Camping Lantern

[ThankYouJack]

I'm looking for a decent camping lantern to help light up a campsite. Something with a rechargeable battery that gives off a lot of lumens for at least 3 hours would be nice. Being able to charge my phone with it would be a nice plus but not mandatory.

Seems like there are a thousand camping lanterns on Amazon for about $20. Not sure if I give one a shot, or go with something a bit more expensive. Anyone have experience with any of them?

[boglegirl]

I'm sorry I don't have a specific answer to your question, but I can tell you that most of the ones on Amazon will be garbage. We bought small LED lanterns powered by batteries that had 5 stars, that were complete junk. I suggest using a review checker such as fakespot.com and reviewmeta.com to check the veracity of the reviews for the ones you're considering.

[Mr.Mosfet]

Look at the Milwaukee M18 lighting options. I have the lantern and spotlight and hope to pick up one of the area lights if prices come down. The lantern has a built in USB, or you can get the powerhouse adapter which has 12v and USB outputs

They have a great tool lineup so you can put the batteries to use elsewhere when your not camping.

[brad.clarkston]

I've used Ledlenser and Uco allot for camp and bushcraft. Ledlenser's are going to be the best rechargeable at the moment but Uco isn't bad if your not to ham-fisted.

Don't overlook the cheap crush lamps from Goal Zero and MPowered there cheap and work well for one or two hard uses.

[WoodSpinner]

We have had good luck with these....

Vont 2 Pack LED Camping Lantern, Super Bright Portable Survival Lanterns, Must Have During Hurricane, Emergency, Storms, Outages, Original Collapsible Camping Lights/Lamp (Incl. Batteries) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018L2WM86/re ... AFbTQN9ZS2

Uses AA batteries.

WoodSpinner

[willthrill81]

We have had good luck with these....

Vont 2 Pack LED Camping Lantern, Super Bright Portable Survival Lanterns, Must Have During Hurricane, Emergency, Storms, Outages, Original Collapsible Camping Lights/Lamp (Incl. Batteries) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018L2WM86/re ... AFbTQN9ZS2

Uses AA batteries.

WoodSpinner

I bought a couple of those lanterns, and they work well (indoors at least), but they chew up Eneloop (i.e. rechargeable) AA batteries quickly, fewer than eight hours. If you use these, you'd better get a 16 pack of Eneloop AA batteries in a good carrying case to go with them.

I would probably go with the LE LED Camping Lantern on Amazon. They're selling for $21 and get great reviews; supposedly, they last 12-25 hours, and the dimmable feature is very nice in a lantern at that price point. They use 3 D-cell batteries, and you can buy good rechargeable D-cell batteries from EBL. I would highly recommend removing the batteries from it when storing it, just as I would with any such device. The soft-on button means that it constantly draws a tiny bit of power from the batteries, even when the lights are off, resulting in drained batteries in months at most. And if those happen to be alkaline batteries, they can leak once they are drained and ruin the lantern.

[oldfatguy]

I've found that a headlamp and a Luci light provide more than enough light for my needs when I am camping. There are many variations, but here is one: https://www.amazon.com/MPOWERD-1023-002 ... ast_sto_dp

[willthrill81]

I've found that a headlamp and a Luci light provide more than enough light for my needs when I am camping. There are many variations, but here is one: https://www.amazon.com/MPOWERD-1023-002 ... ast_sto_dp

That's a good suggestion. A headlamp can do a lot that a flashlight or lantern just cannot.

I've used several headlamps, and my favorite by far is the Coast HL27. It's pricier than most at $40 on Amazon, but it's a quality piece of equipment. This is the kind of headlamp that a miner could use. Rather than the AAA batteries that most headlamps use, it uses three AA batteries, which have more than double the capacity of their smaller AAA cousins. You can adjust the focus on the beam from spot to flood. And it's dimmable, ranging from a ridiculously bright 360 lumens down to just 1 lumen. You can read a book in the dark with 1 lumen, especially once your eyes adjust. On the lowest setting, it will run for 84 hours on alkaline batteries. Rechargeable Eneloop batteries will have about 75% of that capacity. I keep one of these headlamps and 16 AA Eneloop batteries in my vehicle at all times.

