If you’re planning an outdoor adventure that goes on after the sun sets this summer, chances are you’re going to need some good camping lights. The best camping lights stay lit for as long as you need and give you enough light to do anything you need to after dark. Bonus points for energy-efficient solutions, versatility, and affordability.
If camping is on your summer bucket list, we’ve got all the information you need to ensure you’re able to get around in the dark and find your tent on your next camping trip. Trust me, trying to go pee in the middle of the night without a headlamp is not something you want to do.
What to Look for in Camp Lighting
Choosing the right camp lighting for your needs depends on your specific camping goals. If you’re doing long, multiday backpacking trips in the backcountry, you’ll likely want a lightweight headlamp that has a long run time.
If you’re car camping, you have a bit more flexibility with your lighting solutions because you don’t need to worry about carrying it all on your back. You may still want a trusty headlamp, but you can also liven up your campsite with lanterns, string lights, and flashlights.
Regardless of your exact needs, there are a few common features you’ll want to look out for that will give you a good starting point for wading through the barrage of different camping lights available.
- Lumens: “The idea behind lumens is that the brighter the light, the higher the lumen count,” says Outdoors Generations outdoor educator Gaby Pilson. Dave Cozzone, from outdoor lights company Princeton Tec, says exactly how bright you want your lighting to be can largely depend on personal preference, but “lumens ranging from 25 to 300 should be acceptable.” That being said, you’ll find lights with lumen levels ranging anywhere from 25 to well over 600.
- Run time/battery life: Especially if you plan to be out on longer trips, how long your lighting will last on a single charge (or AA battery set) is super important. You can also find solar or crank-powered lights, which can help keep up the charge on longer trips as well.
- Adjustability: Most camping lights these days give you at least a few different setting options with dimming, distance, floodlighting, or different colors. A red light option is great for preserving night vision and having a lower impact on fellow campers and wildlife.
Now that you know the basics, we’ve got 15 specific camping light recommendations from a variety of longtime camping experts, backpacking guides, and outdoor educators. Find top-rated brands like BioLite, Mpowerd Luci, and more from Amazon, REI, and Black Diamond Equipment.
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Alison Watta, a backpacking guide and creator and editor of Exploration Solo, recommends the Black Diamond Cosmo 350 headlamp for backpacking. With a maximum of 350 lumens plus medium (175 lumens) and low (6 lumens) settings, she says the headlamp “offers plenty of light to safely navigate, while also giving you some control over the brightness.”
Watta also appreciates the red light to avoid “blinding fellow campmates and keep the bugs from flocking to your forehead.” The headlamp reportedly has a run time of around six hours on medium power, but for the relatively inexpensive price, it’s still a solid amount of time.
“For the past five years, I've used mine on over 50 backpacking trips, some up to seven days,” says Watta. “It never fell off, became uncomfortable, or let me down.” There is also a rechargeable version that has a slightly longer run time but does come at a higher price.
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Jess Shisler PhD, cofounder of Sēkr and Project Respect Outdoors, has had this Petzl ultralight headlamp for two years and says it’s “proven to be durable, long-lasting, bright and easy to recharge.”
This headlamp has a max of 200 lumens, and while there are brighter versions, Shisler prefers the lower lumen version because “it’s a trade-off for weight.” At just 35 grams, this headlamp is ultralight, compact, and ideal for backpacking. The light has three different brightness settings and red light so you can tailor it to what you need at the time. “I find there is plenty of battery life [two hours run time on full power] and the light is definitely bright enough to hike, cook, or whatever activity I need,” she says.
