I'm Ethan. I've been testing gear for seven years, and I joined Brinyte in March 2024 as a field test engineer. My job is to take our lights into real conditions and figure out what actually works — and what doesn't. I've spent this past year running our gear through Texas hog hunts, Illinois deer camps, and late-night blood tracking jobs.
August through October is the busiest stretch of the hunting calendar. Huntstock Northeast kicks things off in Massachusetts. DeerFest brings the archery crowd to Wisconsin. Gueydan Duck Festival celebrates Cajun waterfowl heritage in Louisiana. UKC Autumn Oaks draws hundreds of coonhounds and their handlers to Indiana. And in between, archery seasons open, elk hunters head into the backcountry, and thousands of hunters prepare for the rut.
The difference between a good season and a great one often comes down to the gear you bring. Not the expensive stuff. The right stuff. This guide matches Brinyte's five core hunting lights to the specific events and scenarios where they actually belong — with specs pulled straight from our official product pages, not marketing rounding.
The All-Around Pick (First Choice): T28 Artemis — 700m+ throw, 125,000 cd, built-in tri-color (white/red/green). The ultimate do-it-all hunting light.
DeerFest (archery / treestand approach): HL28 Artemis — silent red mode, hands-free headlamp, dual 21700 battery, IPX6.
Gueydan Duck Festival (waterfowl / marsh): ZT40 — IPX8 2m submersible, 1650lm, hidden USB-C, built for swamp and boat.
Autumn Oaks (coonhound night hunts): T28 Artemis — 700m+ throw, 125,000 cd, silent stepless dimming.
Huntstock & Budget Pick (general hunting): T18 Artemis — 1140m / 325,000 cd throw, single-color modular system, unbeatable at $54.95.
Blood tracking (post-shot recovery): T5X SPECTRA — 10Hz/5Hz strobe, 680 lumens, 120° flood.
1. 2026 Fall Event Calendar — What's Coming
Before we dive into the gear, here's what the next three months look like. All dates verified as of August 2026.
| Event | Dates | Location | What It Is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntstock Northeast | August 7-9 | Westminster, MA | Hunting festival · 40+ seminars · 3D archery |
| DeerFest 2026 | August 14-16 | Stevens Point, WI | Archery · treestand · outdoor festival |
| Gueydan Duck Festival (50th) | August 27-30 | Gueydan, LA | Waterfowl heritage · duck calling · Cajun culture |
| UKC Autumn Oaks | September 3-5 | Richmond, IN | Coonhound nite hunts · bench shows |
2. The All-Around Pick: T28 Artemis
If you can only buy one light this fall, make it the T28 Artemis. It is a true all-in-one hunting light with built-in tri-color (white, red, green) LEDs. No swapping heads, no filters — just twist the rotary switch to change colors instantly.
Its TIR optic delivers 125,000 candela and 700+ meters of throw in white spot mode. That's enough to scan entire fields and positively identify game at extreme range. Green mode (350m+ throw, 28,750 cd) is perfect for predator and hog scanning. Red mode handles stealth approaches.
The silent stepless dimmer dials brightness from 2% to 100% without clicking. The T28 runs on a 21700 5000mAh battery — red mode lasts about 5 hours, green about 5.5 hours. IP66 rated. Price: $119.95 MSRP $159.95.
From predator calling to deer camp to hog hunting, the T28 is the workhorse that handles 90% of what fall throws at you.
Most hunters think they need a massive spotlight to reach far. The T28 proves that 125,000 candela of focused white light is more effective than 1000 wasted lumens of flood. It throws a tight beam 700 meters, then switches to green for scanning, then red for the approach — all without taking your hand off the rifle.
3. DeerFest — The HL28 Artemis for Treestand Approach
DeerFest is the season opener for thousands of whitetail hunters — three days of archery exhibitors, treestand demos, and pre-season prep at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Stevens Point, WI. The guys who do well here are the ones who've spent August in the woods, not just at the show.
That means getting into your treestand before first light — without spooking every deer within 200 yards. That's where the HL28 Artemis comes in.
Why the HL28 for DeerFest
The HL28 is a zoomable tri-color headlamp with white, red, and green LEDs. It delivers 450 lumens flood / 220 lumens spot with a 530-meter beam distance — enough to spot your tree from a quarter mile away. It runs on two 21700 5000mAh batteries (not one — this is a dual-cell headlamp), giving you all-week runtime without recharging. Rated IPX6 for heavy rain.
The real feature for treestand hunters is the red light mode. Red light is least visible to deer's dichromatic vision. Walk in with white light and you're educating every deer in the area. Walk in with red light and you're invisible. The HL28 switches between white and red with a silent twist — no clicks that carry through the woods.
4. Gueydan Duck Festival — The ZT40 for Marsh & Waterfowl
Gueydan calls itself the "Duck Capital of America" — and 2026 marks the festival's 50th year. Four days of duck calling contests, shooting exhibitions, and Cajun culture in the Louisiana marsh. Waterfowl hunting here means one thing: wet. Swamps, marshes, rain, and the occasional dunk in the bayou.
