Top torches for travelling with

Travel essentials: Adriaane Pielou explores the latest high-spec torches to make sure your trip never fails to illuminate.

Led Lenser P7. Courtesy of Catch22

Blade GorillaTorch by Joby

First came the best-selling Gorillapod support for cameras, and then the innovative company Joby started exploring other uses for its clever bendy-leg design, which can wrap around a branch, handle or hook, etc, or stand up on its own - useful when you need your hands free. The original Gorillatorch was followed by the stronger Flare, and now there's Blade, which gives out a powerful beam of LED light - up to 130 lumens. The torches cost from about £20 (Dh120) to £49.95 (Dh298), not including postage. Buy them online from www.joby.com and www.amazon.com.

LED Lenser P7 Professional Torch

This couldn't look more basic but it is a brilliant torch, with a burn time of up to 130 hours on four AAA batteries, a 170-lumens beam with a reach of up to 216.7 metres - and it's all operable with one hand if you find yourself in an 127 Hours-type situation. Costs £45 (Dh268) from Catch 22 Products (www.catch22products.co.uk; 00 44 1942 511 820).

mPower Emergency Illuminator

Designed by the Porsche Design Studio, this is the Rolls-Royce of small torches. What makes it special is that it comes with a groundbreaking reserve lithium battery with a shelf life of 20 years (anyone who has ever kept a torch they rarely use will know: batteries unused quickly die). It can also be used to recharge some mobile phones via a USB connection. It costs US$289 (Dh1,061); available online from the manufacturer at www.mpowertech.com (001 877 674 2738).