[Carson]

We just got this one to take on a backpacking trip and were really pleased with it. It does everything you want it to.

https://www.amazon.com/LUX-PRO-LP371-Va ... B06XKBDX8C

[iamlucky13]

I'm going to make the biased claim that the Sofirn BLF LT1 is by far the best camping lantern on the market. It's temporarily out of stock on Amazon, though, so you'd have to buy it from their Ali Express store and wait for shipping from China at the moment. It's cheaper there, though.

I'm biased because I'm a member of the hobbyist community that designed it and partnered with Sofirn to bring it into production. I followed its production and have chatted a bit with both the lead designer and the programmer who created it's user interface. They both had really clear and well-informed ideas of what they wanted to create, and achieved it.

The user interface is one potential drawback for some people, but to me, it's the lantern's best feature, because it is so versatile - it can ramp smoothly and quickly through 150 brightness levels, from a fraction as bright as candle (great for inside the tent when your eyes are adjusted to the dark) to as bright as a 40W bulb, or it can be set to a user chosen number of discrete levels. It can also adjust its tint from a cozy warm white to a clear daylight (but never the harsh blue-hued cool white of most cheap lanterns).

There are a bunch of auxiliary modes, too, but they're hidden behind extra button presses, so they're not obnoxious like the lights that force you cycle through strobe before turning it off. My wife originally laughed at candle flicker mode as gimmicky, but then requested it after seeing it in use.

It's also USB rechargeable, and has a battery capacity equivalent to 4 x D cells, but because it uses lithium-ion batteries (it is available with or without batteries, for those who may have access to good 18650 cells), it's much smaller than typical D-cell lanterns. It's output is also properly regulated, so it doesn't dim as the battery voltage decreases, unlike most cheaper lanterns. Runtime should be about 7 hours at maximum brightness, but I usually set it for dimmer (probably a little brighter than a typical cell phone light) out of personal preference, and finished a 3 night trip with the batteries still something like 3/4 full.

A future version may also be able to operate as a power bank, but that feature is not available in the LT1 currently.

There is a simple mode the lantern can be set in, but some people might find the user interface intimidating.

If it sounds more complex than what you're looking for, but the price range is ok, go for one of the Fenix CL series instead. They're probably the next best thing.

My wife got a pack of AA-powered lanterns that Costco was offering at 3 for $30. It almost was the best budget lantern I've seen, but for inexplicable reasons, they made one of the modes an obnoxious fast-strobe that you have to cycle through to turn the light off.

I use a headlamp for active tasks around the campsite, and a lantern for sitting around and relaxing or eating. Both have their place, except for when backpacking. Then it is just a headlamp and a backup flashlight.

[ThankYouJack]

Thanks all. I already have a couple headlamps, but am looking to really lighten up the campsite for multiple people. I suppose I'd also use it for when we lose power and for when we have people over and are outside.

I'll probably go with this LE combo pack - https://www.amazon.com/Bundle-2-Items-R ... Q5V7H0PVMT

The Sofirn lamp mentioned seems great too, but since it's something I probably won't use a ton, I think I'll go with the LE at less than half the cost.

[LifeOfRiley]

We set out 2 or 3 of the inflatable LED lights around a campsite and they do quite well. Re-charge them during the day. Been using them for years now. Here's a link to one version:
https://www.rei.com/product/124869/mpow ... ar-lantern

[Wilderness Librarian]

I bought this from Amazon. Used it twice this season. So far so good. I go solo so I don't feel the need for one that illuminates a huge area. I am though reading the other replies for useful suggestions.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D5 ... UTF8&psc=1

[willthrill81]

Thanks all. I already have a couple headlamps, but am looking to really lighten up the campsite for multiple people. I suppose I'd also use it for when we lose power and for when we have people over and are outside.

I'll probably go with this LE combo pack - https://www.amazon.com/Bundle-2-Items-R ... Q5V7H0PVMT

The Sofirn lamp mentioned seems great too, but since it's something I probably won't use a ton, I think I'll go with the LE at less than half the cost.

