Epic ascents. Long treks. Dawn patrols and sunset hikes. All of the most memorable trail moments have one thing in common: You need a good headlamp to make them happen. Thanks to modern tech, the current crop of lights are lighter, brighter, and better than ever before.

The Winners at a Glance

Knog Quokka 150

BioLite HeadLamp 325

Black Diamond Distance 1500

How We Test

Number of Testers: 5

Number of Lights Tested: 8

Number of Nights: 31

Activities Tested: hiking, rock climbing, adventure racing, ski touring, winemaking

Meet Our Lead Tester(s)

Backpacker Executive Editor Adam Roy is a habitual night skier, so he appreciates a good, high-powered headlamp. He lives in Colorado鈥檚 Front Range, where he also backpacks, rock climbs, trail runs, and paddles the local reservoirs, often with his wife, small child, and smaller dog.

The Reviews: The Best Headlamps of 2023

Knog Quokka 150 ($30)

Weight: 1.7 oz
Lumens: 150
Pros: Simple, durable, built-in charging means no more searching for a cable
Cons: Not especially bright, somewhat bulky design

This streamlined number from Australian light manufacturer Knog is the antidote to fiddly, complicated headlamps. Knog nearly doubled the brightness of the Quokka from previous seasons, boosting lumens from 85 to 150, but kept the ultralight 1.7-ounce weight. The Quokka uses the same streamlined construction as the rest of Knog鈥檚 lights, forgoing a hinge and building the entire thing into a one-piece silicone strap that adjusts via a single plastic toggle at the back. Charging is similarly simple: Instead of using a cable, the entire light assembly pops out and plugs directly into a standard USB port. In use, though, the lamp is as fully equipped as any competitor, featuring a wide beam, red mode, spot, and combo with a range of about 70 feet鈥攂right enough to cut through the night during the long workdays our tester spent moving and pressing grapes on a Washington winery. An IP65 rating means this headlamp is waterproof enough to weather a storm, and the silicone strap means it won鈥檛 get soaked and cold, either.

Bottom Line: A simple, durable construction and bright beam makes the Quokka a reliable, do-anything chore headlamp to keep in the bottom of your pack.

BioLite HeadLamp 325 ($50)

Weight: 1.76 oz.
Lumens: 325
Pros: Light, packable, bright for size
Cons: Fiddly buttons, battery life on low setting just OK

From impromptu after-work hikes to dusk tempo runs, we found the BioLite HeadLamp 325 bright enough to use on briskly-paced adventures, but still light and comfortable enough that we often forgot we were wearing it. The secure hinge on the matchbox-size lantern didn鈥檛 shift or bounce when one tester took it on an 8-mile leg of an obstacle race at Flat Rock Ranch in Comfort, Texas. The compact package belies an impressive range (BioLite claims 230 feet on high; our tester found it more than bright enough for racing) and competitive battery life (40 hours on low, 3 hours on high from the integrated rechargeable battery). The wide, soft headband is comfortable and easy to adjust鈥攅ven, as our testers found, while on the move. At 1.76 ounces, it鈥檚 just a hair heavier than the much-less-powerful Quokka, and folds up small enough to use as an emergency headlamp.

Bottom Line: On dawn patrols and after-hours runs, this headlamp lights the way without weighing you down.

Black Diamond Distance 1500 ($200)

Weight: 7.5 oz.
Lumens: 1500
Pros: Extremely bright, easy to operate
Cons: Powertap controls hard to operate with gloves

Ever wished you could strap a car headlight to your helmet? The super-powered Distance 1500 isn鈥檛 far off. With a tap on the side of its housing, users can unleash 1500-lumens for ten seconds, pushing out a 117-meter cone of light suitable for scouting ski runs or multipitch rock routes. (It鈥檚 possible to customize the headlamp to run at that brightness for longer, but it drains the battery quickly.) Its normal high setting of 800 lumens was more than bright enough for an after-hours Nordic session at Colorado鈥檚 Butler Gulch, where the Distance 1500 helped us dodge early-season rocks on the downhill with ease. For such a heavy-duty headlamp, it鈥檚 remarkably easy to forget you鈥檙e wearing it; the flexible plastic blend curved naturally around the back of our tester鈥檚 head over a wool hat, and at 7.5 oz., it鈥檚 a featherweight compared to other ultra-bright models. The rechargeable battery is easy to swap out and lasts 6 hours at 300 lumens, enough light for skinning or normal camp tasks. We did wish for an extension cord that would let us carry it in a coat pocket to keep it warm, although the battery performed well, even in sub-freezing temps.

