Good lights for caving

Q. What kind of light should I take if I’m going inside of a cave?
— Caving Calvin, Rogers, Ark.

A. The short answer, Calvin: three of them. Whenever you enter a cave, you should always, always, always (that means every time!) bring along at least three light sources: one main flashlight plus two backups. You never know what might go wrong underground, and your life depends on having enough light to find your way out. Here’s an example of three lights that would be good for caving:

• Petzl Duo LED 5 ($86; en.petzl.com): Waterproof, halogen bulb for illuminating big areas, LED bulbs for close viewing.
• Mini Maglite ($14.99; http://www.scoutlife.org/links/scoutstuff): Small, rugged, durable, runs on 2 AAA batteries.
• Chemical Light Stick ($2.49; http://www.scoutlife.org/links/scoutstuff): Lightweight, waterproof, cheap, gives you several hours of light.