The One Safety Item You’re Likely Forgetting to Pack, According to a Longtime Solo Female Traveler

As a food and travel writer, I spend a great deal of time trying to navigate my way through parts unknown. This may look like finding my way back to my hotel through dark streets or parking lots, wandering unfamiliar streets between appointments, or even trying to find my way to the bathroom in a dark Airbnb where the room lights are not easily accessible (we’ve all been there, right?).

Needless to say, it’s hard to get through a night in an unfamiliar spot without a bit of extra light, and I certainly have had the bumps and bruises to prove it. The BioLite Alpenglow Mini 150 Lumen Rechargeable Camping Lantern, a lightweight and compact packable and rechargeable travel lantern, is something that I’ve found to be surprisingly useful in these situations, as it creates the perfect amount of light that I need to see where I’m going in one of these dimly lit scenarios. 

BioLite Alpenglow Mini 150 Lumen Rechargeable Camping Lantern

It makes a trusty travel companion as it has three brightness settings, multiple color options, a weather-resistant design, and a snazzy bungee cord, which allows you to safely attach it to a tent, tree, or backpack when you’re not using it to illuminate the path ahead of you. While I tend to use my mini lantern for personal safety during solo travel, its uses are far greater than that. Beyond brightening a room or an outdoor space, it can be a lifesaver when camping, backpacking, or hiking, even when it feels like space is at a premium and I can’t afford to be packing any more extras along for the ride.

Compared to other lanterns, the BioLite Alpenglow Mini 150 is very light and compact; it fits in your palm and is hardly larger than my favorite travel mug. It can be stashed in anything from a suitcase to a backpack, and you may even find several uses for it when you’re not traveling — perhaps for a picnic or cookout in a park or yard after dark or running at night to get a workout in after a long day of travel. This is an easy way to keep the area well-lit for the duration of the evening, and with a rechargeable battery that lasts up to five hours on the highest setting, you’ll have a large window of usage before having to juice it up (and you won’t need to worry about remembering to bring extra batteries). 

Conveniently, this lantern requires a USB-C cable, just as my recent model Macbook and iPhone do. So, the same power banks or cords that work for those essential devices could also charge this up. And as someone who loathes having to carry a million chargers and cables everywhere I go, this is an added benefit worthy of mention.

BioLite Alpenglow Mini 150 Lumen Rechargeable Lantern

I’d also be remiss not to highlight just how powerful this little lantern’s battery actually is. On a recent trip, it lasted all night on the brightest setting — and for several nights on the lowest setting when I needed a dimmer, more subtle light. Just make sure to reference the convenient battery meter feature to keep an eye on how close you are to needing a recharge, so you don’t end up in a situation without the light you need.

Over in the review section, Amazon shoppers dubbed the BioLite Alpenglow Mini 150 a “terrific lantern” that “puts out a generous amount of light.” They also praised its easy-to-use design, which turns on with a tap of a button. It’s also earned stamps of approval from campers, one of whom said that it is a “powerful source of light perfect for illuminating your campsite.” It’s also won over non-outdoorsy reviewers, and came in handy for this customer during power outages: “This tiny thing is very bright… [there are] so many possibilities for one little light. Knowing I can use one device for many things makes me very happy.” 

While I know that personal safety while traveling solo isn’t solely about being cute, it’s hard to deny that this little handheld light is as adorable and colorful as it is bright and potentially life-saving — and takes up hardly any space at all in your luggage or travel bag. Why not enjoy fun and function at the same time? Trust me, you won’t regret bringing the BioLite Alpenglow Mini 150 Lumen Rechargeable Camping Lantern on your next trip. Add it to your Amazon cart now, and scroll on to see the other top-rated outdoor gear finds that will keep you safe on your next adventure. 

More Outdoor Gear at Amazon:

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

Bseash 60L Waterproof Hiking Camping Backpack With Rain Cover

BioLite HeadLamp 325

General Medi Mini First Aid Kit

Amazboost Cell Phone Booster

At the time of publishing, the price started at $40. 

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