Bottom Line: This head-mounted light cannon is built for skiers, climbers, and anyone else who needs to see far away in the dark.

How to Buy

Consider what you鈥檙e going to be using your headlamp for: ultralight hikers and rock climbers will usually want to prioritize weight over brightness, while night skiers and runners need to see a little further down-trail. Everyone else, including most backpackers and campers, will benefit from something in between: look for a model with an output between 300-500 lumens and a red light mode to help preserve your night vision. While disposable battery-powered lights are still available, rechargeables have become the norm over the past few years; if you鈥檙e spending a lot of time hiking at night or taking a lightweight headlamp on a long trip, consider bringing an external battery to top it off during the day.

When it’s time to upgrade your gear, don鈥檛 let the old stuff go to waste鈥揹onate it for a good cause and divert it from the landfill. our partner, Gear Fix, will repair and resell your stuff for free! Just box up your retired items, , and send them off. We鈥檒l donate 100 percent of the proceeds to .

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Camp lighting used to be boring: you brought a lantern for the table and a headlamp for everything else. Now there鈥檚 a long list of clever lighting options that make camping more comfortable and convenient. Here are our four new favorites.

Princeton Tec Snap Solo Headlamp ($35)

You can wear the as a regular headlamp, but the light also comes off the band and attaches to a ferrous听surface via a strong magnet鈥攁 feature that makes it twice as useful. I regularly slap it to the side of my stove as a spotlight while I鈥檓 cooking dinner so I never burn the onions. I hung it inside my wheel well when I had to diagnose a suspension problem on a remote dirt road one night. I also attach it to the side of my roof rack as a lantern that lights up camp. When it鈥檚 time for bed, I pop it back in the band and use the light to make sure I don鈥檛 step on any animals while emptying my bladder. It uses three AAA batteries and runs for 10 hours on its highest setting.

Nite Ize Radiant Rechargeable Shineline ($25)

If you camp with kids, you need at least one of . I use mine to line the top of the tent and leave it on while they fall asleep. The blue and green versions aren鈥檛 so bright that they keep the kids awake, but they glow just enough to help them get their bearings and feel reassured in the tent. Other times, I鈥檝e laid one of the lights down the middle of our camping table to help with ambiance during dinner. I鈥檝e also hung several in nearby trees (via the included gear ties) to add a little flair to camp. Each string is powered by a rechargeable battery and uses fiber-optic and LED technology to light things up. Its run time is six hours.

BioLite AlpenGlow 250 Lantern ($60)

At its most basic, is a rechargeable 250-lumen lantern I like for the tent or the dinner table. But thanks to a built-in accelerometer, I can also shake it to change light modes. One shake makes the lantern mimic the light from a flickering candle. Another shake makes the internal LEDs cycle through a variety of colors, creating a party atmosphere that my kids absolutely love. If you prefer buttons, there鈥檚 one of those that you can use to control the modes the old-school way. A hook on the top allows me to hang the lantern wherever I want, and a USB-A charge-out port is great for juicing up my phone. The AlpenGlow runs for five hours.

Klymit Everglow Light Tube ($20 and up)

Car campers who want to save space should look here. That鈥檚 because packs down to the size of a large orange but unfurls to be over two feet long. (The XL version, $40, is nearly three feet long.) Inside the Large, a string of dimmable LEDs casts up to 220 lumens, and the light attaches to nearly anything via a Velcro strap or a set of two magnets. The Light Tube does not come with its own power source, but it鈥檚 easy to attach to a small power bank via USB. I don鈥檛 use the Tube to cook dinner because the light is too diffuse but it鈥檚 great for under an awning.

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At the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market last week, we got to see the most innovative gear slated to hit stores next spring. But amid the newest waterproof-breathable jackets and featherweight tents, these five products, all with price tags of less than $50, caught our eye with their affordable capability.

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This week, Jeremy takes out the ($60) for a morning spin on the trails. Weighing less than two ounces, it's perfect for the runner who wants an ultralight solution for pre-dawn or post-sundown winter jaunts.

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After installing a rooftop solar system that has been easily powering our off-grid lives, Jen and I have become solar converts. But while I鈥檓 now convinced that a trailer-sized setup can be effective, I鈥檝e remained ambivalent about smaller sun-fueled devices like lanterns and headlamps.

