Torches

[yowee]

No doubt this has been asked before, but what would be a good powerful torch it obviuosly needs to be tough and waterproof, but I don't want to spend mental money, The L4 Luma looks good but the price is very scary, I think I'd rather just walk around in the dark, any ideas of cheaper but comprable items, at the moment I have a mini maglight and a tac tikka plus, the later being excellent, thanks for any help you can offer! :wave:

[tomtom]

yowee.. im not a tourch expert.. they are not realy one of the "bushcraft essentials" why not the the tourch section over on www.britishblades.com good luck! :wink:

[familne]

How about the Inova T2 or T3? Inova T3 is great, very robust, good throw, about £46.

[TheViking]

I agree with tomtom here, they're not essential for several reasons. (best task I've found for one was searching my dark rucksack inside)
When you need one it would probably be at night, where it's dark, but you will probably have a fire going already and this one close to your shelter.

Setting up camp should be done before sundown, I have tried to set up a bivouac when it was almost totally dark, with just a little tiny torch (maglite solitaire) and it wasn't funny as it resulted in wet gear (and we had 4 days to go). So even though they provide light, it's not as good as daylight and human vision. They also ruin nightvision, though there is a trick to avoid this.

But... You might just wanna take a look here. I haven't tried it though, but it's worth a read. I have a Maglite Solitaire and i'm not very pleased. The light is poor and the range also. The mini is much better and more powerful. But I know a lot in here dislike Maglites. :wink:

My thoughts.

[Tantalus]

mini maglite led conversion kits dont give you much more light but raise the runtime to about 14 hours from 2xAA batteries so they are worth a thought

also there are led models running off 1x AA

Premierlight or Inova at Heinnie Haynes

I think Joe at Outdoor Supplies also has Inovas and Conversion Kits for minimag

Lithium 123 batteries seem to give loads more light but less runtime

Personally I dont use a torch if I am out and about unless i have to, but it is nice to know that it is in my pocket and ready to work.

I like the AA option best cos rechargeables are easy and available

May even invest in a solar recharger and save me draining the national grid lol

Tant

[Squidders]

I have a few ranging from a 100m 50w diving torch to a petzl tikka plus head torch...

For general use I take the head torch as I can rummage all I like with both hands free and for a little more throw as was mentioned I have one of the green US type 2 x D cell right angle jobbies, it cost me less than a tenner, it's water proof and it works fine.

I know other torches are built better like maglite or whatever but they all seem a little over priced for something i'll probably lose anyway :?:

[CLEM]

I say Squidders,that right angle torch of yours is it part of your kit that you brought back to the world after your tour in Nam.

[Squidders]

to this day I still get flashbacks from totnam!

[CLEM]

Never get out of the boat Squidders,never get out of the boat. ):

[Squidders]

hey, I was only giving what I think to be sound advice... on a cheap and useful torch... I could have gone off on the latest 1000 quid gucci brushed aluminium monster with 1billion candle power and a centuries battery life.

it must be "national be mean to Joe day" today :roll:

[CLEM]

No no Squidders mate i was just having a joke.Anyhow i got one of those right angle torches myself to go with me jungle boots,Mitchel pattern helmet,issue BDUs,m16 and me Full metal jacket and platoon DVDs. ):

Really ive got one of these torches myself,dunno if its a real issue version mind you.But to be fair it does the job and dident cost that much either.

[dchinell]

Yowee:

I really like the Petzl Zipka-Plus headlamp. It has various brightness modes and runs on AAA batteries. But the honest truth is that I use it more around the house than in the woods.

In the woods I like the Photon II or Photon III or Photon Freedom. Usually in red or green to save my night vision. They're all the same size and shape, but have different switches and operating modes.

I put one on a string and put it over my neck just before bedding down. Then it's where I need it for visiting the trees at two in the morning.

Just one caution, though. If you do get a non-white one for night use, consider adding a second one with white light to your first aid kit. If you cut yourself at night, it's usefull to be able to see where you're bleeding. Can't do that well with a red light.

There are a lot of inexpensive LED lights at Countycomm (the site I referred you to above). They're not Photons, but I've heard good reports about them as a low cost value.

Bear

[Leon]

Try this site but beware, you're dangerously close to a new addiction!
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/

[maddave]

Can't beat the Petzl Tikka Plus for me :biggthump

[Pete E]

I saw a Black Diamond 5 led head torch along the lines of the Peztl for £17 the other day and that looked a good buy. Soldier of Fortune in Chester also does a 3 led copy of the Peztl for about £9 and its in olive green too!

[boaty]

Can't beat the Petzl Tikka Plus for me :biggthump

Yep, I'm another fan of the Tikka Plus - I've found that wearing it over my cap means that the peak stops the light from the torch spilling into my eyes

[george]

Petzl tikka plus for me too.

Lightweight - reasonably bright on full (well bright enough for the woods, I use a petzl duo on the hill where you might need to see longer distances) batteries last for ages on low, small and robust.

George

[alick]

I'm a two torch kinda guy. Something LED for walking and chores around camp (long battery life) and something with some grunt in case I need to see out one or two hundred yards to search for people, kit or the right path.

I'm not out so much that the cost of the battery overrides all else so I use an inova 24/7 LED (high & low level white, red, and various stobes) which I can clip to my jacket or put on a headband plus a surefire. These both run on CR123 lithiums (lots of energy = bright &/or long life) and are both waterproof against rain or dropping in rivers.

I've recently got a tikka plus headlamp for my daughter - it's great - lighter and cheaper than the 24/7 but not quite as bright and versatile.

