# LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest (more pics added)



## selfbuilt (Feb 26, 2007)

Recently had a fabulous 2 week stay at a remote rainforest wilderness lodge in Costa Rica. Flashlights were a must, since the nearest electrical grid was 20 km away, and they only had solar-charged batteries for providing minimal compact fluorescent lighting in the cabins. [EDIT: I should clarify: this was still a *luxury* remote lodge, with superb food and comfortable accommodations - it's just the surroundings that were incredibly wild] 

Lodge setup was about ~15 cabins, spread along periphery of two small clearings in a 750+ acres of largely undisturbed rainforest. Second clearing (where we stayed several nights) was a 15 min hike after dinner, and included a 200-foot suspension bridge that had to be crossed every night in zero ambient lighting conditions (due to the forest canopy). Rooms were open air, so it was a pretty wild experience.

My EDCs were a Fenix P1D-CE and Lumapower D-Mini (smooth reflector, with 2-stage tailcap from my fifthunit LILL), and my wife carried a Fenix L2T. We both had backup L0P-SEs and photon clones for emergencies.

Some general observations: given remoteness, most guests traveled light (as did we – single backpacks apiece), but many only had cheap, dim, 1st gen LED lights (although a couple had brought 2D Mag incans). All the under-lit guests commented on their lack of foresight on not bringing proper lights. 

How did our lights perform?

*P1D-CE*: This got the most use as an all-around light for trail walking at night, on primary or hi. Bright sidespill was very helpful for seeing what was around your feet in the forest trails (always a big concern – came across a Fer-de-lance once!). I occasionally used the low mode for night trips to the bathroom, but generally preferred the L0P-SE as it was easier on night-adapted eyes. If you could only take one light, this should be it – or better yet, the L2D-CE now that it’s out (with its lower low mode). 

*D-mini*: Used almost as much as the P1D-CE, sometimes in combination (i.e. P1D-CE lighting up ground in front of my feet, D-mini for spotting those noises in the brush or at the end of the suspension bridge). Phenomenal light for distance spotting, lighting up the canopy, etc. The two-stage cap from LILL was very helpful for conservation of battery power (roughly half the output, twice the runtime). This light garnered the most attention from other guests, as it easily out threw the 2D Mags. 

*L2T*: decent all-purpose light, although obviously a bit underpowered compared to the Crees. My wife liked simple UI, and used this light constantly – she preferred it over the L0P-SE for bathroom trips at night, because of option for high mode at a moment’s notice. Next trip, it will definitely be replaced by a L2D-CE.

*L0P-SE*: relatively little use. I originally thought we might have used these more, since you don’t need a lot of light to see in the complete dark. But since cabin was open to the wild outdoors, you want the option for more power at a moment’s notice (you wouldn’t believe what traipsed through the room some nights!).

So there you have it: both the P1D-CE and D-mini were excellent performers for their intended purposes – although the P1D-CE could use a lower low, and the D-mini needs a proper 2-stage switch. If I was to recommend today, I think the L2D-CE and Lumapower M1 would be your best bets among current choices.

Sorry, no beam shot comparisons of the lights … but here’s a red-eye tree frog I caught with my D-mini (on low) during one of my nightly excursions to the local ponds. Without a decent light, you would never have seen one of these - they are nocturnal, and only come down out of the trees at night.

Enjoy!


----------



## Cato (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

Thanks for your great report- I really enjoy reading about practical flaslight use! 

Best Regards

Cato

PS: How could you sleep with half the jungle walking through your cabin? That would have wrecked my sleep completley!!


----------



## Bomo (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

Great report - how did you manage your battery requirements?


----------



## outofgum (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

I was in Costa Rica recently as well. Took 3 lights - Princetec EOS, L1P, and a photon. When going on hikes, I usually used the EOS - 3 levels, good throw, hands free. Inside the tent when I wanted more flood, I used a piece of press n seal over the EOS lens which stood up remarkably well (was in CR for around 6 weeks). L1P was my EDC and I used it when I got caught in the dark which happened fairly often with the early sunset. Very useful on unlit trails, and roads to let people know you are there. The L1P also had the wow factor, a lot of guides were impressed when they saw that the tiny light had better output than their 2D incandescent. Multi mode would have been nice, but it was perfect for what I was using it for.

