I usually mourn the end of Daylight Savings Time. I don鈥檛 think I鈥檓 alone. After a summer and fall of long days, allowing us to run, ride, hike, and garden under the sun鈥檚 glow after regular working hours, having darkness descend upon our lives as early as 4:45 p.m. is a massive shock to the system. In short, it sucks.

But does it have to?

There鈥檚 no way around the fact that it鈥檚 harder to do all the things we love in the great outdoors in the dark. Plus, the colder weather that accompanies the change of the clocks makes it doubly difficult to adapt to the changing reality. We鈥檙e suddenly left with a lot of waking hours of cold darkness when we just came off months of evenings where we could still get out and do our thing before鈥攐r even after鈥攄inner.

But there鈥檚 something to be said for embracing adventure, and nothing feels more adventurous than getting outside in conditions that suggest we stay indoors. Being outside in the dark is fun, and makes me feel like a rebel鈥攐ther people may be in their houses eating a civilized meal, watching TV, or sleeping, but I鈥檓 out there. Doing stuff.

I used to compete in multi-day adventure races, where I enjoyed the experience of running, hiking, mountain biking, and even kayaking with the help of good lights. And as a pacer of ultramarathons (), I鈥檝e loved running under the light of the moon on singletrack trails with a headlamp and waist-mounted light illuminating a rocky trail.

But I鈥檝e learned that you don鈥檛 have to be on an epic adventure to enjoy the magic of night-time activities. Lights meant for adventure can help us embrace the dark when the time changes. They can help keep us safe鈥攆rom tripping, from wildlife, from cars, and maybe even depression that can come from being holed up inside until spring.

The clocks are, inevitably, rolling back soon: November 3 looms. Instead of kicking rocks, muttering profanities, drinking wine, watching TV at 5 p.m., and waiting for bedtime, I鈥檓 vowing to head outside with one of the following lighting systems to have an adventure in the dark at least once a week until longer days begin again on March 9, 2025.

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside.听Learn more.

Light Up 国产吃瓜黑料

Headlamp

A headlamp is the ultimate adventure-enabling device. Put on a comfortable, capable headlamp like the , and it delivers hands-free illumination wherever you look, lighting up the trail, the skin track, or the neighborhood path for pre-dawn or post-dusk adventures of all sorts. This waterproof light beams up to 400 lumens of brightness, and changes output power with the tap of a finger (no futzing with gloves). The light can run on batteries, but I plan on using the recharge mode by plugging it in between bouts of heading out in the dark to hike, walk the dog, splitboard, or do yard work (yes, after sundown wearing a headlamp).

Waist-mounted light

For certain activities like trail running, I like having a light at waist level. Because it鈥檚 lower to the ground than a headlamp and on my torso, it stays aimed forward and down instead of illuminating wherever I turn my head (like a headlamp). The waist-mounted light is similar to a discontinued one I鈥檝e used for various adventures, like pacing friends during night sections of 100-mile trail races. The 150 lumens, the ability to focus or broaden the beam with a simple adjustment, and the easy-swivel mount combine to do a great job lighting up the trail. Flashing red LEDs on the backside help with visibility.听 Plus, it鈥檚 USB rechargeable.

Bike light

It鈥檚 been a while since I鈥檝e gone on a mountain bike ride at night, so I鈥檓 relying on 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 sister publication, , for their pick for front-mounted bike lights. Their Editor鈥檚 Choice winner for current lights is the . Aside from a clunky product name, this light earned high marks. It features three settings: high, medium, and low, with a display that tells the rider exactly how much burn time (battery life) is left in the mode in use. It鈥檚 also reportedly easy to mount to handlebars, easy to change modes on the fly, and waterproof. While I haven鈥檛 personally tested the light, these are the types of features I鈥檇 look for in a bike lamp.

Cozy Up and Be Prepared

Backyard fire

During COVID, I bought a听 for its compact size, real-wood burning ability, and rechargeable smoke-sucking attachment. My family and I lit fires and sat around it during the winter of 2020 with friends while remaining six feet apart. We鈥檝e used it a little since, but I鈥檓 planning to use it more this coming winter and am going to bribe my sons with s鈥檓ores so they鈥檒l join me. I love sitting outside and strumming a guitar or playing games鈥攊t鈥檚 a bit like camping, just colder in the winter, but the warmth of the fire helps. Building a contained campfire within this backyard stove when darkness descends before 5 p.m. is a great way to satisfy my need to be outdoors when I鈥檓 relaxing.

