Tactical Trail Hiking
Wilderness Survival and Safety

WSAS Notes - www.chelansar.org

Carrying a flashlight or headlamp on a hike seems like a classic no-brainer. Everyone acknowledges lighting around camp is needed after dark. It’s reassuring that a light’s close by when one’s awakened by strange noises, and it’s much safer to walk around the campsite with a light in hand than move in the dark.

Required Lighting Equipment

Lighting equipment must be carried by every individual. Lighting is absolutely essential in the event of an emergency, and may be needed when rendering first aid, or when signalling for help.

How Long Does Your Light Last?

Okay, you’ve been using your light during the hike off and on. Now you have an emergency, and you have no idea how much juice is left with the original batteries.

BUT, you have a spare set of batteries (you do, don’t you?), so you should know how much guaranteed time you have after the fresh reload.

There’s only one reliable way to come up with this knowledge.

In the comfort of your own home, load your light with fresh batteries, turn it on, and time it until it winks out. The time you get is how long you can use your light after a battery reload.

Handy to know when you’re going to use the light for signalling, moving around camp, etc.

Sound cheesy? Think about it. Unless you do this, you’ll never know for sure how much light you can rely on in a true emergency.

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