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As an avid hiker myself, I’ve often found that the joy of venturing into the wilderness can quickly become challenging as the sun dips below the horizon. Night-time or low-light conditions call for reliable sources of light.
This article outlines a variety of light sources that are suitable for hikers and backpackers.
The Essentiality of Light for Hikers
For those of us who hike or camp, light serves multiple purposes. Primarily, it enables us to carry out chores and navigate around the camp after dusk. Personal tasks, like reading or journaling while snug in our sleeping bags, also necessitate a light source.
Furthermore, light becomes a non-negotiable necessity when we begin our treks before the break of dawn or continue long after sunset. The call of the wild often doesn’t align with the rising and setting of the sun!
Lanterns: The Traditional Choice
Hand-held lanterns are renowned for the substantial illumination they provide, albeit at the cost of increased weight and size. For car camping adventures where carrying weight is not a concern, lanterns prove to be excellent companions.
You’ll find lanterns fueled by oil or powered by electricity, each with its unique advantages. Electric lanterns are particularly suitable when camping with young kids due to their safety features – they diminish the risk of burns or accidental fires.
Furthermore, electric lanterns can safely be brought into a tent, unlike their oil counterparts which pose a fire and carbon monoxide threat.
Flashlights: The Old Faithful
The flashlight has always been a trusty friend to hikers and campers. Available in a variety of designs and sizes, these hand-held lights employ batteries to illuminate your surroundings.
The compact size of flashlights makes them a convenient choice for overnight backpacking trips. However, their hand-held nature might be a bit of a setback if you need to use both hands for camp chores.
Headlamps: Hands-free Illumination
Headlamps offer the brilliant advantage of hands-free lighting, a feature that most hikers and campers appreciate. Just direct your gaze toward the area you need to illuminate, and the headlamp follows suit!
Alternative Light Sources for the Resourceful Hiker
Innovative or emergency situations might demand a departure from traditional light sources. Some alternatives include:
Campfires: Campfires do provide light for tasks in their vicinity, but their use is limited to their immediate area and they certainly can’t be transported around the campsite safely.
Glow Sticks: In emergencies, glow sticks can help mark a location or identify a person ahead in low-visibility conditions like a snowstorm. However, they don’t provide sufficient light to spot far-off obstacles on a trail.
Candle Lanterns: These small, candle-powered lanterns can produce enough light to read and also offer a small amount of heat in snow caves or similar shelters without risking carbon monoxide poisoning. They shouldn’t, however, be used inside nylon or cotton tents due to the fire risk they pose.
Water Bottles: A simple plastic water bottle can transform into a makeshift lantern with a small flashlight or headlamp placed inside it, creating a soft, colored glow. Commercially available products can also convert a bottle into a more traditional lantern.
In conclusion, the diverse range of light sources available for hikers ensures that we can safely continue our explorations, regardless of the time or the lighting conditions. After all, the beauty of nature shouldn’t be restricted to just daylight hours. So, grab your preferred light source and keep trekking!