As for batteries, I used energizer lithiums for their longer life and lighter weight. I brought 7 but only used 4. I saw a lot of AAs, even in small cities, so batteries wouldn't be a problem if I ran out. I did notice that AAA were harder to come by though.


----------



## selfbuilt (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*



Cato said:


> How could you sleep with half the jungle walking through your cabin? That would have wrecked my sleep completley!!


Most wild animals give you a wide berth - but we did experience small colonies of ants on two nights, bats on a couple of nights, and certainly lots of cadadids, geckos, etc. No problems with any of those - and we slept with mosquito netting around the bed. However, we did have a brown rat vist us one night (got himself trapped in the bathroom with my wife - now that was fun!). How unexotic, though ...

Some guests that unwisely left food out had coatis visit (members of the racoon family). More unnerving were all the things you couldn't see outside the cabin ("what was that?!?").  Oh, and one guest apparently returned to their room after dinner to find a boa curled up in there. Still, on the whole, most things left you alone - as long you didn't accidentally step on them. 

And of course, nothing compares to being woken up just before sunrise by howler monkeys in the trees above your cabin. Apparently they produce the loudest naturally occuring sound - or so I'm told (and now believe).  



Bomo said:


> Great report - how did you manage your battery requirements?


The minimal solar-battery system does allows camera battery chargers to be used in the room (no hair dryers or anything, of course). My camera uses AA, so brought along a standard AA/AAA travel charger and NiMH for everything (with an emergency backup set of e2 lithiums). For CR123 lights, I just brought a bunch of spares primaries to last 2 weeks (went through about 3 per light with all the evening outings).



outofgum said:


> I was in Costa Rica recently as well. Took 3 lights - Princetec EOS, L1P, and a photon. ... As for batteries, I used energizer lithiums for their longer life and lighter weight.


Yeah, good choice of lights & batteries. A headlamp would have been helpful for trail walking, and good for spotting animals. I brought a nite-ize head strap for use with the Fenix lights, but didn't find it too comfortable for extended wear.

FYI, a night excursion tip: carrying a flashlight at your eye level allows you easily spot animals, as the light shines off their retinas and into your eyes. Shine it over the grass at night, and watch all those little spider diamond eyes sparkle back at you ...


----------



## LED_Thrift (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

Thanks for the report, it was very interesting. Sounds like a great, memorable experience.


----------



## greenLED (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

Osa is one of the nicest places I've been to in CR. 

We should have a CPF get-together in Costa Rica at some point.


----------



## flashy bazook (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*



LED_Thrift said:


> Thanks for the report, it was very interesting. Sounds like a great, memorable experience.


 
yes, agree with that! Especially since the poster lived to tell the tale!

no doubt the flashlights played a key role in survival, I am definitely keeping this story in the archives for instant replay as necessary for any doubting Thomases!


----------



## selfbuilt (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*



flashy bazook said:


> yes, agree with that! Especially since the poster lived to tell the tale!


I didn't mean to give the impression that it was that dangerous - just a hoot of an experience, especially at night. After all, I only came across one venomous snake on the path during my stay, and it got out of my way. Granted, it was one of the worse ones - but the reality is that you are far more likely to injure a harmless snake by accidentally stepping on it, rather than the other way around.

The real difference is that without a decent flashlight, most folks had to retire immediately to their rooms after dinner (and sometimes be helped there by those of us with 'em). And that was a real shame, since a lot of the really interesting stuff - like frogs, snakes, bats, etc. - only come out at night. Mind you, same is true of most of the dangerous things. Of course, I wasn't planning to lick any of the cane toads or poison-arrow frogs, just photograph them.  

The true lesson for me was that was the one place where absolutely no one made smart-aleck comments about why I needed such bright lights! :lolsign:


----------



## EV_007 (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

Good account of real world use of your lights. Sounds like you had a blast. The shot of the frog is awesome
!:goodjob:


----------



## RonM (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

Sounds like a great adventure. Thanks for the report.