That looks like a good unit. I would strongly recommend that you carry at least one USB battery pack with a capacity of at least 10,000 mAh to supplement the lantern's battery system.

[nisiprius]

I'll just say that since good LED headlamps became available, we've really never felt the need for area lighting. I confess to keeping a couple of spares with batteries in them... and having two different kinds, the older kind with a somewhat-focussed beam and the newer "COB" lamps that illuminate a very wide angle.

We own several different LED lanterns, and usually pack a compact lantern out of habit... and then never actually use it.

If we have visitors to our campsite, e.g. grandkids, I give 'em one of the extras.

Why do people feel the need to illuminate the whole site?

[willthrill81]

Why do people feel the need to illuminate the whole site?

Some people don't seem to like wearing headlamps, at least all the time. Others just like the feel of a lit up space. But I agree that headlamps and flashlights are generally better means of lighting. They are much more energy efficient.

[random_walker_77]

Headlights are great, but if you're car camping and wanted a light to illuminate your tent or a picnic table, consider a USB lightbulb like this:
https://smile.amazon.com/Onite-20-US24U ... B00QX096L0

Pair it with a battery bank and you're good to run it for many evenings and/or recharge your phones:
https://smile.amazon.com/BESTON-Portabl ... B07W3V9JW1

Using the above, you could get a light bulb and a 10000mAh battery pack for $20. The battery pack has more general utility and the bulb would also be handy during power outages

[nisiprius]

Why do people feel the need to illuminate the whole site?

Some people don't seem to like wearing headlamps, at least all the time. Others just like the feel of a lit up space. But I agree that headlamps and flashlights are generally better means of lighting. They are much more energy efficient.

And no shadows, or at least less problems with shadows. I really like the super-wide-angle COB lights and you can pick them up for about $5. It almost feels to me as if the whole area is lit when I am wearing them.

But, hey, the original poster wanted a lantern, so I've taken the thread off-topic, sorry.

[helloeveryone]

I'm looking for a decent camping lantern to help light up a campsite. Something with a rechargeable battery that gives off a lot of lumens for at least 3 hours would be nice. Being able to charge my phone with it would be a nice plus but not mandatory.

Seems like there are a thousand camping lanterns on Amazon for about $20. Not sure if I give one a shot, or go with something a bit more expensive. Anyone have experience with any of them?

We bought this one and it has been good. I don’t know if it is considered a lot of lumens but it works well, is rechargeable, and can charge your phone w a usb cord.

https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/product/ ... ge-lantern

[ThankYouJack]

Why do people feel the need to illuminate the whole site?

Some people don't seem to like wearing headlamps, at least all the time. Others just like the feel of a lit up space. But I agree that headlamps and flashlights are generally better means of lighting. They are much more energy efficient.

And no shadows, or at least less problems with shadows. I really like the super-wide-angle COB lights and you can pick them up for about $5. It almost feels to me as if the whole area is lit when I am wearing them.

But, hey, the original poster wanted a lantern, so I've taken the thread off-topic, sorry.

I've always gotten by with flashlights and headlamps. But since I've started camping with a bunch of people including young kids, a lantern seems like it would be a better option. And cheaper than buying headlamps for everyone

[Dude2]

Got this for hurricanes. Not a fan of rechargeable, and these take D batteries.

https://www.amazon.com/GearLight-LED-Ca ... B07WJWQ2N3

[LLeaff]

I bought one of these because it was on clearance at HomeDepot. Liked so much bought a second. A little expensive, but it's a tank. It's been bounced around and dropped and left in the rain and stood up to a gang of kids running around the campground with it on their bikes.

I'm also not a fan of rechargeables so the fact that it used D batteries is a plus for me. However it doesn't have a charge port for your phone.

https://www.amazon.com/UST-Portable-Lif ... B00G612QOU

[willthrill81]

I bought one of these because it was on clearance at HomeDepot. Liked so much bought a second. A little expensive, but it's a tank. It's been bounced around and dropped and left in the rain and stood up to a gang of kids running around the campground with it on their bikes.