Flashlight

Being stuck on the side of the road for any reason is only more treacherous in the winter, and with more hours of darkness coming soon, I鈥檓 making sure I have a powerful light handy just in case. I鈥檝e been testing this flashlight for a few months now, mostly by keeping it in the back of my car for safety. With 5,000 whopping lumens, this thing is ridiculously bright, like its own super moon bottled up in a tube. Thankfully, I haven鈥檛 had to pull it out to solve any problems on the road in the dark, but I know it鈥檚 there in my car if need be, which gives me more confidence to drive to adventures in the cold darkness.

So bring it on, November 3. Thanks to good lights and a sense of adventure, I鈥檒l be ready.

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I am not an everyday carry (EDC) expert who spends hours trying to figure out exactly what I should store in my pockets to be perfectly 鈥減repared鈥� for any situation. I actually find EDC nerds unnecessarily obsessive.

Like most, I tend to rely on my phone for multiple functions, from contacting someone in an emergency to navigating my way in urban and (most) rural settings. And, yes, for providing extra light when needed.

However, I鈥檝e always been curious about the small pocket flashlights EDC nerds carry, so I decided to give one a try. I鈥檝e been testing for the past three months to see if it would prove useful. The results? Turns out a pocket flashlight is now my most used piece of gear. And to be perfectly honest, I feel totally underprepared without one on me at all times.

Our resident EDC nerd, writer Wes Siler, has covered pocket flashlights extensively and provides great recommendations for types, sizes, and styles. He鈥檒l also give you his smart recommendations for how and where to carry a mini flashlight.

What Wes hasn鈥檛 told you, however, is in what scenarios you鈥檇 find such a light useful and superior to the one on your phone. I鈥檓 here to share my experience as a way of convincing you why a pocket flashlight is absolutely necessary. The best way to do that is to list the many, many ways my pocket flashlight has recently come in handy:

• Picking up dog poop: I take my dogs to the dog park twice a day, often in the dark because I鈥檓 shuttling kids and in front of my computer when the sun is up. If you鈥檝e ever tried to find dog poop at night in a large park with the 50 lumens your iPhone puts out, you know it鈥檚 a maddening experience. But when you have 1,200 lumens at the ready (that鈥檚 what my pocket flashlight puts out), finding that stray poop is a cinch.
• Warding off an attacker: I feel safe walking my dogs at night, but if anyone were to approach me in an aggressive way, 1,200 lumens to the face would stop them in their tracks.
• Scrounging in a backpack: I love rolltop backpacks for bike commuting but trying to find something at the bottom of the bag is like catfish noodling. Now that I have my pocket flashlight I just shine it in the bag and I can find anything in seconds.
• Setting up camp: While camping, it has been much easier to pull my flashlight out of my pocket where it lives at all times, put it in my mouth, and use it to set up the tent for the kids. Without it, I would have searched the car to find a headlamp, or tried to hold and point my phone light with my chin. Once camp is set up I prefer a headlamp, but the flashlight is better for immediate use.
• Navigating the garage: My garage is absolutely packed, so even with decent overhead lighting it鈥檚 hard to find things on shelves or in plastic boxes. Now I just pull out my pocket flashlight, hold it with my mouth, and rifle through my gear piles to find precisely what I鈥檓 looking for.
• Peeking under the car: Something in the front suspension of my 2003 Toyota Sequoia started making a terrible creaking noise the other day. Even in the sunlight, it was hard to find the culprit because of the heavy shadow thrown by the car. But after I pulled out my flashlight and slid underneath it was easy to see what was broken in the steering assembly.
• Self-diagnosing a sore throat: I had a bad cold for weeks and couldn鈥檛 shake the thing so I finally had my wife grab my pocket flashlight and shine it down my throat. My throat was an angry red and looked terrible, even to our untrained eyes, which convinced me to finally see the doctor who told me I had a sinus infection and needed antibiotics.
• Wandering new places at night: At an Airbnb with my wife, I had to find my way to the bathroom one night but didn鈥檛 want to turn on the light. Instead, I grabbed my flashlight from the bedside table and relieved myself without waking her up.
• Providing first aid for the dog: One of our dogs kept shaking his head and it was obvious that something in his ear was bothering him. I laid him down, broke out the flashlight, pulled open his ear, and found the problem immediately鈥攁 thorny burr stuck inside.
• Retrieving my keys: I accidentally locked my keys in the car at the ski area a week ago and had four hungry and tired kids waiting on me to figure something out. Luckily, the ski area parking staff dealt with this regularly and was versed at fishing keys out of cars with a long wire. As a friendly staff member angled the wire to the car floor to grab the keys, I climbed on the hood and pointed the flashlight into the car so he could see through the shadows and grab the keys.

