Overall this is a great small bag to take along with you. Sure, headlamps are a practical purchase, but they can also be a fun gadget for kids to play with at the campsite or during backyard adventures. The kids we know use them mostly while pretending to be red-eyed monsters or rainbow unicorns, and who are we to judge? With this in mind, we’ve chosen the Black Diamond Wiz headlamp as our pick for kids.
Walmart offers free shipping for Walmart+ members or on orders of $35 or over. Not the best choice for long trips or hikers who need to carry a large amount of gear. Includes compression straps on the sides to keep your gear stable. This pack has a lot of extra storage pockets for organization of your gear. Has a hip belt to displace the load off your shoulders. Includes a place to connect your hydration bladder.
And the polyester band (which also contains a bit of spandex) is comfortable against your skin even when you sweat. The Black Diamond Spot has been our pick since 2012. You can certainly find stronger lights with better optics, but this one occupies the part of the Venn diagram where price, reliability, performance, and ease of use overlap. For the kids’ headlamps, we sent them off to two very discerning kids (who’ve been living with gear testers for years), and we asked them to use the headlamps for all manner of adventures. It may be intimidating from the tee box, but the large green provides plenty of landing space with additional room right of the green for a safe miss. Avoid the left side to stay out of the heavy rough, deep bunker, and the lake.
This green slopes away from left to right with multiple bunkers short of the green. The bag is made from recycled material–further proof that it’s the perfect choice for a hobby that’s all about appreciating the environment–but it doesn’t require special care. When you get home, just throw it into the washer to make sure it’s clean and sanitary for your next camping trip. If you have a friend that enjoys hiking (or if you need a new backpack yourself!), check out these deals on Ozark Trail Hiking Backpacks today – you can grab these as low as $10. With access to the Ozark Trail available year-round, hikers will need to prepare differently for each season. Ozark springs see a lot of rain and varied temperatures; Ozark summers tend to be hot, muggy, and wet; Ozark winters can drop below freezing.
ozark trail canopyThe Bindi’s light cast about 40 meters into the distance—not as far as the Spot but still far enough for her to navigate safely. The Bindi uses a bungee cord instead of a thick headband. Many running headlamps include a strap that goes over the top of your head, which can be uncomfortable, but the Bindi’s cord manages to keep the headlamp secure without one. It’s also adjustable with one hand and much easier to wear with a hat or ponytail. It works with either regular or rechargeable batteries. The Spot 400 can hold either three AAA batteries (included with the headlamp) or Black Diamond’s BD 1500 rechargeable lithium ion battery (sold separately).
This headlamp is USB-rechargeable only, so you’ll want to make sure you plug it in after a few shorter runs or one longer one—you won’t be able to swap in fresh batteries while you’re out on a run. The Bindi does have a battery indicator system with red, yellow, and green lights, which makes it easy to see when you’re getting close to needing a charge. Also note that the headlamp needs to be charged out of the box; ours arrived completely dead. And it uses a Micro-USB cable, which is becoming less common (many of the rechargeable headlamps we tested use USB-C).
The Bindi’s body swivels up and down on a plastic mount, which seems like it might be unstable (it wasn’t) but ends up being useful for aiming the light. The Bindi has one main, white LED and a smaller red LED. You can adjust the lens of the main light for proximity, movement, or distance.
Make sure to let a friend or family member know what you’re doing and where you’re going. Tell someone how many days you’ll be gone and approximately where you think you’ll stay each night. Physically check in by filling out a backpacking card at dedicated trailheads. Also, learn the seven principles of “Leave No Trace” to keep the backcountry beautiful.
No matter which mode you choose, there’s no glare, and the lantern is lightweight yet sturdy enough to withstand frequent use and inclement weather. With the handle, you can carry it in your hand or hang it from a tent hook or tree branch. Alternatively, just set it on the ground or a table. The way you set up your campsite could make or break the whole trip.