Field Report
Pak-Lite Flashlight
Date: October 6th, 2004
Reviewer Information
Name: Jim Sabiston
Age: 50
Height: 6' 3" (1.9 m)
Weight: 207 lb (94 kg)
Email address: JimSabis(at)aol(dot)com
State: New York
Country: USA
Backpacking Background:
I've been camping for several decades. I joined the Adirondack Mountain
Club four years ago, the Appalachian Mountain Club a year later and am active
in both. I have also expanded my backpacking to include more winter trips,
mountaineering and backcountry cross country skiing, and participated in the
AMC's Winter Mountaineering training program with Chauvin International
Climbing Guides. More recently, I have actively studied ways to backpack
lighter and more efficiently. During the summer months, my style tends toward
very light, but not quite ultralight. I use a hammock or tarp for warm weather,
and a small four-season tent for winter trips. Most of my other gear is very
changeable, as I am constantly experimenting with gear and techniques.
Product Information:
Manufacturer: C. Crane Company
URL: http://www.ccrane.com
Year of Manufacture: 2004
Light source: 2 Light Emitting Diodes (LED)
Projected battery life (with included lithium battery):
Low setting: 1200 hours
High setting: 200 hours
Size (assembled): Length: 2.25 in (5.7 cm)
width: 1 in (2.5 cm)
depth: .6 in (1.5 cm)
Listed weight (assembled): 1.5 oz (42.5 g)
Weight as delivered (assembled): 1.5 oz (42.5 g)
MSRP: $29.95 (with lithium battery)
Product Description:
The Pak-Lite flashlight is a small LED based flashlight having two LED elements
and two light settings, high and low. The 'body' of the Pak-Lite has been
reduced to the smallest practical component by eliminating the need to enclose
the power source. Instead, the body holds only the twin LED lighting elements,
an interesting miniature toggle switch and a small circuit board. This level of
miniaturization is made possible by the unique contacts of the common 9-volt
battery. The battery contacts mate up with the flashlight contacts mounted
directly to the LED circuit board. When pressed together, the battery becomes
an extension of the small, squared-off flashlight body
One surprise is the design of the on/off switch. The Pak-Lite uses a small
toggle switch. The small, light grey toggle is located in, and well protected
by, a small indent on one side of the flashlight body. The switch has three
positions. Set the toggle in the center position and the light is off. Move the
switch to one side and it activates the low setting. Move the switch to the
other side and it activates the high setting. The switch makes an audible
'click' when moved and provides a nice tactile response.
Unlike many multiple element LED lights, the Pak-Lite does not control
brightness by changing how many LED elements are activated, as both LED bulbs
are on regardless of whether the high or low setting is activated. Instead, the
actual brightness of the bulbs are changed from one setting to the other. The
LED elements stand proud above the front of the light housing, rather than
being recessed into it.
The Pak-Lite in the Field:
Aug. 14-15, 2004
Tropical Storm Charlie
Windy, warm, heavy rain and very high humidity
This was the first outdoor test of the Pak-Lite flashlight. The Pak-Lite was
used as a general area light and for reading inside a single-wall, two person
tent. The Pak-Lite was not directly exposed to any rain. I have found that I
can wedge the Pak-Lite behind the intersecting pole frames of the Black Diamond
Lighthouse tent I am testing. I place the flashlight so that it faces away from
me and the switch is facing downward. This position avoids subjecting my eyes
to the direct glare of the bulbs, thus preserving my vision. The slab sided
sides of the 9 volt lithium battery seem to keep the Pak-Lite very stable in
this wedged position. This allows me to operate the switch without having to
remove the flashlight from this convenient location.
The light shines directly onto the yellow tent wall and gives a pleasant,
diffuse light throughout the two person tent. The exposed bulb position gives a
fair amount of light to the sides of the flashlight, making it a pretty
respectable area light, considering the low output. The low setting proved
sufficient for attending to my gear needs and personal activities, such as
locating that Little Debbie Swiss Roll I had stashed in my backpack! Switching
to the high setting improved the lighting and is definitely easier on the eyes,
but neither setting provided enough light to read in this arrangement.
When it was time to settle down with my book, I simply slid the Pak-Lite out
from its snug position behind the tent poles and rested it on my shoulder,
pointed at my book. When it comes to reading, the low setting can best be
described as 'serviceable'. It can be done and I have used it this way often,
especially at home, reading in bed late at night when a more typical reading
light tends to disturb my wife. When using the low setting for reading, I find
it necessary to either move the page being read into the flashlight beam or
constantly move the Pak-Lite so it is pointing to the page being read. This
works, but wears thin after a while. The high setting is far better for reading,
as it lights a broader area, but of course this comes at a huge expense in
battery life.
However, the real issue in this application is one of convenience. Resting the
Pak-Lite on my shoulder, and pointed at my book, DOES work. But, it requires
fairly constant fiddling to find the 'sweet spot', that magical position where
the light is pointed correctly, but not sliding off my shoulder.
I've tried the headband accessory , but find this a fussy fit. The rectangular
body of the battery is not a natural fit with the elastic loop, and requires
some doing to get into place. Once fitted, however, it seems to be very secure.
I find the elastic headband too snug to be truly comfortable for any length of
time but, again, it DOES work and can be used as an effective short-range
headlamp in a pinch.
Aug. 19th-22nd
Lake Lila, Adirondacks, NY
Rain, sun, damp, warm.
Sept. 1st-2nd, 2004
Assateague Island, VA
Clear, sunny, warm.
