[pct-l] Nite Hiking and Flashlights

[Eric Martinot]

For reference, the headlamp I've used, Princeton Tec EOS, is rated 80 lumens, but I guess that's for "high" setting.  There is no spec I can find for "medium" setting.   I found the medium setting, which is rated to last 10 hours with Alkaline and 17 hours with Lithium (3xAAA), as nice for prolonged night hiking.  Also the EOS has "regulation" which means the output stays constant over all the rated hours, only declining at the very end, so you get consistent results throughout the night.

Then the "low" setting is good for in-camp activities, and the super-long-beam "high" setting (only rated for 1 hour with Alkaline) is good for brief checking around for a suspected trail junction or at places where its not immediately clear which way the trail goes.

Has an angle adjustment, which I found important.  I set the angle so the near-side edge of the beam is just beyond my foot falls.  That is, I ordinarily don't see my feet at all, so I can look farther ahead.  The brain naturally forms a mental image of the trail ahead and guides your feet, so you don't need to be looking at exactly where your feet are stepping.  Except for very rocky or steep terrain, then of course you have to tilt your head down to look down at your immediate feet.