Home camping Review and giveaway of the hands-free Beam N Read LED 3

Review and giveaway of the hands-free Beam N Read LED 3

by Shelly Rivoli

Any of you who have tried to juggle a toddler on your hip plus a flashlight while finding your way to the campground potty in the dark—or have held the hands of two very young kids simultaneously while one points a flashlight into the trees and you try not to trip on rocks, will know why I jumped at the chance to test out the new LED models of the Hands-Free Beam N Read lights during our recent stay at Curry Village in Yosemite National Park.

While I expected the lights would be quite useful for us on this trip and others to come, they could not have traveled with us at a better time. Arriving hours behind schedule, in the dark, among puddles of snow melt… we were obliged to empty our car of anything and everything that has a scent or might look interesting to a bear…and carry it through the parking area to our tent cabin on its happy little row in the inner circle. Add to that our usual bags, a Peapod travel bed, our sleeping bags we brought for extra warmth, and it was quite a project at the end of a long drive (and day).

I’ll remind you, we have a baby and two young kids—the smallest of which was strapped to me. These wearable lights, with adjustable angles that light your path with bright, battery-saving LED light, were exactly what we needed. They’re typically worn around the neck (like a necklace) with an adjustable strap you can shorten when reading, as appropriate.

I also love that they use batteries so much more sparingly than traditional book lights and other flashlights (made to last at least 120 hours with four AA batteries, which are included). And the optional red filter is perfect for tiptoeing around on tooth-fairy detail and at other times when you want a softer light.

Of course, the 3-light model has numerous other helpful travel and childcare applications as well. Here are some of the best as I see them:

  • You need to tiptoe around a dark hotel room without waking your child.
  • You finally get a chance to read (or perhaps knit) on the airplane, but don’t want to risk turning on that overhead light above you and your sleeping child.
  • You need to brush teeth in the campground rest room, but have nowhere to set a flashlight.
  • You are orientationally challenged on a road trip and need to consult the map.
  • You want to find your way around the campground without blinding everyone in your path—a common problem with the “head lamps.”

I also like how it’s small and packs flat right in the side pocket of my favorite carry-on.

Win Your Own!

Could you use one of these handy lights, with batteries and red filter included ($19.95 value)? I am giving one away to one lucky reader who leaves a comment below completing this sentence:

“The Beam N Read LED 3 would help me…[your answer]”

I can’t wait to read your comments! Leave your comment by Wednesday, June 23, midnight Pacific Time, and I’ll announce the winner the following day. U.S. only, please.

Thanks to ASF Lightware Solutions for sponsoring our Beam N Read LED lights and this giveaway. You may also want to check out the Beam N Read LED 6 Extra Wide & Bright, which has 3 additional lights, and comes with an optional orange filter and magnifying lens (great for doing detail work and in case of emergency–and dare I say could make an excellent Father’s Day gift for the fly-tying enthusiast in your life?).

Get more chances to win when you also:

1. Facebook – Leave your comment on the Travels with Baby Facebook page, then leave an additional comment below this post telling me you’ve done so.
2. Twitter – Tweet “I wanna win the ultimate travel light from @travelswithbaby” with a link to this post then leave an additional comment below this post telling me you’ve done so.

I have another giveaway just around the corner, so keep watching — plus your chance to chat with me live on the air…

Safe journey,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning guidebook Travels with Baby
The Ultimate Guide for Planning Trips with Babies, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children
https://travelswithbaby.com/

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