Protecting Night Vision

[Rick]

We've discussed a lot of lights on the forums but they all seem to have one thing in common. They are white lights. White lights play havoc with night vision. You hear a sound in the middle of the night, grab your $80 tactical flashlight and flood the room with light. You don't see anything so you turn it off. Meanwhile, the burglar steals your holstered handgun, your $80 tactical light and your dog all while you're standing there blinking trying to get you night vision back.

So the question is. What flashlight is best to use at night. I want one that protects night vision. What make and what color light?

[pocomoonskyeyes]

Most flashlights that I've seen for this are equipped with red or blue lenses so you can change them as needed. The red lens is what most flashlights in the military had. Personally I prefer the Blue lense as it acts kinda' like a blacklight making things "Glow" more,while protecting my night vision.

[Rick]

I've also read that green lights don't disturb animals and produce less of a heat signature on IR equipment. So I don't know which is best.

[Pal334]

If I am just investigating a bumpin the night, I would not typically use a light (would have it off in one hand. If I had to use the flashlight (white light) would cover (or at least close it) one eye with my hand when I fire it up. The flash in the eyes of the other person puts them at a disadvantage.Then remove hand and close the other eye and you would have reasonable vision.
Perhaps if that is not for you , a redlight (filter)? I think it would protect your vision if you are just investigating, but would do the same if you were confronting an intruder. And its range would probably be short.

[Rick]

Awe, come on. It was just having fun with the example. Let's see....how's this? You are walking in the woods with your flashlight when the beam suddenly shows a pair of eyes some distance out. All of a sudden your Everreadys aren't. Poof! No light. Now you're night blind and you know something is out there. What should you have used instead of that white light? Better?

[Ole WV Coot]

In the house I wouldn't turn a light on I know every inch. Closing one eye is a good idea. Outside I have a dusk to dawn on the workshop, 100yds from the house, motion detectors back & side. I keep the light up or to the off side and have never ruined my night vision. It works for me and generally use an angle light.

[SARKY]

Green light is best! the next being red as far as night vision goes.
My Inova 24-7 has the ability to switch to red light as well as 6 other lighting options.

[Rick]

Thanks. It just seems to me that we need to consider protecting our night vision and, if in a survival situation you certainly wouldn't want to spook animals with a white light. So I'm considering adding to my lighting in a color that will aid me and not spook animals. I'm even considering changing bulbs in my dome/map lights in the truck just to protect my night vision. It's not as good as it was when I was 20.

[crashdive123]

When a submarine goes to periscope depth at night it is rigged for black (no lights in the control room what so ever). Prior to proceeding to PD the lighting level is changed so that everybody's eyes can adjust. Older submarines "rigged for red". That changed somewhere around the mid 80's and they all rigged for what was called "low level white". It was a very dim, diffused white light that allowed your vision to adapt much quicker. As a periscope operator (contact coordination, target aquisition, navigation) I always wore a patch or red goggles when we were within thirty minutes of an evolution. Red, blue, green and white all work as long as they are not too intense.

[Pict]

I have a 120 lumen Surefire Z2 Combatlight. On the wrist lanyard I have an Inova night vision red LED clipped on for when I need a small light that won't blow out my night vision. I find the combination very handy.

I like the Inova red LED's. I have several of them. I prefer to use them at night if I have a moon and my eyes are adjusted. I have noticed it can be hard to find things in my pack at night due to the change in color but I would rather put up with that than lose my night vision. Mac

[Rick]

I guess it's pretty common practice where folks rely on night vision. I know some (most?) LEOs have colored dome lights in their car for that reason. The lights are turned out on commercial aircraft just prior to landing so pupils can adjust to the dark in case of an accident. Hard enough to see when your brain is addled or the cabin is full of smoke. Loss of night vision might keep someone from seeing the emergency lighting or the signs.

I appreciate the input from everyone. I swear, I get one thing covered and think of ten more things I need to do.

[oldsoldier]

Green light is best! the next being red as far as night vision goes.
My Inova 24-7 has the ability to switch to red light as well as 6 other lighting options.

Sarkys correct I couldn't remember the brand but my Brother in law has on like sarky mentioned it's not a bad light. But using any of the colors seem to reduce the range of the light. The pentagon light like I had at jamboree comes with your choice of blue or red filter.

[Rick]

And..... they make a light filter kit for those that will give you red, yellow, blue, green and orange.

http://www.pentagonlight.com/item_detail.cfm__id.592

Scroll to the bottom.

[oldsoldier]

And..... they make a light filter kit for those that will give you red, yellow, blue, green and orange.

http://www.pentagonlight.com/item_detail.cfm__id.592

Scroll to the bottom.

Cool when I ordered mine it came in two colors black like mine and desert tan. The green is nice. Also only two filter colors blue and red.

[Stargazer]

Getting and keeping dark addapted vision is a great help when I am using my telescope.I use a military angle light I picked up from the loacal army navy store.It has a screw cap on the base that holds interchangeable lenses.I have red, blue,yellow and a clear difuser lense with mine.The red lense works great for keeping youre night vision while looking at star charts.With a simple lense change I have a white light that I use when breaking down the scope.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

I once had to evade a private investigator and snuck in my own house to get a shower while he was parked in the driveway...I used a green light I use hunting and crawled to prevent the outline of my body from being seen. I got the shower the divorce and custody of my daughter! I say heck yeah it works for animals including PI's!

[Rick]

I found this very informative article on the different colors for night vision.

http://stlplaces.com/night_vision_red_myth/

[Ken]

I found this very informative article on the different colors for night vision.

http://stlplaces.com/night_vision_red_myth/

Real good article. It's now in My Favorites. Thanks!

[Rick]

Well, I changed out all the interior lights in the truck to red including the light inside the capper. Now I just have to figure out if it helps with night vision. If I've read everything correctly, red light allows you to see detail in maps, etc and doesn't impact your forward vision. I figure forward vision is probably important when driving. More to come.

[crashdive123]

This probably doesn't need to be said, but just in case......... A word of caution about using red lights to read maps/charts. Make sure there is no red writing or detail on it, otherwise it's the same as using invisible ink.