I'm also not a fan of rechargeables so the fact that it used D batteries is a plus for me. However it doesn't have a charge port for your phone.

https://www.amazon.com/UST-Portable-Lif ... B00G612QOU

Thanks for the link. I've not seen those lanterns before. A 60 day run time on low, even for six D batteries, is impressive.

[ThankYouJack]

For those who are not a

I'm also not a fan of rechargeables so the fact that it used D batteries is a plus for me. However it doesn't have a charge port for your phone.

For those not a fan of rechargeable, why not? Have you tried the Li-ion 18650 batteries? I've used these for flash lights / strobes, high powered bike lights and I believe the lantern I ordered uses these. Much smaller and lighter than D batteries, super cheap, easy to recharge (either via directly thought an AC adapter or a recharging base), last forever. I don't really see a downside but maybe I'm missing something

[Dude2]

For those who are not a

I'm also not a fan of rechargeables so the fact that it used D batteries is a plus for me. However it doesn't have a charge port for your phone.

For those not a fan of rechargeable, why not? Have you tried the Li-ion 18650 batteries? I've used these for flash lights / strobes, high powered bike lights and I believe the lantern I ordered uses these. Much smaller and lighter than D batteries, super cheap, easy to recharge (either via directly thought an AC adapter or a recharging base), last forever. I don't really see a downside but maybe I'm missing something

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rechargea ... rged_state
indicates that one must try to keep their rechargeable batteries in a state from between 30-70% charged to ensure their life and usefulness.

Batteries in general can't just be forgotten about. Best practice for normal batteries is to remove them from devices in case they corrode. For built-in rechargeable situations, you don't get that option. I see it as a ticking timebomb, possibly purposely designed that way to force you to have to buy a new item every so many years.

[ThankYouJack]

For those who are not a

I'm also not a fan of rechargeables so the fact that it used D batteries is a plus for me. However it doesn't have a charge port for your phone.

For those not a fan of rechargeable, why not? Have you tried the Li-ion 18650 batteries? I've used these for flash lights / strobes, high powered bike lights and I believe the lantern I ordered uses these. Much smaller and lighter than D batteries, super cheap, easy to recharge (either via directly thought an AC adapter or a recharging base), last forever. I don't really see a downside but maybe I'm missing something

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rechargea ... rged_state
indicates that one must try to keep their rechargeable batteries in a state from between 30-70% charged to ensure their life and usefulness.

Batteries in general can't just be forgotten about. Best practice for normal batteries is to remove them from devices in case they corrode. For built-in rechargeable situations, you don't get that option. I see it as a ticking timebomb, possibly purposely designed that way to force you to have to buy a new item every so many years.

Not sure I agree, especially with how battery technology has progressed. I never worry about my 18650 batteries. I just checked and I bought some in 2010. I lost one, but the other is still going strong and I never bother keeping it at a certain capacity. So after almost a decade, no problems. Same thing goes with my high powered bike lights which use 4x18650 packs, although I'm not sure how long I've had those (3-7 years). Considering the low cost too, hassle free it seems well worth it to me. Even if I can't replace the batteries in the lantern, I expect it to last many years.

[iamlucky13]

For those who are not a

I'm also not a fan of rechargeables so the fact that it used D batteries is a plus for me. However it doesn't have a charge port for your phone.

For those not a fan of rechargeable, why not? Have you tried the Li-ion 18650 batteries? I've used these for flash lights / strobes, high powered bike lights and I believe the lantern I ordered uses these. Much smaller and lighter than D batteries, super cheap, easy to recharge (either via directly thought an AC adapter or a recharging base), last forever. I don't really see a downside but maybe I'm missing something

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rechargea ... rged_state
indicates that one must try to keep their rechargeable batteries in a state from between 30-70% charged to ensure their life and usefulness.

Batteries in general can't just be forgotten about. Best practice for normal batteries is to remove them from devices in case they corrode. For built-in rechargeable situations, you don't get that option. I see it as a ticking timebomb, possibly purposely designed that way to force you to have to buy a new item every so many years.

I consider that more concern than the issue merits, and that article generalizes some considerations that are actually battery chemistry or application specific.

