The preparation and purchase of essentials prior to the safari is a pleasant task. For us lads it is probably the only shopping spree that we relish. Lists are made, advise is sought, research is conducted and equipment is purchased, updated or simply dusted off to be used again.

For the PH the list is usually much more comprehensive and involves expensive components such as vehicles, spare parts, recovery equipment etc. However there are a number of essentials that commonly occur on both lists and the item I am promoting here is an excellent torch that I and others have field tested over the last year.

I or we are not sponsored by the product or have any connection in anyway with the company that produces the torch. I have not even looked at their website. This is simply a tip from a PH to the sportsman.

A good torch is a handy thing to have around camp but for the PH it is a critical piece of equipment used when following up dangerous game under the cover of darkness.

I have been through most of the common brands of compact torches - maglites, streamlites, not so sure fires etc but the very best to date for me has to be the LED LENSER. It is extremely bright and the light is unwavering and more importantly very long lasting. I have two models - one which takes 3 AAA batteries and the other takes four. The latter is slightly larger and a little brighter and was recently given to me so I cannot comment on this model yet. The standard torch bears the number 617890 and this has been the best torch I have yet to use. It is reliable, rugged and can take the recoil of a large caliber. It is affordable and so are the batteries.

Two close friends who are full time PH's here in Zambia and who this year have both used the same model have all agreed that this torch is far superior than any of the common brands found on the market today. It is an essential piece of equipment.

This light is available from Sportsmans club for US $57.00 Called tactical weapons mount light!



This would be a very useful thing with the mount attached to the front sling swivel under the barrels of a short barreled .450 cal double rifle for night follow-up on wounded dangerous game!

Incredible how torch/flashlight technology has advanced so quickly.

I've still got some of those great big 3 or 4 (D?) cell maglights that were considered so good in their time..... as far as I know, you can't buy any really bright/modern bulbs for them but if you could, I'd have thought they'd be helluva bright and the batteries would last damn near forever.

Steve,

You can buy an LED "upgrade" for the maglights, and your battery life goes up substantially, they are just as bright, if not brighter than the old bulbs. The light is noticeably bluer as well. They are available at just about any good gunshop in the RSA

Thanks mate. I wasn't aware of that and will get down to the gunshop on Monday morning!

I bought a Surefire two years ago and I was sorely disappointed. Battery life was awful, lasting about 45 mins. The extra, over priced batteries I bought went dead before I used them. Good post Andrew, I'll check it out.
Cheers,
David

I have a dozen surefire lights and won't use any other. But, I can mail order batteries by the gross, so my concerns are different than those on the dark continent. The newer LED bulbs make battery life four times what it used to be.

The LED Lenser is available at Lowes. The smaller one that takes 3 AAA batteries is about $40.00 including batteries. It is bright and almost indestructable.

Ditto "fairgame, MacD37 and BT" - here is mine (3AAA):



I have it for 2 years now and can just second fairgame's observations. BTW - when I was packing up in Zim last December, the light somehow stayed (or was accidentally) turned ON (evening before flight) - I have found it out 48hrs later when I was unpacking at my home - it is September next year now and is still going on the same set of bateries (nearing the end but nevertheless)...al I can say is a big

Here's the torch I use. I'm a traditionalist.

OK--- so now we have the perfect light -------but---- what is the best method of attaching to one's rifle -- esp one of the heavier recoiling ones ????

I believe PH guys have found it out - anyway - light has 2 diametrical flat surfaces on the sides - and it shouldn't be a problem to figure something out.

For additional info - speaking of 3AAA we are talkinfg about "Hokus Focus" model and 4AAA is a T7 model - tboth are part of "Tactical" series coming from HP line - here is official part:

Hocus Focus

I have been using the Modular LED from Leupold. It has 4 setting, low, medium, and blinding. The fourth is an SOS.

I have had it for two years now, it is totally water proof, can be had in a two or three battery model using CR123A batteries. It runs for days on low power and appears to be indestructible.

Think The Modular Light is worth a look.

I bought the Fenix TK10 on ebay for $47 delivered plus a red and blue filter for $10 total delivered. has 2 output-225 lumens(1.5 hours) and 60 lumens(10 hours!). yes it uses CR123 batteries, but with those run times, who cares? it is mil-spec anodized aluminum, 2 position on-off switch, belt holster, lanyard, extra o rings, etc. i have 2 G2 Surefires and it is MUCH BRIGHTER than them. had a Surefire M6 but sold it- went through 6 CR123 batteries in no time and wasn't much brighter than the Fenix. plus it cost almost $400 and was MUCH heavier. i am pretty sure the Fenix would fit in 1" scope rings plus has 2 flat sides for other mounting options. i have accidentally dropped it off the balcony of my house onto concrete and other than a few scratches, it is still working fine. no matter what anyone says, SUREFIRES ARE WAY OVERPRICED!!!!!!!

I have found, after much experimentation, that the Surefire brand, with the LED lens, is the best and the brightest.

Try find a PH who has a good thing to say about Surefires. Whilst I do not want to knock this brand the LED LENSER at $40 is money well spent and in my opinion far superior.

The clamp I use is a simple piece of kit. It is two piece and when assembled looks like the number 8. The tension bolt which runs through the middle clamps both torch and barrel. I tape the barrel to protect what is left of the bluing. The beam is point of aim.

I like Surefire, but have found that if one leaves the battery in it for a period of time, they go flat.
Very weird.

Check out the rechargeable T4 LED torch by www.inovalight.com

A great torch

FYI when I was standing in line at Cabelas the other day I noticed that Energizer (IIRC) now makes a CR123 in Lithium. They were packaged just like their other products so it appears that the 123s are becoming more mainstream.

