UrbEx

[bfreebern]

If you bust in on some homeless dudes wearing that, well I can guarantee you'll either get laughed at or your ass whooped for wearing it........ :sign:

 

[smokelaw1]

I get my flashlight porn from candlepowerforums.com

Bfreebern--you talking about the headlamp or the slippers?

 

[junkman_56]

How is this any different than a flashlight? Still battery powered, no?
I have a headlamp for backpacking, which very well be in a cargo pocket if doing what I now will refer to as UrbEx. More likely, my little emergency climbing headamp (Black Diamond Ion) would be used for any hands-free moments.

PS- the Luxeons (both III and V) are slowly becoming yesterday's technology. there are new LEDs with nearly a 2:1 advantage in either brightness or runtime. Still quite good, mind you, but no longer the "best" for many applications.

Sorry for the flashlight threadjack.

threadjack on
The new LED's are bright but don't throw light very far.
The Luxeons will project large amounts of light a great distance.
The Apex combines a Luxeons III with the "new LED's" for a very versatile light.

The Luxeon V is not suitable for caving due to the power need to keep it running.

A great site for reviews of the latest in flashlight/headlamp technology check out:
http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews_index...x_headlamps.htm
threadjack off

 

[smokelaw1]

How is this any different than a flashlight? Still battery powered, no?
I have a headlamp for backpacking, which very well be in a cargo pocket if doing what I now will refer to as UrbEx. More likely, my little emergency climbing headamp (Black Diamond Ion) would be used for any hands-free moments.

PS- the Luxeons (both III and V) are slowly becoming yesterday's technology. there are new LEDs with nearly a 2:1 advantage in either brightness or runtime. Still quite good, mind you, but no longer the "best" for many applications.

Sorry for the flashlight threadjack.

threadjack on
The new LED's are bright but don't throw light very far.
The Luxeons will project large amounts of light a great distance.
The Apex combines a Luxeons III with the "new LED's" for a very versatile light.

The Luxeon V is not suitable for caving due to the power need to keep it running.

A great site for reviews of the latest in flashlight/headlamp technology check out:
http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews_index...x_headlamps.htm
threadjack off

While in the same reflector, that might be true, I have a McGizmo Ti PD-S (with the P4) that outhrows ANY single cell luxeon I have ever handled besides crazy customs with optics. Same with a few cree lights I own that out-throw any luxeon lights with the same draw/battery life. Agreed on the Luxeon V.
Or course, with a proper reflector or optics, just about any lightsource can throw. My current champ is a Cree XR-E light running on 2 X cr123's with optics. The throw is roughly equivalnt to a 500 lumen surefire incan, without (obviously) the usefull sidespill...it falls far short on total light output, but lux on target seems (to the eye) equal at a distance or 200 feet or so.

Doesn't the Apex use "hyperbright" 5mm's as the broad lighting LEDs? They are the older LEDs (pre-luxeon tech), but they do burn forever, and give nice wide light.

Edit: Flashlight reviews is a wonderful sight, and I use them often, along with CPF.
Edit X 2: NOW THAT"S a threadjack.

 

[mysterea]

I feel like I should make a minimal attempt to re-focus the topic, but since I know it's fruitless I'll make the token effort:

UrbEx...


god DAMN I can be lazy.

 

[smokelaw1]

Sorry, Bro. I can get a bit long winded on topics I have an interest in. Cigars, booze, flashlights, knives, and a couple others.

So yes....UrbEx.
Do you prefer daylight or the cover of dark for most of your adventures?

 

[PSTAN]

If you bust in on some homeless dudes wearing that, well I can guarantee you'll either get laughed at or your ass whooped for wearing it........ :sign:

You have some pretty cool old glass factories with tunnels just south of you about an hour. :whistling:

Toured them a good bit during some of my college days.

 

[junkman_56]

How is this any different than a flashlight? Still battery powered, no?
I have a headlamp for backpacking, which very well be in a cargo pocket if doing what I now will refer to as UrbEx. More likely, my little emergency climbing headamp (Black Diamond Ion) would be used for any hands-free moments.