My objections probably go back to some early shortcomings in the category: A decade ago, I had a lantern and a few tablet-sized panels with poor batteries and tiny, underpowered cells that simply didn鈥檛 work. The lantern鈥檚 beam was dim, the charge times were glacial, and the devices鈥� charge never lasted even half as long as their battery-powered counterparts. Granted, I had one of the first prototypes. Still, soured, I swore off the gadgets.

But after such a good experience with our trailer system鈥攁nd having discovered that typical solar panels degrade slowly and have a useful lifespan of 鈥擨 decided to give these portables another chance. Have the panel and battery technology come far enough to make sun-powered handhelds as good as their disposable-battery equivalents? We tested a range of devices through winter and spring to find out.

MPOWERD听Luci Pro ($35)

If a single device has helped to mitigate some of my ambivalence about portable solar contraptions, it鈥檚 the , a featherweight inflatable lantern that has become a staple of our road and backcountry setups. The latest iteration from MPOWERD keeps that original form but improves on it with a brighter, 150-lumen light (compared to the base model鈥檚 65) fueled by ten warm LEDs; four power settings (compared to three on the original) for even better battery economy; and a new adjustable snap strap for easier hanging. The light quality is as good as ever, courtesy of the frosted-plastic finish. (There鈥檚 also a cooler clear version.) Though getting a full charge takes pretty much all day in complete sun, once the lantern gets that initial fill, we鈥檝e had no problem keeping it topped up after a few hours of use per night.

But what really sets the Luci Pro apart from the original is its waterproof USB port, which allows for fast wall charging and serves as an emergency cellphone charger. The Luci Pro doesn鈥檛 have enough juice to fully charge a modern smartphone, but I鈥檝e gotten about a 30 percent increase on my iPhone X battery, which means you鈥檒l never be stranded in the woods without a way to communicate. Three years in, our original Lucis still shine as bright as ever, though one doesn鈥檛 hold air quite as well as it did when new.

BioLite SunLight ($25)

BioLite鈥檚 first foray into the solar realm looks nearly as promising as its original stick-fired stove. Roughly the size of a single-serve box of cereal, the SunLight has a 100-watt LED lantern on one side and a solar panel on the other, plus a swiveling wire that doubles as a stand and a clip for hanging. The light is not as bright as the Luci, but charge times are shorter, with ours reaching full power in about half a day of full sunshine. The SunLight also has a USB port, though it鈥檚 for alternative charging only, not powering up your devices. Light quality is soft and warm, making this another favorite. We don鈥檛 like the SunLight as much as either of our Lucis, mostly because it鈥檚 not as packable; however, the sleek design is certainly more appealing.

HybridLight The Headlamp ($25)

This is the one device I was most curious about, largely because I didn鈥檛 imagine the matchbook-size panel could power much of anything. I was wrong. The micro-USB stick-style charger, which plugs into a waterproof sealed port on the side of this headlamp, indeed brought the device to full power, though it took two full days in the sun. The beam isn鈥檛 as bright or powerful as other high-performance headlamps on the market, but the high setting is adequate for hiking, and the low setting takes care of around-camp duties. It鈥檚 a pity there鈥檚 no red beam, which would make the light useful for reading at night without disturbing a sleeping partner, and I wish the panel had a cord attachment rather than the rigid stick, which makes it difficult to charge from a backpack and is susceptible to breaking off.

Still, despite its cheap-feeling finish, the HybridLight performed surprisingly well, though not on a par with my rechargeable , which has a brighter beam, far more refined settings, and the option to run off AAA batteries in a pinch. On the other hand, this headlamp uses completely regenerative power, so while it鈥檚 slow to fill, you can truly stay off-grid. As a light to use around camp for a couple hours a night, it鈥檚 a winner. But if you need something more powerful, a rechargeable that you can refill from a solar-powered bank may be a better option.

Goal Zero Torch 250 ($80)

One of the most expensive products we tested was also the most versatile. This three-in-one solar flashlight has a 180-lumen torch beam on the end, a 70-lumen floodlight on the main body, and two flashing red lights that can be used for emergency visibility. About the size and weight of a pint bottle of beer, the Torch 250 has a panel on one side that brought the 16 watt-hour lithium-ion battery to full charge in about one and a half days in the Southwest summer sun. There鈥檚 also a USB cord that plugs into the wall for a much quicker fill (about six hours). That port doubles as a device charger with enough juice to power up two iPhones and still have a little battery left for light. Goal Zero even includes a hand crank, which you can churn to add power if all else fails. (It would take about ten hours of cranking to reach a full charge.) Still, this is a super-high-quality handheld light that would be great to leave in a sunny spot in your car or trailer so you鈥檇 have light whenever you need.