You need a light that doesn't care about any of that. The ZT40 is built for exactly this environment.
Why the ZT40 for Gueydan
The ZT40 is a zoomable flashlight rated IPX8 — 2-meter submersion for 30 minutes. That's not "splash-resistant." That's "drop it in the marsh, rinse it off, keep hunting." The hidden USB-C charging port maintains the waterproof seal when closed, so you charge it without opening any cover.
It delivers 1650 lumens (white SFT-25R LED) with a 490-meter beam distance. The 6°–70° rotary zoom goes from tight spotlight (scanning across a marsh for incoming birds) to wide floodlight (working on decoys in the blind). Powered by a 21700 5000mAh battery with up to 3 hours runtime on high.
Available in white, red, green, IR850, IR940, and UV — but for Gueydan waterfowl, the white or green version is the play. Green is the traditional hog and predator color, but it also works for low-spook scanning around duck concentrations.
You're in a layout blind before dawn. The ZT40 is clipped to your waders on low flood. You take a bird, and you need to track it in the cattails. Zoom to spot, scan the reeds, find your bird. The light gets splashed, dunked, and muddied — and it keeps running. The hidden USB-C port means no water ingress when you forget to close a flap.
5. Autumn Oaks — The T28 for Coonhound Night Hunts
Autumn Oaks is the granddaddy of UKC coonhound events — the 67th annual hunt draws the best coonhounds in North America to Richmond, Indiana over Labor Day weekend. Handlers and judges follow dogs through the woods at night, tracking progress by voice and by light.
This is where the T28 Artemis proves its all-around value. It's not just a predator light — it's a killer coonhound light.
Why the T28 for Autumn Oaks
In a coonhound night hunt, you need to see a dog's eyes from across a field, or spot a raccoon in a tree at 300 yards. The T28's 125,000 candela and 700+ meters of throw in white spot mode does exactly that. Green light is the scanning standard for coonhound hunters — 350+ meters of throw with 28,750 candela, enough to scan a creek bottom without spooking game.
The mechanical rotary color switch locks into place silently — critical in a hunt where every noise carries. The T28 runs on a 21700 5000mAh battery — green mode lasts about 5.5 hours. A full night hunt is typically 3-4 hours, so one battery covers it.
You're following a strike dog through Indiana timber. The T28 is on green, dimmed to 30%. You scan the creek bottom and catch eyeshine at 200 yards. Rotate to red for the approach, dim to 10%, close the distance. The dog trees the coon. Switch to white spot, 100%, to confirm. Your light never made a sound.
6. Huntstock & The Budget Pick — The T18 Artemis
Huntstock is the Northeast's biggest hunting festival — three days of seminars, 3D archery, and 100+ gear exhibitors at Wildwood Farm in Westminster, MA. The crowd is die-hard whitetail hunters, and the conversations cover everything from public-land scouting to tracking big bucks in the snow.
For the generalist hunter heading into fall on a budget, the T18 Artemis is the unbeatable value pick.
Why the T18 for Huntstock
The T18 is a single-color zoomable hunting flashlight. Unlike the T28 which has all colors built-in, the T18 uses a modular LED head system — you choose one color (White, Red, Green, or IR850) and manually swap the head if you need a different wavelength.
What you get for $54.95 is astonishing: a 1140-meter beam distance and 325,000 candela peak intensity in white spotlight mode. That's enough to scan entire CRP fields and canyon walls where other lights max out at 300 yards. The white LED uses an SFT-25R emitter delivering 1100 lumens flood / 750 lumens spot.
The stepless rotary dimmer adjusts brightness from 2% to 100% without a single audible click. The included 433MHz wireless remote (4-6m range) lets you control the light without breaking your shooting grip. Battery is a 21700 5000mAh cell — white runs 3h 10min. IP66 rated.
For hunters who know exactly what color they need and want extreme long-range throw without spending $120, the T18 is the smartest dollar-for-dollar light in the fall lineup.
You're scouting a new public-land parcel before the seminar starts. The T18's white spot reaches across a clear-cut at 800 yards to confirm a coyote working the far tree line. The wireless remote means your firing hand never leaves the rifle. You paid $55, and you're outperforming guys carrying $200 lights.
7. Blood Tracking — The T5X SPECTRA for Recovery
Every hunter knows the feeling: you made a good shot, but the blood trail is thin. You're on your hands and knees at midnight, shining a light at every dark leaf, wondering if it's blood or just a shadow. The T5X SPECTRA was built for that exact moment.
Why the T5X for Blood Tracking
The T5X has a dedicated blood tracking strobe — two speeds: 10Hz for fresh blood (680 lumens) and 5Hz for aged trails (680 lumens). At 10 flashes per second, the rapid on/off cycling creates a temporal contrast effect that makes blood droplets stand out against leaves, dirt, and rock. Standard continuous light washes out that contrast. The T5X makes blood pop.
