Night Hike

I love night hiking…it's always so neat as long as your not alone…then it gets a bit scary :)

I've done a few hikes where I've showed up at the trailhead well after dark (as late as 11pm) and hiked well into the night. For stuff like this I bring my Princeton Apex (~10oz I think) instead of my Petzl e+Lite (1oz) that I use for normal trips. The 3 watt Apex might be a bit overkill, but it does make night hiking a lot easier and faster.

Just a quick suggestion about night hike lighting … it works much better if the light is at waist level rather than eye level.

I typically trail run at night- last three nights I've been out on local singletracks and canyons.
The dark has never stopped me from backpacking/hiking either, but I run more than any of these.

Currently I use a Petzl Tikka, but keep it strapped to my wrist. For walking I don't mind it on my head, but when running I need it closer to the ground for better depth perception.

I'm ordering a Princeton Tech Attitude in the next few days- I want to switch to a brighter handheld for running- something with a little more of a spotlight. The PT is only $8-15 online depending on color- I know many ultrarunners that swear by this light; I hear it's very reliable, ~3oz. with batteries, plenty bright, and has a battery life of ~50 hours…and it's CHEAP! I see no reason for spending big bucks on a Fenix, Surefire, etc.

I also see no reason not to go alone at night.
It's exactly the same…just darker!

Matter of fact, I'm heading out right now…

That depends on how fast you're going. The problem with having the light low is you don't know how tall the backside of an obstacle is. If you're moving fast (ie: MTB) you definitely want a light up high so you can judge the size of obstacles easier.

I don't hike at night by choice, usually restricted to those long day pushes on trips that find me hiking past dark, although I do trail run often by choice and necessity in the winter months. I've been night running weekly with my Black Diamond Icon headlamp and I clutch a Princeton Tec Quad headlamp in one hand for more depth of light, this combo has been more than enough light for fast runs through techy trails. The Princeton Tec Quad is more than enough light for hiking for me at night on most trips since hiking is a relatively slow method of transportation through backcountry not requiring a ton of light if on trail.

The Zebralight is great for around camp and utility, but I don;t like it for niking. It’s too floody.

In general I try to minimize using my headlamp at night so I don’t blow my night vision. I have found that so long as there is a bit of moon light I can do a significant amount of travel without the light on. Periodically I lose track and need a fairly bright light with good throw to re-acquire my path. Having something with a spotrather than a flood pattern and 60+ lumens (I like 90+) is really helpful.

If I need to use artificial light I generally prefer light coming at a different angle so I can see shadows which makes gauging terrain easier so I tend to use lights held in my hand which is typically a Fenix L1D-CE. When I really have to use a headlight I have used the PrincetonTec EOS.

Fenix HL20 looks really great on paper. When it arrives (for a belated xmas) I might be retiring both the L1D and the EOS.

I have written up a few notes on flashlights

–Mark

>>>The Zebralight is great for around camp and utility, but I don;t like it for niking. It's too floody.<<<

I agree with your statement 100%. The H60 turns night into day around camp. I can deal with it for "niking" but I'd rather use a light with less flood and more spot. I have a Princton Tec Apex LED that is great for night hiking, but at 8oz it's a bit much.