Hey guys,
It's been a while since I've started any threads or been on here but I did have a topic I wanted to discuss. Namely, low output long endurance light sources.
Yeah, there are the usual glowsticks and the like, but they aren't always the perfect example for use. Also, I'm a bit of a flashlight whore since I deal with the dark a lot. Photos of the lights (off google) at the bottom of the post.
1) In terms of utility, I have to say the first one on my list would be the Surefire HL series. They make them for the military but you can pick them up at a pawn or surplus shop for around $50 if you are in the US. The colors vary, but they have the same main 3 LED light and 2 LED lights built into the same unit. Most of the military ones are a tan body with 3 white and 2 blue LED's that have low/med/high settings, as well as an IR strobe.
Tape over the strobe btw. Can hurt your eyes in the long term if you accidentally leave it on.
Then I just bought a hat mount from Tangodown and I have a great lightweight light that uses CR123 batteries with a couple hundred hour life.
2) Lazerbrites. Another military light that runs ~$25 new ish. They come in pretty much any LED colors you can think of and run off the usual CR2032 lithium cells that you can get 10x for $5. The lights are 2 LED units that unscrew from a diffuser tube. They make all sorts of attachments for them as well, but I just keep some "safety orange" paracord looped through the lights so I can hang them.
About the size of the supersize chem lights.
3. Krill Lights. The size and output of a glow stick with 25 hour run time on a AA battery. I love these things. $10 or so each if you shop around.
4. Glo-Toobs. I've heard a lot of great things about these from the diving community. They are spending but damn near indestructible as they are the LED unit in an acrylic filled tube with a battery cap. About the size of the battery they run on (they do AAA to CR123) and bright as hell. I haven't had a chance to buy one for review yet.
5. Glow in the dark/reflective paracord. Not a lighting source, but if you are needing to mark a way out or anything else, this is a great way to do it. Super lightweight, reusable, and (if you get milspec stuff) ~500# test. $11 for 100' on Amazon. You never know when some good rope can save your butt. I usually keep 100' of paracord and 100' of electrician's mule tape (electrical tape with 1200# test) in a dump pouch, just in case. Worst case, I can still tie stuff with it.