Do you use a light for early morning or evening walks? Most of my walking is through areas with good streetlights. But I use a variety of lights for walks on paths that don't have lighting, and I'm always looking for a good light for camping and emergency use. I received samples of the Beam N Read LED Lights to review. These are hands-free lights worn around the neck. Its best use is for reading in bed and for lighting your way around the house if the power goes out or you don't want to turn on an overhead light. But for walking outside at an easy to moderate pace, it also works very well.
At faster paces, it is likely to pick up a sway, but at strolling speeds I found that it worked great for lighting the ground just where I needed it. How does this compare to a headlamp, lighted hat, or the GoMotion LiteBelt?
Headlamps are often the best solution for night running, fast walking, climbing, etc. They are designed for that purpose, and most of them allow you to adjust the angle to get the light right where you need it. The drawbacks are that they can be uncomfortable and they mess up your hair. They also look a bit odd to use outside of a fitness/sports situation, such as reading on an airplane.
I love using lighted hats, but usually it is hard to get the light to fall exactly where you need it. With some designs, I was spotlighting the horizon if I walked with my head up in the correct postural position. The Panther Vision PowerCap is finally a design that works, and I can take it traveling to use for daytime (a hat to keep sun off your head and out of your eyes) as well as night. But, hats give you hat hair.
I like the GoMotion LiteBelt as a hands-free solution for night walking and running. But it isn't versatile to use in other low light situations, such as around camp or if the power goes off at home.
Which brings us back to the Beam N Read. It is an item I could take traveling instead of a booklight or flashlight, and it would work great for camping, especially those after-dark trips down the trail to the restroom. I loved using it around the house at night. Various versions also have a magnifying lens and more LED bulbs, plus colored filters. Disclosure: A review sample was provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner
