Electricity is really just organized lightning.
George Carlin
For lights there are many quality solutions available now. A headlamp would be my first choice as a light. A headlamp allows you to have your hands free and when you look at something naturally the light follows you. Quality brands are Petzl Zipka headlamp and Black Diamond headlamp which are available at camping/hiking stores and on Amazon. When camping and hiking, we use two such lights, one for a headlamp and a Zipka which uses a retractable string on the right wrist so any object reached for is clearly illuminated. For an additional choice, a LE LED Searchlight is excellent and can be found on Amazon. The LE LED Search Light can light up an area hundreds of yards away. For tent or house lanterns a LUCI solar lamp is outstanding as they are recharged by the sun. The Ozark Trail lamps are rechargeable and dependable and the Bell Howell lanterns are also reliable lamps. Hand crank and solar flashlights are also available as well as battery-operated candles for low light path in a power outage. Have a combination of different lights readily available.
Battery chargers are especially important. A GoalZero will recharge from home wall socket, solar panel, or car socket and will charge and operate small wattage lamps and other devices. The C. Crane Battery charger will charge several battery types. The Powerex MH-C490f will charge 9V batteries. Purchase extra rechargeable batteries to keep handy Rechargeable batteries, like all batteries, eventually wear out and no longer charge optimally.
Vintage style fuel lamps are easy to use and reliable. Aladdin lamps with their standard round wicks are nice bright oil lamps (table, hanging, or wall-mounted) and Dietz hurricane lanterns are dependable, durable, and inexpensive oil lamps. W.T. Kirkman and Lehman's both sell a variety of types, styles, and brands of oil lamps as well as parts and fuel. Kerosene in paraffin form is cleaner and stores longer (about 10 years) than crude oil kerosene which produces more fumes and soot. Store lamp oil in a cool location in glass containers that will not break down over time as plastic tends to do. We recommend purchasing lamp oil locally if possible to avoid the cost and hazards of shipping.
Lightsticks are fun and comforting to children but also can be used to mark a location or track an individual in the dark. Tiki torches and solar lamps can be used for outdoor lighting. Low tech solutions are often the best options in a power outage. Wax or paraffin candles and are always reliable as well as refillable or disposable paraffin oil fuel cells. Remember safety first with any open flame on a lamp or candle. Be sure to never leave an oil lamp or a candle unattended, extinguish the flame when you go to bed, and ensure you have a safe and sturdy candle holder or stand. To extinguish a flame on a candle or lamp, snuff a candle using a candle snuffer or turn down the wick on an oil lamp. You may also cup your hand over the lamp chimney or candle flame and blow toward your hand, never directly at the flame. Blowing directly at the flame can scatter sparks or oil and may disintegrate the mantle on an oil lamp.
Have matches, lighters, and/or ferro rods for lighting fires. For information about a basic lights-out kit and a fire-starter kit, see Lessons from the Storm. For information about heaters for indoor warmth, see A Roof Over Your Head. For information about off-grid indoor or outdoor cooking equipment, see Home Food Production and Storage.
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