I have been a big fan of Surefire lights in the past, however lately there are a lot of off name brands hitting the market that are a lot cheaper and appear to work just as well, at least as far as I'm concerned. I have a couple of Fenix lights and they seem to work real well for the money, but last spring I bought a 2 pack of Life+Gear lights from Costco for $100 thinking I'd give them a try and so far they've been the best I've had. They're 360 lumen Cree LEDs and they run for a long time on a set of C cells, which I hate buying so I bought a set of the Eneloop rechargeables that have the upsizers which allows you to use AAs in them. These lights are so bright I used them this year for my spotlight survey at the ranch and while they're not quite as bright as a 1 million candlepower spot, they worked just fine. Everyone I've showed 'em to is simply amazed how bright they are! I'll try posting a link.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/P...al&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

Regards,
Scott

Fenix is the best

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Try find a PH who has a good thing to say about Surefires.

Here's one.... please feel free to send me any you don't want mate.

They eat batteries but I really like 'em.

Mind you, I haven't tried any of the new ones mentioned here.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Try find a PH who has a good thing to say about Surefires.

Here's one.... please feel free to send me any you don't want mate.

They eat batteries but I really like 'em.

Mind you, I haven't tried any of the new ones mentioned here.

Steve,

What possible use do you have for some torches that do not work?

The two that I have now only work on the colored light function which is dim to say the least.

Do yourself a favor and try one of the above recommended torches. The days of cumbersome spot lights and heavy battery eating torches is over.

You should be able to get the LED Lenser in RSA and if you are not happy with it then I will pay for it.

Cheers

Andrew

Andrew,

I have to go to the gun shop this week so will look out for them.

Thanks for the tip!

Andrew,

Which model did you buy?

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
This light is available from Sportsmans club for US $57.00 Called tactical weapons mount light!



....

I just saw one today. My mate got one from the Sika show in Taupo over the weekend. The clamp to mount a Weaver ring on was not cheap. The 4AA cell model with the clamp cost him NZ$170 (US125). The torch is awesome.

I'm a 100% with fairgame, the led lenser is a fantastic torch and is hard to beat. I have two models and heve been using them for just over a year. The battery life is unbelievable!!
Available in RSA bought mine online

quote:

Originally posted by kukhama:
Available in RSA bought mine online

From where and which models?

I've gotta say torches are a pretty basic design and assuming the same type & number of batteries, I wonder if it's possible to buy the more modern bulb and just put them in the older housing?

For example, I've got umpteen metal bodied mag lights laying about the house that take the same number of D cell batteries as that large LED Lenser and wonder why it's not possible to make one fit the other.

I guess I come from a generation that deplores waste and it strikes me as an awful waste to just chuck those old aluminium bodied torches in the bin.

Either that or I'm just a tight bastard!

Tight bastard,

That makes two of us. I use the inferior torches around the house. Get the $40 basic model LED Lenser (details above). It takes 3 AAA batteries and comes with a belt pouch. I insulation tape an additional set of batteries to the pouch.

If you are shopping do you want to have a look at the Fenix that was mentioned? Sounds like another good option.

Cheers

Andrew

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
I've gotta say torches are a pretty basic design and assuming the same type & number of batteries, I wonder if it's possible to buy the more modern bulb and just put them in the older housing?

For example, I've got umpteen metal bodied mag lights laying about the house that take the same number of D cell batteries as that large LED Lenser and wonder why it's not possible to make one fit the other.

I guess I come from a generation that deplores waste and it strikes me as an awful waste to just chuck those old aluminium bodied torches in the bin.

Either that or I'm just a tight bastard!

Not running some Scottish blood through your veins are you?

Andrew,

I've just been to my local gun shop and they have some (but not all) of the range of LED Lenser but I'll go down to Sabi Rifles and look for the Fenix as well.

My local shop also had LED Lenser headights that looked helluva good as well.

Fujo,

Nah, not Scottish so I guess it's either a family trait or just the fact I grew up poor!

Just reading through this post and saw the pics, thinking "that looks familiar..."

I've got one of the LED Lenser torches sat on my desk that I used to get back through the woods after hunting and other general purpose stuff. I can't remember the cost but it wasn't much , (bought in Ireland IIRC) and the battery life on it is excellent.

I like the fact you can focus the beam too. I might try it mounted on the air-rifle for shooting rats in the barn!!

Rgds,
FB

Steve

Amazon seem to have some special offers on the LED's. Not sure about the RSA site but some of the UK sites have a decent discount.

K

Thanks mate. I'll do some research.

http://www.ledlenser.co.za/
Try this site. If I remember correctly, I bought a T7 and a T14. Will check when I get home

Thanks. Those prices on the site ar helluva good!

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
Thanks. Those prices on the site ar helluva good!

Another brilliant idea. Photoshop one of these torches into your hand with that big Leopard of yours. State that you trust your life with the product and make a DVD.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
Thanks. Those prices on the site ar helluva good!

Another brilliant idea. Photoshop one of these torches into your hand with that big Leopard of yours. State that you trust your life with the product and make a DVD.

I'm such a flashlight whore. Went to Lowes and bought the/a 3 AAA battery 100 lumen LED Lenser. Adjustable beam but only one output. It's bright, probably more so than others that claim 100 lumens. $46 + tax.

Come on, you get a client to buy some and just give them to you. Did you overlook that detail in the PH exam?

Come on, you get a client to buy some and just give them to you. Did you overlook that detail in the PH exam? Wink

Will,

I must admit that I did not purchase them, but I did offer.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Come on, you get a client to buy some and just give them to you. Did you overlook that detail in the PH exam? Wink

Will,

I must admit that I did not purchase them, but I did offer.

Did you offer loud enough that they could hear you?