Why do we use red light in headlamps, flashlights, and clip lights?
- NR
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Red light puts less strain on the light-sensitive rods in the eye than white light. This allows for quick adjustment to darkness, which is beneficial for outdoor activities such as hiking, snowshoeing, fishing, sailing, camping, hunting, and wildlife viewing.
Red light preserves the human eye's limited night vision, which is why you can still perceive your surroundings despite the light source.
Advantages of red light LED
Maintaining night vision
The pupils of the eyes barely constrict, and contrasts are still perceived.
Reduced glare
The shorter range and lower contrast range of red light result in less glare.
Discreet
The red light is less conspicuous and less disturbing to animals, making it ideal for hunting and wildlife observation.
Uninteresting to insects
Red light hardly attracts nocturnal insects, which is why red light is well suited for general lighting in outdoor and camping areas (campfires, cooking, tents, etc.). A plastic or rubber diffuser, red light cone, or diffuser bag is an ideal accessory for spatial illumination.
Energy Efficiency
Red LEDs often consume less energy than white ones, which extends battery life.
Signaling
Red light can also be used to signal objects and people for better visibility (e.g., headlamps for nighttime sports activities).
Hunting & Outdoors
For professional outdoor users, a selectable tactical red illumination with a wide beam angle for close-up use (preparations, cooking, map reading, etc.) or a narrow beam for long-range use (safe path illumination) can be helpful. This allows you to use the right red light for your needs. (NORDRIDE Stirnlampe ACTIVE X1 R).
For red illumination at a distance (e.g. wildlife observation), it is recommended to use a corresponding flashlight with a red filter attachment (NORDRIDE SPOT LONG RANGE R with Color Filter Set )
Headlamp, flashlight, or clip-on light?
The choice of the right light depends on the application. If I need to have my hands free, I'll choose a headlamp or clip-on light. If I need a lot of flexible light, I'll prefer a flashlight with a red LED or a corresponding color filter.
It's important that you can turn on the red light as quickly as possible. If you turn on the white light first, you'll lose your night vision, and your eyes will have to adjust to it again, which can take some time depending on your age. It's also worth testing the operation with gloves, as red light intensifies the outdoor experience in winter due to the contrast and reflection.