Can you comment on not bringing any headlamps? I've found them invaluable on camping trips.


----------



## Torch_Dork1 (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

Thank you selfbuilt for the informative and interesting thread. I am new at this but I can sure appreciate all that was covered here by you and all the posters. Excellent froggy pic too! TD


----------



## selfbuilt (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*



RonM said:


> Can you comment on not bringing any headlamps? I've found them invaluable on camping trips.


Truth be told, a headlight would have been great. But my only headlight at the moment is a cheap, bulky 2-stage luxeon I clone, and I was really looking forward to testing out the new cree lights. We were travelling as light-weight as possible, just one carry-on backpack apiece for 2 weeks, so I had to draw the line somewhere. I brought the nite ize head strap as a compromise, but didn't like using it much - needs an elastic band, not velcro.

Other problem with headlamps is the potential risk of inadvertently shinning it in my wife's eyes - now that would be really dangerous. :laughing: 

Just kidding - I happen to have a wife who appreciates my hobby, and loves seeing the new models show up. You can be sure she'll confiscate the L2D-CE I've ordered, once it arrives! 

Thanks all for the kinds words - it was a great trip.


----------



## AdamW (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

Thanks for posting your trip report. I have similar experiences from a three week trip to four islands in Indonesia.

I have an L2D-CE, and I sure wish I had in it on my trip. Get one: you'll love it.

Another person mentioned seeing AA batteries widely available in Costa Rica. The AA batteries are one of the prime reasons I like the L2D-CE so much!

Excellent photo by the way!


----------



## InFlux (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*



greenLED said:


> Osa is one of the nicest places I've been to in CR.
> 
> We should have a CPF get-together in Costa Rica at some point.



Count me in! We did our honeymoon in Costa Rica, and it was beautiful and fun! We stayed at a couple of remote eco-lodges- but not THAT remote.  

(FWIW, I carried a Surefire L2 and my wife had an L1. This was before I discovered McGizmo. Now it would be a PD for each of us and a 27LT to light up the trail)


----------



## dig-it (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

Wow, thanks for the good read selfbuilt!

I keep telling myself I just don`t need the L2D CE....
I think I`m losing the battle.


----------



## Burgess (Feb 27, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

Hello selfbuilt -


Thank you for this report. Very interesting info here.


Can you perhaps tell us the approximate size of that tree-frog
in yer' photo ? (very nice job there !)


And regarding the *AA cells* being widely available in CR --

were those ALKALINES ? Name brands ?

Just curious. Thank you for the info.


----------



## Oddjob (Feb 27, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'd love to do that someday (but I first have to convince my wife to go backpacking-she's just starting to appreciate the outdoors).
Can you tell us what your battery usage was for two weeks?


----------



## selfbuilt (Feb 27, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*



Burgess said:


> Can you perhaps tell us the approximate size of that tree-frog
> in yer' photo ?


I'd say between 2-3 inches in length. Their colour also gets more vibrant as the evening wears on - they loose pigment during the day, and are a yellow-lime green colour in the early evening (when that shot was taken). Of course, there's plenty of big-*** frogs around (as my wife & I called them) - the cane toads and smoky jungle frogs could be almost as big as a foot long.



Burgess said:


> And regarding the *AA cells* being widely available in CR were those ALKALINES ? Name brands ?


Yes, alkalines are commonly available in CR, especially AA. Name brands available in major population centres, although cheap no-names more common elsewhere. The nearest town (pop ~3500) was 45+ mins away by 4-wheel drive, and the resort had relatively little available (i.e. no bug spray, sunscreen, etc. - had to make a trip into town if you didn't bring your own).



Oddjob said:


> Can you tell us what your battery usage was for two weeks?


Went through 3 primary CR123s in each of the cree lights, and NiMH was used in L2T and L0PSEs. The NiMH were recharged every third night or so, to be on the safe side. If I had to use the e2 lithiums, I suspect only one batch would have been needed for each AA/AAA lights, given that the crees did the bulk of the heavy lighting, so to speak. Keep in mind that's with fairly heavy use at night - I enjoyed exploring the surroundings. You could get by with a lot less, especially with judicious use of low modes.

