Review: Gear Aid ARC Light & Power Station

Despite the perils of a booming economy, you gotta give it this: it drives innovation. Take the outdoor-light industry, for example, where every time you turn around, somebody has made a brighter headlamp, a better bike light, a cooler lantern. Case in point: the ARC LED Light & Power Station by Gear Aid. 60 LEDs, ten brightness settings, three mood-lighting “color temperatures” (cool, neutral, warm), a rechargeable four-day battery, and a bombproof case make this light badass enough, but there’s more: a USB charger for your phone or GPS, a built-in kickstand for tabletops, and a versatile mounting bracket with optional adapters for handlebars, roof racks, and tables. I mentioned lanterns? The ARC does that, too—just wrap it in the included opaque bag, hang it from a rope or branch, and voila, you’ve got a diffused, 360-degree camp light. In short, there’s nothing this light won’t do, except maybe float—all these features make it a bit of a tank at 16 ounces. Available at the Crazy Mountain Outdoor Company. $100; gearaid.com.