I could go on, but you get the point. There鈥檚 always going to be a time during my day when a pocket flashlight comes in handy. The same will be true for you, too, regardless of what brand or style you choose to carry. I鈥檓 confident there will be many new ways the light will be useful鈥攕ituations I can鈥檛 even imagine at the moment. I just hope those new ways don鈥檛 involve as many stuck keys, sick dogs, or sore throats.

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Say hello to versatility and portability with MPOWERD鈥檚 newest innovations. Earlier this year, the company launched the transformative two-in-one headlamp and flashlight, the , and the first product in its new Viri庐 line, . Then in November, MPOWERD rolled out the third member of its popular String Lights family. The provides on-the-go illumination, but because the Power Hub can recharge separately from the string, it can also be part of a more permanent setup.

focuses on creating innovative, reliable, sustainable products that utilize solar energy. Since the company was founded in 2012, its product line has expanded from its original inflatable solar light to include a modular solar bike-light set; Luci Explore, a unique solar speaker and wake-up light; and much more.

With its strong commitment to reducing emissions and the overall global carbon footprint, MPOWERD has helped to avert over 3.1 million tons of CO2 to date, while touching millions of lives along the way.

鈥淗uman needs drive our impact deployments, as with the lights we sent to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Ian, or in Ukraine, where many are displaced and without basic necessities,鈥� says John Salzinger, MPOWERD founder and chief business development officer. 鈥淭he averted CO2 is the additive positive by-product of our technologies, which are distributed by our amazing partners like World Central Kitchen, SBP, Amazon Disaster Relief, and Waves4Water.鈥�

Now, a little more about its exciting new products.

Starting with the latest: provides up to 50 hours of energy-efficient light on a single charge and features a 44-foot braided-nylon cord with 20 shatterproof bulbs shining up to 140 lumens. Along with the detachable 4,000-mAh rechargeable battery and mobile charging capabilities, these solar string lights offer enormous versatility. While the lumen count and length are competitive, the fact they鈥檙e completely wireless and portable is huge. The detachability means they can be set up wherever and whenever needed, no matter where the closest power source is and with no messy wires. This device is completely untethered, making it perfect for the middle of the backyard, the living room, or your RV.

The highly anticipated is the first of its kind and delivers up to 300 lumens in a water-resistant body. This long-lasting and rechargeable utility light can be switched from handheld to headlamp with a quick snap of its magnetic connectors. It鈥檚 the ultimate dynamic duo for any handyman, crafter, fitness enthusiast, or adventurer.

Product innovation and a commitment to environmental and social betterment are top priorities of MPOWERD. This year, MPOWERD was both a finalist in Outdoor Retailer鈥檚 2022 Inspiration Awards for contributions in these areas and on the Real Leaders Top 50 Eco Innovation Award List. MPOWERD products have won prizes from Best for The World Changemakers, Katerva Sustainability, CES Innovation, United Nations Aim2Flourish, and more.

MPOWERD鈥檚 solar-powered products are the gifts on everyone鈥檚 list this year. Discover the full selection at .

MPOWERD is on a mission to transform lives with thoughtfully designed, clean technology. As a certified B Corporation and Benefit Corporation, MPOWERD sets strict standards, ensuring that its work enhances both society and the environment. The company鈥檚 innovative products give people the power of self-reliance as well as moments of wonder鈥攂ecause everyone deserves to be empowered and inspired regardless of where or how they live. Learn more at .