PS- the Luxeons (both III and V) are slowly becoming yesterday's technology. there are new LEDs with nearly a 2:1 advantage in either brightness or runtime. Still quite good, mind you, but no longer the "best" for many applications.

Sorry for the flashlight threadjack.

threadjack on
The new LED's are bright but don't throw light very far.
The Luxeons will project large amounts of light a great distance.
The Apex combines a Luxeons III with the "new LED's" for a very versatile light.

The Luxeon V is not suitable for caving due to the power need to keep it running.

A great site for reviews of the latest in flashlight/headlamp technology check out:
http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews_index...x_headlamps.htm
threadjack off

While in the same reflector, that might be true, I have a McGizmo Ti PD-S (with the P4) that outhrows ANY single cell luxeon I have ever handled besides crazy customs with optics. Same with a few cree lights I own that out-throw any luxeon lights with the same draw/battery life. Agreed on the Luxeon V.
Or course, with a proper reflector or optics, just about any lightsource can throw. My current champ is a Cree XR-E light running on 2 X cr123's with optics. The throw is roughly equivalnt to a 500 lumen surefire incan, without (obviously) the usefull sidespill...it falls far short on total light output, but lux on target seems (to the eye) equal at a distance or 200 feet or so.

Doesn't the Apex use "hyperbright" 5mm's as the broad lighting LEDs? They are the older LEDs (pre-luxeon tech), but they do burn forever, and give nice wide light.

Edit: Flashlight reviews is a wonderful sight, and I use them often, along with CPF.
Edit X 2: NOW THAT"S a threadjack.

Cool, thanks for the info.
It looks like this technology has not made it to headlamps yet.
For caving, reliability and being waterproof is king.
Nobody wants to get 8 hours from the entrance and have your light fail. :whistling:

 

[tsmckenney]

Rob, is there a general rule within the community of explorers that you leave the sites as is. In other words, you're not walking out with your pockets stuffed and you're not rearranging the furniture, sort of speak?

Mick

 

[smokelaw1]

STOP THREADJACKING! SO RUDE! J/K of course. Last one: there is some talk of a 500 lumen cree headlamp out there, as well as the old HDS Systems coming back, and making a headlamp. If you know them, they are indestructable, and absolutely top notch lights, so I imagine the headlamp will be the same. RUntime, ruggedness and waterproofness would make sense as the 100% most important attributes underground.

 

[smokelaw1]

Rob, is there a general rule within the community of explorers that you leave the sites as is. In other words, you're not walking out with your pockets stuffed and you're not rearranging the furniture, sort of speak?

Mick

It seems to be the case that there is a Sierra Club// LNT ethic...take only photographs, leave only footprints.

 

[junkman_56]

I feel like I should make a minimal attempt to re-focus the topic, but since I know it's fruitless I'll make the token effort:

UrbEx...


god DAMN I can be lazy.

LOL, sorry about hijacking this thread.
Being a caver, headlamps/flashlights are kind of important and tend to be a passion.
I generally I will get a new headlamp every year following the new technology.

 

[mysterea]

Rob, is there a general rule within the community of explorers that you leave the sites as is. In other words, you're not walking out with your pockets stuffed and you're not rearranging the furniture, sort of speak?

Mick

Yes, there's definitely an unspoken ethos of leaving things for the next person to see. It's much like the 'take only pictures, leave only footprints' ethos. There's of course folks that don't do this, but whatchagonnado?

Daytime or Night? I prefer day for two reasons:
At night it's a ton easier to spot a flashlight peeking thru a window, so you're more vernerable to the initial spot from a guard. Also, if you're caught at night the guard will be much more on edge.
There's also a whole 'look' to exploring a site during the day with a camera. You seem alot more harmless during the day, especially if you're not clad entirely in black (which instinctively raises a red flag, esp amongst guard types, sorry ninja's gotta wear grey!)

