trail lights

[25-06]

The other day I was at popular and saw some little lights that clamp on the rim of your hat. To me that seems like a pretty neat idea. Anybody use them?

[bullwidgeon]

My uncle uses one of those Petzl Head lamps that goes on your hat. He likes it. I have not found one cheap enough for me to buy in LED yet. I have sworn off regular lights and will only use LEDS after chucking 72 different busted mini mags off the side of cliffs a long ways from the truck in the dark out of anger .

 

Bret M.

[Guest Ernesto C]

Those little lights are very help full specially if you have to field dress your game in the dark.But for trails I use my head lamp,more light and also hands free too.

 

Ernesto C.

[WHT_MTNMAN]

When I worked at popular I tried about everything and I think any light that is hands free is good. I only own the LED head lamps though, they are plenty bright for hiking, working in the dark and use alot less power than a regular bulb. I like the ones with their own strap so that if I don't want to wear a hat I can still wear it hands free.

[Grey Hawk]

I own the Teika made by petzl, and let me tell you it is worth it's weight in gold. I picked it up at popular for around $27.00.It will stay on for 50+ hours on 3 AAA batteries.The L.E.D have a life time expectancy of 150+ hours.Bottom line it's the best and most reliable light I own.

[az4life]

I have had one of the camping lights that uses a headand style strap on it for about a year. SUPER items as it has LED and Halogen depending on what you need at the time. LONG life on LED gives decent light and keeps you hands free!

[CHD]

.25-06, excellent topic and one that I have been wondering about for a while. I have butchered several bull elk and one bull shiras moose after dark the last few years, all by my lonesome. I have no experience with cap-held lights, and am anxious to hear more. I do believe that the LED lights seem to be the best due to long lifetime expectancy and minimal power requirements while broadcasting decent light. Also, the handheld? lights build up your jaw muscles, lol. I have been using a Streamlight flashlight that uses 4 AAA cells and has 6 bulbs and is reasonably lightweight.

 

The best thing, however..................is to take the time to get back to camp and return with your Coleman lantern (and extra fuel and mantles) and flashlights and proper butchering tools with you and do it right, even if it takes longer. I have spent several nights out bent over a carcass @ 1:00AM taking my time. Nothing can compare to the heartache and turmoil of slicing your hand wide open due to laziness and lack of patience. It is definitely worth the extra time and trouble to be safe and preserve your hunting and family opportunities forever.

 

CHD

[az4life]

I recall 3 years ago, abuddy of mine shot a 320 6x6 elk in 6a at dusk. It took off and by the time I got to my buddy, it was dark. We only had 2 small flashlites (2 lights with 2 AA batts with us, so off we went. Extra batteries in our pockets.

 

About 45 minutes and only 150 yards away, in the dark, we found the big bull. We spend the next several hours trading who would hold the lights, and dressing and dragging that elk back to the truck which was on the FS road. I left the truck running for hours so we could find the road by using the headlights as a guide. We were only 300-400 yards off the road, downhill over 2 fencelines but the forest was thick and we had to leave our flashlites on a long time. We went through 28 of the AA batteries that night and finally got the elk into the trailer and back to camp around 11:30pm. Last year I still found some of the Dead batteries in my backpack or coat pockets.

 

My point is the LED lights with hands free feature would have been VERY helpful, and I won't go huntng without one again. Probably would have used 4 batteries for the same time with LEDs.

[CouesWhitetail]

I have the Tikka model made by Petzl and it's great. It doesn't clip on your hat, but is a headband type. It runs on 3 tiny AAA batteries and lasts a long time. It has three LED lights that put out a soft light that doesn't overwhelm your vision at night. It is very lightweight. It's enough light to walk around at night, but it's not a real bright spotlight type of headlamp. I use a stronger one for my wildlife work at night, but for camping/hiking/hunting, I think this one is great.

 

Amanda

Edited January 1, 1970 by CouesWhitetail

[bowsniper]

I recommend the Streamlight Green Trident head lamp. It has three lights in one compact head lamp that runs on 3 AAA batteries. It has a super bright "regular" light, and it has the white light LED light that run hundreds (thousands?) of hours. The third light is a green LED light that is incredibly useful to hike in the dark with. Human eyes see green light the best (that's why Night Vision is green). The green light makes it easy to hike into the dark without destroying your night vision. This has been the most useful piece of hunting equipment that I have purchased in a long time. I think that the Sportsman has them for about $28.

 

Here's a link: http://www.streamlight-flashlights.com/green-trident.html

 

Mark

[Dan H]

I have the Streamlight green/white also and have had no problems with it.

I usually always carry an old backup Princeton headlamp and those small Pulsar key chain superbright LED's.

 

Come'on Nov. 11th

 

Have fun,

Dan

[DesertBull]

I use one of these and they work great. I am still on the original batteries 2 years later!

 

Black Diamond

Edited January 1, 1970 by DesertBull

[.270]

i prefer a pitchy pine knot or a coleman lantern, if i need artificial light. best thing is wait until daylight to leave and get back before dark to a nice hot shower, some tv, dinner and a soft bed. i told you guys them big binoculars would git ya in trouble. ya see things futher away than ya need to be walkin'. Lark.

[25-06]

Thanks to each and everyone of you for your advice. I am sad to say that with too much money spent on this trip already I bought one from walmart for 12 bucks, and like the old saying goes ( you get what you pay for) keeps coming to mind. But then again its going to be a full moon most of my hunt, and probably wont need much light hiking anyway. Thanks Again.....Terry Lambeth

[Psychozar]

Terry,

 

Ace Hardware has hats that have lights built into the forehead portion of the hat. They seemed to be a pretty good setup. They offer different colors including camo. The cost was either $12 or $14.

 

 

Mark