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When I wrote about outdoor gear that makes camping with kids more fun, I hadn鈥檛 yet tried BioLite鈥檚 AlpenGlow rechargeable lantern. After a few months of use, I鈥檇 now put it at the top of that list. With a bunch of different color modes and settings, the AlpenGlow has proved a useful light for camping, backyard barbecues, evening hangouts, the occasional dance party, and a ton of other activities. It鈥檚 not going to revolutionize your outdoor setup, and there are better activity-specific lights, but the AlpenGlow is a practical do-it-all gadget that also creates a chill vibe鈥攖hat鈥檚 why it鈥檚 my favorite family road-trip item.

There are two sizes of BioLite AlpenGlow lanterns: the ($60) and the ($80). The smaller lantern is about the size of an apple; the bigger one is closer to a grapefruit. Since the beginning of June, my family has used the larger, 500-lumen light every single day. (I鈥檓 not kidding; it鈥檚 that multifunctional.) My partner and I found the lantern useful for our son鈥檚 bedtime routine, so we added the smaller, palm-sized 250-lumen unit to the mix. After reading a couple stories, we dim the latter to the lowest warm setting and leave it on for an ambient glow.

Both lanterns have four color modes鈥攃ool, warm, single color, and multicolor鈥攁nd a dimming feature. One big button on the top toggles between everything, which makes it easy for kids to operate. With the built-in accelerometer, shaking the lantern activates features like the single side-light, warm flickering candlelight, and single and multicolor cycling modes.

The mini version replicates everything that the larger one does, except the multicolor modes aren鈥檛 as advanced. The smaller unit splits the color between two panels, with a single color lighting up each side. On the AlpenGlow 500, three colors blend into each other in nature-mimicking shades across the entire lantern, with hues reminiscent of pink and yellow sunsets, northern lights, and foggy early morning paddles on a lake. Shake once and the lantern cycles through the different color palettes. Shaking twice activates a color-burst mode that creates a firework-like effect鈥攖he coolest feature, if you ask my kid (and what he refers to as 鈥渄ance party mode鈥�). I think the advanced multicolor modes on the 500 are a worthwhile upgrade.

The bright-white setting helps get tasks done. We use it for everything from cooking outdoors in low light to vehicle repairs. The built-in hook, dimming feature, and option to illuminate only one side of the lantern mean you can direct light where you need without it shining directly in your face. The candlelight setting creates an inviting, warm atmosphere during outdoor dinners or when playing evening card games at the campsite.

The AlpenGlow doubles as a power bank with a standard USB output, which is great because my cellphone battery is almost always in the red zone. The lantern saved my ass a few times road-tripping when I had no other power source options. Indicator lights on the front let you know how much juice you鈥檝e got left, and when the lamp is low on power, only the most basic modes work.

My toddler has dropped the AlpenGlow a few times, and even after all this abuse, it still doesn鈥檛 have a scratch or dent on it. It鈥檚 portable and fairly lightweight (the 500 weighs 13.4 ounces, the 250 is 7.4 ounces), making it versatile enough for backcountry trips if you don鈥檛 mind a little added bulk. It won鈥檛 replace the need for a headlamp, but if you have the backpack space, it makes for a nice ambiance around camp.

The 500 emits 500 lumens of light on high and five lumens on low; the 250 delivers 250 lumens on high and 2.5 lumens on low. Both last for five hours on high and 200 hours on low and take around three hours to charge. Rated IPX4, the AlpenGlow isn鈥檛 waterproof, but it is protected from splashing water鈥攔ubber seals cover the charging ports鈥攕o a bit of rain won鈥檛 harm it. All in all, the AlpenGlow has been a valuable addition to our car-camping kit and also works well in our home life. For nice-to-have items that are both functional and fun, this is a front-runner for me.

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Pulling from archived astrophotography and nightscapes,听photographer and filmmaker created Night Light, a听film composed听of still images and time-lapsed听star trails. Each subject is made of three and five听exposures, but with different lighting in each photograph, then blended together or transitioned in between to give the effect of seamless motion. This film was inspired by the pandemic听shutdown as a means to remember and share听the wonders of the night sky from听solitary confines.

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Why buy a dedicated flashlight听instead of听just using听the one built into your smartphone? As you鈥檝e probably noticed, running your phone鈥檚 light quickly runs down the battery while providing a very limited amount of illumination. Worse,听holding your phone securely while shining its light may feel awkward, particularly in the dark听while you鈥檙e trying to work on something. And you really don鈥檛 want to rely on a light source that breaks easily and stops working when dropped.