Camera batteries (AA NiMH) recharged typically every night - typically took over 2GB of photos a day, selected about 0.5GB to keep at end of each day. I only had 7GB of memory on me (7MPixel camera). 

Since this thread seems to have generated so much interest, I thought I'd give you a couple more night shots of tree frogs: the first is an imature red-eye tree frog, about an inch and a half long in body (note it still has its tadpole tail, and the back legs are not fully formed yet). Also lacks typical colouring.





The frog below is a masked Smilisca tree frog, about 3 inches long. Colour was variable on these - saw one in the early morning that was more grey than tan, and had bright green under the eyes. 





Cheers!


----------



## Manzerick (Feb 27, 2007)

lov the pictures!!

My cousins's GF is from there and by the looks of it, i would love it there!!!


----------



## Ilikeshinythings (Feb 27, 2007)

wow very cool man! I love seeing pictures of the wilderness. So which light came in the most handy for that kind of lighting situation? I assumed you'd want good flood but at the same time a good spot to see whats in the distance.


----------



## DM51 (Feb 27, 2007)

That is a great report, and a really good practical user test of those lights. Very useful.


----------



## selfbuilt (Feb 27, 2007)

Ilikeshinythings said:


> So which light came in the most handy for that kind of lighting situation? I assumed you'd want good flood but at the same time a good spot to see whats in the distance.


*Animal spotting*: D-mini - you definitely want fairly tight throw and minimal spill to spot retinal eye flashes (and to reduce scatter and peripheral bounce back). But the D-mini is actually too bright for up close situations - so I ran it mainly off the the low mode of my 2-stage LILL tailcap, and used Hi when scanning the canopy or looking at the mid-level of trees off in the distance. 

*Trails*: P1D-CE on primary or high (ideally a L2D-CE now) aimed low to the ground in front of you. A more floody beam might be even better, but too much flood can be a problem on narrow trails due to bounce back. Best for all around use.

*Taking pictures:* D-mini (on low) to spot the animal and focus camera, then move the hotspot off the subject so that only a gentle spill is left illuminating. Otherwise, flash will overexpose hotspot area of your photo.


----------



## Bullzeyebill (Feb 27, 2007)

Great color rendition in your pictures with your led lights. Puts down the notion that color rendition at night is only good with incans. Those frog pictures would not have been as accurate with an incan light.

Bill


----------



## xenopus (Feb 27, 2007)

*Re: LED flashlight experience: 2 weeks in a Costa Rica rainforest*

Ah -- this brings back memories. We used to breed red-eye's, took about 4 years to get the system down of conditioning, diet, feeding (breeding crickets), etc. Diet in the tadpoles was the most difficult part for proper metamorphosis. 

My house sure did sound alive with frog chorus at night


----------



## RonM (Feb 27, 2007)

I love this message thread, because it's about the practical use of our beloved flashlights. We need more stories like this.


----------



## eebowler (Feb 27, 2007)

selfbuilt said:


> And of course, nothing compares to being woken up just before sunrise by howler monkeys in the trees above your cabin. Apparently they produce the loudest naturally occuring sound - or so I'm told (and now believe).


 I recently heard two howlers arguing (probably male territory dispute) over something and even though I was over 100ft away from them and on a main road, (escape route  ) their howls were terribly intimidating. 

Great thread selfbuilt. What did you guys eat for the two weeks there? Who caught the food and how did they cook it? Do you have a picture of the bridge, I'd love to see it!


----------



## selfbuilt (Feb 27, 2007)

Ok, couldn't resist one more - should bring back even more memories for you xenopus (cool name, btw - like to hear more about that job!)







FYI for the rest of you, these are red-eye tree frog tadpoles under a leaf, about ready to drop off into the pond they are hanging over.



eebowler said:


> I recently heard two howlers arguing ... their howls were terribly intimidating.  What did you guys eat for the two weeks there?


Aside from the calls, they are actually relatively laid-back compared to the other monkeys there. Worse they are likely to do is pee/poop on you if they don't like you standing there. Good reason to keep your mouth closed when you look up.  

