Headlamps VS Flashlights

Description

** Stuff/Gear I Mention in this Video **

Fenix E05 - http://amzn.to/2hijYoe

Black Diamond Spot - http://amzn.to/2xwwxpY

Petzl E-Lite - http://amzn.to/2xnDAk9

CDT Gear List - https://darwinonthetrail.com/2017/04/01/darwins-2017-cdt-section-hike/

AT Gear List - https://darwinonthetrail.com/2016/05/03/darwins-2016-at-gear-list/

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*** Gear Used to Shoot this Video! ***

- Camera -

Canon EOS T6i - http://amzn.to/2kACQOU

- Lense -

Canon EFS 24mm - http://amzn.to/2mSAXSn

- Sound -

TakStar Shotgun Mic - http://amzn.to/2kMsAnM

- TriPod -

Targus 360 Trigger Tripod - http://amzn.to/2kMsU5Y

------Intro & Animation By: BlackStrap Media------

https://blackstrapmedia.com

------- Music By: Mike Boren --------

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Tags: Thru Hike,UL Backpacking Gear,PCT,Pacific Crest Trail,PCT Thru Hike,AZT,Arizona Trail,Headlamps,Flashlights,Backpacking Headlamps,UL Gear,UL Backpacking,Backpacking,Hiker Trash,Hiking,Adventure,Camping,Long Distance Hiking,AT,Appalachian Trail,AT Thru Hike,Fenix Flash Lights,Fenix E05,Black Diamond Spot,Petzl E-Lite

Video Transcription

hey guys it's Darwin so lately I have been noticing a lot of hikers switching from a headlamp to a flashlight so today we're gonna talk about the pros and the cons of each and why I made the switch [Music]

[Applause]

alright so if you've seen any of my gear list over the past two years you'll know that I usually use the Black Diamond spa it's a great headlamp it only weighs in at three point two ounces and it's tried-and-true I've got a couple of different brightness settings it has a red light this has been my go-to headlamp for the past two years on every trail that I've done but in preparation for the PCT and my section hike of the Arizona Trail I've just been wanting to try something different and not only try something different but also lighten my load just a little bit now it's only three point two ounces but there are lighter headlamps out on the market so I figured I'd start doing my research and seeing what was out there so first I started looking at certain rechargeable headlamps because I figured having a rechargeable headlamp would be great I wouldn't have to buy batteries I could just charge it with my little battery pack and while looking at them I discovered they're super expensive they're not really any lighter than my spot and ever review that I've ever seen of them people say that eventually they give out and the battery dies on them so after looking at them I kind of threw that to the side and I decided rechargeable headlamp is not for me so next I started looking at some ultra light headlamps and the one I picked up in particular was the Petzl Eli it weighed under an ounce it was tiny it would just slide into my pocket it had multiple settings and had a red light they just upgraded it 250 lumens from the old 26 I figured that sounds like the perfect light for me so I picked one up and decided to start doing some testing with it wasn't too bad at first but after two night hikes with it I decided that I absolutely hated it the thing is awful if you're going to be doing any type of hiking now if you just want a headlamp for camp it is a great light don't get me wrong but if you plan on doing any type of nut hiking which I do next year on the PCT especially in that first 700 miles of the desert I needed more light so I returned that thing as soon as I possibly could and then I was kind of back at square one and didn't know what to do I thought you know what I'll just stick with my Black Diamond spot it's done me good this far screw it I'm done with it and then talking to another piece of hiker trash at an outfitter he suggested why don't I try a flashlight now for years I've seen a little flashlight in a lot of bikers kits / a headlamp but I was kind of thought that was weird why would I ever want to carry a flashlight a headlamp just seemed so convenient so I figured I might as well take his advice and I picked up this guy which is the fenix e05 it only cost me twenty five dollars it's 85 lumens it has three different settings it's tiny and with the battery and this little clip that I added it only weighs point 9 ounces so it's under an ounce for this little guy again I kind of picked it up on a whim just thinking you know what I'll try it I'll test it I'll see what's going on with the whole flashlight then and to my surprise I love this thing so the reason I love it is because when I added this little clip that I just had setting around from an older flashlight that I have I always hike with a hat I hike with a hat during the day I hike with the hat at night I am constantly wearing a hat on the trail and off the trail so the great thing about this is it Clips right on to my hat now one of the problems that I've always had with the headlamp is when I'm wearing a headlamp with a hat I always have to angle it in certain positions and when I'm hiking at night a lot of the times my brim will actually cast a shadow and kill some of the light right in front of me so by eliminating that putting the light right on my bill I'm able to get a much better path of light to hike at night now the other great thing about the e05 is it has three different settings so I have a super-bright 85 loom settings that honestly doesn't sound like much at first but when I took it out on the trail and hiked with it I actually thought that this lit up the trail way better than my Black Diamond spot ever did and then it has a lower setting at 25 looms if I'm just messing around at camp and then if I'm in my tent at night and I'm reading or just looking at a map or something it has a setting of an 8 loom and even at 25 and 8 this thing is super bright the other thing that I really dig about having a little flashlight like this is it only takes one triple a battery which means that if I'm out on an extended period on the trail I don't have to carry three triple A's and have this extra weight and this extra stuff to worry about I only need to carry like two extra ones and I'll have plenty of power for this light so those are all the positives that I feel about this but what are some of the negatives about carrying a flashlight well number one it doesn't have a red light and in the past you've heard me say

I love the red light on a headlamp because if I'm in my 10:00 at night and I'm reading the red light is much better for that I'm out on a trail like the Appalachian Trail and I'm coming into a shelter late I can turn on my red light and not disturb anybody and the red light doesn't take as much power so that is one downfall of the flashlight it has no red light setting the other downfall is if I'm not wearing a hat say I'm in my tent and I'm wearing just my buff or I'm wearing a sock hat I can't attach it to my head because I have no bill to put it on but aside from those two things that's the only downfall that I found in switching from a headlamp to a mini flashlight the biggest thing especially if we're talking about hiking at night is when I'm hiking at night I don't tend to use my trekking poles I usually just hold them in one hand or I put them on my pack so I can take this off my bill and I can hold it in my hand and point it and put it down lower onto the trail which illuminates the trail a lot better and makes my hike a lot safer because I can see the terrain so for now I am definitely a flashlight person over a headlamp person so I am done with this guy for now and I really dig having this little guy in my pack so are you a headlamp person or a flashlight person have you thought about making the switch and trying something different leave it in the comment box below and let me know your thoughts if you haven't had a chance yet go over and check me out on Instagram I'm posting a lot of new photos lately of some of the things that snuggles and I have going on throughout the week plus some pictures from some past hikes plus a ton of pictures from the Arizona Trail because I am hiking it every single day and this Saturday I'll be hitting the trail for a 10 day section if you found any value in this video go ahead and hit that like button subscribe to my channel if you haven't already and as always guys thanks for watching [Music]

[Applause]

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you

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