Ideal storage state for a lithium-ion battery is 30-60% for long term storage. If you do this, and also have a means of ensuring it doesn't become over-discharged, I think you will likely have over 80% of original capacity after a decade, vs 4-5 years if stored at full charge. But that's for a standby device.

If you're using it regularly, just let it charge all the way up. Don't overthink it. Lithium ion batteries are consistently demonstrated to last hundreds of full charge cycles as long as they're not abused (eg - many early devices trickle charged the batteries if left plugged in after the charge finished, but no quality device built in the last decade should be doing that), which means pennies per full charge cycle.

Yes, built-in batteries force eventual replacement on the user. I only accept built-in if there is a compelling accompanying benefit (usually size and weight), but depending on the device, I very well may accept known limited lifespan rather than deal with alkaline cells.

If you go through a set of 4 x D-cells once a year, and buy Amazon's cheap batteries, you've spent the cost of many lanterns ($48.40, per the current price) after a decade. You might still see your device damaged by a leaking battery before you pull them for storage, and you have a larger, heavier device than is possible with rechargeable batteries. So device replacement isn't necessary a reason to avoid non-replaceable batteries.

That said, bare lithium ion batteries are not considered consumer devices, and the manufacturers sometimes send warning letters to retailers selling them directly to end users. Consumer replacement batteries are an enclosed pack, with recessed contacts and a built-in circuit that protects against over-discharge, over-charging, or short circuiting. As a result, I prefer to recommend NiMH batteries to most people. The downside there is rechargeable NiMH D-cells are not common, and you compromise on capacity by using AA devices, or AA-cells in adapters. The upside is low self-discharge NiMH batteries have awesome shelf lives, and awesome cycle lives.

[Dude2]

It may very well be true that advances in technology have improved rechargeables. Like most of you I'm open-minded. Trust but verify. Thanks for the heads up about "Li-ion 18650 batteries" and other aspects above.

If you've owned power tools or lawn tools that use recharageables, if you don't use those tools much, they just sit on the charger. Eventually you get less and less torque or time of operation. (Works great when new). When you need a tool to do a job, nothing like a wired cord version of those tools or a gas powered version.

I'd just rather have normal batteries in my emergency items like lanterns that mostly stay in storage. The other thing is that I don't know when I'm going to need it, so I can't necessarily plan ahead to give it a good charge, if, say, suddenly the power goes out.

[wolf359]

I'm sorry I don't have a specific answer to your question, but I can tell you that most of the ones on Amazon will be garbage. We bought small LED lanterns powered by batteries that had 5 stars, that were complete junk. I suggest using a review checker such as fakespot.com and reviewmeta.com to check the veracity of the reviews for the ones you're considering.

I had great experience with a ~$20 LED Camping Lantern from Amazon. It was a brand name, from Energizer. https://www.amazon.com/Energizer-ENRFFL ... ds&sr=1-11

It's powered from AA batteries, so it is possible to use rechargeables.

It has two configurations: when folded up, there's a reflector that doubles up the light output and makes it one directional. In a stand configuration, the light panel projects 360 degrees and lights up the whole area. The design is unique and draws attention every time we pull it out. When folded, it's flat, durable, and takes up little space when packing. It's like carrying a thick book.

One will light up a picnic table brightly, and be adequate for lighting the whole campsite. We use two to cover a scout troop site.

In bright mode, it puts out 800 lumens and is sufficient for lighting up a large room well enough to do homework for 4-6 hours. In power saving mode it puts out 400 lumens and lasts 8-10 hours. We use these around the house in the event of a blackout.

I've owned this unit for years - they've held up well. For a few years, I used a separate solar recharger combined with rechargeable AA batteries to keep this going indefinitely. I have simplified and just use fresh disposables now -- battery shelf life is more important than the re-use right now. The benefit of using a common format like AA is that we can choose how we deal with batteries.

[ddurrett896]

Do you have any battery powered tools?

Huge fan of lights using power tool batteries. Last a while, rechargeable and depending on how many tools you have, will likely have a bunch of batteries.

[ThankYouJack]

It may very well be true that advances in technology have improved rechargeables. Like most of you I'm open-minded. Trust but verify. Thanks for the heads up about "Li-ion 18650 batteries" and other aspects above.

