A few days ago, I read about this product, LightCap, on Gizmodo, and it grasped my attention.

I backpacked in the Catskills last weekend. On Saturday, after finishing up hanging the bear bag, the sun was long gone and I couldn’t see my tent even with my headlamp on. Although I lost my sense of direction, I wasn’t nervous because I knew that my tent wasn’t too far away, and I had the map and compass with me. However, that reminded me about many stories I heard about such as people went out of the tent at night for bathroom break and couldn’t find their way back. One friend, who is an experienced backpacker, once told me that he always hangs a lantern or a small flashlight in the tent when he leaves his tent at night. That is a good idea, but given the extra weight and packed space, I still count on my compass.

This product might be a good compromise. It weighs 4.6 oz (about 130 grams; actually I still have no sense about imperial system) more than a regular water bottle. More importantly, it’s a gadget and I like gadgets. In addition, simplehiker found out that it’s cheaper if you buy it on amazon.com.