As for meals, the lodge was all-inclusive and had an outstanding kitchen. Food was much, much better than any of us expected. We were all frankly amazed that they could produce such high quality meals in such a remote place (typically a small buffet at dinner, and fixed menu of 6-8 items for breakfast or lunch). This was a *luxury* remote wilderness lodge - check out the link at the top of the first post for more info on the place (I've revised the first post to make that a little clearer).


----------



## AFAustin (Mar 1, 2007)

Very enjoyable thread, selfbuilt. Sounds like a great trip, and so nice to see how some of our toys perform in "real world" (and exotic!) conditions.

Thanks.


----------



## dwminer (Mar 2, 2007)

Thanks for sharing the adventure and pictures. Now you have to open a web site and post more pictures. 
Thanks Dave


----------



## Gatsby (Oct 4, 2007)

What a great thread! Thanks for a very interesting review - sounds like a great trip and i'd love to take my son to CA at some point. After reading about a million snake, lizard and amphibian books to my 5 yo son who is quite interested in such creatures I thought I'd heard of just about all the more common creatures of the world. But I had to look up Fer-de-lance and the first paragraph was:

*The fer-de-lance is the most dangerous snake of Central and South America, and causes more human deaths than any other American reptile. On average, a fer-de-lance injects 105mg of venom in one bite, although a venom yield of up to 310mg has been recorded while milking them. The fatal dose for a human is 50mg.*

:huh:

THat was eye opening! Of course, as flashaholics, it is fun to read about lights but really fun to hear of them being used as real tools in a real remote setting, where they were a critical part of your gear.


----------



## MikeLip (Oct 4, 2007)

This is a wonderful thread and it sounds like the trip was huge fun! Thank you! How many batteries did you go through?


----------



## BIGIRON (Oct 4, 2007)

CR is without a doubt one of my favorite places in the world, particularly around MonteVerde.

One night our host's 2D incan died and I gave him my backup UltraInfinity.
His first comment was, "Is this a Maglite?" He was blown away by the E2E.

Fruit and vegetables are so varied and wonderful that we eat little else (other than rice and beans) when we're there.


----------



## greenLED (Oct 4, 2007)

Gatsby said:


> *The fer-de-lance is the most dangerous snake of Central and South America, and causes more human deaths than any other American reptile. ...*



I've seen the effects of a fer-de-lance bite first hand - not something I'd like to experience on myself. After a while working in the forest you develop a "search image" and it gets a _little _easier to avoid them. That said, I've literally been standing in places where we later realize a small venomous snake was hiding (small hog-nosed vipers), usually under fallen leaves.

The Bushmaster (aka. "mano de piedra" - _iron hand_ in CR) is actually much more deadly than the fer-de-lance - something like 80% mortality, IIRC, and almost certain limb loss in the surviving individuals. Luckily, it's not as common, and is generally restricted to higher elevation forests. I've only seen 2 Bushmasters, while I've lost count of how many fer-de-lances I've stumbled upon. 

If anybody's heading down, let me know and I'll be happy to point out some neat places to visit (or to stay away from).


----------



## selfbuilt (Oct 4, 2007)

Gatsby said:


> THat was eye opening! Of course, as flashaholics, it is fun to read about lights but really fun to hear of them being used as real tools in a real remote setting, where they were a critical part of your gear.


Wow, it's great to see an old thread get resurrected. :thanks: Glad you enjoyed the write-up.  

The flashlights were certainly indispensible - you would miss so much otherwise. That being said, you wouldn't want to venture too far at night - the minimal staff of the eco-lodge pretty much all leave after dinner, except for one or two who stay near the main settlement. So you are pretty much SOL if anything happens to you after everyone retires to their cabins.



BIGIRON said:


> CR is without a doubt one of my favorite places in the world, particularly around MonteVerde ... Fruit and vegetables are so varied and wonderful that we eat little else (other than rice and beans) when we're there.


No argument here!



MikeLip said:


> This is a wonderful thread and it sounds like the trip was huge fun! Thank you! How many batteries did you go through?


