Or, put your batteries in your headlamp just prior to use.

One trick people used to do was reverse the batteries in the old mag lights. But you don't want to try that with the new LED lights. Not good to the circuitry.

Also the lights (or any electronics) with the push button on/off switches can turn on too easy.

My backup light is a "Pak-Lite".  It is a couple of LEDs with a switch, mounted on a bit of plastic that snaps onto the top of a 9 volt battery. The 9v battery, along with a little steel wool, is also my emergency fire starter.  The pak-lite can be found at (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links);  It is small, light, and seems to last forever.  I have had one for several years.  I use it as light in my tent at night to provide a bit of general light.  I just have the basic model, and it seems like the battery lasts forever.

Quote:


I like these. 2 for $7.
Clip to hat/collar. They come with a plastic shield between battery and terminal so they can't be left on accidentally. Side switch takes a little effort to activate but you could re-use plastic shield if you wanted too.
Perfect for fishing at night or camp chores after dark.
I took one of them and put a piece of that auto emergency brake light tape and now have a vision saving red light.
I don't know how water- resistant they would be in a downpour, but they're not meant for that anyway.
Make a good tent/reading light too.
One thing.  Replacement batteries are as much as new lights, so I'd just go that route.

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Solus wrote on Sep 15^th, 2013 at 3:57am:


Solus, I'll have to give that light a look. I've got a Black Diamond lantern and it's very well thought out too.

Is it bright enough to do any night XC skiing?
100 lum sounds bright

i have a hat with LED lights built into the brim as my primary (need it randomly) light. absolutely LOVE it. has an on/off button on the bill for easy use with an on/off switch on the batteries. switch is shut off until close to dark and then it comes on. this way i dont accidentally hit the button mid day and burn my batteries.

i have a tiny lantern for in the tent(one per tent) (size of a soda can) for that ambient glow for killing the pesky inside the tent skeeters.

i also carry a small 9 bulb led flashlight the size of 2 C batteries that runs off of 3 AAA's in a battery pack. that battery pack also fits into my backup headlamp.

I have used the Pelican 2220 VB3 for several years now and am still on the original batteries. I leave one hanging on the ridge line in my hammock so it will be there next year.  I also carry one in a day pack in case I get into camp after dark again.  It will not come on in a pack.
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

After all the rave reviews I kept hearing, I replaced my mini mag with a headlamp when I found a cheap walnut size waterproof one I could clip to my shirt. (No more drool!)

The clip broke mid trip but my fanny pack happened to have a clip that still works perfectly for clipping it to my hat. The thing I don't like is you lose depth perception with a light that close to your eyes. I'll hold mine in my hand when walking around at night unless I know the terrain. Four button batteries for it are ~$8 but it's small and they last way more than 1 trip.

I use it at 1/4 power but I only notice they do cut the power by strobing the light when I pour water.

I like to come back to camp after dark too. One year we were up at the campsite at the top of Chatterton and the sky was still interesting once we thought we should get back to camp.

Well, that interesting sky made things so damn dark that I missed the turn for our island and we ended up searching in vain for our 'easy to spot at night' campsite. It was a very uneasy feeling and my wife freaking out didn't help. She spotted the our island with her flashlight as I was looking at the map and both ideas together took some of our anxiety away.

It's big with 4 AAs but it's a lantern and a spot and I've come to consider it good insurance for the next time I encounter unexpected problems. I expect it would blind a bear for a while too!