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Shoutout to the park ranger who told me to pack a headlamp for a simple day hike in the Smokies last October.

We got turned around on an unmarked trail after sunset, and that $25 Petzl headlamp was the only thing that kept us from a cold, scary night in the woods. Anyone have a go-to backup light they never hike without?
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2 Comments
fionak63
fionak631mo ago
Yeah, that "simple day hike" mindset is a trap. I keep a tiny Nitecore tube light in my first aid kit. Weighs nothing, but the battery lasts forever. It's saved me more than once when a hike ran long.
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rivera.susan
That "simple day hike" line got me. I used to roll my eyes at carrying extra gear for short trails. Now a little keychain light lives permanently on my pack's zipper.
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