Summertime is upon us and the kids are out of school and looking for things to do. Few things in life bring me as much joy as enjoying nature. Whether it’s “glamping” in style in a cabin, or “roughing it” by pitching a tent in the woods, evenings around a campfire telling stories and roasting marshmallows for smores are the absolute best for making lasting memories! We love hiking and exploring the trails, looking for signs of wildlife, and enjoying the fresh air, especially in the early evening hours when it is a little cooler.
Lighting the way after dark
Being away from civilization and enjoying the laid-back slower pace of life is the primary draw to camping. However, being away from civilization often means being away from modern conveniences like electricity, and after the sun has set in the evenings, it becomes very dark. It is less of a concern in the summertime when we have available sunlight well into the late evening hours, but from late fall until early spring, the available light during the day is very short. This is where Olight really “shines”! Part of our standard camping gear includes Obulbs for the kids, Olanterns for around the campsite, and several different EDC flashlights for a variety of situations.
Obulb and Olantern
The Obulbs are great at night for the kids, providing them with just the right amount of light to feel comfortable and safe. They are small enough to be carried by little hands and easy for them to operate. The magnetic base is great for attaching a hook for hanging in a tent. The Osling can make Obulbs easy to hang from just about anything. Leaving the Obulb on at its lowest setting provides just enough light at night for kids, and it can last for days on this setting without needing to be recharged.
You can use both the Olantern and Olantern Mini around the campsite. The handle makes it easy to carry as well as for hanging, providing light where you need it most. When you do campfire cooking, especially at night, the Olantern is indispensable. The smaller Olantern Mini is handy for providing light around the perimeter of the campsite. Its smaller size also makes it great for the kids to use as it weighs less, and the light is diffused for a less harsh output. Another recent favorite to bring camping is the Swivel because you can position the light on a table and direct the light where you need it most. Since the stand can be adjusted 180 degrees, it makes this little light very versatile as you can also hang it from a tree branch or inside a tent.
Outdoor Flashlight
For visibility around the campsite, and for investigating “strange” noises at night, we typically have several options with us. Nothing beats having the power of the sun in the palm of your hand for maximum power and visibility. The Marauder 2 provides an incredible 14,000 lumens of the flood when in turbo mode. This illuminates everything in front of you, but it remains surprisingly small and easy to carry. With the flip of the toggle switch, you can go from flood to a square-shaped spotlight, providing an amazing 850 lumens of light for an impressive 2,625 feet of throw! We also carry more practical EDC lights: Warrior Mini 2 or S2R Baton II. Either provide us with enough light to comfortably navigate any trails at night or early in the morning.
However, nothing compares to the size to brightness ratio you get when using the Baton 3 rechargeable EDC flashlight. The charging case that comes with the premium edition enables you to recharge the Baton 3 up to 3.7 times wirelessly, which is fantastic for longer camping trips. You can easily clip the Baton 3 to the brim of the hat for hands-free light that goes wherever you look.
Most of Olights will provide sufficient light if fully charged for a weekend trip. However, should the trip extend longer than a couple of days having enough battery power to last the entire trip may become a concern? For that, you could typically pack a rechargeable flashlight and USB charging cables. Olight also has the OStation available that can provide about 231Wh of portable power for recharging as well as providing power for smaller electronic devices. You should seriously be considered adding it to the emergency and camping gear.
Gear for fun and adventure
In addition to a comprehensive selection of flashlights and lanterns, Olight offers a wide range of tools and equipment that makes camping both more fun as well as enjoyable. Late last year Olight started offering pocket knives, and the variety and selection have grown tremendously over the past several months. They can be used around camp for trimming branches for firewood, cutting rope, and other general purposes. They have proven more than capable of handling whatever task you can throw its way.
Keeping many of the smaller items organized and safe is the Olife EDC tactical bag and the smaller Olight pouch. Both are great for keeping smaller lights and knives in as they offer lots of pockets and zippered compartments for organizing and protecting your gear.
If you love exploring creek beds, looking for rocks, crystals, and potential fossils. To assist you in finding these interesting things we will bring along both the i3UV as well as the i5UV. They typically glow brightly under ultraviolet light. Unfortunately, they are now discontinued. But Olight will design more camping equipment in the future, and hammocks are apparently already being planned. The hammock is now an essential part of camping gear! The hammock is great with the overall quality, look, and comfort.
Conclusion
If you are like me and enjoy being in the outdoors, Olight should be an essential part of your gear set-up. Obviously, there are a number of lighting options and solutions that will meet any and all your specific needs. From the super bright Marauder 2 to the EDC-sized and super functional Baton 3, Olight has a flashlight for you. Camping is made all the easier with the Olantern, Olantern Mini, Obulb, and Swivel. You should never be left in the dark with any of these on hand. But lighting isn’t all that is offered by Olight. With the addition of the Ostation, having power for small electronics and the ability to recharge your lights on the go is even easier and more practical than ever. And Olight has also recently jumped into the pocketknife market.
Finally, we will continue to expand into gear specifically designed for the outdoors, and thanks for your support! Now, grab some gear and get out there and enjoy the great outdoors!
