked up and followed the river of sky between the overhead canopy in order to stay on the trail. It was a wierd feeling to look up in order to walk forward but it worked.

Can someone explain how they echo-locate? Do you actually emit high-pitch squeaks like a bat? :confused:
 
I love to go hiking at night. I always carry a light with me just in case. There is only about one week a month where with a new moon that following some trail i rather have a light. Its all about leting your eyes get used to the dark and trusting your vision.

Sasha
 
The echo-locate works very well and its very easy to practice at.... When you go with a group of people make sure you walk in the back. When you hear someone says &**( . You know not to walk there. If you all of the sudden its dead Quiet around you. Then you know you are at the edge of a cliff and the big mouth fell down. The idea is to walk in big enough of a group so you can make it back before you run out of friends for the Eco-Locate. Thats it in a nut shell.

Sasha
 
Blind people use echolocation all the time. You can train yourself too. Of course, you will never be as good as a bat, or even a blind person. It works best with large flat hard surfaces, so maybee not so helpfull in the wilderness. I saw a piece on TV about this blind kid who made clicking noises to echolocate. The cane that many blind people carry can be used simalarly by tapping it and listening.
Try this exercise: As you walk by a building close your eyes and continue past the end of a wall, you should be able to detect a slight difference in ambient noise. I'm sure some people are naturally better than others.
Just do a google search on "human echolocation"
 
Yes, I've night-hiked quite a bit. I prefer to night-hike in areas and on trails that I'm already familiar with, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way.

I do take a flashlight on overnight camping trips. But it's for emergency only, like first aid or map-reading, and I've rarely used it. The trick is to remember that when it's dark, everything is still exactly where it was before.
 
Texas Slim said:
I've done my best to move in the dark with the least amount of light since reading Edward Abby's "Desert Solitaire" some twenty years ago. If you haven't read it, give it a try. You may find a kindred spirit there.
Click to expand...

I have read all Ed Abby's books...loved Desert Solitaire.:thumbup:
 
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