If you've owned power tools or lawn tools that use recharageables, if you don't use those tools much, they just sit on the charger. Eventually you get less and less torque or time of operation. (Works great when new). When you need a tool to do a job, nothing like a wired cord version of those tools or a gas powered version.

I'd just rather have normal batteries in my emergency items like lanterns that mostly stay in storage. The other thing is that I don't know when I'm going to need it, so I can't necessarily plan ahead to give it a good charge, if, say, suddenly the power goes out.

I own plenty of battery powered tools too for many years and don't have problems with any of the Li-Ion ones. Again with these there's no need for them to sit on the charger.

I've had a 40v Li-Ion battery powered lawn mower and leaf blower, 20V -Li-Ion string trimmer, and 18V NiCad drill and chainsaw. The only battery that I find under powered is for the NiCad battery for the chainsaw (it's about 10 years old and if I were to buy new, I'd go with a 40V Li-Ion one). Still, charging a battery is way easier than dealing with gas, oil, adding stabil, gleaning carburetors, etc. For typical jobs around the house, I find battery way easier.

Oh, I also own a battery powered portable jump starter. I love that thing and I find it holds the charge extremely well too. I think it recommends charging once every 6 months if you don't use it but like all my other batteries, I don't worry about it.

[ThankYouJack]

Do you have any battery powered tools?

Huge fan of lights using power tool batteries. Last a while, rechargeable and depending on how many tools you have, will likely have a bunch of batteries.

I initially looked for something like the Milwaukee M18 that was recommended above but a GreenWorks version (which is the type of power tool battery I have). I don't think they make one. But since I don't need a charge to last all day, the smaller, cheaper version of the lantern with two 18650s will actually be better for me. If I need more charge (say I lose power for days), I could always hook it up to my battery pack

[barnaclebob]

No love for the Coleman dual fuel lanterns? No they aren't as easy to use but no LED will give better quality light for camping. You cant beat the warm glow of a dual fuel lantern. I use mine to light up my deck during gatherings too, everyone loves it.

[ddurrett896]

I initially looked for something like the Milwaukee M18 that was recommended above but a GreenWorks version (which is the type of power tool battery I have). I don't think they make one. But since I don't need a charge to last all day, the smaller, cheaper version of the lantern with two 18650s will actually be better for me. If I need more charge (say I lose power for days), I could always hook it up to my battery pack

I'm an m18 guy.

This lantern for light + Charges my phone.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M ... /205410852

Then one of these for when the power goes out or I need temp light.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M ... /304984170

Got one of these in a kit and has come in handy
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M ... lsrc=aw.ds

[worthit]

I just picked this up from my Costco warehouse.

https://www.costco.com/enbrighten-650-l ... 32488.html

[ThankYouJack]

No love for the Coleman dual fuel lanterns? No they aren't as easy to use but no LED will give better quality light for camping. You cant beat the warm glow of a dual fuel lantern. I use mine to light up my deck during gatherings too, everyone loves it.

My friend has a fuel lantern (I think Coleman) and really likes it. I considered one, but decided an LED is better for what I'm looking for (small, light, can charge a phone, can use indoors, inexpensive).

[squirm]

For those who are not a

I'm also not a fan of rechargeables so the fact that it used D batteries is a plus for me. However it doesn't have a charge port for your phone.

For those not a fan of rechargeable, why not? Have you tried the Li-ion 18650 batteries? I've used these for flash lights / strobes, high powered bike lights and I believe the lantern I ordered uses these. Much smaller and lighter than D batteries, super cheap, easy to recharge (either via directly thought an AC adapter or a recharging base), last forever. I don't really see a downside but maybe I'm missing something

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rechargea ... rged_state
indicates that one must try to keep their rechargeable batteries in a state from between 30-70% charged to ensure their life and usefulness.

Batteries in general can't just be forgotten about. Best practice for normal batteries is to remove them from devices in case they corrode. For built-in rechargeable situations, you don't get that option. I see it as a ticking timebomb, possibly purposely designed that way to force you to have to buy a new item every so many years.

