Warm spring days are here and the daylight hours are getting longer. When darkness falls on your campsite, blackness engulfs you and your campmates. A reliable, long lasting and bright light source is a necessity. Here’s our spotlight on lighting for base camping and backpacking.

Joby Gorillatorch Switchback

Joby is known for its versatile tripod and mounting accessories for digital and video cameras. The Joby Gorillatorch Switchback is a lighting choice for outdoorsmen and women.

Joby calls the 130-lumen Gorillapod Switchback their outdoor change-up artist because of its versatility. It can be used as a traditional lantern mounted on a Joby flexible tripod. The lantern has several brightness settings. Alternatively, you can switch it to a red fill light that gives a photo darkroom feel.

The light on the head-lamp can be flexed almost to a 90 degree angle, so you can get a better view of hand and foothold above in lowly lighted chimneys. The Joby Gorillapod Switchback takes two AA batteries and is touted to power-up for 72 hours. (MSRP $59.95)

Fenix LD25 Flashlight

The Fenix LD25 light beam is from a neutral white light LED. Fenix says that a neutral white light penetrates rainwater and dust and illuminates greater distances from its low color temperature.

At 180 lumens from a flashlight measuring just under six-and-a-half inches, the LD25 illuminates brighter and further than flashlights over the twice its size. Its smaller size (about 2.7 ounces) makes it convenient to pack for backpacking trips.

It turns off and on easily by clicking the push button on the rear on the LD25. Fenix has designed it with rock-hard aircraft-grade aluminum with an antislip and antifreezing grip. It’s waterproof to IPX-8 standard that protects it even if it is accidentally dropped in the campsites ice water-filled beer cooler. (MSRP $59.95)