Hostel bunk reading lights drove me crazy until I bought a $5 headlamp

I spent a whole week in a hostel in Prague last summer trying to read before bed with those dim overhead bunk lights. They always shone right in someone's face or barely lit my book. I was super skeptical about headlamps for reading, thought they'd look dorky or be uncomfortable. But a guy in my dorm told me he uses a cheap hiking headlamp and it changed everything for him. Finally grabbed a $5 one at a local supermarket just to try it out. I angled it down toward my pages and it worked perfectly, no glare for anyone else in the room. Now I take it on every trip, it's way better than fighting with hostel lighting. Has anyone else found a weird cheap fix for travel annoyances?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_claire3d ago

Read an article saying hikers swear by them for the same reason.

grayb643d ago

Wait, did we read the same article? Cause I've been using them on my day hikes for about six months now and I'm totally sold. Got a pair after twisting my ankle on a rocky trail near my place, figured it was worth trying instead of giving up hiking. First time out with them I did a 4 mile loop that usually kills my knees, and I felt like I could've gone another 4. The stability is insane - I can step on loose rocks without that split second of panic. My buddy laughed at me until he tried mine on a steep descent, now he's got his own pair.