As I recall, we went through about half a dozen primaries on the P1DCE and D-mini in total. We ran the L2T and L0Ps on AA/AAA NiMH rechargeables, since the lodge's solar battery/generator system would provide enough juice to run a recharger (my camera also uses AA NiMH).



greenLED said:


> I've seen the effects of a fer-de-lance bite first hand - not something I'd like to experience on myself. After a while working in the forest you develop a "search image" and it gets a _little _easier to avoid them.


Excellent point. The problem with the Fer-de-lance is that they can be quite testy, and they like to hang around the edge of trails. Seems trails make good hunting ground for them, since animals follow the trails just like humans. 

Pretty much all the other snakes we saw were harmless (to humans, at any rate - frogs would be a different matter). At least, the ones we were able to identify . But you have to always be on your guard, which makes it a rather thrilling experience frankly.


----------



## BIGIRON (Oct 4, 2007)

I noticed that all the road and lawn campesinos (workers) had a machete in one hand and a small, 2 or 3 ft stick in the other. Then I realized the stick was to look around in the grass or weeds before getting close enough to cut with the machete.


----------



## selfbuilt (Oct 4, 2007)

BIGIRON said:


> I noticed that all the road and lawn campesinos (workers) had a machete in one hand and a small, 2 or 3 ft stick in the other. Then I realized the stick was to look around in the grass or weeds before getting close enough to cut with the machete.


Saw sugar cane field workers on my first trip there, in Guanacaste region. After setting the fields on fire to drive out the snakes and weaken the husks, the workers move in with machetes to collect the harvest. They looked like coal miners by mid-day. Apparently, they were mainly Nicaraugan migrant workers doing a job no one else wants to do - cane fields are ripe hunting grounds for snakes. :thumbsdow


----------



## greenLED (Oct 4, 2007)

BIGIRON said:


> I noticed that all the road and lawn campesinos (workers) had a machete in one hand and a small, 2 or 3 ft stick in the other. Then I realized the stick was to look around in the grass or weeds before getting close enough to cut with the machete.


The main purpose of that stick is to make machete work easier. The stick has a smaller branch coming off at ~90º from the main stick. It's used to "grab" the grass and push it aside, exposing the stems before swinging the machete towards them. Of course it doubles as a "poking" stick, but that's not its main use.

selfbuilt, burning the cane also evaporates the water in the stems, making the sugar extraction process easier.


----------



## WadeF (Oct 4, 2007)

Glad this thread got bumped, very cool! Hopefully I'll have a chance to check out a rain forrest sometime in my life, and live to tell about it.  You probably would have enjoyed a Fenix P3D, lowerer low than the P1D-CE, and more light and throw on TURBO, more run time with 2xCR123's.


----------



## f22shift (Oct 4, 2007)

i love these threads


----------



## selfbuilt (Oct 4, 2007)

WadeF said:


> You probably would have enjoyed a Fenix P3D, lowerer low than the P1D-CE, and more light and throw on TURBO, more run time with 2xCR123's.


Quite possibly, although one of the goals was to keep the load as light as possible - the missus and I had one carry-on backpack each for the 2 week trip. The only way to fly - although it does mean wringing out the undies every night (tip: skip the cotton - polyester and nylon are your best friends in the rainforest).

Of course, I'll bring newer lights along on the next trip, but I think the D-mini is a keeper (looking forward to new 3-stage digital version). As much as like my MRV/A8, the low weight and excellent throw of the D-mini is just about perfect. My SSC-moded Petzl Tikka XP will also come with me next time (didn't have a decent headlamp before). It's good have a nice flood light to see what's up close to your feet.

It is also possible to have too much candlepower: the naturalist there was making fun of a previous guest who brought some sort of HID and nearly blinded the whole troup on a night nature hike.:laughing:

Oh, and thanks for the info on the sugar can greenLED!

Cheers :wave:


----------



## Burgess (Oct 4, 2007)

_i love these threads_ 



Me too ! 


People actually *using* their flashlights,

rather than just white-wall hunting. 



(not that there's anything *wrong* with that)

:candle:

_


----------



## goodjob (Oct 5, 2007)

greenLED said:


> If anybody's heading down, let me know and I'll be happy to point out some neat places to visit (or to stay away from).


