Christmas style lights?

Most light strings these days are LED. You can buy them most anywhere – Home Depot/Lowes, Target/Walmart, etc.

Here's a light string which, while not colored, will run on 2 AA batteries —

http://www.rei.com/search?query=light+string

If an electric outlet is available, here are colored and themed string lights —

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/search.cmd?form_state=searchForm&N=0&fsch=true&Ntk=AllProducts&Ntt=light+string&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

I only found a few white/clear sets, price varies as do the reviews. No rush, would be stove money spent.
Duane

"I only found a few white/clear sets, price varies as do the reviews. No rush, would be stove money spent."

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Navigation?storeId=10051&N=+530309+4294843896&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&cm_sp=christmas_decorations_-modal_overlayD-_-product1-_-led_lights&locStoreNum=2583#/?c=1&1z11erc=1z11erc

Here's a different approach – a multi-use product that might work if you happen to ride a bike at night as well:

http://bikeglow.com/

They come in all different colors. You can make them blink or leave them static. Unlike the vast majority of Christmas lights, these lights run on AAA batteries so you can use renewable batteries. (Most Xmas lights are incredibly wasteful; you have to throw out the lights entirely after maybe 200 hours of use.)

Once you're done with Christmas season, unstring them from the tent and string them onto your commuter bicycle to be better seen ;)

I have these. I get all sorts of compliments on them (and drivers see me).

– Elizabeth

Thank you Elizabeth. Those look great on a bike frame. I could wrap those on the poles on the inside of my BD Hilight. I understand though that rechargeables don't last as long in the cold as regular batteries.
Duane

NM

In the "Camper" world, these are known as Tacky Lights. If you check with travel trailer parts places you can get 12 volt strings. I suppose they are called Tacky Lights for a reason.

I have a tent trailer, and like most of my backpacking, I go to remote dispersed areas where I do not have to deal with bonfires, loud people, and such conveniences as Tacky Lights.

In a recent thread there was a lot of conversation about stealth camping. For me it would be a bummer to hike to special campsite and then look down at night into a pristine, snow covered meadow, glistening in the moonlight and see a bunch of tents covered with Tacky Lights.

However I do see how people might enjoy them at Christmas time. I guess hike your own hike. I'll forgo the extra weight and leave the money in my bank account :)

Nick our group sees few people other than ourselves on our trips. mtnsteve usually did his traditional Winterfest trips in a certain area of Lassen VNP. Due to past rec activities (SAR, mtn climber, CARDA advisor/trainer) his knees and hips have put an end to his sponsoring Winterfest any longer per his comments last Jan. The only place we see others and they are quite a ways away and screened by our big trees in CA is in Yosemite at Dewey Point. No one had lights there, plus what I have seen so far, they weigh 4-5 oz. with batteries. I would use these for winter group trips, kinda cheery as I am a little bit of a grump. So if I think lights are neat, it must be a good thing. :)
Duane

Oh, I was just being in character as a curmudgeon :)

As noted above, Home Depot has, in their store, battery powered Christmas lights.
I was just at Walmart and they also have battery powered lights; about $6 for 50 of them and they run on 3 C batteries.

And now a little rant on these LED Christmas lights; Why do they still use replaceable bulbs? In the end, the only thing that goes bad is corroded contacts. And that still happens a lot :(. This would be solved with soldered LEDs instead of press-fit LEDs. And then I saw them at Walmart yesterday: Their battery powered versions is actual T1 LEDs soldered to wires. You can see the solder because they use clear heatshrink. They claim they’re for indoor use only. But it looks good for outdoors if you put the battery box in a ziploc bag.
Just an idea,
-Barry

"And now a little rant on these LED Christmas lights; Why do they still use replaceable bulbs? In the end, the only thing that goes bad is corroded contacts. And that still happens a lot :(. This would be solved with soldered LEDs instead of press-fit LEDs."

Cost? Not sure which is cheaper, but $6 retail is not a lot of money.

And now a little rant on these LED Christmas lights; Why do they still use replaceable bulbs? In the end, the only thing that goes bad is corroded contacts. And that still happens a lot :(.

Many people still are not familiar with LED's. most have heard the bulbs last longer but they don't really know how long. If manufactures didn't supply replacement bulbs some people might return them to the store because there are no spares. Since it only costs pennies to supply a couple of spares per box you still find spares in the boxes. Additionally the wire and sockets are basically the same as what was used on the old lights. manufactures haven't yet come out with LED specific designs because it would cost more money to set up a new factory with new manufacturing equipment. In a few years I would expect you will start to see new LED specific designs and fewer sets without spares. A few days ago I just saw LED Christmas lights that change colors.

If you cannot find battery powered colored lights look for a regular string that has the same bulb design. Most manufactures are using only white LED lamps. In most cases the only difference between the white string and the colored string is the plastic cover for the bulb is colored. So you should be able to remove the clear plastic cover and replace it with a colored plastic cover. Since most white LED bulbs operate at 3.7V you might be able to simply remove the bulb from the colored string and install it in the battery powered string. If the bulb doesn't work after the swap they operate at different voltages and you will have to swap the plastic covers.