What torch

[CM Burns]

no means to post photo as I'm at work but I've just checked my backpack (I cycle to work) and have discovered that I have got the following items with me today (most of which I'd forgotten were still in the bag after a weekend trip...)

M6 (with MN21)
M3 (with MN11)
A2
ARC LSHF
Peak Solutions Matterhorn (not quite the build quality of an ARC AAA but superior output)

Leatherman Wave
SOG Crosscut
Large Sebenza
Lone Wolf Jeff Angelo Fluted Folder
AW Tamarack
Bisonbushcraft Woodcraft (with sumptuous curly birch handle)



piccie to follow....

 

[steven andrews]

For bushcraft I find that I rarely need much throw, so I favour LED lights with a good flood and a long runtime.
I use a Petzl Tikka Plus headtorch and usually have an MiniMag fitted with an Opalec Newbeam LED conversion as back-up, and an Arc AAA to back that up.

My Surefires stay at home/work.

 

[Sickboy]

Personally i always carry a petzl zipka, had the same batteries in it for longer than i can remember, stunning! Otherwise it's my black diamond headtorch, can't remember the name of it but it's got a xenon bulb for the distance work and 2 led's for the close up work, runs on three AA's, more comfortable on the head than the bigger petzl's but at the best part of £50 i'm glad i got a 40% discount

 

[CM Burns]

Personally i always carry a petzl zipka, had the same batteries in it for longer than i can remember, stunning! Otherwise it's my black diamond headtorch, can't remember the name of it but it's got a xenon bulb for the distance work and 2 led's for the close up work, runs on three AA's, more comfortable on the head than the bigger petzl's but at the best part of £50 i'm glad i got a 40% discount

i've got a BD with single xenon and LED - runs off 4 AA's. Not over impressed with the xenon but often use it on LED around camp. being a larger unit than is usual on a headlamp it has a decent reflector which works well with the LED. Heavy & bulky though!

 

[Wayland]

For bushcraft I find low level illumination much better for finding stuff as it leaves your night vision reasonably intact.

I hate head torches because they blind you to everything outside the illuminated area.

I hate them even more on other people as they inevitably shine the things straight into your dark adapted eyes :twak:

Why people want to light up the wilderness like a football ground defeats me.

What's wrong with a campfire and a candle lantern?

 

[steven andrews]

I hate head torches because they blind you to everything outside the illuminated area.

Lost me there..
Doesn't any torch do that?

 

[mojofilter]

no means to post photo as I'm at work but I've just checked my backpack (I cycle to work) and have discovered that I have got the following items with me today (most of which I'd forgotten were still in the bag after a weekend trip...)

M6 (with MN21)
M3 (with MN11)
A2
ARC LSHF
Peak Solutions Matterhorn (not quite the build quality of an ARC AAA but superior output)

Leatherman Wave
SOG Crosscut
Large Sebenza
Lone Wolf Jeff Angelo Fluted Folder
AW Tamarack
Bisonbushcraft Woodcraft (with sumptuous curly birch handle)



piccie to follow....

You are certainly well prepared! :You_Rock_

Please post a pic

 

[CM Burns]

OK!

[/IMG]

 

[CM Burns]

and here's my pride and joy...

[/IMG]

the M6 not Homer!

hmm... must clean that screen

 

[CM Burns]

forgot to mention that i slagged off Petzl headlamps earlier...

the new issue of TGO (the great outdoors...) (Nov 2005) has a review of headlamps - the Tikka XP gets the "best buy" award and the Myo XP "recommended"!

my Princton Tec EOS also gets a "recommended" but the Petzls are rated better in the writeup.

Note that this is an excellent issue - includes reveiws on GPSs and large backpacks too! Highly recommended!!

(edited to add full title of magazine...)

 

[Wayland]

Lost me there..
Doesn't any torch do that?

The problem with head torches is that they constantly illuminate an area in the centre of your field of vision.

A normal torch that is used to do something and then turned off allows your night vision to recover much faster.

I use torches for a bare minimum of time, usually just to find something I cannot find by feel or night vision. Even when I do that I keep my dominant eye closed while the light is on.

Of course what then happens is someone with a searchlight strapped to their head will blind me completely by having a chat with me and wondering why I'm scowling....

 

[steven andrews]

Wayland, I think you are being a little unfair on the headtorch! A headtorch can be turned off just as easily as a hand-held torch and you can get headtorches with low output options.
You don't have to leave your headtorch turned on all the time, but when you do need a little light it is great to have two hands free.

I understand that you hate unnecessarily large light outputs and people shining lights in your face. I couldn't agree with you more.
But it's not really the fault of the headtorch.

 

[Carcajou Garou]

I carry a mini mag with a red filter when hunting and going to an area or stand, and have a compact 2-c cell krypton bulb flashlight for other uses. In my pack and clothing are a few photon tube lights for E use.

 

[Exploriment]

German site, so the text is probably a no go for most of you, but the pictures are very interesting. Comparison of various Sure-Fire (as well as a few other) lights. The picture of the L4 in the parking garage left me slackjawed.

Sure-Fire comparison photos

 

[Ed W]

Ok then does anyone know of a good site to get either an L1 or an E1 with LED head.

Thanks.

 

[running bare]

i agree with wayland, a small maglite can be aimed at the ground instead of at someones eyes and is small enuf to hold in the teeth keeping your hands free.
all these fancy torches are ok but you gotta admit you cud spend the money on other kit,surely.? or a right angled mil.torch can be clipped to your clothing plus it has filters.

tom

 

[mojofilter]

Ok then does anyone know of a good site to get either an L1 or an E1 with LED head.

Thanks.

You can get an L1 here http://www.tacticaltorches.com/torches.htm

Or a KL1 head and VG 1 cell body here http://www.lighthound.com/

The VG body and the KL1 head looks like this and is about 92mm long!

 

[Hellz]

Lighthound are very good to deal with

The KL1 + VG1 body is a lovely combo with approx 1 hour burn time, if you go for a two cell body this jumps to about 4 hours.

This is my experience with the older style KL1's so not sure if it's still relevant.

Hellz

 

[Ropeman]

I'd add another possibility if you are going to Lighthound: A KL1 head with an Aleph 1x123 body and a two stage tailcap. cheaper and so very much cooler than an L1.

edit: Okay, it's the same price as an L1 ($120ish) but ten times cooler.

Excellent link by the way Exploriment

 

[Ed W]

Thanks mojofilter I think I'll go for the Vg 1 body with Kl 1 head. It is the Vg Fb 1 isn't it?