Bright light has become a commodity product. You can buy a cheap flashlight online, or even in a gas station, that makes as many lumens as more expensive options.听So听the differences that may help determine if a light is right for you depend听on听other factors.

How Are You Going to Carry It or Store It?听

Like a good knife, a flashlight鈥檚 job is to be there when you need it. So听the most important thing听a flashlight can do is to fit into your pocket, nightstand, or glove box.

A very small key-chain flashlight can be carried with you everywhere, every day. But getting it deployed may involve fumbling through your pocket, around whatever else is riding in there, then using both hands to switch it on. A very slim light with a good pocket clip will still easily fit听in your pocket but will be much simpler听to access. That said, you鈥檒l听need to remember to move it between garments, which increases the听risk of losing it.

Larger lights are harder to misplace than smaller ones, but they鈥檙e also harder to carry. This becomes an advantage at home or in a vehicle听when reaching for a large light in the dark鈥攂ut it鈥檚 probably not the one you want to bring backpacking.

The size and form of a light are also going to impact the ways in which you control a flashlight, as well as听the amount of run time you鈥檒l be able to get out of its batteries.

How Are You Going to Power It?听

With modern LED technology, the emitters, reflectors, and lenses or optics have shrunk so much that now it鈥檚听often the shape and size of the batteries that determine the shape and size of a flashlight.

Lights can be powered by either standard batteries, like the typical AAs, AAAs, and C or D cells we鈥檝e all used for decades, or they can rely on less common, high-discharge rechargeable batteries, like 18650鈥檚 or 26650鈥檚.

The advantages of running a common, old-school battery like a AA听are low cost听and wide availability. You probably already have some AAs in a drawer, and if not, you can buy more at virtually any retail location. But听common batteries have limited output, and even lights that require only a single AAA battery aren鈥檛 necessarily small enough to fit on your key chain.

High-discharge rechargeables are capable of powering much more powerful lights听and can pack that performance into smaller forms. However,听they鈥檙e often expensive听and hard to find outside of specialty online retailers. Being able to recharge them may sound like an advantage, but it鈥檒l听require keeping track of cables听and maybe even charging docks.

I find听a good middle ground between commonly available batteries and high-performance ones to be . These were widely adopted for digital cameras and other devices, meaning they鈥檙e stocked in places like gas stations and grocery stores, but still pack higher outputs and longer run times. They鈥檙e shorter听and听fatter than a AA, which results in lights that may be just small enough to fit on your key chain if听only one is required听but still be large enough to fill your hand if your light needs听two or three. Some CR123 flashlights, like those in听the Foursevens听Mini range, may also be capable of running the high-discharge rechargeable version of the CR123, known as the RCR123, resulting in higher light outputs. Do not attempt to run those unless the flashlight manufacturer specifically states they鈥檙e compatible, though; RCR123s听can destroy unsuitable flashlights.

If you do want a flashlight that relies solely听on rechargeable batteries, look for one that builds a charger into the light itself, requiring only a cable to be plugged into it for charging. Skipping charging docks gives you one less thing to carry or lose.

If you run flashlights powered by common batteries, it鈥檚 worth buying lithium ones. Not only do those boast听a ten-year shelf life and better stand up to cold temperatures, but they may also offer improved听performance if a light is designed to take advantage of their increased power outputs.

How Are You Going to Operate It?听

Flashlights come with either push-button听or twist-cap interfaces. Buttons are easier and faster to operate听and can be manipulated with a single hand. Twist caps are less likely to be activated accidentally while riding in a pocket or a pack听and can be built into smaller packages, but they typically require two hands to operate.

Buttons are packed into a flashlight鈥檚 side听or its tail. Side buttons are easier to use with an underhand grip, as you may hold a light while casually walking along a trail. Tail-cap buttons require an overhand grip, which you use if you鈥檙e holding a light over your shoulder. Tail-cap buttons can either be exposed, preventing a light from standing on its tail, or shrouded, allowing that tail to stand.

These days, both buttons and twist caps tend to operate multiple light modes, which you access by quickly cycling between on and off听or presses and holds. Because it鈥檚 easy for a light maker to offer multiple modes of operation, and because more modes make听for more marketing, most flashlights now come with more available settings than is practical.

