How Important is a Torch?
 

We leave for our African trip on the 5th October (4 days to go!!)...and I have begun packing....our safari is all vehicle based and our accomodation is in lodges, and I got to wondering...how imperative is it that we have a torch?
What do you think, is it an item I can leave at home??

Hi Mia78

Not sure where you are off to - but I have done a variety of african trips, both tent and lodge, and I have never taken a torch as usually one is provided. Sometimes people have one of the vehicle at night, to change batteries etc, but once again I have managed to live without one, so I feel while maybe useful to some degree, I can quite easily leave mine at home!

The only time I really needed one was in a tent, when I dropped an earring or something in an unlit area, and I could see it, but that is where my youthful niece's eyes came in handy and she found it!

Kind regards

Kaye

Thanks for the response KayeN...I thought as much..its just nice to hear that others think the same way!

At night I like to carry in my pocket a very small MagLite using AAA batteries. I use it for checking camera settings, lighting rough pathways, just general walking around camp that may have strange steps and door sills etc.

regards - tom

I carry a pocket size torch too for just in case, when i forget to use the one provided by the camp/lodge.

I agree with Tom. I always have a small torchwith me for the same reasons. The camps supply a large torch for walking to and from the tent at night, but having your own small torch always at hand is very useful at night. Africa can be very dark when the moon is not out. I prefer to be self reliant and not need to borrow from others. A small torch takes up very little space or weight. Do have a wonderful safari and tell us about it when you get back.
Jan

Another - a small Maglite is always with me, even here at home. Mine uses 2/AA batteries so might be larger than Tom's :)

I always bring a small, lightweight flashlight. As I get tired, my eye's don't always focus they way the should, especially if I have been out in the sun/wind really using my eyes all day.
If you like to read before you go to bed, then a flash light is a must. Also, when returning home from afternoon drive and/or dinner, even though the guide has a light, if I don't use one exactly where I am walking, I somehow find a rock, stick or hole to walk into (maybe that's just me, LOL). It is one item I would not leave at home.

One of my favorite items was a TINY flashlight (small enough to put on a key chain). I attached it to my unfashionable fanny pack, so I always had it with me.

I carry a hands-free light. It fits over my ear and looks a little like a Bluetooth. The LED can be adjusted so it’s parallel to my eyes, it lights up whatever I’m looking at; great for reading, cleaning cameras, rummaging around dark duffle bags, midnight trips to the loo etc.

For years I have also carried (and you can laugh now) a full size Maglite Magcharger (now with Xenon bulb) with 5-D batteries that recharges off the vehicle. It weights 32 oz. but worth it for projecting long distances (sweeping the area for eyes reflecting back at me and good for illuminating the walking path)sitting around the campfire, night drives, emergencies etc. Many camps and lodges provide flashlights, but they aren’t as strong. This is my preference (obession) since I do a lot of remote camping and is not “necessary.”

I concur with the others who advocate for Mini Maglites. Mine came in handy many times on my trip last year. It didn't take up much space and was small enough to tuck under my pillow for middle of the night trips to the biffy.

Just remember to use it!
One morning on a mobile tent safari I woke up and went out of my tent to soak in the atmosphere of pure Africa. It was still a bit dark and there were lions roaring in the distance. One of the staff asked me if I had a torch. Of course I did, I just didn't have it with me at that moment. He was very tactful when he told me I should use my torch since the lions were close. What he really meant was "You stupid white woman! Don't wander around without a flashlight when there are lions in the neighborhood!"
Next time I plan on getting one that I can wear on my forehead like a miner's light!

I always have my torch with me even though torches are provided in the camps. At Xakanaka Camp they gave us a torch which was not loaded enough to return from tent to boma, so I was happy I had my own spare.
Thomas

Lillipets: I often use the head lamp because it makes life much easier when I'm doing nocturnal work as I can enter notes with one hand for my field book and the other to write. Good for reading or journaling on safari too.

Hi there,

We used a torch everynight while traveling through East Africa, but that's only because we tented the entire time. I do find the head torches the best, ours was a Petzl and had an elastic band, which we could and did tie to our tent pole while tucking in for the night and we wore them around our wrist while walking to the out house. I know you won't be doing this sort of travel, but it's small and will come in handy at some point! Cheers, Alie http://hobosinlovemedia.com

I always have a small MagLite (everywhere) and two bigger MagLite-style torches (on safari) with me.

This is a good torch idea: http://www.africanconservationfund.o...ent/view/84/5/

We bring a small maglite, a hand crank LED torch (no batteries needed), and a headlamp, but now that I found out you can get an over the ear LED light thanks to Khakif, I might have to get one of those too. They sound great!

Patty, if you like this item, try to find one with a soft ear clip. My first purchase had a hard platic ear clip and it was uncomfortable.

Thanks, Khakif! I found several different kinds, some with soft, some with hard clips, so good point.

We always take the Petzl head torches that we bought for out first safari. This was camping in small tents with a shared toilet tent. The head torch allowed for a handsfree experience - which was needed when shovelling the sand!!!

We haven't camped since, but find them very useful.

Patty,

Did you end up purchasing the ear light? If yes, what do you think of it? I still carry a mega torch for safari, but find the ear light indespensible for tent/hotel living.

KhakiF

I nearly always have a small maglite torch with me, they come in sizes small enough to use as keyrings so don't take up much space.

When we did a self-drive safari we took the headtorch and a small torch, slightly bigger than the mini maglite, that had a base that made it easy to use as a lamp. Both proved useful.

I didn't think to take the headtorch for the Kenya trip in 2004 and could have done with it as the tents were lit only with paraffin lamps and remained quite dark.

Also, power failures do occur so having torches to hand, even if the lodge normally provide one when walking you to the tent, is probably handy.

Khakif,
Yes, I did end up getting an ear clip light. I'll get to test it out fully on safari next month and will let you know it works out when I return.

Depends on how well you can see in the dark. With my eyesight, torches on safari are invaluable.

I use a Petzl Tactikka headlamp (en.petzl.com) in all situations were I need free hands. Very helpful when packing in safari tents without electricity. The Tactikka also has a built-in red filter which makes it a perfect companion during night drives - other clients and animals are not disturbed if I'm checking my photo equipment.

For all kind of night walks I use a small Wolf-Eyes Raider (www.wolf-eyes.com) with additional LED head on the back. The 5x LED lamp is very bright, good if you're searching for something in your tent or for lightening the floor on your way to the loo. The main Xenon head is for outdoor usage and gives me more brightness than a conventional 5-D MagLite (130 lumens). Also good for using as spot light.

Khakif,
I LOVED my ear clip light! Thanks for the suggestion.

We started this last trip with 5 torches and ended up with 3 :)) Left the hand crank torch behind at the first camp and our mini maglite quit on us (that was very disappointing).

Patty - what ear clip light do yo like?

regards - tom

Patty, great to hear you liked it. I carry it on every trip, business or pleasure. I have one in the office too for when the power goes out.

khakif

Tom,
This is the one I ended up getting http://tinyurl.com/3yko38 though I paid less than that. At the moment, I can't find the site I bought them from. If I can remember what it is, I'll post.

thanks Patty, cute, any feel for about how long the batteries last?

regards - tom

No idea!