Packing the basics for family camping in a compact car: Lighting

After our lighting fail on the test run camping trip, we invested in a few options that have really worked. What we didn't do, and don't actually miss, is bring flashlights. Instead, we opted for our phones plus lanterns and headlamps.

After doing some research online, I bought two Black Diamond Mojo Lanterns. I was a little surprised when they arrived because they are so tiny. For some reason I was picturing them being the size of dinner plates, but they are actually only about 3 inches in diameter, just big enough to accommodate the three AAA batteries they need to run.

These lanterns are amazing and I highly recommend them. We ended up buying a third one, so we can have two hanging in the tent (with the batteries they weigh about 1/4 of a pound, so the ties inside the tent easily hold them) and one out on the picnic table. They are small enough that we keep them and the headlamps in the console between the front car seats so they are always easy to access when we arrive at a campsite. They are LED and really bright. As the batteries die, they get dimmer, and it's nice to have some at different brightness levels.

The headlamps are also good, but we maybe should have bought four, so we'd each have one, instead of two. The kids sometimes fight over them and have each claimed one, so we have to negotiate to use them. They are the same brand as the lanterns, Black Diamond Astro 250 Headlamps and work well. These also take AAA batteries, so we just keep a few extra of those on hand in case some need replaced. It's nice to have a headlamp when you need both hands free, for example when cooking or setting up the tent in the dark.

For small things, like walking to the bathroom by yourself, the cell phone flashlights work just fine and they are always with us.