Costco's Affordable Hands-Free Light That Users Say Will Improve Your Nighttime Camping Experience

When you're packing for a camping trip, it's important to consider both the infrastructure, such as the five items you will want for a quick and easy camping retreat, as well as the minutiae. It's hard to forget to pack your tent and camp stove when you'll be temporarily living in the great outdoors, but consider all of the smaller things that can make your camping experience all the more enjoyable: Homemade fire starters, ice packs, and emergency whistles are just some of the DIY camping hacks that will instantly improve your outdoor adventure. Since there's no switch to flip for illumination once the sun sets on your campsite, lighting is also a major element to consider. Flashlights have been a camping staple since their advent over a hundred years ago, but hands-free illumination is a camping game-changer. Costco's affordable, hands-free light will improve your nighttime camping experience, at least that's what product reviews and Reddit users are saying. 

The CAT LED Neck Light is available as a two-pack from Costco, for $29.99 for the battery-operated model, and $59.99 for the rechargeable model. It has a score of 4.6 out of 5 with nearly 100 reviews on Costco, and we especially like that it is manufactured by CAT, one of the Caterpillar brands, which is the leading manufacturer worldwide of construction equipment, so it has an industrial-strength pedigree, an important consideration for your outdoor adventure. It is designed as a work light rather than a reading light, offering bright illumination up to 300 lumens for the rechargeable model. While other neck lights designed as reading lights are also well-reviewed and inexpensive across various retail sites, one Reddit user specifically called out the rechargeable CAT LED Neck Light for its ability to illuminate for over 10 hours on one charge.

A neck light works similarly to a headlamp, in that they both offer hands-free illumination for a multitude of scenarios, including camping. They differ in a couple of important matters, however. A neck light wraps around the back of your neck with dual lights, rather than a single bulb, that point forward. It doesn't follow your head exactly in the way a headlamp does, but stays pointed at what's in front of you. For those who find headlamps uncomfortable or find it difficult to manage while wearing a hat, a neck lamp can be a more comfortable alternative.

Neck lamps are also more suited for activities when your head is pointed downward. If a headlamp has ever frustrated you for illuminating the space above where your eyes are pointed, this is where a neck lamp comes in handy. They're ideal as a reading light in your tent, but also for other after-dark tasks at your campsite, like lighting the fire, grilling dinner, walking your dog, or playing games or cards on the picnic table.

Costco offers a number of products that can enhance your camping experience, from outdoor-use blankets to freeze-dried meals to a high-tech cooler that is basically a portable refrigerator. Now you can add the CAT LED Neck Lamp to your pre-camping Costco shopping list, and continue to use it even when sleeping under your own roof. As one reviewer on Costco's website remarked, "No household should be without these."