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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] headlamps

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: pennbo@verizon.net
  • To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] headlamps
  • Date: Fri, 01 May 2009 23:47:02 -0500 (CDT)

These are all good points Irv and follow my thoughts too. I do think every unit should carry headlamps but not for mounted work. There have been times on night searches where we were headed into some rough utterly unfamiliar terrain. We got off and walked the horses. THEY may see well at night but humans not so much and a light is handy! :-)  Also a red lamp is a more useful tool as it doesn't destroy your night vision like white light does. (and doesn't cause the cussing a white light does when you forget you have it on your helmet and you look someone in the face!)

Examine why you want to use a headlamp, bounce the ideas around here and amongst your members - and see what you come up with.

Chris


May 1, 2009 10:29:10 PM, msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org wrote:

There are two theories about night work—lights or no lights.

Your horse doesn’t need the light so examine why you need the light.  Trackers use lights aimed along the ground to pick any shadow of a track in the ground.

This is useful but the light, to be effective, must be near ground level and aimed at a slight down angle.  The original Border Patrol approach was to use under bumper driving lights on a van, and very effective.  A headlamp tends to get in other people and horses eyes and explains why you cannot get a powerful enough light (LED units are the most powerful currently available).  

Try night adapting.  This means ride without lights, use the existing light to give you a sense of what is out there. There is no distraction for rider or horse, no target effect, and what night vision you have is not destroyed.  Besides, trying to fit a light to a helmet is hard with the brim getting in the way.  If you must use a light hold it out away from you and the horse, whether off to the side or high or low to get the most separation between the light and your eyes.  This reduces bounce back in fog or mist, and moves the aim point away from your body. 

I have used various headlamps, Steamlight flashlights and Liteboxes, and other brands, including vehicle mounted systems.  The best way when moving is no light.  You are not moving into the black hole outside the lighted area, things do not just appear at the edge of the lighted area, and the batteries never die.

Irv Lichtenstein


From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Barry Wells
Sent: Friday, May 01, 2009 10:46 PM
To: Mounted search and rescue
Subject: Re: [MSAR] headlamps




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