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This week, we scanned Amazon's bestseller list for the highest-rated headlamps, then pulled the best, most authoritative reviews for each.听

GRDE Zoomable ($25)

“ will make your friends jealous. It's incredibly bright in high mode and the battery lasts long enough for late night hikes. Plus, it鈥檚 USB rechargeable.”

Black Diamond Spot ($40)

“I love . It is about the brightest headlamp I have ever owned. I have used it on two Boy Scout campouts and it was great. The headband is easy to adjust and it stays put without slipping or sagging.”

Best Waterproof LED ($10)

“ is nice and bright on the high setting although the low setting could be a little lower. Don't think I'll have a use for the red light. The on and off button is big and easy to use and the lamp tilts down so you can point it where you need it. I wish the strap was a little heavier but hopefully, it won鈥檛 wear out.”

LuminoLite LED ($10)

“I really love ! It's easy to adjust and stay on your head. You can wear a cap and it sits right on top of it. The adjustable 45 degree angle is a great feature. The 160 lumens is very bright; too bright for taking out the dog at night so I prefer the lower brightness setting.”

Petzl Tikka ($30)

“I have used on many hiking trips and canoe trips in the Boundary Waters area. The strap is really comfortable, it seems to be conservative on the battery use and I like that there's a red light option, too.”

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Looking to stay out after dark? Whatever way you prefer to get after it, bring one of these headlamps along and it'll serve you well.

Nathan Sports Neutron Fire ($35)

Best For: 颅After-Dark Runs

The is tailored to runners, with tightly cinching straps that prevent jostling. It has five lighting modes鈥攍ow, medium, high, sprint, and strobe鈥攁nd听provides up to 115 lumens at its highest setting. Two side strobes emit red, green, and blue light to alert drivers.

Petzl Actik Core ($60)

Best For: Anything and Everything

The is more than just a 鈥渉eadtorch,鈥� as the French say. It will also help you get out of the tightest spots. In addition to 350-颅lumen proximity and distance beams and 160 hours of illumination, it has red lights for night vision, a 100-decibel emergency whistle, and reflective strips on the band so others can see you, too.听

Ledlenser MH6 ($50)

Best For: Type A Workout Warriors

If you鈥檙e a person who needs to wring out and wash your headlamp straps at the end of a typical session, is for you. The water-颅resistant band won鈥檛 get bogged down with sweat. And this 200-颅lumen lamp is almost as adaptable as you are, able to run off the included rechargeable battery as well as the usual AAAs.

Coast Products FL85听($70)

Best For: Moonless Nighttime Missions

This is a go-to when you need serious lumens鈥攊t has a whopping 615 of them. The rotating bezel alternates the light between an ultrawide flood beam and a bull鈥檚-eye spot鈥攈andy when looking for a dropped multitool. A button switches the power sipping red LEDs on and off to preserve night vision.

Black Diamond Spot ($40)

Best For: Exploring Watery Worlds

Need a lamp you can wear with confidence while canyoneering, kayaking, or rafting? holds a 200-hour battery and 200-lumen bulb in its waterproof housing. Plus, the brightness adjusts with a simple touch of a finger to the side, and the on-off lock protects against battery drain.

One80 Light Halo ($49)

Best For: Campfire Conversation

has a powerful 360 lumens, sure, but we were smitten with the 180 degrees of peripheral lighting, so you don鈥檛 have to turn your head to see everything around you. Though it鈥檚 not dimmable, the wide strip of 20 LEDs eliminates the typical bobbing beam that moves with each step.

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I鈥檓 not going to tell you how to dress for a day hike, as everyone has their own preferences: high-top hiking boots, running shoes, shorts, pants, whatever. I am, however, going to insist that you always鈥攁nd I mean always鈥攂ring a headlamp whenever you head into the woods.

Why? Because, as my good friend Richard Bothwell once said, 鈥淵ou never hear the story about the people who went for a day hike, had headlamps, were delayed, and used the lamps to hike to safety. That鈥檚 boring.鈥� But, he points out, you constantly hear humdingers about someone twisting an ankle, getting stuck overnight without a headlamp, and having to ration out their last M&Ms.

To ensure I always have a headlamp with me, I use the cluster-bomb method. That means I leave headlamps in every pack I take out鈥攎y daypack, backpacking pack, backcountry ski pack, rafting duffel, etc. I听always have a couple in my car, too. I once pulled four headlamps out of my wife鈥檚 glove compartment while frantically searching for a bottle opener.

