you never know when you get stuck there after the sun goes down - especially so for photographers seeking sunsets!
CREE LED head lamps with Red LED mode to avoid interfering with your night vision
NiteCore HC50
145hr Red dual beam mode (presumably these are only around 3 lumen for close up work)
White beam mode: 1 to 565 lumens (1.25hr at 565 lumen, 32hr at 35 lumen); 130g w/o battery (single 18650 lithium-ion battery); 100° beam angle
~$A85
Nitecore HC90:
red, green and blue LED mode
white beam mode: slider for brightness 0 to 900 lumens (then to R then G then B); 100° beam angle
micro-USB rechargeable 18650 battery
~$A149
Ferei HL08 Red LED only:
3W 220 lumen mode can run for 2.5hr (>100hr on low output); 148g w/o battery (single 18650 lithium-ion battery), near-infinite brightness control; battery at rear of head gear;
AC adapter recharge or power packs
CREE LED torch
Nitecore P25:
micro-USB rechargeable 18650 battery
2 - 850 lumen (1.25hr at 850 lumen, 30hr at 50 lumen); 283m beam distance
171g
$A120
optional red filter, red or white diffuser stick, remote pressure pad
Nitecore TM26 QuadRay:
essentially 4 x P25's in one torch ⇒ 4 x 18650 batteries; 3-3800 lumen; 445m range; 49,000 CD peak beam
OLED temperature, battery power, output power, battery life in hours display
8 brightness levels; 1000hr at 3 lumen; 48hr at 150 lumen; 45min at 3800 lumen;
capable of using one 18650 or 2 x CR123 batteries in emergency situations
142mm long x 57mm diam; 438g w/o batteries
$A440 incl. 4x Panasonic batteries
navigation
a good map (preferably inside a clear waterproof pouch so can read in the rain) and compass
smartphones are fantastic especially for short day trips
issues:
not waterproof or drop proof - may stop working when you most need it
short battery life, especially when using GPS apps - may need to carry power packs or solar chargers
GPS apps often do not display walking tracks or geographic features such as topography
toilet gear
always obey the rules of good toilet on hikes:
DIG a hole 6-8“ deep at least 50m (preferably much further than this) from a trail, camp site or water - Do NOT just find a hole under a rock and put the rock back
mix stool with soil and cover but do not bury toilet paper (TP) as this takes a long time to decompose - wrap a bit of clean TP around the used before putting it in some ziplock bags (freezer bags work well to keep it from smelling), then dispose bag in bins on the way home.
lightweight trowel to dig the hole
toilet paper or similar - although some use natural material such as leaves and leave the TP home
ziplock freezer bag for used TP
hand sanitiser
trekking / hiking poles
these are essential to reduce risk of damage to your knees when going up or down steep hill sides, or when crossing slippery or very uneven areas eg. creek beds
can also function as camera tripods (see below) and also as the support pole for small tents
check out the Black Diamond folding trekking poles
hands: thin synthetic gloves to allow camera use are OK as long as they do not get wet or the wind picks up - in these scenarios, you must resort to full snow gloves
Sea to Summit Ultra-sil tarp/poncho for one person 230g 1.45 x 2.65m tarp $A135
Gatewood Cape Shelter ($A249) - can also be used with Six Moon mesh bug tent
waterproof shoes
for more durable wear in very cold conditions consider Goretex clothing but this is heavier, more bulky and more expensive
sun protection
broad-rim hat
sunglasses
UV lotion
lip balm
long sleeve shirt
water
take plenty of water even though it is heavy
1 water bottle may be fine for a 2 hour walk but if it is hot, sunny or you get lost - you will be needing a lot more!
Gatorade type bottles are lighter than Nalgene type ones or water bladder systems but you should discard more frequently to avoid degradation of the plastic
drink a lot at each water source so you carry less
gaiters
these are VERY handy
normally worn UNDER your long pants to ensure:
rain, snow and sand does not enter your shoes or boots
can be used OVER your potentially trauma-prone wet weather gear to reduce damage from sharp sticks, etc
food
you need protein!
reduce weight by aiming to for foods with > 100 calories per ounce such as protein bars, and you may not need to bring a stove!
if possible cache food in advance so you don't need to carry it
insect protection
ultrasonic devices do NOT work so don't waste money and weight carrying them
avoid wearing scented products such as perfumes as these tend to attract insects
avoid dark clothes and cover all skin if march flies are problematic
if walking in high risk areas, apply a repellent containing DEET
ensure tent has a full insect-proof mesh with tub floor and keep it zipped up when not entering/exiting tent
camera gear
camera and lenses
needs to be light, compact, meet your needs, high image quality and preferably dust proof and weatherproof
if you cannot afford the pro lenses and want wider aperture than the kit zoom, and are happy to forego weatherproofing and zoom lenses but gain more portability and lower light performance then also consider:
Panasonic LX100 compact camera - this will effectively replace the 12-40mm zoom lens and give you awesome 4K video, 11 or 40fps burst rates, flash sync at all speeds, and a whole range of other features, plus provide a small backup camera!
tripod
unless you are carrying a heavy camera and lens or really want the improved versatility and steadiness of a high quality carbon fibre tripod - leave it at home!