Calling All Nocturnal Bookworms

[Guest]

I have the mini (Luci EMRG, 2.5 oz, IP67 waterproof rating) and a full sized version with a USB port for charging other devices (Luci Pro Series, 5.5 oz, IP67). I will strap them to the top of my pack or to the canoe somewhere during the day so they catch some rays. Most of the time I only bring the mini. In the event that I finish the one book I pack in (usually trade-sized paperback, 12-20oz, IP00), the Kindle app on my GPS/Camera (Samsung Galaxy S10, 5.54 oz, IP68) gets the nod.

My weak old eyes like those Luci-lights so much for nighttime book reading that I bring two of the 10-LED bright versions for nighttime reading. And there is a 3-LED mini in the ditch kit bag.

With an adjustable loop of 3mm line, cord locked line across the “head” of the tent (symmetrical tent, cord through tiny webbing loops at both ends) and aluminum mini-beeners on the strap ends of the Luci lights I can aim/adjust both of the Luci lights \ / shining directly on both pages of a book at once, well illluminated, no shadows. Even one Luci-light will do if I am rainy-days concerned about solar charge, but keeping those Luci-lights charged up has not been a problem.

the pushbutton is a little inconvenient, but aside from an expensive multi-function headlamp, i don't have any other suggestions.

I have a suggestion, for Luci-light.

That flush hidden push button, with low, high and oh-crap now it is flashing function, can be a PITA in the tent. I really wish Luci-light would put a little blind-tactile-feel plastic nipple over that wee dot, so I could turn the light off without needing to sit up with a flashlight to see WTF I was doing, and why the tent suddenly went disco strobe.

 

[Erica]

have[/B] to read a bit every night, even if I am so tired, exhausted or hammered that I read the same page three times, or when the book falls from my grasp and hits me in the head. Gotta read.

Me, too. Having my ipad fall on my nose, wakes me up enough to turn it off.

I took my ipad on my Verendrye trip (1o days) a couple of years ago and I wasn't impressed. The ipad may drain the battery faster than the kindle, but I was out of battery in two days. (I do read a lot.) I brought my little square charger, but forgot to bring the cord to plug the ipad into the charger. :-( I also brought, to try, a solar cell phone charger which did not work at all.

I had brought only one actual paper book and read it four times through during the trip.

My general habit is to bring at least four paperback books, preferably of other trips of one sort or another. I find inspiration in reading others' trips while on my own.

I am fond of the flashlight on the shoulder system, but lately have become devoted to luci lights. I also have trouble finding that little button, especially on the small version. Also, the small version has smaller tab from which to hang the light. So I try to only bring the larger ones.

 

[Guest]

Me, too. Having my ipad fall on my nose, wakes me up enough to turn it off.

A paperback hurts less. A 600 page hardback can leave a bruise. dang that “Last Lion” Churchill biography.

I took my ipad on my Verendrye trip (1o days) a couple of years ago and I wasn't impressed. The ipad may drain the battery faster than the kindle, but I was out of battery in two days. (I do read a lot.) I brought my little square charger, but forgot to bring the cord to plug the ipad into the charger. :-( I also brought, to try, a solar cell phone charger which did not work at all.

I had brought only one actual paper book and read it four times through during the trip.

My wife brings a Kindle, which seems to have decent battery life, but she has a couple different charging options, a lightweight solar recharger panel or a heavier battery charging power pack, depending on the trip. If I could tolerate a Kindle-type reader I would be right there with her. I need a real book.

Some charging discussion here:

http://www.canoetripping.net/forums/forum/gear/miscellaneous/50616-electrical-power-in-the-field

My general habit is to bring at least four paperback books, preferably of other trips of one sort or another. I find inspiration in reading others' trips while on my own.

I usually manage with just two books, even on long trips, chosen in part for page number length, and re-readability if necessary. One, if I can, having relevance to the area, the second book something, uh, more densely challenging, so I don’t blow through 50 pages a night.

I am fond of the flashlight on the shoulder system, but lately have become devoted to luci lights. I also have trouble finding that little button, especially on the small version. Also, the small version has smaller tab from which to hang the light. So I try to only bring the larger ones.

I don’t want to presume, but you must be beardless. Bushy bearded, with a flashlight propped on the shoulder, is like reading a book illuminated through a fuzzy forest of hairs. And every time I shuffle around the dang flashlight slips askew and the forest becomes more dense.

All of our tents have little interior webbing loops at either end. A loop of 3mm cord, tensioned through a large cord lock between those loops, and I can mini-beener attach and angle/adjust a Luci-light (or two) for stadium lighting at the book pages.

I need to read at night. I do not need to suffer reading with poor illumination.

 

[Erica]

A paperback hurts less. A 600 page hardback can leave a bruise. dang that “Last Lion” Churchill biography.

Yes, but the ipad allows me to read without the light on and Brad does not like the light on for hours while I read.

My wife brings a Kindle, which seems to have decent battery life, but she has a couple different charging options, a lightweight solar recharger panel or a heavier battery charging power pack, depending on the trip.

I just can't manage to remember all the various cords necessary to ensure success. I brought the solar recharger and the battery pack, all for naught for want of a cord. (I actually did bring a cord, but it was the wrong one.)

It is true, that having a very long book takes the place of two lighter weight books is okay. I just find it difficult to hold a heavy book anymore, especially when lying down. Arthritis. :-(
But that does give me an idea. I really like the book "One River" by Wade Davis. It is very long and rather dense unless you are heavily in to botany and definitely bears re-reading. I could purchase a used paperback and tear it into smaller sections for reading.

 

[Black_Fly]

For me, losing the weight of the light source and the book in exchange for a lighter reader would be the main reason to change. If I had to carry chargers and a cord the advantage may be minimal. I guess battery life is the key variable.

 

[Guest]

Yes, but the ipad allows me to read without the light on and Brad does not like the light on for hours while I read.

Having a companion in the tent changes things. My preferred solo “stadium lighting” dual Luci Lights would be annoying as hell with one person ready for sleep and another still up reading.

The Kindle Paperwhite my wife uses specs roughly 28 hours of battery life on a charge and will “hold” some absurd number of books (over 1000). She, and my sons, use other chargeable electronics and the battery charging pack or solar get used most often for that stuff.

I will note that even at home she uses the Paperwhite everyday and it is rare to see her with an actual book anymore. I wish I could tolerate an E-reader, it seems an ideal solution, but I have tried using her Paperwhite and it is just not for me.

Even if I found a Paperwhite satisfactory I’d still bring a real book for hanging in the hammock lazing about the camp days.

 

[snapper]

I still use a small Petzel headlamp with multiple settings. It also has a red lens option that will diffuse the light and not destroy your night vision. With the lamp on the low setting I can still read with it; which helps a lot to lengthen the battery life. If I'm sharing the shelter with anyone else, I flip the red lens down over the light and read to my hearts content as no one has ever complained that it interferes with their sleeping.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[Black_Fly]

Is blue light eliminated or drastically subdued with the paperwhite?

 

[Guest]

I bring my nook reader with glow lite. The battery lasts for weeks and you can turn the lite way down and still read. It's compact an weighs about as much as one paperpack book, but It has hundreds of books in it. I got a lot of books free from Internet archives.