If you could only bring one light with you on a hiking trip what would it be?
I was just curious as I am about to embark on a solo trip along the Appalachian trial. I’m leaning toward a armytek wizard pro NW but the price tag is tough to swallow. An alternative I am on the fence about is the skillhunt h02r, but I am concerned with its durability as my life may depend on the light.
What are your thoughts?
If you are going to be out of reach and could find yourself in a dire situation then....the first rule is to have a backup of what is important. 2 lights, several batteries, rifle, pistol, 2 boxes of ammo....etc.
I would carry an EE X6 or an LS D80 or a Convoy C8 and an H02R
Thanks for the input bugsy36. I am unfamiliar with the EE X6 and the LS D80. A quick google search doesn’t find anything. Do these lights have longer full names?
Edit- I found the LuckySun D80. It looks like a nice light for sure, but unfortunately, it will be too heavy.
I will definitely have some sort of lightweight spare. Since I am backpacking, weight is a concern. Otherwise I would bring my convoy M1 with noctigon and Qlight driver in addition to a headlamp.
I would pick a good, durable angle light (like the H02R) and then take 2 of them. When you’re cutting weight you really do have to be very selective, but a flashlight, a knife, and matches/firestarter are the things I would take 2 of.
Just get the Armytek Wizard. No need to get the Pro version. I love mine. I carry mine daily.
Considerably less cost, excellent deep carry clip. Can be carried on the head, or clipped just about anywhere on the body.
I’d bite the bullet and go with the pro. Also, as mentioned, have a back up light.
dave101,
I thought that the pro version was the only one to have a sub lumen low. It looks like both versions have it. Your right, I don’t really see a reason to buy the pro.
Do you feel it has enough throw for night hiking in the woods?
I have the Wizard Pro and can recommend it. The problem with it on a camping trip is how to recharge the cells. If you have that covered, go with it. Otherwise stick to AA or AAA lights.
I only need to make it for a week between recharges. I figure 3 18650s should cover me. I’ll take along a miller usb charger to charge when I get power access.
When I started backpacking in the California Sierra Nevada, I carried only a candle, matches to start a camp fire and a wrapped up pairing knife. I later got a 1xAA and then a CR123a incandescent and a small pocket knife. Later on, I also used a candle lantern.
Now, I might take my CNQ/Ahorton 18650 with the 7d tint, a rubber diffuser, a spare 18650, a CR123a light, my two group 2x7135 driven SS-5039 10440 and an Inova red button light. Or I might go light and leave out the CNQ. The button cell light is about as bright as the Tekna CR123a incandescent.
Perhaps conditions in Eastern mountains are different.
I would bring TK75 with extender tube… as it has good flood and throw and Nitecore HC50 for close up work … like setting up tent, cooking and stuffs
I can vouch for the Armytek headlamp/task lamp. It throws a punchy wall of light on turbo; instant access to turbo as well as momentary turbo allows you to conserve battery life by using a lower mode 99% of the time.
While the Wiz Pro throws an all-around useful beam I recommend that your backup light throw a tighter beam by using an XP-G2 for further throw with lower battery drain in case you absolutely NEED to see far away for extended periods.
More than enough for the immediate area. Remember, this is not a thrower. It’s intended to throw out a wall of dispersed light, and that it does.
I really cannot understand, as an hiker myself, some of the comments. Anyway, to each its own.
If I were to carry only one light (which I would try to avoid because of a minimum of redundancy for safety reasons) I would carry a floody headlamp.
Choose one depending on batteries you wish to use. And at least bring some spare batteries 
If you use the light only when needed and not at full power all the time, 3 18650s could last you a very long time. In the pitch dark woods, you can use a low mode 99% of the time and see just fine.
I’ve been very happy with my Wizard Pro. The Only two minor complaints I have is that I didn’t get the warmer tiny version. I got the white light which is fine but at the same time I bought the Wizard I also purchased a Spark in warm tint which is just so much nicer on the eyes. I’ve never been a tiny snob but when you have two lights side by side, you will tend to grab the nicer tint one.
The other minor gripe I have is the Pro is the more floody version yet is still not pure flood. The Spark is more floody so I carry that one at work. I use my Wizard at home and if I’m go out in the woods at night. Works great.
My Spark is the SD-6 460nw
http://goinggear.com/spark-sd6-460nw-xm-l-t6-neutral-white-460-lumen-flood-headlamp-7471.html
It is a great work headlamp. Nice neutral tint and lots of flood.
Doesn’t seem to have the battery life of the Wizard or the power but I’ve not done any tests, that is just my impression.
It is a good headlamp and I enjoy it. My first Spark was a ST-6 (spark uses terrible model names)and it would overheat and not work correctly on high. I gave it to a co-worker who only wanted to use it on low/med anyway so he was happy. I almost got a bad impression of Spark because my first light was junk. The SD-6 is a good light but at the same price of the Wizard, I would just go with that.
If you’re taking along a Miller 102 charger and a couple of spare batteries you should take along a Mini usb too.
Mine works great with the Miller charger and has a very long run time on low and bright enough on high esp. in the woods.
Just put it in your pocket or keychain and forget about it.
One flashlight, so it has to always work, 18650 battery for a good amount of energy, have a good low low to save battery and in case you need to save your night vision, uses current regulation for efficiency, has a bit of throw to see what is going on around you and to find the track
Hmm, that comes out on one of my least interesting flashlights: the Nitecore P12 (neutral version) . In a flashoholic point of view it is boring: my Olight S20 is a much smaller single 18650 light, my UF1405mod throws 40 times as far, my Shadow sc300 DD MT-G2 mod puts out 3 times as much light, my 96CRI SSL80 modded sk68 has noticably better colour reproduction. But you can not have it all in one flashlight and this one is pretty good in everything and at least it looks like it is very reliable.
I find zoomies the most versatile for hiking and camping. I usually use them in the flood mode around camp, hang ’em up in tress for good even light over the stove. Don’t like hotspots when walking with lights either, so zoomies suit me well.
Can be zoomed for focused beam of needed, but so far never needed. The ones I use might not be watertight, but they can handle rain and even being dropped into water for a brief moment. I wouldn’t rely on just one though.
Chose only one? That's easy - Moonlight. Clear sky, full moon of course.
(This does put a crimp in what nights you can go hiking though...)