 
I am headed to Costa Rica next month; spending time at the Barcelo Playa Tambor Resort (11/01 - 11/05) and an eco-lodge (11/05 - 11/08) in Puerto Viejo. Since I am just getting reaquainted with LED flashlights, all I have at the moment is a DX VB-16 (with batteries and charger) and MTE 1xAA SSC-P4 42180-U. From the sound of it, they may not get used much until the second leg of the journey. Should they be sufficient?

Folks, please feel free to give any other advice on what to see and do during my vacation.


----------



## selfbuilt (Oct 5, 2007)

goodjob said:


> ... all I have at the moment is a DX VB-16 (with batteries and charger) and MTE 1xAA SSC-P4 42180-U. From the sound of it, they may not get used much until the second leg of the journey. Should they be sufficient? Folks, please feel free to give any other advice on what to see and do during my vacation.


The VB-16 is an excellent choice, with its wide range of light levels. I am sure it will serve you well. The MTE light should be good for general purpose use, with its common AA battery format. Aside from a few photon clones for backup, and maybe a headlamp if you have one, I'd say you are better light prepared than >99% of those who go down there.

Can't personally give any specific advice on that area, except to say take whatever kind of guide nature tours you can (preferably with a knowledgeable naturalist). You have time to check out some local groups ahead of time.

Have fun - wish I was headed back there in the near future. :wave:


----------



## greenLED (Oct 5, 2007)

goodjob said:


> I am headed to Costa Rica next month; spending time at the Barcelo Playa Tambor Resort (11/01 - 11/05) and an eco-lodge (11/05 - 11/08) in Puerto Viejo. Since I am just getting reaquainted with LED flashlights, all I have at the moment is a DX VB-16 (with batteries and charger) and MTE 1xAA SSC-P4 42180-U. From the sound of it, they may not get used much until the second leg of the journey. Should they be sufficient?



Is that Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí or Puerto Viejo de Limón? Not that it matters much in terms of lighting, but it matters in terms of what to expect/do.

You won't need your lights at the fancy resort. Other than *maybe* a headlamp, I can't think of any other lights that would improve your options. You'll find AA alkies no problem.


----------



## goodjob (Oct 5, 2007)

Selfbuilt and greenLED, thanks for the feedback! I do not have a headlamp yet, and it may be a little late to order anything from DX; I still have a couple of orders pending from them. Maybe I will pick up something locally. Guess I will pack a couple eneloops and a simple charger just in case. I am looking forward to "exploring" the rainforest, hopefully there will be good tours available.



greenLED said:


> Is that Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí or Puerto Viejo de Limón? Not that it matters much in terms of lighting, but it matters in terms of what to expect/do.


 
I double checked the itenerary, it is Puerto Viejo de Limón.


----------



## BIGIRON (Oct 5, 2007)

Just grab one of the Energizer white/red led ones from WalMart. (the one with the diffuser) Will serve you very well.


----------



## Siskik (Oct 5, 2007)

Selfbilt,
Awesome picture !!


----------



## greenLED (Oct 5, 2007)

goodjob said:


> Maybe I will pick up something locally. Guess I will pack a couple eneloops and a simple charger just in case. I am looking forward to "exploring" the rainforest, hopefully there will be good tours available.
> 
> I double checked the itenerary, it is Puerto Viejo de Limón.



You won't find good quality headlamps at US prices down there. I'd hit WalMart of Target and see what they have to offer. If not, a headlamp is not *that* critical.

Puerto Viejo de Limón is one of my favorite places in CR - quaint & relaxed atmosphere, relatively undeveloped side of the country, very pretty beaches. If you get a chance, head down to Manzanillo - that's the last beach on the rough road. We've had the beach to ourselves plenty of times. 

I should warn you: that part of the Caribbean coast is (sadly) along one of the main drug traffic routes between South and North America. Drugs spark crime, etc. Be very careful with your stuff around there (it may walk away while you're looking the other way). A light will definitely help you if you decide to talk a walk out at night. Be aware of your surroundings and of the people who approach you. If you're going as part of a tour, you'll be somewhat "sheltered" but it's always good to remain aware of things going on around you, etc.