Over the years, I鈥檝e used and tested a lot of clever designs. But the one that I听always return to is my four-year-old. It鈥檚 a perennial favorite because the damn thing is so small. About the size of a GMO grape from Costco, the e+Lite weights 27 grams, or just shy of one ounce, and almost literally听disappears in my pack. Because it鈥檚 so small, the e+Lite only packs 50 lumens, which is not enough for a night run鈥攕omething I found out after tripping and falling on roots while helping a buddy train for a 100-mile race鈥攂ut it鈥檚 plenty of power to get you down the trail or skin track听if things go sour during the day. It鈥檚 also plenty to get around a campsite, to cook by, or for听any other slower-moving task.

The current e+Lite has a normal headband, but my beloved old model has a retractable drawstring cord that鈥檚 about as thin as dental floss. It looks painful, but I鈥檝e been able to wear the cord for hours, straight on my head or over a hat. It鈥檚 also easy to attach to my wrist or my backpack shoulder strap, which lowers the light and doesn鈥檛 blind people when you鈥檙e in a group.

You鈥檇 think such a tiny item would be pretty much featureless, but somehow Petzl听packs in some smart designs. You get five different light modes鈥攖wo different beams, a pulse mode, a red light, and a red pulse鈥攁nd the toggle switch is easy to use with gloves on. There鈥檚 also a lock for the off position, so it never turns on accidentally in my听bag. The battery can be stored inside for up to a decade, and the current model is waterproof down to more than听three feet.听

Finally, at just $30, I often think about buying a second e+Lite, just to expand the reach of my cluster bomb. It鈥檚 a piece of gear that provides a lot of peace of mind for less money than a dinner out and less weight than pretty much anything else I pack along. Get a couple, just to be safe.听

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It鈥檚 easy鈥攁nd relatively inexpensive. But before you rush out and start converting your truck into the ultimate adventure vehicle, step back and think carefully about the design, because the same rules you鈥檇 follow when buying a nonmobile home apply here: be patient and detail-oriented and begin with the right foundation.

$1,500: Truck Bed Cap

This will be by far your largest expense, but it鈥檚 worth it鈥攖hese are the walls to your house. I suggest budgeting $1,500. When hunting for a cap, broaden your search beyond the name brands. While and offer some of the best caps on the market, I got a screaming deal on a new , and the sub-$1,000 shell worked perfectly for years.

$370: Rack

What鈥檚 the use of pimping out your truck if you can鈥檛 bring your toys? The will cost you around $400鈥攁nd it鈥檒l be one of your best, safest options for storing gear on top of your rig. Tip: Go superwide on your crossbars so you can fit your bike, kayak, and future 听on the roof at the same time.

$100: Interior Build

If you keep it simple, all you鈥檒l need are a few two-by-fours, some particleboard, two hinges, and enough carpet to cover the whole structure. (I know you can get out for less than $100 because that鈥檚 what I did when I built up Charlie, my 2000 Chevy Silverado.) Make a simple platform that you can sleep on, with enough room below to place gear bins. Don鈥檛 cut corners with the carpet. It鈥檚 essential to making the back of your truck comfortable.

$70: Coleman 2-Burner Stove

will make a fine kitchen on the tailgate of your truck. The extra money for the second burner is well worth it鈥攜ou鈥檒l have a much more efficient cooking station.

$30: Bins

Bins are the best way to keep your gear organized. Take time to organize and label them, and be sure to keep stuff in its proper bin. You don鈥檛 want to blow a dawn patrol while searching for your coffeemaker.

$300: Yeti Cooler

Yes, Yeti makes some of the world鈥檚听, but if you think of it as a mobile听refrigerator, you鈥檙e getting off cheap. The Tundra cooler allows you to bring perishable foods on your adventures鈥攗p to eight days on one load of ice. Yetis are also impossible to destroy, making them an investment for life.

$10: Kitchenware

Since you don鈥檛 have to worry about weight, shop for inexpensive鈥攁nd heavy鈥攑ots, pans, plates, cups, and utensils. Go for the nonstick variety: It鈥檒l make cleanup after meals much easier.

$40: Headlamp

We like the inexpensive, reliable 鈥攇ood for reading and cooking by at night. If you鈥檙e willing to spend more money, we recommend an inverter like the and a cell battery so you can charge LED lights and other electronics inside your shelter.

$105: Memory Foam Mattress

This luxury item will make sleeping in the back of your truck more treat than nightmare. A good friend put in the back of his Silverado. As a result, he sleeps better in the back of his truck than he does at home.

