How much flashlight do you need for camping?

[Steve L.]

I have 22 flashlights, spot lights and head lamps. Most of them are Surefires (11) with a smattering of Streamlights, Fenix, Nitecore, Black Diamond, etc. (private brands like Cabelas and West Marine).

Most are CR123 powered though a couple of them have 18560 rechargeable batteries.

While camping, my everyday carry is a Surefire E1B, a small, fairly bright and light weight unit. I often clip it to my hat to free up my hands to carry a chair and such back from the evening campfire (one hand for the chair another for the walking cane I need these days to keep upright).

I've spend an unconscionable amount, both for the whole collection and for individual lights. No ex wife or children so I have some spendable income for toys. Collecting knives and flashlights are two of my passions.

[Rzrbrn]

Thanks, am checking out all the suggested flashlights

[k0wtz]

i want an old fashioned carbon light!!

bob

[WaltP]

I do have a good hand held flashlight, but I find I almost never use it, in favor of a good headlamp that keeps my hands free, The one bad feature of headlamps is the danger of pointing them directly at someone else and momentarily blinding them. It takes some care to avoid that

Walt

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

those insanely bright LED torches are extremely annoying when something nearby is flailing around with one.....

I'm glad someone said what I was thinking. Although I am sure none of the fine and respectful folks in this forum would do it, I am perturbed by some campers who wear those headlights on the foreheads and walk around at night lighting up the entire area, as well as the interior of my darkened camper, with what looks like multiple aircraft beacons. In fact it gets so bad sometimes I am almost surprised that some small plane has not attempted a landing at the campground.

I keep my smaller sized flashlight (torche) pointed down and in front of me when walking to the bathhouse (loo). If I have to use my headlight to have both hands free to do some work, I do try to keep it from lighting up other people's sites or campers. Its just the polite way to live in the woods.

[k0wtz]

do any of you watch those Alaskan shows the guys are wearing them in the middle of the day night I don't know? all staged but still interesting!


bob

[Captleemo]

How about all these police shows where the detectives get to the crime scene and out comes the flashlights. Why don't they just turn on the room lights if they are available.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Captleemo

How about all these police shows where the detectives get to the crime scene and out comes the flashlights. Why don't they just turn on the room lights if they are available.

Didn't they dust the switchplate for prints in that same show, and ID the murderer by his print left when he thoughtfully turned off the lights after killing someone? You don't want the prints from the cops on there also!

[k0wtz]

I never understand it either?

bob

[Jon Vermilye]

On the small flashlight side, I just replaced my 20 year old keychain flashlight with a Nitecore Tini. Slightly larger, but rechargeable, and about 100X brighter. I'm impressed!

[Alex Adams]

Originally Posted by gordon2

I'm glad someone said what I was thinking. Although I am sure none of the fine and respectful folks in this forum would do it, I am perturbed by some campers who wear those headlights on the foreheads and walk around at night lighting up the entire area, as well as the interior of my darkened camper, with what looks like multiple aircraft beacons. In fact it gets so bad sometimes I am almost surprised that some small plane has not attempted a landing at the campground.

I keep my smaller sized flashlight (torche) pointed down and in front of me when walking to the bathhouse (loo). If I have to use my headlight to have both hands free to do some work, I do try to keep it from lighting up other people's sites or campers. Its just the polite way to live in the woods.

The funny thing is if your headlamp is pointed out towards the woods, then you are not lighting the path immediately in front of you! I always angle my headlamp down so I can see the ruts and potholes and not break my ankle!

[k0wtz]

alex you haven't flashlighted until you go coon hunting and start chasing where they are when the dogs tree.

at 76 I am too old for that. oh on one of the alasken shows did you see the young guy building a log cabin by himself. I don't know if it was staged or not but if he was more power to him.

bob

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by WaltP

I do have a good hand held flashlight, but I find I almost never use it, in favor of a good headlamp that keeps my hands free, The one bad feature of headlamps is the danger of pointing them directly at someone else and momentarily blinding them. It takes some care to avoid that

Walt

when I'm in company, I put the headlamp upside down (so the switch si on the bottom) around my neck. this way it aims down, but can be tipped forward at 45 degrees or whatever works.

I've had a bunch of headlights, my new favorite is a Black Diamond Iota. very light, very compact, very soft edged wide even lighting field thats quite wide angle, its a rechargable (via microUS, and lasts for many many hours on a charge. its also dimmable. my one complaint is that it starts in high and you then have to dim it, but because its such a wide field light, that high isn't excessive. its more suitable as a walking/jogging light... for bicycling, I'd want something with more of a beam.

my other favorite flashlight currently, the 'EDC' (everyday carry) always in my left pocket, is one of these...
https://www.banggood.com/Astrolux-A0...p-1026854.html

Those were originally like $3.50 each in qty 4+ so I had ordered a half dozen and gave them away as christmas stocking stuffers. they take a single AAA, which lasts for over an hour on the brightest setting, something like 9 hours on the medium setting. you know its time to get a new battery when turbo and medium are about the same brightness.

[Alex Adams]

Originally Posted by k0wtz

alex you haven't flashlighted until you go coon hunting and start chasing where they are when the dogs tree. bob

Did something similar with Frogs when I was a kid without the dogs. You use the flashlight on them and they "Freeze".

Frog's legs are good eating.

[santacruzer]

What a great thread! My Significant Other thinks I'm a little bent for owning so many flashlights, I shall lead her to this site and let her know I'm not alone, and that this is quite normal behavior!

i still have my old Boy Scout flashlight from some 60 years ago...the L shaped monster you clipped on your belt or leaned against a log when putting your tent half together with another Scout.

[k0wtz]

all of us are a little odd aren't we?

bob

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by k0wtz

all of us are a little odd aren't we?

bob

HEY! I resemble that inference!!

:-p

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Alex Adams

Did something similar with Frogs when I was a kid without the dogs. You use the flashlight on them and they "Freeze".

Frog's legs are good eating.

When I was about 20 we had a coon treed on some steep rocky ground in NE Iowa. I was barreling down the hill when I hit an old three wire barb wire fence. I snapped off the ancient posts on each side of me and flipped around, suspended upside down because the wire had grabbed my lee rider cowboy jacket, my jeans and my pants leg. I was horizontal for a couple
seconds, then my clothes ripped out and I dropped about a foot and my head hit a rock. It was the first time I ever thought “man if this is what it’s like to play Professional football, I ain’t going out.” Got the coon and sold him for $3.50. The same ride would probably kill me today. We used a carbide light then and would wave our hand in front of the flame rapidly to make the coon look down. Now it’s all electronic with a gel battery and a flicker-spot mode on the switch.
Iowa Dave

[WaltP]

Ah yes, good old carbide lamps.
I happen to have a collection of about 200.

Walt

[John Linck]

Originally Posted by gordon2

I keep my smaller sized flashlight (torche) pointed down and in front of me when walking to the bathhouse (loo).

On the rare occasion when star light or moon light is not enough I carry a small LED flashlight with my finger blocking about 90% of its lumens. It allows an infinitely variable output. Night vision is a wonderful thing and is often endangered in campgrounds today.

John

Pic from Zion National Park campground