My Lighting Tech Kit
Here is a list of items I keep in my Stage Lighting Tech Kit. Depending on the show and company – I bring more or less. I try to not bring a lot to each show but sometimes you need to. having the right tool and knowing where it is at saves me time. I use a Condor Convoy backpack. It is light and has lots of pockets. The 2 Plano Waterproof boxes – one has small screwdrivers, metal files and small tools. The second one has the food items that are on this list. Links are to Amazon
My Stage Lighting Tech Kit
- Crescent Wrench
- Multi Bit Screwdriver
- Allen Set
- Wire Strippers
- Bottle Opener
- Swiss Army Knife
- Level
- 12′ Tape Measure
- 1/2″ Spike Tape
- Black Etape
- Multiple Color Etape
- Curcuit Tester
- Dirty Rigger Phoenix Heat Resistant Gloves
- Bosch Blaze Pro Laser Measure
- ClearCom Headset – Single Ear
- Case Logic CDE-24 Com Headset case
- K&M Stands 16090 Headphone Holder
- Photvision 14″ One-Shot
- ENTTEC D-Split 512-Ch DMX Splitter Isolator
- DMX Cat – City Theatrical – Multi Function Light Test tool
- Plano Waterproof Stowaway Mini Tech Kit
- Advil
- Tums
- Tajin singles
- Cholula singles
- Cliff Bloks – Black Cherry With Caffeine
- Cliff Bloks – Margarita With Extra Salt
- Athletic Greens Singles
- Emergen-C
- Gatorade Powder Singles
- Gummy Bears With Caffeine
- Military Gum
- Jelly Beans With Caffeine
- Small First Aid Kit
- Tweezers
- Safety Pins
- Canon G9x Mark II
- Case Logic Case
- Extra Battery
- Glow in the Dark Tape Fishing Line 20LB
- 4 – 32 GB Samsung Flash Drives
- Sabrent 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub
- Headphones
- Microsoft Surface Pen – Black
- Moleskin Notebook
- 3×5 4×6 Note Cards
- Pens
- Felt Tip Pens
- Highlighters
- Sharpies – Black, Red, Silver, Thin Blue and Thin Black
Make your life easier. Bring items that you need with you. What is in your lighting tech kit – Bag, Pelican or Backpack? Comment Below
Check out my Corporate Lighting Gel Kit and Large Show Bag – Plus Other Tech Kits
My Favorite Gear
Com Headset
Clear-Com CC-27 Single Ear Wraparound Headset (View on Amazon) – For year I would just use what people had on show site. Double muff,single muff or cheap lightweight headsets. It seemed like every set would squeeze my head and after a long day they would start to hurt. I was working an event and I saw the CC-27 on an audio person. I asked him if he liked it and ordered it that day on amazon. They are great. Pro – I bought a Case Logic CD case. It makes a great com case if you rip the cd sleeves out. Con – The only bad thing – they are made for only the left ear. You just need to have the com pack on your left side.
Gloves
Dirty Rigger Phoenix Heat Resistant Gloves (View on Amazon) These gloves are great for focus. You can hang on to a source 4 par for a long time without them getting hot. I bought the gloves 5 years ago. They are still in great shape. Pro – My fingers do not get burned. Con – the gloves could be longer (around the wrist). They are that same as other work gloves. Your wrist is exposed and can easily brush up on a par or leko and get burned.
DMX Cat
DMX Cat – City Theatrical – Multi Function Light Test tool (View on Amazon)The DMX cat is great it saves a lot of time. It helps you troubleshoot. Stagehands also like to use it. They are also updating and coming up with new applications. Pro – You can change the address of a light from the ground using RDM. Pro – You do not need to crawl on the ground. Hook up the DMX cat and address your floor fixtures.
Notebook
I still like paper. With a Moleskin Notebook you can keep show notes and look back at them easily. I also like to make show note for next years event. Or notes about the show. ex. we need to load in earlier next time or we need to hire more stage hands for this show next year.
Black Hand Towels
Simple Black hand towels. My Grandpa would have a white handkerchief in his back pocket. He used it for many things. I started bringing one or two small white towels to shows. But a couple years ago I upgraded to black soft hand towels. Not the cheap ones that shed. Nice lint-free small hand towels. I usually swap them out with clean ones every week or so.
Tools I No Longer Bring With Me or Buy.
Apollo Design Little Focus 5 Lighting Wrench
Apollo Design Little Focus 5 Lighting Wrench(Check Out the Price on Is a great tool – But when I would lend it out. I would always have to remember to ask for it back. Last time I forgot to ask for it back So I no longer have this wrench.
The Light Source Mega Combo Wrench
The same thing would happen with the The Light Source Mega Combo Wrench (Link). It was a handy tool until someone would forget to give it back to you. They are only $10 – nice little tool to have.
Pink C Wrench Story
Back in 2000 I had a list of tool I needed to buy when I was becoming a union electrician. One of those items was a Klein C Wrench. The only one I could find at the time was Pink. It did not really matter I never really used a c wrench as an electrician. Years later I quit the electricians job and became an LD. But I still had the Klein Pink C wrench. Stagehands would ask to borrow a C wrench and They ALWAYS gave the Pink C wrench back to me. No One wanted the pink wrench. 2018 – In Chicago – I borrowed the wrench to a stagehand. It was a one day in and out show. I never got the wrench back. It lasted 18 years. I tried to re-buy the pink wrench but so far I can only find Red Klein C wrenches on Amazon. Check out my Stagehand Tool List
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Ryan Conlon is a highly experienced Corporate Freelance Lighting Designer with two decades of dedicated work in the entertainment industry. With a passion for creating captivating lighting experiences, Ryan has contributed his expertise to numerous corporate meetings, stage productions, concerts, and events throughout his career.