A 2 cell / 60 lumen Surefire like the 6P model will amaze you the first time you see one. It's surprisingly small - shorter but fatter than a minimag - but like holding a car headlight when you need to find your tent from a field away. LED's just can't do this. Shop carefully and they're not that dear.

After buying the 6P, I couldn't resist the longer 200 lumen version (C3) but that's a whole different story. You definately don't need one of those for bushcraft !

Cheers

[Brendan]

Ok main use camp torch petzl tac tikka plus
Torch when I need lots of light ie. lost kit, or looking for decent log in the middle of the night surefire 6p or G2 Nitro
and as a back up photon 2 or 3 one green one red

[bushwacker bob]

mini maglight look-a-like.2 x AA batteries. £2.99 from Texaco garages including 2 duracells and a spare bulb. if you loose it,so what!

[Stuart]

but like holding a car headlight when you need to find your tent from a field away. LED's just can't do this.

Not entirely true.

A 5 watt batwing LED from lumileds with a lens to refine the beam into a spot will throw a beam over a huge distance.

cavers using a single 5 watt LED have found it too powerful as the scatterback hurts their eyes :shock:

they are also much more efficient, these and future generations of LEDs will replace incandecant bulbs in the next few years.

[alick]

OK ... fair cop ):

You're absolutely right that 5w luxeon LEDs are pretty pokey and surefire have launched the first LED light that they consider powerful enough to be classed as a "tactical" light (about 100 lumens).

The caving thing is a matter of application. For short range work, low powers are fine - that's why tikka's are so good around camp. It's when you need reach that you need high output because intensity falls off with the square of the distance. In most caves, most of the time you're only looking a few feet ahead. In a big cavern, a high power light is fine. I've used mine in some of the bigger chambers in Derbyshire and they light up the whole place a treat.

Without a doubt LEDs are the future, but my impression is that today it is only a relatively small and fairly pricey minority of LED lights that give really high levels of output. Right now, I'd still not hesitate to buy another P6 if I lost mine.

Anyone seriously interested in flashlights should go check out www.candlepowerforums.com . They'll help you spend anywhere from pennies to hundreds. Obviously flashlights can be as addictive as knives :biggthump

[Lost in civilisation]

The petzl tikka is also available in a military version with a red lens cover to save your nightsight.

Here is a website that is a really good source of independent reviews of flashlights, it is absolutely massive

http://ledmuseum.home.att.net/ledleft.htm

[sandbender]

This site has fairly in depth reviews of almost every brand and model there is...

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/index1.html

Clearly a chap with a lot of spare time.

[brucemacdonald]

Photon II in white light and Photon III in red. Main light is a Petzl Micro which has an adjustable beam.

I have several mini Maglites but they seem to break as soon as you look at them. I use one for astronomy with a red lens and the batteries run out, the bulbs blow or they break if the kids get hold of them.

Best wishes

Bruce

[shinobi]

The petzl tikka is also available in a military version with a red lens cover to save your nightsight.

It's called the "Tactikka." I've got one. Bloomin' good lamp. :biggthump It also saves everyone elses night sight as well when you forget you've got it on !!!

Cheers,

Martin

[beachlover]

It's called the "Tactikka." I've got one. Bloomin' good lamp. :biggthump It also saves everyone elses night sight as well when you forget you've got it on !!!

Cheers,

Martin

I second that. I have one and apart from the red (still see in the dark soon after) feature, the batteries seem to last forever and when you use it as a torch in white light mode it is pretty impressive too.

[Andy]

which was a God send at ashdown

I have a hate for head torches. I've used mini mags with a head band when I need two hands and the rest of the time I'll control a torch in a way that wont blind others. I'll use my nuwai on the same headband

I have a few torches which get used a fair bit

photon copy- handy for on your keys. (£2)A cool small torch is the streamlight keymate (about £10)

nuwai QIII - everyone should get one. They claim 75lumens but thats not the real output. The output for the size is great guys on candlepower forums seem to think about 6times a mini mag (run time of about 2hours)Cost about £20 if you ship from the US (you should be able to just get one through customs without tax)

streamlight twin task -low power LEDs that run for a long time (claimed 28hours)or a normal bulb for the grunt factor(claimed runtime of 2.5hours). On the high power mode it's about the same as a surefire 6P or G2 (again this costs about £20)

The last two run on the funny CR123 cells that are a bit shorter and wides then a AA cell.
I'm not really a torch guy but I like good tools. These cover all my needs. Any more then this and it's just getting silly. I didn a lot of research into them before getting them though

The photon copy lives on my keys for when I don't really expect to need a torch, the nuwai is living on my belt as it's cool new toy but I think I'll leave it in a coat pocket later and the streamlight comes with me when I know I'll want a torch

[SquirrelBoy]

It's called the "Tactikka." I've got one. Bloomin' good lamp. :biggthump It also saves everyone elses night sight as well when you forget you've got it on !!!

One thing I do with head torches is to hang it round my neck when in company. This way you dont accidently blind someone you talk to but still have a light on to see what your doing.
Just a thought :biggthump

[steven andrews]

I am bit of a torch fetishist. I prefer a floodlight over a spot 99.9% of the time. Runtime is also important.
Around the basha area its the Petzl Tikka Plus for me. The low setting is bright enough for walking about, collecting firewood and personal admin. As the batteries start to die (which takes a loooong time) I boost to medium and then to high setting. The brightness selector is a great feature.

I also like the Inova X5T, UK4AA eLED, Streamlight 4AA 7LED and Opalec Newbeam conversion for the MiniMag. All great "task" lights.
I keep an Arc AAA about my person as back-up.

My torches with bigger throw rarley get used and don't generally get taken out into the woods.

Andy mentioned the Streamlight Twin Task 2L. I have one on the way. It seems to get good press.