Outdoor Adventure USA

Camp Lighting and Flashlights

June is quickly becoming the Official OAUSA Camping net topic month. It seems that the urge to get the hell out of our various lock-downs is taking many forms, including camping. From our perspective, any reason is a good reason to get out and explore and enjoy our great country.

So, with the summer camping season just about to hit high gear, we figured that the time was right, again, to explore the many options that are now available for lighting up your campsite at night. Honesty compels us to admit that this topic would not be complete without a discussion of lanterns, flashlights, LEDs, batteries and headlamps. So, those will be the topics for the net this week. If you have more, join the discussion!

Product Spotlight: Mag Daddy Cable Tie Mounts

I installed a solar panel on a roof rack and needed a way to hold the 12/2 (two 12 gauge wires) cable on the outside of my vehicle. A found a YouTube video where a fellow had a similar need and mentioned Mag Daddy Cable Tie Mounts.

These are very strong magnets to which a rotating cable tie mount is attached. I zip tied the cable to a handful of these. As best I can tell, it didn’t budge one iota during a trip to Utah which included 80 mph highways, long stretches of washboard gravel roads, and some rough trails. These can provide a relatively clean installation for securing any cable on a steel surface, such as for lights where you don’t want to go through your vehicle’s roof.

https://magdaddyusa.com/




A somewhat related product is UHU tac PROPower, an adhesive putty which I also used to make sure wires stayed where I put them (e.g., down the side of the windshield molding. It doesn’t harden or leave any residue on non-porous materials.

Nitecore TIP SE

The flashlight I use most often while outdoors. Carry clipped to a belt loop.

• Modes: Turbo 700 lumens (.25 hours), High 180 lumens (1.5 hours), Mid 30 lumens (8 hours), Low 1 lumen (50 hours)
• 0.92 ounces
• USB C rechargeable battery (but not replaceable)

Nitecore TIP SE



What? Nitecore now makes a 4,000 lumen “keychain” light?

Don’t laugh

We started using these USB-powered “fairy lights” inside our tent for evening lighting, stringing around the loops at the top of the tent walls. Provides very uniform lighting with almost no shadows, sufficient for all but reading fine print.

Got the warm white (instead of cool white) since it’s supposed to be more conducive to sleep. We use a separate dimmer / remote control (which I could no longer find).


Might not have a need for mood colors, but this one comes with a dimmer / remote control / color changer.

Olight Baldr Mini

Compact 600 lumen white light with green laser. Good combination for your night handgun, whether outdoors or not.





Uses magnetic charging cable, though battery not replaceable.

Is there a LEP (laser excited phosphor) flashlight in your future?


Creates a laser-like flashlight beam with little spill and incredible “throw”.


One example: Jetbeam RRT-M1X
About $230 with 2,300 meter throw.

Note that while the lumens appear low, the candela rating is incredible. Lumens measures the total light output in all directions. Candela measures light intensity in a specific direction, essentially measuring the “throw” of a light source.

A YouTube search on “LEP flashlight” will bring up a number of reviews.

Please check us in.
Kevin KK6DGL
Jack KK6WXQ
John KM6FXI
Thanks

I too use the fairy lights. $6 at harbor freight. I mounted them to the ceiling of my Snugtop shell. They are dimable and use batteries so the will work if other power is unavailable. More than enough light for any task.

Favorite headlamp: Streamlight Bandit with white and red

• Not the brightest, but bright enough, even on low setting
• Small and very light weight
• Nice even flood beam
• Lasts sufficiently long
• Can be switched to red to preserve night vision
• Recharge off your USB battery pack at night

My preferred way to wear, clipped to cap:

Favorite flashlight: Olight Seeker 2 Pro

Note: Already covered my most used light. This Seeker is too bright for most in-camp use, so it’s rarely used except on night walks.

(Do you remember when Surefire’s 60 lumens was considered a state-of-the-art “tactical” flashlight? )


Magnetic recharging. The “L” bracket is not required for charging.

I like to have a variety of types of lights powered and recharged in different ways.

Luci Lights are solar recharged and are a fantastic low to medium brightness area light. Many options are available.