But Gixer. Whilst I respect you have great experience of torches, and use them for running/biking etc,
Thank you
but that's different than camp use.
I disagree
If i use a torch for the same sort of duties as i do when camping i don't really see how the label used to describe them really matter
I have used of of these for reading, sorting through kit, fixing a puncture, repairing kit
In every case it did the job, but the dark rings in the beam made the tasks more difficult than if i'd used a torch with a better quality beam
You live south so darkness comes sooner and harder than in the UK. And, you freely admit you don't do much backpacking at all in comparison to a lot on this site. (One trip a year to the Lakes?)
Old age is really starting to advance (49) my eyesight takes a beating as a result
But i'm still not in a position to need a torch as it's getting dark (or light in the mornings), so the speed that the light fades is of no significance.
Likewise although i'm not camping in the tent much, i'm at the caravan a LOT, which oddly means i do a lot of nights in my hammock (cooler at night with the sea breeze)
But nowhere does the OP mention it's for backpacking at night .
this would be my emergency back up light.
Mostly backpacking outwith winter, folk just use torches for camp (site) use. And if one fails, a light backup is useful. Just like a spare lighter.
For camp use between the equinoxes,a torch is hardly necessary at all. In a 7 days trip last week I used a cheap coin cell torch for 30seconds once. We walked into dusk/near dark(as it gets) torchless on 4 nights before setting up camp too.
An Elite is perfectly adequate as a second torch for most peoples purposes.
It's better than any of the torches I used for the first 20 years of backpacking!
Be the first to put my hand up and admit to being a bit of a torch snob
I've got a few to choose from so can be a bit picky
As i say, you can't hike with this torch
So if you're like me and prefer to carry a torch for bailing at night if the need arises, i'd still need to carry a torch in addition to this.
As the dark rings makes reading or doing fine duties like fixing kit or tying knots hard on the eyes, i don't think it's much use for close work either.
So although i agree it's only 7g, for me it's 7g with no real gain or use
Each to their own though, just my opinion