There are few things in camp more disheartening than discovering that your light source is dying and realizing it’s going to be a long, cold, and very dark night. It’s best to always have redundant lighting, even if your backup is just a glow stick or a candle. Beyond that, there are many great options for keeping the lights on in camp.
Camp Lanterns
Odoland Portable LED Camping Lantern with Ceiling Fan (Odoland/)
Lanterns have gotten smaller and smarter since the days of the gas-fired mantle contraptions. Now there are lanterns that will keep mosquitos away, cool you with a built-in fan, or run off solar power while also charging your cell phone. The future looks bright indeed!
Headlamps
Black Diamond Storm Headlamp (Black Diamond/)
If you only have one light source, make it a headlamp. In addition to multiple beam strengths, some models offer a red-light mode for sneaking into your tree stand, a blinking mode for signaling, and all the advantages of a standard flashlight with hands-free operation. They range from just a hundred or so lumens for emergency use to thousands of lumens suitable for everything from blood trailing to spelunking.
Tactical Flashlights
Anker Super Bright Tactical Flashlight (Anker/)
The traditional handheld flashlight has gotten so powerful that the performance once found only in cumbersome plug-in beams and metal batons requiring a stack of D-cell batteries now comes in a package about the size of a candy bar. Whether you choose battery operated or rechargeable, brightness is still mostly about the lumens. All other things being equal, opt for the highest "candle power."