I try not to ever say anything bad about anybody or anything on this site because there is just so much good stuff to talk about but I want to comment on something I read last night.  Eastmans Hunting Journal is a magazine I like and read regularly.  In their most recent edition they have a gear list for hunters and they are not alone.   A lot of publications and sites put out gear lists and reviews or announce new gear at this time of year.  My beef with the Eastmans list and most others is that the author does not name names.  There are no specifics.  OK, a flashlight is a good recommendation, it is on my list too, but what flashlight.  Any flashlight.  No, not just any flashlight! 

Saving you some valuable time by giving you actionable information is one of the core principles that this site is built on.  With all my outdoor experience and 14 years of search and rescue work I can work up a complete list for a particular outing in about 20 minutes.  The tough part is in the details.  Which manufacturer?  Which model?  That is the difference with Hardcore Outdoor and it is the essence of recommending great gear.  I see this soft and fluffy generic approach all the time and it drives me crazy.  If you know what you are talking about then you should have no problem being specific.  I name names!  I take a stand.  I give you specifics.  I use the best equipment because my life depends on it and I am not afraid to tell you exactly what I like and use.   

I had a little back and forth with a guy on Monster Muleys recently about flashlights so let’s stay with that as an example for this discussion. 

The hot shot search and rescue teams will tell you that a flashlight is not just a good idea it is a necessity.  In fact it is so important that our Team’s rule was that each member had to have three sources of light because Murphy will ensure that two will fail at the worst possible time.  As an Airborne SAR Tech I have spent a lot of time at night hanging out the side of a Bell 407 or an OH-58 looking for knuckleheads, I mean lost subjects.  Your best bet for success in signaling is to do it at night on a high spot or out in the open.  Fires are great but they require close management and a certain amount of good timing or luck.  A fire in what is an otherwise dark wilderness area is very conspicuous.  Even a small fire is obvious to a helicopter crewman wearing night vision goggles (NVGs).  Imagine what a good flashlight beam will do when aimed at a search aircraft.  It is my opinion that, in terms of signaling, the flashlight is the most important piece of gear you carry.  So you can buy the cheapo from Wally World like the guy on Monster Muleys and take your chances or you can do it right and get what the professionals use.

Here are my picks.  Old habits die hard so I still carry three light sources.  First, is the Petzl e+Lite headlamp.  This ultralite LED light has a lock out switch, multiple brightness settings, a red LED for night and a flashing mode for signaling.  It is highly adjustable, weighs nothing and has a more than sufficient burn time of up to 45 hours.  As small as this thing is there is no excuse not to carry one. 

Second, the Petzl TacTikka Plus.  This is also an LED headlamp but it is a little heavier and brighter.  It has a flood beam with several brightness settings, a flasher mode and a flip down red lens for use at night.  This is and has been my primary light source since it hit the market several years ago and it has never let me down.  This is a very solid performer but then again pretty much everything Petzl makes is top notch. 

Third, is the Princeton Tec Impact II.  This small hand held LED light has a specially designed lens that shapes, magnifies and projects a spot beam at a greater distance than the other two.  It runs on four AAA batteries, same size as the TakTikka Plus which uses three, and has a built in clip, lanyard ring and a 75 hour burn time.  I have been using Princeton Tec lights for about 15 years.  They perform very well and have given me zero problems.  They are tough, lightweight, waterproof and powerful.  They work.

If you are wearing a helmet go with the Petzl Duo LED 14 or the Duobelt LED 14 for very cold environments.

You can get all of the above from REI.

Now, I am also a very big fan of Surefire flashlights.  I like the company.  I carried their duty lights for many years and I have several of their weapons lights for my personal firearms.  However, I do not typically carry them in the field because of weight and relative burn time but if your mission requires that you need a bomb proof flame thrower, Surefire is absolutely the one to go with.  I especially like the old school Original 6P and 9P models with the P61 (120 Lumens) or P91 (200 Lumens) high intensity bulbs and red or blue beam filters.  One suggestion though, make sure you get the lock out tailcap to avoid inadvertent battery drain and lens melting.  I also like their U2Ultra and Titan models. 

So there you go.  Specific information about great gear.  Isn’t that what you wanted?

Thanks.

Wade Nelson
Editor

Sorting through the fads and fashion of the outdoor equipment industry to identify and promote the very best wilderness gear for high end recreational users, backcountry professionals and government agencies.