Whether it鈥檚 a very dim light output designed to help retain your night vision, or the maximum output available, determine which mode or modes you鈥檙e going to use most often, and make听sure they鈥檙e easily accessible on any light you buy. The last thing you want to do is spend time trying to cycle through clicks and twists and various strobe patterns just to turn a light on during an emergency. This can be achieved either by a simple interface that matches your preferences听or through a user-programmable function that allows you to customize a light鈥檚 function听to your needs.

Much more so than their commonly inflated performance claims, it鈥檚 these factors that are going to help you find a flashlight that truly meets your needs.

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Fenix HM65R Rechargeable Headlamp ($95)

This Fenix鈥檚 spot- and floodlight modes can work in tandem. The 颅resulting 1,400 lumens are like turning on your car鈥檚 high beams. Despite the tough magnesium-颅alloy case, it weighs a respectable 3.4 ounces. It鈥檚 fully water- and dustproof, runs on high for 21 hours, and has a secure rubber-lined strap. Swap the rechargeable battery for disposables on multiday outings.

L.L.Bean Trailblazer 400 Lantern ($30)

The vibe is old-school kerosene, but the Trailblazer is fueled by three D batteries and puts out 颅400 lumens of white light. It weighs just 11.6 ounces, can be safely dropped from three feet, and hangs from a built-in carabiner. It lasts 26 hours on its highest setting.

MPowerd Luci Core Lamp ($18)

The 40-lumen Luci Core emits a pleasant white light for 12 hours on a single solar charge, but the bendy arm is what truly shines. Shape it into a stand, hook it to your tent ceiling, strap it to your belt, or attach it to the hood of your car. The low price and minimal footprint make this versatile performer a no-brainer.

Ledlenser ML4 Lantern ($50)

The cutest lantern you鈥檝e ever seen, the 3.8-inch, 2.5-ounce ML4 fits in the palm of your hand and produces 300 lumens鈥攇reat for your tent, but don鈥檛 expect it to illuminate your campsite. One charge is good for 2.5 hours of maximum-strength glow, and like the Fenix, it accepts disposables in a pinch.

Coast FL1R Micro Headlamp ($39)

Weighing in at a slight 1.1 ounces, and with 2.5 hours of run time on high, the 200-lumen FL1R is great for running and ultralight backpacking. It sheds mellow rain, has a red-light setting, and feels secure (but barely there) as you bound up and down hills. A lockout mode prevents it from accidentally switching on in your pack.

Gear Aid Carabiner Light Kit ($30)

Multifunction lights can be clunky, with too many pieces to keep track of. Not Gear Aid鈥檚 4.5-ounce system. The tough plastic capsule clips to your pack鈥檚 strap or screws into a sternum attachment for biking. Don鈥檛 be fooled by its 110 lumens鈥攊t comes in handy on the trail and at base camp.

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The Amazon page for lists no light output听and no weight. Run time on the three included AAA batteries is simply stated at 20 hours, though there鈥檚 no mention of whether that鈥檚 in high or low mode. And I think it鈥檚 safe to assume that they鈥檙e not waterproof. But you know what? None of that matters, because these听perform the fundamental job of making light better than anything听else out there.

It鈥檚 the job of a lantern to light up as large of an area as possible听but not necessarily to do so with as much brightness as possible. Lanterns need to give you the ability to work on stuff,听see other people, and听easily move around your campsite. A diffuse source of light helps more than a bright one, because it听can听eliminate areas of light that are blinding听or difficult to look at. That light also needs to spread across a听wide area, continuing not just in a horizontal circle听but also reaching up听or down.

All of that seems to have been forgotten, though, in the听rush to better mousetrap the category with extreme levels of brightness, unconventional form factors, solar charging, and other needless complication.

You know what makes just the right kind of light to illuminate an area? A lightbulb. Heck, make it a frosted one so the light is more even. You know what would enable you to take a lightbulb outdoors? Some batteries and a hook. That seems to be the level of thought applied to this product. And it鈥檚 just right.

E-Trends鈥� concept听is simple:听a plastic LED lightbulb with room for batteries, a switch on the side, and a hook on top. Because it鈥檚听plastic, it won鈥檛听break if听you drop it. On听high mode, it offers听plenty of light to prepare dinner by. On low, a $13 pack听of four听provides听enough light to illuminate your campsite. The hook听means you can hang it听from anything. And because the lights aren鈥檛 corded together, you can spread them out any way you please.

