If you are a camping newbie getting your equipment together, know that you’ll need a lot more than a tent that is easy to put up and a comfortable sleeping bag. One important factor that is often overlooked by camping beginners is the lighting set up for the campsite. Remaining safe and efficient at night during your camping trip requires good sources of illumination.
Different types of camping lights exist and each has its ideal uses. What lights do I need for camping you may ask? You’ll want to have a few kinds amid your camping gear to address specific situations. For example, a camping lantern might be right for an outdoor chore while a headlight might be best to illuminate a nighttime walk. Having several camping lights at handy will give you the ability to light up your camp in a practical and efficient way.
A Versatile Torchlight
For any kind of camping trip, having a light that’ll work in many situations is much better than having a light that will work only in a few situations. In other words, you’ll want to get a torch that can assist with many different chores.
When it comes to camping torches Australia specialized stores offer a range of them. You’ll want to look for a model that is compact and offers the ability to shine bright or be dimmed if the situation requires it. A torch with a zoomable end will let you tighten the beam when you’re looking for something you dropped, then easily widen it again when you’re lighting up the trail on the way to the bathroom.
Another hand feature you’ll want to look for when shopping for torches Australia wide is a pocket clip. This way you’ll be able to attach your torch to your pocket so you always know where its. When night comes down, you’ll want to have your light with you instead of having to search for it in the dark. Note that torches can use replaceable batteries that can be easily recharged by replacing their small batteries. So, if you’re going camping in the woods with no source of electricity, a battery-operated torch is going to be much handier than one that you need to plug into charge.
Remember that sometimes an extremely small flashlight can be the handiest piece of camping gear you can carry with you. Due to its smaller size, you may be more likely to carry it with you than leave it behind. Considering that many flashlights are also very powerful, a penlight can make you more efficient at a number of camping tasks.
Although a small touch, like a penlight, won’t replace a large lantern for illuminating your campsite, it can be quite handy for navigating a trail, finding things in your tent or backpack, or even showing other travellers the way. You may be surprised how many times you’ll use it over the course of your trip.
A Spotlight
You may not need a powerful spotlight while camping, but you’ll want to have one among your camping supplies. Powerful spotlights (up to 6000 lumens) allow you to see objects from a very long distance away. They are great for checking out things that go bump in the night in camp.
Keep in mind that good spotlights will offer multiple brightest modes. Also remember that some spotlights, like those designed for use in cars, will need to be hooked to an electrical source to work. As you won’t always have an outlet available in camp, consider getting a rechargeable one so you can shine it anytime, anywhere.
Camping Lantern
Camping lanterns are very useful for casting light over a wide area. In the past, lanterns were powered by camp fuel. The drawbacks of having to carry fuel along and going through all the available mantles many times led people to end up using their flashlights for camping chores more suitable for lanterns. Some lanterns available on the market today use propane canisters. Although they function well, you still need to take fuel along.
The great news are LED technology has changed all that. Modern LED camping lanterns not only cast a great, wide light, but they do also cleanly, without odour and without having to deal with messy, flammable fuels. High-quality LED camping lanterns tend to be much smaller than conventional camping fuel lanterns but they have the ability to cast just as much light as their predecessors. Some models can run up to 100 hours on a single charge.
All of the three camping lights above run on replaceable or rechargeable batteries. As you know, these kinds of batteries don’t often last long, so depending on the duration of your camping trip you may want to invest in a portable solar panel. This gadget will give you peace of mind knowing you can camp for longer without being in the dark as it can easily charge your camping lights’ batteries as long as there is sun during the day.
The mechanism of a portable solar panel is quite simple – it absorbs the light energy from the sun and converts that energy into electricity that charges rechargeable batteries. This means no sockets or plugs are required, which also means no hassle of finding a nearby outlet to charge our devices. You just need to make sure you top up the charge whenever possible as sun-charging can take longer than socket-charging. Depending on your solar panels, charging may vary in terms of duration but it can take up to 16 hours to fully charge a device.
There are also some camping lights that come with a solar panel attached to them. They have a built-in sensor that allows them to automatically charge when exposed to sunlight and light up when night falls. This technology makes camping lights even more convenient. Aside from being useful for camping, these lights can also be used for other outdoor activities such as late-night fishing or mountain climbing. When used with LED bulbs, it won’t consume much energy either, meaning it can last overnight when you need it the most. Because it doesn’t use wires or any external electrical connection, parents can leave their kids to use it without worries.