Need a light for a Safari in Africa

Steve672

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
1
Hi everybody.

I am a new member and am glad to have found this forum.
Flashlights have always been fascinating for me and throughout the years have managed to only accumulate a half a dozen or so. Mostly knock-offs but I do own an older version of Fenix TK35.
One of the reasons for joining this forum was for finding a flashlight for my upcoming safari trip in Africa. So, for the last month I have been Googling and researching what model of flashlight would be the most suitable for me. In particular I am looking for one that is capable of:

1. 300-500m throw (if it goes further that is not an issue lol)
2. A generous spill (I want to see the periphery if animals are coming)
3. Long enough power to run in turbo mode for I am guessing 5 min. (who doesn't like lots of light for a long time - for this I suspect that I will need a flashlight with at least 2 batteries)
4. Portable enough so that I can just throw it in my knapsack and not worry about the size and weight.

To be truthful, I have been looking and looking but it seems that as soon as I find one, I Google it for a review and then someone says that another model is much better. I then Google that and the whole process starts all over. I am also finding that sometimes I end up on a review that is more than a year old and then I have to discard it as I keep thinking that a new model is probably out. It's been driving me crazy.
Based on my research I suspect I am looking at a flashlight with multiple LEDs and batteries. Perhaps a pop can-like configuration but I am not sure.

1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?
location doesn't matter

2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest! :)
__x__I don't know yet. If it's worth it then I'll pay for it..
____Up to $200.
____Up to $300.
____Essentially unlimited.

3) Format:
____I am not sure, please help me decide.
_x___I want a flashlight (hand held/self contained).

4) Size:
____TINY - Every day carry (2-4 inches).
__x__SMALL - Every day carry (4-7 inches). preferrable
____MEDIUM - Holster/belt ring carry. (>7 inches)
____I don't know/I don't care.

5) Emitter/Light source:
__x__LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)

6) Manufacturer:
____I want to buy a light from a large/traditional manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
____I would like a light from a specialty manufacturer (Possibly limited run/Custom).
____I am interested in assembling my own components. (for example a "host" or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a "drop-in" emitter from another source).

7) What power source do you want to use?
_x___I intend to use Rechargeable cells based on less common formats (18500 or 18650 Li-Ion, RCR123, et-al).
____I want a light with an integrated rechargeable battery pack.
____I don't know/I need more information on power sources.

7a) If you have selected a rechargeable option
____I want a light that has a recharging adapter (your typical "wall wart")
____I want a light that snaps into a cradle (usually mounted on a wall)
____I want a separate/stand-alone charger (this involves removing the batteries to charge)
_x___I don't care


8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is not a happy experience).
__x__I want search and rescue type illumination (800+ lumens).
__xx__SPECIAL NOTE: Burst/Turbo mode Category - There are several lights that will run at a super bright maximum for a very limited period (usually 5-10 minutes) and then will "step-down" to a lower level for thermal control. Check here if this is acceptable.

9) Flood vs Throw: Flood covers an area, Throw reaches out to a distance.
____All Flood: I am doing "arms length" tasks like reading and campsite cooking.
____Wide Flood: I want a defined flood area for semi-close tasks like after-dark campsite tasks or working on a car.
____Narrow Flood: I want a sharply defined flood area that will project some distance for tasks like trail walking.
_x___Wide Throw: I want a beam with a noticeable hot-center for distance throw and a significant amount of "side-spill". Good for rough trail hiking, search and rescue, and general distance work.
____Narrow Throw: I want a beam with a very tight "hot center" and minimal "side-spill". Good for distance viewing, fog, and looking through dense undergrowth.
____Turbohead: I want a far-distance projector with a sharply focused spot of light and minimal or zero side-spill. Good for extreme distance and impressing your friends.