The 120° fixed flood beam covers wide ground without sweeping — you walk and the light covers the trail in front of you. The silent magnetic ring switches between white, red, green, and blood track without clicking. When a wounded animal is bedded 30 yards ahead, that silence matters.
The T5X runs on a 21700 5000mAh battery with USB-C charging. White low mode lasts 21.5 hours; blood track mode runs 4 hours 10 minutes. Rated IPX7 — submersible to 1 meter. Price: $89.95.
You made a marginal shot on a hog. The blood trail is sparse — a few drops here, a smear on a leaf, then nothing for 10 yards. You switch the T5X to 10Hz strobe. The drops appear. You follow them to a thicker patch, switch to 5Hz to pick out the older blood, and find the hog bedded 50 yards ahead. Switch to red for the approach. Recover the animal.
8. Full Spec Comparison — Which One Fits Your Season?
| Feature | T28 Artemis | T18 Artemis | T5X SPECTRA | ZT40 | HL28 Artemis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | All-around tri-color | Single-color modular | Blood tracking light | Single-color zoomable | Tri-color headlamp |
| Max Output | 1000 lm flood / 560 lm spot | 1100 lm flood / 750 lm spot | 1000 lm white / 680 lm strobe | 1650 lm white | 450 lm flood / 220 lm spot |
| Throw / Candela | 700m+ / 125,000 cd | 1140m / 325,000 cd | 120° fixed flood | 490m | 530m |
| Colors | Built-in White/Red/Green | Single-color (manual head swap) | White/Red/Green/Blood Track | White/Red/Green/IR850/IR940/UV | Built-in White/Red/Green |
| Zoom | 6°-70° | 6°-70° | 120° fixed | 6°-70° | Zoomable |
| Battery | 21700 5000mAh | 21700 5000mAh | 21700 5000mAh | 21700 5000mAh | 2× 21700 5000mAh |
| Waterproof | IP66 | IP66 | IPX7 | IPX8 (2m) | IPX6 |
| Price | $119.95 | $54.95 | $89.95 | — | — |
| Best For | All-around / Autumn Oaks | Budget / Long-range | Blood tracking | Gueydan / Marsh | DeerFest / Treestand |
9. Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best light for getting to my treestand before dawn?
The HL28 Artemis. Red light mode preserves night vision and doesn't spook deer. Hands-free headlamp design lets you climb and carry gear. Dual 21700 batteries last through multiple morning hunts. IPX6 rated for rain.
Which light is best for coonhound night hunts?
The T28 Artemis. 125,000 candela / 700m+ throw finds dogs and treed game at extreme range. Green mode (350m+ throw) scans creek bottoms. Silent stepless dimmer and mechanical color switch make no noise. 21700 battery runs 5+ hours on red and green.
What's the difference between T18 and T28?
The T28 is an all-around light with built-in tri-color (white/red/green) — just twist the rotary switch to change colors. The T18 is a single-color modular light — you choose one color and must manually swap the LED head to change colors. The T18 is cheaper ($54.95) and has longer throw (1140m / 325,000 cd), while the T28 ($119.95) is more versatile for hunters who need all three colors instantly.
Which light should I use for blood tracking?
The T5X SPECTRA. Its 10Hz/5Hz blood tracking strobe (680 lumens) makes blood visible on leaves, dirt, and rock. The 120° flood beam covers wide ground without sweeping. Silent magnetic ring switches modes without clicking. IPX7 submersible. The only light purpose-built for post-shot recovery.
Is the ZT40 waterproof enough for swamp hunting?
Yes — IPX8 rated for 2-meter submersion. The ZT40 is Brinyte's most waterproof hunting light. Built for marsh, swamp, and all-weather conditions. The hidden USB-C charging port maintains the waterproof seal when closed. 1650 lumens with 490m throw.
How many batteries does the HL28 headlamp use?
Two 21700 5000mAh batteries — the HL28 is a dual-cell headlamp, not single-cell. This gives you extended all-week runtime for pre-dawn treestand approaches without recharging. Both charge via USB-C. The same 21700 cells are interchangeable with the T28, T18, T5X, and ZT40.
📚 Keep Reading — More Fall Hunting Content
- T28 Artemis Field Test — One Night in Texas — real-world hog hunting with the tri-color light
- T5X SPECTRA Field Test — Blood Tracking a Marginal Hog Shot — how the 10Hz strobe works in the field
- T18 Artemis — Tri-Color Zoomable Hunting Flashlight — full specs and modular system overview
- Blood Tracking at Night — The Science of Green Light, Flood Beams, and Strobe — the physics behind why the T5X works
- ZT40 Zoomable Tactical Flashlight Series — full color options and mission matching
Ready for Your Fall Season?
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