Flashlights, Headlights & Lanterns

I've recently started using a new and innovative light for my backpacking trips called the Kriana Krill lamp, that are described below. This made me realize that I did not have anything posted within the web site on lighting for backcountry trips. So I've added this page to discuss the various options available to the backpacker, hopefully helping you make a decision about what would be right for you. Even with the best intentions, there may be times that you will be hiking and setting up camp in the dark. You'll want to be prepared! 

And speaking of being prepared, there is another little light that puts out some very impressive light for the least amount of weight possible. It is called the Proton and it is only about one inch long and nearly weightless! It's tiny enough to fit on a key chain in your pocket, so there is no reason to ever be without a flashlight. A friend of mine went on a rugged, cross-country day hike that lasted beyond daylight, but because he just happened to have the Proton with him, he and his friend got out without any mishaps. This would be an excellent item to keep in your backpack or fanny pack at all times.

When you are setting up your tent and cooking in the dark, it is nice to have both hands free. Yes, you can hold a flashlight in your mouth, but believe me, this will get old quickly and makes you feel like gagging. The most useful type of lighting in these situations is a headlamp. There are several different makers of headlamps,  one the best and most widely known for outdoor adventure is Petzl. REI also has two-AA and four-AA battery models that are great for backpacking. 

There are several things you should be aware of when using a headlamp. Remember that you have a Cyclops beam of light shining brightly from your forehead. Be careful when looking up to talk to someone, you'll blind them and totally ruin their night vision! I cannot tell you how irritating it is trying to talk to someone who is shining their light straight in your eyes. Many headlamps have the beam section on a hinge so you can face it downwards to avoid this problem. Try to remember to use it!

Another option for lighting is the flashlight. There are quite a few decent ones out there, such as MagLite, Pelican,  Coleman, Durabeam, Everyready, and Princeton Tec. (By the way, for those of you who own a Tekna or are looking for one, they have been bought out by Rayovac, the battery company.) My personal favorite flashlight is the Mini MagLite that uses 2AA batteries; it is nearly indestructible!

There are several reasons I like this one over all of the others. Because it is constructed of aircraft aluminum, it is very durable. This is important for me since it gets used in the rocky environment of Sahyadri mountains, and it has fallen a time or two (or three or four)! To turn it on or off, as well as for changing the beam from a flood to a spot light, you simply turn the head piece of the flashlight. There are no switches that break or turn on accidentally inside of your pack (using up your batteries). One of the nicest features is the spare bulb stored in the tail cap! And by removing the head piece completely and setting the flashlight inside to hold it, you have a 360° area light. And last, but not least, several companies make a webbing head strap that holds the Mini MagLite on your head, allowing you to keep your hands free. Available through the Campmor catalog was one model that held the mini-light in three different positions allowing you to aim the light where it was most useful. This model was called the Jakstrap and it was priced at $4.99 in the Late Spring 2000 catalog.

A problem with any headlamp or flashlight is that while helping you see things clearly within the beam of light, they prevent you from seeing anything outside of that circle. After turning the light off, it takes a while for your eyes to become adjusted to the dark again. I like to allow my eyes to adjust to the dark and use a light as little as possible. You'd be amazed at how much you can see if you use your night vision. I often hiked out at night, rarely using a light. If there is any moonlight at all, the more popular trails are very distinct and easy to follow. If you see someone hiking like that, do them a favor and don't shine your light into their eyes!

The main problem with the lights shown above is that they all require batteries. Batteries are heavy, expensive, and polluting, so I try to limit my use of them. Thanks to one of my hikers, I've recently discovered (and fallen in love with) Krill lamps, electroluminescent light sticks that do use two AA batteries, but you get 50 hours of light from them versus five to seven hours for the lights listed above. In addition, the bulb life is rated at 2000+ hours and often lasts for more than 3000 hours!