My wife and I听took one of those four-packs on a monthlong road trip, which included eight nights outdoors. We used the lightbulbs for a couple hours each night, and the basic batteries included in the package haven鈥檛 run out yet. would probably last even longer. None of the lights gave us any problems.

Because they鈥檙e so lightweight, I plan to drag one off-brand plastic lightbulb thing听along on our next backpacking trip. If you鈥檙e planning a big family campout, maybe consider grabbing two of the four-packs. They work in a tent, they work in the back of a truck, they work under an awning, and they work on a tree branch.

Will they work for you? They will. What more do you need to know?

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For nearly a decade, my go-to lights for summer backpacking trips have听been the index-finger-size听Fenix LD01 and second-generation ($30, 0.8 ounces), which clip to my hat brim and are impressively bright (up to 100 lumens) for their size and weight, given the LED technology at the time of their release.

But while guiding trips in Yosemite National Park听last month, I experimented with the ($40, 1.9 ounces).

The Iota听is a small, light, and reasonably priced headlamp that offers acceptable brightness for in-camp use and occasional night hiking. Overall, few backpackers will feel as if they need more from a headlamp. My only gripe is that it lacks a red night-vision LED, a much appreciated feature on my , although that would wreck the Iota鈥檚 size and price point.

Key Product Specs

• 1.9 ounces (54 grams)
• One LED bulb with a nonadjustable oval beam
• Up to 150 lumens of light output听
• Rechargeable lithium battery
• $40 MSRP

Standout Features

Battery听

The Iota is powered with a lithium-ion battery, not disposable AAAs like most other headlamps. To recharge it, plug the included mini USB cord into a wall mount, car adapter, or portable battery. (Personally, I carry an and mini USB cord already, to recharge my smartphone and听InReach听and sometimes my satellite phone). A full recharge takes three听hours. For high-use owners, the Iota鈥檚 rechargeable battery will be a huge economic and environmental win; for more occasional users, it鈥檚 simply more convenient.

Size and听Weight

Versus the more powerful and fully featured Black Diamond Spot and Revolt models, the Iota is about three-fifths the weight and one-half the size. It feels more appropriate for summer trips, when a light is rarely needed,听and it fits in smaller spaces, like day-hiking packs and vests, whether for intended or just-in-case use.

Familiar Features

If you have used other Black Diamond headlamps, several nice features of the Iota will be familiar.

Lockout

This prevents the Iota from being accidentally turned on inside your pack, draining the battery. With the Iota off, simply hold the power button for six听seconds. I use this feature every morning when I remove the Iota from around my neck (where I keep it at night) and pack it away.

PowerTap Technology

Generate maximum brightness (150 lumens) instantly by tapping the side of the Iota, then tap it again to return the brightness to its former level. This buttonless adjustment beats the alternative: holding the power button while it revs up or dims down.

Memory

By default听the Iota turns on at 60 percent output鈥攊t does not remember its setting when it was last turned off. For camp use, I found 60 percent to be blinding听and wished it would start up at a lower level. There is a way to reprogram it (watch ), but unfortunately, these directions were omitted from the user manual.

Shortcomings

For a 1.9-ounce headlamp with a rechargeable battery and $40 MSRP, it鈥檚 hard to find fault听with the Iota. But it does leave me wanting more sometimes.

Brightness

With a max output of 150 lumens, the Iota is sufficient for camp use and occasional night hiking. For faster-paced and more extended uses (e.g., biking, trail running), look for a more powerful light with a longer burn time. Within the Black Diamond line, I鈥檇 point you to the ($60, 3.4 ounces), which is also rechargeable and has a max output of 300 lumens (but beware:听its advertised burn time is overstated, per ).

Red Night Vision

In the summer, I use the red night-vision LED on my Spot as much as (if not more than) the white light. The aforementioned Revolt has one听but at a听cost of $20 and 1.5 ounces more. The Spot has one, too, but that would mean going back to disposable AAAs, which I鈥檓 now hesitant to do.

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At the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market last week, we got to see the most innovative gear slated to hit stores next spring. But amid the newest waterproof-breathable jackets and featherweight tents, these five products, all with price tags of less than $50, caught our eye with their affordable capability.

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