The Pak-Lite has found a comfortable niche in my tent as an area light. It
really works nicely wedged into that spot above the tent poles. I find the low
setting is quiet sufficient to serve as area lighting for most interior tasks,
such as arranging sleeping pads and bags, organizing gear and lighting the
interior while entering and exiting. The low setting gives the tent a very soft
glow from the outside, making it much easier to locate the tent after a late
night pee break on a moonless night. Assuming an average of four hours a night,
the Pak-Lite should work in this capacity for three hundred nights! The
implications for use on long hikes is pretty clear. Who needs to carry spare
batteries with life expectancy projections like that? Having to change
batteries in the field would seem to be a pretty rare event, but changing
batteries couldn’t be easier if it had to be done. This is especially so
considering the battery contacts only allow the battery to be installed the
correct way.
One little problem did present itself on the Assateague hike. Every other light
I own has some method of attachment built into the body. This is most often a
simple hole with a metal ring or a bit of cording inserted through the hole,
allowing the light to be clipped onto something. I am in the habit of clipping
various lights to my backpack, a belt loop, a cord loop inside a pocket, or a
key attachment inside the backpack. The idea is that the flashlight is attached
to a fixed point on my person or gear and I know exactly where it is when
needed. The Pak-Lite has no such detail. I considered a hook and loop style
attachment, but would not trust this on an exterior point of my pack or person,
where a rock or tree branch could knock it off without my being aware. Knowing
the abuse I give to my pack contents, it is unlikely an interior mounting point
of this type would be reliable either. At the moment, the only alternative has
been to toss the Pak-Lite into one of the top pockets in my backpack, when
available, or some other handy pocket. The trick is remembering which one! I
could not find the Pak-Lite while setting up my tent in Assateague and thought
I might have lost it. It finally turned up when I opened my small personal kit
and found it stashed in one of the kits small pockets. I am constantly
transferring gear from pack to pack, so I need to come up with a better system
than this, or maybe just work on improving my memory!
My fifty year old eyes prefer brighter lighting for cooking and any kind of
detailed work. The Pak-Lite's high output setting is adequate in these
applications. For brief jobs, I'm already in the habit of just holding the
little light in my teeth, as this can be done with a minimum of fuss. For
longer tasks, the headband comes into play, but the tight fit and fussiness of
fitting the light into the headband make this a less than desirable option for
me.
Bumps, Thumps and Spritzes:
The Pak-Lite has proven to be a rugged little item. Being switched around from
backpack to daypack to fanny pack, etc., has caused no undue signs of wear.
There hasn't been a single occurrence of the light fitting popping off the
battery, even during a couple of minor drops on to dirt surfaces. The
diminutive switch is still tight, with a firm, positive action to it. The
battery clips show no sign of loosening. The exposed position of the bulbs
would seem to invite damage, but there has not been a problem to date, in spite
of some rough handling.
I have taken some pains to avoid giving the Pak-Lite a serious soaking. Knowing
the electronics are exposed inside the small plastic housing makes me a bit
wary of exposing the light to water. I have used it in extremely damp and humid
conditions and it has been briefly exposed to some moderate rain. So far, no
ill effects have been noted.
I have long used a simple emergency light setup that uses a bit of Velcro and
one of my small, lithium coin cell lights. There is a dot of Velcro on the
light, and a matching dot on the brim of my cap. By turning the little light on
and mating it to the matching Velcro tab on the hat, I make a serviceable
emergency headlamp. It occurred to me that the Pak-Lite might also work the
same way, but it is considerably heavier than the coin cell models. I raided my
stock of Velcro dots and placed a 'fuzzy' one on one side of the flashlight
body, opposite the light switch.
Attaching the light to the existing Velcro dot on the brim, I found the weight
of the Pak-Lite made the connection seem less secure than with the smaller coin
cell flashlight, but it would not fall off, even when shaking my head. There is
room for a second Velcro dot, and this would likely improve the attachment. The
low setting is of little real use in this application. The high setting gives
just enough light to find my way around camp or a maintained trail. I would not
be inclined to use the Pak-Lite as a headlamp while bushwhacking. I was
concerned that the weight of the Pak-Lite might pull the brim of my hat down,
but did not prove to be an issue.
Summary:
Likes:
1 - Small and light.
2 - Rectangular body (battery) can't roll and is very stable standing on flat
surfaces.
2 - Projected battery life. 200/1200 hours!? What's not to like?
Dislikes:
1 - No built in way to attach it to anything.
The Pak-Lite is an interesting concept, distilling the idea of a flashlight
down to its most fundamental elements. The design strikes me as a balance
between functionality and battery life, with the emphasis on the latter. If I
were looking for a light that would satisfy my ultralight lighting needs for
typical weekend jaunts, there are lighter lights around that will get the job
done. However, when the trip calls for longer periods in the backcountry, far
from re-supply, the Pak-Lite becomes a serious contender, in my book. The light
levels are bright enough to get the job done, at least around camp, with a bit
of light duty trail work thrown in and the battery life projections are
spectacular. It is reasonable to expect a single battery to last end to end on
a thru hike of any of the major continental trails. I just would not want to
rely on it for any intensive nighttime trail work, especially in dubious
terrain. Because of these characteristics, I have come to think of the Pak-Lite
as more of a 'camp' light, rather than a trail light. I prefer the brighter
beam of a good headlamp for the trail, but the Pak-Lite makes a serviceable
emergency backup that does a good job in camp.
The Pak-Lite has proven to be quite versatile in the many applications that I
have used it. The only real compromise is the relatively low light output
necessary to obtain such extraordinary battery life.