Without the batteries, the light weighs a mere ounce! Seriously! The Krill lamp is not bright enough for some things, but  it is, by far, the light I use most often. I carry the Mini MagLite for those times I need a very bright light but use the Krill for everything else. I've always carried an extra pair of batteries, now I just carry them in my Krill and use it in whatever situations I can. The Krill is especially useful during the heat of summer when I want to start hiking early to avoid the heat. These lights are ideal for night hiking! 

An unexpected but delightful surprise was the fact that wildlife is not bothered by the light at all! Ever wanted to see one of those ringtails always trying to get into your pack? Here's your chance!

If you've ever seen or used those chemical light sticks that you break to activate, then you'll know the kind of light you get from one of these lamps. Chemical lights have always been very lightweight, but unfortunately they are not reusable. Once used, they are worthless trash. You cannot turn them off either; they usually burn well into the night after you want to go to sleep. Krill lamps use a more powerful version of the technology used in Indiglo watches. They turn on and off by simply twisting the base. 

The light is night vision compatible, which makes it an excellent choice for night hiking and chores around camp. The light produced is soft and complements human night vision by stimulating the rods in your eyes. In contrast, the light from a flashlight stimulates the cones in your eye resulting in "night blindness" when you look away from the flashlight's illuminated area or turn it off. 

There are several different lamps and colors to choose from, but for backpacking purposes, I highly recommend the Green Extreme 180. The other colors are primarily used as markers for military and emergency service applications. They are extremely durable; I can vouch for that. If I can't break it, I don't think you will!

If you are looking for a brighter lamp to use just around camp, then you have a couple more choices. The first one is the candle lantern, shown to the left. They are not extremely bright, but if you have a light-colored tent, they are probably bright enough to read by. I have a Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight, which has white walls, making it very bright and much easier to read by candlelight. If your tent is darker colored, I wouldn't count on being able to read with the candle lantern; too much of light is absorbed by the darker material.

My main complaint with candles was that they could be very messy and inefficient. If I moved around inside of the tent and accidentally knocked the candle lantern hanging above, the wax would spill all over the inside of the glass globe. I do not know how often I ended up cleaning my globe, but it got tiresome. Also the candle would not always burn down to the end. So you ended up with a lot of messy wax that had to be carried out. 

I was introduced to an oil insert for the lantern. The use of advanced thermoplastics and high temperature adhesives led to the development of the Ultralight oil lantern and the Candoil oil insert. Now instead of burning candles, my Candoil insert uses lantern oil and fits into my candle lantern. You can use any lantern oil, but Ultra Pure™ oil burns cleanest and doesn't get smoky. It offers about 12 hours of light per fill up, which turns out to be much lighter in weight than carrying candles. The light is also much more even, and now if I knock the lantern, there is no mess. I have had oil seep out from under the lid, so I've begun carrying the oil separately in a tiny Nalgene bottle. It's definitely been worth the time it takes to transfer the oil to the lantern.

I have found an excellent resource for candles and oil lanterns. It makes sense since it's an earthquake preparedness web site, QuakePro: An Emergency Preparedness Site for Your Home and Business (http://www.quakepro.com/candles/index.htm).The same equipment that supports you on the trail can help you with disasters at home.

Another option for camp lighting is the combination butane/propane canister lantern. These have come far in the last few years. My first Camping Gaz lantern had a canister that could not be removed before the fuel was used completely. Now the canisters have a self-sealing connector so you can dismantle them in the middle of a tank. This is especially useful if you have a Camping Gaz Turbo stove that uses the same canister since they are interchangeable. Coleman also makes a similar style called the Peak 1 Micro Lantern (8.8 oz without fuel). Unfortunately Coleman recently purchased the Gas product line and it is more difficult to find the fuel. Apparently they only sell huge quantities, and this prevents many smaller stores from being able to carry the product.

One of the nicest features of either of these lanterns is that the light is bright and adjustable. They will also provide heat and light in a tent on a long winter's night.

Updated: 07/28/00