How Not to Mess Around in the Dark When Camping
Next week I will go moose hunting. This will be my first hunt – and my first camping trip since I was a kid – and I didn’t realize it would require so much planning (or spending so much money). I knew it would take some planning, obviously, but the amount of little details I have to remember (and the $ 20 things I have to buy) is really something.
In addition to shopping, I also read or asked my father (who is also going) about what he read as he did a much better job of reading. I’m sure it shouldn’t surprise anyone that there are a lot of tricks when it comes to outdoor living. (I was hoping to just “get the experience,” not “turn it into content,” but I couldn’t.)
As luck would have it, it turns out that I’m not the only one in my family who loves life hacks. “Bear Grylls said it was a good idea to sleep with a headlamp on your wrist,” my dad told me as we reviewed all of our supplies. “That way, you don’t have to mess around in the dark if you need to.”
Although I had just figured out how to put the headlamp on my head – the straps were confusing! – I had to admit that it was a great idea. The night is dark and full of bears, and I have been known to panic when scared and disoriented. By wrapping the headlamp around my wrist, I can turn on the light the moment I feel threatened, embarrassed, or even momentarily afraid of the dark. (I know a headlamp won’t protect me from a bear, but it will give me a better chance of avoiding a bear. You can’t avoid what they can’t see.)
This tip can be very helpful even if you are not camping in an area populated by bears. I have heard that kids like to camp in a courtyard that also gets dark at night, and the little lamp on their wrists will make it all a little less intimidating (for you and them, the last thing you want is your child spinning in the dark and hurting himself harm.)