9a) Distance: How far away will you typically need to see with this light (check all that apply)
____5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
____30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)
__x__150 +yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)

10) Runtime:
Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum continuous output).
____Up to 30 minutes (I want the brightest [and potentially smallest] light for brief periods)
____30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
_x___90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
____3 hours + (I critically need this light to run on max for extended periods in between battery changes/charges).

11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
____Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).
__x__I don't know.

12) Switch Size, Type, and location (choose all that apply):
____Any size switch will do.
____I need a BIG switch (I'll be using gloves or have very large hands or coordination issues).
____I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
____I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
____I want a momentary switch (Predominantly for use with signaling and short bursts of momentary light only).
____I want a twisty switch (Tighten the head/tailcap to activate, and the light will stay on until the head/tailcap is loosened).
____I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
____I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).
____I want a remote switch (usually found on high-end bicycle headlights)
____I don't care.
__x__I don't know.

13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
____A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.
____I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
____I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a programmable light.
____I want a selector ring.
____I want a strobe mode. (Oscillating pattern to confuse/blind aka "Police Mode")
____I want SOS mode. (blinks in ...---... emergency pattern)
____I want a beacon mode. (Regular flashes at full power to show location.)
_x___I don't care.
____I don't know.

14)Material/Finish/Coating
____Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III (Hard Anodized) (Aluminum, specifically HA, is the most common material/finish for today's higher end flashlights).
____Stainless steel (durable, but much heavier than aluminum)
____Titanium (durable and nearly as lightweight as aluminum, but can be moderately to significantly more expensive).
_x___I don't care.
____I don't know.

15) Water resistance
_x___None needed
____IPX4 (Splash resistant)
____IPX7 (Waterproof to 1 meter/30min)
____IPX8 (Submersible to greater than 1 meter for 4 hours)

16) Storage conditions
_x___In house (temperature/climate controlled environment)
____Emergency kit (long standby periods)
____Automobile glove-box (wide temperature swings, long standby periods, critical reliability)

17) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any/all below.
____Red filter (for preserving night vision).
____Other filter colors (Amber, Green, Blue, _________).
____Dedicated R/G/B secondary LEDs.
____"Hybrid" light (bright incandescent combined with long running LEDs)
____Pocket/belt clip
____Holster
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard
____Crenulated bezel
____Non-sparking, Intrinsic

Thank you for any help ahead of time.
 

LetThereBeLight!

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 26, 2014
Messages
635
I'd check out the Wowtac website. They have one or two headlamps that take an 18650 battery and you can detach the light from the strap if you don't want to wear it.
 

bignc

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 31, 2010
Messages
454
Location
South GA/ North FL
Malkoff. You NEED this light to work? Hound dog or hound dog super for the win. Spend some time on the LED forum here researching them. If course, I use lights for storm preparedness and in self-defense \ weapon situations so reliably is my priority then runtimes and out puts.....


Eta, my md4 body and m91t head come dang close. I can light up an old oak at 250m....
 

Dave D

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 30, 2013
Messages
1,284
Location
Andalusia, España
My son and daughter-in-law have recently returned from a safari holiday in South Africa and their advice is that you won't need a powerful light.

If you are on a guided tour then your guide will be the only one using a light at night to locate animals.

If you do use a light then move it in sweeping motions to catch the reflection of an animals eyes but don't keep it pointing at the animal.

A small torch would be useful for getting around your accommodation and checking anything that goes bump in the night.
 

bignc

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 31, 2010
Messages
454
Location
South GA/ North FL
My son and daughter-in-law have recently returned from a safari holiday in South Africa and their advice is that you won't need a powerful light.

If you are on a guided tour then your guide will be the only one using a light at night to locate animals.

If you do use a light then move it in sweeping motions to catch the reflection of an animals eyes but don't keep it pointing at the animal.

A small torch would be useful for getting around your accommodation and checking anything that goes bump in the night.

Then definitely something with a low mode (but I'd still want a HIGH available for other emergency purposes.) So the HI-LO of the Malkoff's I mentioned or even one of the MDC versions of his lights- like the AA that has a low low mode- for getting around camp without disturbing others.

Lots of options. I like SIMPLE and rugged for any travel scenario. I am headed out of town on Saturday and going through this right now. :)
 

Keitho

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 7, 2017
Messages
781
Location
CO, USA
For travel, I often take my Acebeam L16vn (modded by Vinh for very little $$). It is a thrower with a decent side-spill. It also is USB rechargeable--I use that as a backup travel charger for my 18650's. When traveling, I'll always have at least two 18650 lights with me, along with a mini-charger for 18650's. For a trip like that, I'd probably have a thrower like the L16, an 18650 wider spot-flood light, and an 18650 floody headlamp, all with warm color temp for enjoying the colors and textures outdoors.
 

ChrisGarrett

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 2, 2012
Messages
5,725
Location
Miami, Florida
Get an Emisar D4 and Sony VTC-5a, or the D1S, if you need that throw. If you don't need 600m of throw, but still need more throw than the D4 quad, then get the D1, which bridges the gap in head diameter and throw, between the D4 and D1S.

$35 each shipped. I would get the 18350 battery tube for the D4/D1, just to have and the pocket clip when running the 18650, which is how I carry my cyan D4.

They're pretty much the answer to almost every question, these days.

Chris
 
Last edited:

Kestrel

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
7,354
Location
Willamette Valley, OR
Hello & :welcome:
There are a few older threads on this exact topic; some of the light models change over time, but many considerations remain similar.

I would suggest typing "light safari Africa" into the CPF/Google search box (upper right corner); there are a few good discussions on this.

Hope this helps,
 

aginthelaw

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
2,655
Location
NJ, USA
I doubt they recommend going out at night but if you're using it at night, certain animals won't be bothered by certain wavelengths. Unfortunately they react differently so you might need a green, blue and red light. The armytek Orion is great for greens
 

Philip A.

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Joined
Nov 17, 2018
Messages
15
I do live in Africa, and spend months in the bush every year... FWIW, for a safari in the bush, take a 5-6" light, 18650 batteries, micro USB-rechargeable: phone chargers are ubiquitous, you'll always find one even in the deep bush, and you can charge from a car - power outlets are more difficult to come across.

Throwers are mostly useful as a weapon-mounted light, for general purposes you want much more peripheral light. Animals don't care much about light: if they're not sent running away by your smell or by your car, it's certainly not your light that will scare them off.

Also, unless you are in the Serengeti plains, visibility is very often quite restricted: trees, bushes, grass... you'll mostly get to see or light up animals within 100-200m max, and even then the really interesting sightings are up close anyway.

And... You DO want a waterproof light. One drop of rain in a tropical storm contains as much water as half an olympic-sized pool... :)

Personally, I have used Fenix lights for years. Rugged, high quality, never had an issue, they do the job. My present bush light is a UC40, I'm looking for excuses to get a newer model, but it still does what I need.

All in all, the most important things are: reliability, ruggedness, ease of charging, 700-1000 lumens, not too tight of a beam, and a size that fits easily in a pocket if needed.

Oh... A last word regarding strobes... The only use I ever found for this function is to call my chef in the dark when we need more snacks by the campfire, beats yelling... :D
 

Hotherps1

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Joined
Nov 4, 2018
Messages
28
The availability of USB / phone chargers will have certainly improved the methods of having power to charge batteries.

My first trips to Africa were 20 years ago, notably Cameroon working in the Rainforests. I took my Surefire 6P and a load of CR123 primaries. Of course back then 60 or 120 lumens was considered a lot. The 6P worked really well.

For more recent trips to Africa and India I have taken a Zebralight SC80 which will run on either CR123 or AA. And a Zebralight H600 headlight.

I should be going out to Kenya next spring, so I'll probably take the Zebralights and a Malkoff MD2 or MD3
 
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