The Most Important Piece of Camping Gear: Flashlights

From HikingTier’s Best Camping Flashlight

Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right. Sometimes no matter how hard you look for something, there just isn’t enough light for the task. Camp at enough music festivals and inevitably you get caught in the dark.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been searching the tow vehicle (TV), the storage compartment in the camper, or making my way through a thick stand of sitting / resting / raging music fans in total blackness. Many of our best camping festival sites are steeped in total darkness once the sun goes down.

We’re not big fans of the $2 LED flashlights or headlamps from a big box store. Don’t get me wrong, we have ‘em, use ’em, and often lose ‘em. But they’re backup light sources we’ll leave around in strategic places.  They are typically weak, cast minimal light, and don’t hold up to the rigors of festival life.  In a pinch, they certainly help.

They can be found for cheap in almost any check out line, be it Walgreens or the supermarket.  But as a primary implement for specific tasks at our campsite, we want something with an intense beam and that will take some abuse.  Something we can depend on.   Something that feels solid in hand.

A quality flashlight won’t cost you much, but will really give you the light you need.

My go-to lights are inexpensive and readily available at Home Depot and Lowes.  They are all LED; we wouldn’t consider any other type.

Two recommended brands at Home Depot are Husky and Coast. These are durable flashlights made of rugged materials and can take drops and other insults.  Many are even marked “virtually indestructible.” Coast makes some great headlamps, which leave the hands free while navigating woods, GA masses, and other dark places.

Coast has a number of different sizes to choose from.  The smaller ones take AAA batteries, and slightly larger ones take AAs. Price range is from $10 to $30, and are well worth it.  You will be surprised how bright these really are. 

Leave one or two of these in your vehicle or camper, and it’s always along for your next late night adventure, or when you are setting up camp at night.  You’ll be glad you did.

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