The Camping Outfitter

One of the most important pieces of camping equipment and hiking gear is the portable, battery-powered flashlight.  You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a good one, but it is important to take certain precautions to extend the life of your flashlight, especially when you’re out on a camping or hiking trip.  Otherwise, you’ll spend a lot of dark nights on your trip!

When you’re preparing for your trip, be sure to pack the flashlight carefully.  You’ll want it to be accessible and in a convenient place in your pack so you can easily get it out when you set up camp, but it’s also a good idea to surround it with soft items like a towel or article of clothing, to prevent damage.

It’s important to keep the flashlight dry.  Obviously, this means not leaving it out in the rain.  But also remember to keep it off the ground at night, when the dew falls.  If it does get wet, dry it off as soon as you can.  If it’s really gotten soaked, take it apart and dry off the inside, too.

The easiest way to extend the life of the flashlight’s batteries is to simply turn it off when it’s not needed.  Don’t make the mistake of laying it down along side your hiking tent while it’s turned on and forgetting about it.  That will lead to dead batteries before you know it.

When you’re not using the flashlight or buck knife on a camping or hiking trip, don’t store batteries in it for long periods of time.  Batteries can leak when they get old, and the chemicals can corrode the inside of your flashlight.  One of the parts most frequently damaged by battery leaks is the contact that conveys the battery’s power to the flashlight’s bulb.  This thin strip of metal can get eaten away by battery acid.

Use a good quality battery in your flashlight, which you can store in your backpack.  Though they cost more to purchase, a good quality battery like an alkaline battery will last longer than a basic battery.  It will also mean you’ll be putting fewer used up batteries in the trash and landfill.

Though it may seem like a long list of things to remember, most of the advice on how to extend the life of your flashlight is just common sense.  Just follow these guidelines and you’ll be able to depend upon this vital piece of camping equipment and hiking gear, the flashlight and the compass.