When you go camping, there really aren’t a lot of essential items you need to take with you (which is part of the beauty of it), but there are a few. And while some people will say certain items are essential and others aren’t, I think one item you’ll find on just about everyone’s list is the trusty old flashlight.

Whether your flashlight is battery powered, powered by shaking, uses lcd or incandescent bulbs, few would disagree how often a flashlight comes in handy when you’re camping.

While we pretty much all know that campsites tend to get dark at night (unless its summer in Alaska), a flashlight is helpful for more than just helping you find the bathroom in the dark.

If you’re rummaging through you’re supplies looking for something, shining a little light on the situation can make your task much easier.

So what kind of flashlight should you get? Well, some people will say you should get a rugged one that’s waterproof. Others will say you should get one that doesn’t require batteries so that no matter where you are, it’ll always work. There’s certainly not bad, and if you’re going to be able to carry limited supplies and no extra batteries then it might be a worthwhile investment.

Personally, I like a flashlight that’ll fit in my pocket since carrying around a big is rarely convenient, and you really never know when you’re going to find yourself needing a little extra light. I usually carry either a pocket maglite or my new favorite LCD flashlight that’s slightly bigger, but still fits easily in my pocket and provides a whole lot of light. And the cool thing about an LCD flashlight is that the batteries last for a very long time and the LCDs take close to forever to burn out.

So next time you go camping don’t forget to bring your flashlight unless you’re like a cat and can see in the dark.