$55: Camp Chairs

A good pair of camp chairs like are key to being comfortable at camp. We like having a second chair even if we鈥檙e traveling alone. It鈥檚 a good excuse to invite a neighbor into camp for dinner.

$1: Sheet for Curtains

For privacy and to block out the light.

$7: Velcro

A few feet of will help you deck the inside of the camper shell with lights, curtains, and places to store electronics.

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It takes an expert to talk about survival gear, so we spoke with instructor Gareth Tate, who was convalescing after shearing his talus bone in half (he misread the first 15-foot drop of the Class V gorge of the San Joaquin's Devil's Postpile). Tate was evaced out for emergency surgery and was elevating his leg while we spoke.

In the backcountry, something as simple as a tarp can save your life. With Tate's help, we decided to pare down the list to the absolute essentials, including the gear that helped Tate make it home alive.

Paracord

“Paracord听can be used to make pretty much any rigid thing around you into a splint,” says Tate. Why it matters: A splint can be the difference between remaining non-mobile and hiking out under your own power. While听paracord听on its own is inexpensive and everywhere, if you want to get fancy we like the ($19). This burly steel knife has its downsides鈥攊t's heavy鈥攂ut we love how organically this tool pulls double duty, something to think about with every item you pack into the backcountry.

Emergency Messenger

Tate has successfully affected multiple rescues, including his own a few weeks ago using the听听($150) which has an SOS button. The device alerts local rescue services that you are in danger鈥攁nd provides them with your GPS coordinates. “Regardless of what [other emergency gear] you have with you, if you get EMS on their way, it changes the whole game,” says Tate. But don't let the safety net go to your head. “They do have limitations so skills training is still important,” he says.

Multi-Purpose Knife

Tate maintains that a serrated knife is extremely important鈥攁nd a small set of pliers is less important but still quite useful. While it doesn't include the pliers, Tate uses the听听($25) because it's light and stands up to abuse in the field. It's crucial to use your knife outside of emergency situations to see what features work best for you, but ideally, keep it simple. “Multitools听get way too big really fast. Be realistic with what you need and get smallest tool with those requirements,” says Tate.

Packable Tarp

Your ability to cover yourself from the elements can absolutely make the difference between life and death. Not only is a tarp the first step to an emergency shelter, but it can be used to wrap other people suffering from hypothermia. Tate carries a lightweight silicone impregnated tarp and maintains that you need an eight-foot by four-foot model at the minimum, like the听听($300).听

But on a backcountry ski trip, he takes along an extra insulating layer. A tarp alone will not cut it if you're stuck out in the snow overnight. “Consider all of the possible temperature extremes in the environment you are going and have at least minimum thermal protection for those extremes,” says Tate.

Paper Maps and Compass

“A common mistake is that people will think about the beginning and end of a trip in the backcountry,” Tate says. The mistake: forgetting about what may go wrong in the middle of the trip鈥攁nd failing to think about a plan B. And the best tool for plotting your way out of the woods remains the trusty combo of compass and paper map. While Tate does not have a specific suggestion for a compass he suggests shopping around for any compass with a base with an arrow and a straight edge. “I'd go simple鈥攍ess features are better,” says Tate.

Light Source

“Without some sort of light source, it is impossible to move or travel or manage yourself after dark,” Tate says. This seriously limits your ability to escape under your own power. Any听headlamp听can save you in a pinch, but we have been using, and love, the 27 gram听听($30) because it packs down to the size of a grape but still has plenty of lumen chops to help you see into the night. Tate suggests packing a small light like the e+LITE听into your first aid kit and saving it for emergencies so you have less opportunity to break it in the field.

Water Filter

“In a life-threatening situation filtration is meh,” says Tate. Most of your water contamination issues won't strike until you are safe鈥攐r dead. If you do plan on making it out, we suggest the听听($80) to hedge against explosive diarrhea. Unlike other models, this filter doesn't allow you to drink after it hits the 500-gallon limit, preventing user-error. The听ultralight听bottle also rolls down around the filter to a little larger than a Sharpie.

Emergency Carbs

It's not starvation that should get you worried. “You can survive a long time without food, but it is tough to keep a clear head when you are hungry,” Tate says. When each decision you make can carry life or death consequences, keeping a clear head is critical. Tate likes to carry听听($36) into the backcountry because they are lightweight enough to pack anywhere and are an easy consistency to get down even when you are terrified and far from hungry.

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