----------



## goodjob (Oct 5, 2007)

greenLED said:


> You won't find good quality headlamps at US prices down there. I'd hit WalMart of Target and see what they have to offer. If not, a headlamp is not *that* critical.
> 
> Puerto Viejo de Limón is one of my favorite places in CR - quaint & relaxed atmosphere, relatively undeveloped side of the country, very pretty beaches. If you get a chance, head down to Manzanillo - that's the last beach on the rough road. We've had the beach to ourselves plenty of times.
> 
> I should warn you: that part of the Caribbean coast is (sadly) along one of the main drug traffic routes between South and North America. Drugs spark crime, etc. Be very careful with your stuff around there (it may walk away while you're looking the other way). A light will definitely help you if you decide to talk a walk out at night. Be aware of your surroundings and of the people who approach you. If you're going as part of a tour, you'll be somewhat "sheltered" but it's always good to remain aware of things going on around you, etc.


 
Oops, when I mentioned picking up a headlight locally, I ment here in San Jose (California)! 

Being circumspectful is something I always do when travelling abroad, thanks for the warning. As for objects taking flight at a moment's notice, that wouldn't be an indirect plug for your laynards and leashes would it?  All kidding aside, I was thinking about a neck lanyard or leash for my small camera, will PM you about it after I get home.

Thanks again for your advice and observations.


----------



## BIGIRON (Oct 5, 2007)

My Costa Rican hosts say that crimes of violence are quite rare but property crimes are common. Sad that you see bars on all the windows and doors in the towns but pretty soon you just don't notice them anymore.


----------



## greenLED (Oct 6, 2007)

goodjob said:


> Being circumspectful is something I always do when travelling abroad, thanks for the warning. As for objects taking flight at a moment's notice, that wouldn't be an indirect plug for your laynards and leashes would it?  All kidding aside, I was thinking about a neck lanyard or leash for my small camera, will PM you about it after I get home.
> 
> Thanks again for your advice and observations.




I was more concerned about things left in plain view inside your car/bus, or an unattended backpack while at the beach, etc., but since you mention it... 

Seriously, Bigiron's right, especially once you leave San Jose (CR, that is). I just thought I'd give the standard warning. Some people hear CR is "safe, friendly, and peaceful" and next thing they know their backpack with all their EDC is snatched from them. :sick2: Sounds like you got that covered, so I'll shut up now.


----------



## KingGlamis (Oct 7, 2007)

Great thread, thanks for sharing. Do you have a picture of the bridge?


----------



## selfbuilt (Oct 7, 2007)

KingGlamis said:


> Great thread, thanks for sharing. Do you have a picture of the bridge?


Not a good one. Since you are in the canopy, it's hard to take a good photo with a sense of perspective. It was the 150+ feet straight down that was a little disconcerting when you were in the middle. 

Safety concerns are always an issue when travelling anywhere, and CR is no exception. San Jose is not a place I would want to wander around after dark, and be particularly careful around the airport (tourists stick out like sore thumbs). But the I always felt reasonably safe in the rest of CR.


----------



## cy (Dec 8, 2008)

cooool place!!


----------



## flasherByNight (Aug 9, 2009)

Great story! Thanks for sharing :twothumbs

(don't think anyone would mind the bump  )


----------



## search_and_rescue (Jan 27, 2015)

The frogs and tadpoles are beautiful. Thanks Selfbuilt for the great story and sharing.:twothumbs


----------



## Grijon (Jan 27, 2015)

I'm glad this thread got bumped, or I never would have seen it.

AWESOME stuff - thank you, selfbuilt!


----------



## Phlogiston (Jan 27, 2015)

I'll second that - a fascinating thread to read


----------



## ArmyTek (Jan 30, 2015)

Very fascinating thread!

Especially red-eye tree frog tadpoles under a leaf!


----------



## selfbuilt (Jan 30, 2015)

Wow, a six year thread bounce ... I don't get those very often.  The principles of the light experience are the same, although models would certainly have changed!

Glad you are enjoying the pics. I've been back to Costa Rica since then, but not to stay in the primary rainforest like this. Hope to make it back one day.


----------