Cheers,
Rob

 

[tsmckenney]

Doing that sort of thing at night could potentially be scarring. It's easy to see what the adrenaline rush would be like, but seems like there could be enough of that during the day. I hear ya on the day/night thing. During the day you'd be more likely to get chased from somewhere, at night you could get shot at.

You ever been caught doing this? PM me that if you'd prefer.

 

[mysterea]

I've been stopped by 1 guard and 1 cop, both times I flashed an ID and was asked to leave.

Of course the initial presentation makes a huge difference, and since I'm so stunningly handsome...
...your results may vary =)

In all honesty in most places the worse you'd get hit with is a 'trespassing' (a minor infraction) or 'breaking and entering' charge (which is hard to prove if there's no doors on the doorways or window in the sill)
In both cases if it's clear that you're not breaking stuff / starting fires most security doesn't want to deal with you. If you're respectful that helps a bunch too (just like any other interaction with the po-po.

Cheers,
Rob

 

[mysterea]

So I explored the 'Freedom Tunnel' with a few friends of mine, and ran into two new friends on the way.
For you folks who are interested here's a link to my blog, which has links to the various participants. Needless to say it was a great experience and we saw some amazing sights. The favorites for me (besides puffin on a nice Patel) were the '3rd of May' (originally by Goya), the 'Ted Williams' portrait and the comic-like 'story of the tunnel' (with Dick Tracy cameo, alot of symbolism here, holler if you're curious)

Please feel free to ask if you've got any questions or want to know access locations etc.
Here's a wiki on the tunnel:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Tunnel

Cheers,
Rob

P.S. the tunnel and it's mini city of homeless people was the seed of the 'Mole People' story of people living under NYC

 

[hoshnasi]

Nice topic, I love Urban Ex. In high school we just did it with good shoes and a big light. Now I keep a smaller camel back ready to go in my car, mostly for safety purposes but it has all my the stuff you need to for exploring. New additions have been the hand held ham radio, small camera and audio recorder.

Places I have been are old hospitals, massive and I mean miles crouched down walking underground access tunnels. Power/phone company "shacks?". I also have my eye on an old asylum in Downey, Ca. Although, its turning into a exploration destination for alot of people and I have heard the police are watching it closely.

 

[junkman_56]

So I explored the 'Freedom Tunnel' with a few friends of mine, and ran into two new friends on the way.
For you folks who are interested here's a link to my blog, which has links to the various participants. Needless to say it was a great experience and we saw some amazing sights. The favorites for me (besides puffin on a nice Patel) were the '3rd of May' (originally by Goya), the 'Ted Williams' portrait and the comic-like 'story of the tunnel' (with Dick Tracy cameo, alot of symbolism here, holler if you're curious)

Please feel free to ask if you've got any questions or want to know access locations etc.
Here's a wiki on the tunnel:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Tunnel

Cheers,
Rob

P.S. the tunnel and it's mini city of homeless people was the seed of the 'Mole People' story of people living under NYC

Nice write up.

I still prefer the natural holes in the ground:

 

[mysterea]

I also have my eye on an old asylum in Downey, Ca. Although, its turning into a exploration destination for alot of people and I have heard the police are watching it closely.

I've heard of alot of places (and explored a few) where rumor mentions lots of security. Hit those places in the day with a camera, dont wear all black and appear to be a hobbyist photocrapher. Worst case you gotta flash yer ID and your asked to leave, most times security is light during the day, and if the guard doesn't think you're busting the place up that really helps.

Also, it helps if you're not actually busting stuff up! =)

Nice write up.

I still prefer the natural holes in the ground:

I hear ya brother, you and I do similar stuff. Anytime you want to go climbing on some of the best cliffs on the eastern seaboard give me a call. Not many caves around here from what I hear tho.

 

[MartyMcFly]

This seems really interesting and I would love to check out some of these places, however not sure if I would want to run the risk of getting into trouble with the local authorities. Call me a "mamby pamby" but I left my days of running from the cops back in high school. Anyone else ever get caught doing this?