Flashlight, camp light and spotlight technology gets better and better every year. This year was no exception. We decided to highlight the best lights we have found this year for camping and hunting. All of these lights have been put through the paces on our travels during the past nine months, and all but one of these lights are rechargeable in some way.
Ultimate Wild SL-2000
We picked up both the Ultimate Wild SL-2000 and the SL-1000 directly from the team at Ultimate Wild at the NRA Annual Meetings. We put them on the charger the first night we got them, and the next night on the ride home we stopped along a country road and lit up a stop sign at a little more than a quarter mile. These lights are as bright as can be at a maximum of 2000 lumens and 1000 lumens. With the Picattiny Rail Mount on bottom of the handle, these lights can paired with the amber and red lenses and used for late night coyote hunts. These Ultimate Wild rechargeable LED spotlights feature the trademarked DPHD™ (Depth Projection High Definition Illumination) which is a fancy way of saying these lights are exactly what you want at night tracking a deer, at night checking on the herd in the canyon, or on the boat coming back from an evening duck hunt. This light can save your life, and it is worth every penny.
Cairn XL
The Cairn XL is ultra-bright and quite a bit more than just a lantern. It can charge up to four mobile devices with 10K MAH of fast-charging ability. It pairs with your phone to provide a complete app that allows you to program the Cairn to control it. Lander knocked it out of the park with this device. I used this light while filming because I can change the color of the light to the exact color that I want for my photos or videos. Quality lights are not always just about intensity. Being able to control this device by Bluetooth gives you options. Waterproof with a one year warranty and the ability to change colors on the fly, this light is a keeper.
Petzyl Tactikka + and the Noctilight
We picked up the Tactikka + in 2017, but on a more recent trip into Moosejaw in Kansas City we picked up a Noctilight. The pair of these have been in our pack ever since. The Tactikka + is a top-of-the-line headlamp with recharging capability and red and white light that offers 250 Lumens of light. It lasts for an exceptionally long time. It works with the CORE rechargeable battery,and the red lighting allows you to get into your tree stand with ease. The Noctilight is a protective case for Petzyl’s compact headlamps that diffuses light, turning your headlamp into a non-blinding tent light. It is perfect for working at night when you don’t want to blind your buddies. The Tactikka+ retails for 39.95 and the Noctilight retails for $19.95.
MPOWERD Luci Pro Outdoor 2.0
We just completed a full review on the MPOWERD Luci Pro Outdoor 2.0 Light earlier this month. It inflates and recharges with solar and USB. The light is non blinding even on the highest setting. It is perfect for camping and working around the picnic table, and it is at a price point that makes it an easy gift to give to those you care about. What’s more, the company is dedicated to youth and education. Check out the gear from MPOWERD.
MOTOROLA Outdoor LUMO 400 Bluetooth Smart Lantern
The Motorola LUMO 400 Lantern is not built for hunting, but it is kind of cool to have around the camp. It comes with a free app to connect to Bluetooth and has a brightness of up to 400 lumens. Furthermore, it provides 16 million color settings and party modes. It can charge devices with a USB cord and offers temperature and humidity information to your phone. We found this works for about 7 nights on high and a lot more nights on low using4 D cell batteries. This is the only unit that was not rechargeable, but the family and the kids liked this one best because of the range of colors it provided. The rotating colors lit up the camp, and they thought a few folks in the campground were pretty jealous of our cool light. If you like the cool factor, this light wins out.
BioLite SunLight Portable Solar Light
We bought a 4-pack of these BioLite SunLight lights when they first launched on Kickstarter, and we have had absolutely no regrets. These charge quickly with either solar light or a USB cable, and they offer RGB LEDs with individual colors and a rotating party mode. With 50 hours each of run time, the small footprint and the ease of use, these lights are a favorite in the campground. I even use them on hunts in the blind because of the red color. I can get into my blind, turn on the red color light and get all of my gear sorted without worrying about alerting any animals. At $24.95 ($89.95 for the 4 pack), these lights are worth having in your pack. They are nice to have around the house as well for power outages.
BIOLITE Headlamp
We got one of these Biolite headlamps about 2 months ago, and it has quickly become one of our favorite headlamps. The Biolite fits flush to your forehead and does not move ever. The headlamp is not in any way tight, but it sticks and the band is moisture-wicking. The headlamp offers 330 lumens with spot and flood panels, red night vision and strobe. You can operate this light with one hand. It offers 3.5 hours on high and 40hours on low. You can recharge it via a micro USB. For hunters, we recommend the midnight grey as the other three colors are a bit bright. Either way, you will know which one is yours. Ours is teal.