Not sure I agree, especially with how battery technology has progressed. I never worry about my 18650 batteries. I just checked and I bought some in 2010. I lost one, but the other is still going strong and I never bother keeping it at a certain capacity. So after almost a decade, no problems. Same thing goes with my high powered bike lights which use 4x18650 packs, although I'm not sure how long I've had those (3-7 years). Considering the low cost too, hassle free it seems well worth it to me. Even if I can't replace the batteries in the lantern, I expect it to last many years.

Agree, they're cheap enough not to worry about if they're left uncharged or whatever.

[Oilcans]

My son purchased a Coleman Quad LED Lantern (the ultimate multi-purpose light) about five years ago. We love it for camping, and around the house when the power goes out. Unfortunately I don't know how much he paid for it but think he bought it at someplace like a Cabela's.

It is Ultra bright 190 lumens, long runtime 75 hours and is actually four lights in one. It is in four sections (6 LEDs on each) so you can remove one and move around so you don't have to take the whole lantern. And the range is 26 feet. Water resistant.

[iamlucky13]

No love for the Coleman dual fuel lanterns? No they aren't as easy to use but no LED will give better quality light for camping. You cant beat the warm glow of a dual fuel lantern. I use mine to light up my deck during gatherings too, everyone loves it.

I think they are still a good option.

Honestly, I don't know why I did not buy a Coleman mantle lantern sometime previously. I was unhappy enough with the LED and fluorescent lanterns that existed at the time I certainly should have.

With the BLF LT1 now available, which can be adjusted down to 2700K and has natural-looking light at 90 CRI, I'm satisfied. Comparing it to my in-laws Coleman on a recent camping trip showed that mantle lanterns are still a good choice. Various sources put mantle lanterns at 2000-2300K for color temperature. I've never seen CRI measured, but since they're not a black body source, it's probably at least a bit lower than an incandescent light.

On the other hand, I am seriously considering getting a Dietz or similar kerosene lantern, for really warm, cozy light and nostalgia.

[Wanderingwheelz]

We use a couple of Goal Zero minis that are no longer in production, but if you don’t mind something larger And perhaps brighter their Lighthouse series will work. Even with our Minis we never run it on the brightest setting since it’s incredibly bright.

[LLeaff]

For those who are not a

I'm also not a fan of rechargeables so the fact that it used D batteries is a plus for me. However it doesn't have a charge port for your phone.

For those not a fan of rechargeable, why not? Have you tried the Li-ion 18650 batteries? I've used these for flash lights / strobes, high powered bike lights and I believe the lantern I ordered uses these. Much smaller and lighter than D batteries, super cheap, easy to recharge (either via directly thought an AC adapter or a recharging base), last forever. I don't really see a downside but maybe I'm missing something

I guess the overriding reason is that I don't want to spend any effort. I've got two lanterns, I put in batteries at the beginning of the season and throw out the batteries at the end of the season. Between those two dates the lanterns never leave the trailer (before the trailer they never left the minivan), so I don't have to remember anything. The batteries are about $1 each on Amazon.

Secondly, I've owned a few versions of rechargeable work lights (Craftsman, Stanley, etc) and they never last very long. Granted I didn't do any research on rechargeable battery technology. Which leads to my third issue; I'm not interested in investing any time in researching battery technology.

However, now that you've mentioned 18650 batteries, I'm sure my curiosity will get the better of me and I'll have to look into it...

[LLeaff]

I bought one of these because it was on clearance at HomeDepot. Liked so much bought a second. A little expensive, but it's a tank. It's been bounced around and dropped and left in the rain and stood up to a gang of kids running around the campground with it on their bikes.

I'm also not a fan of rechargeables so the fact that it used D batteries is a plus for me. However it doesn't have a charge port for your phone.

https://www.amazon.com/UST-Portable-Lif ... B00G612QOU

Thanks for the link. I've not seen those lanterns before. A 60 day run time on low, even for six D batteries, is impressive.

I can't vouch for the 60 day claim, but with our usage one battery set lasts all season. (when we were still in tents we'd leave one on low outside all night for washroom runs)

[iamlucky13]

I bought one of these because it was on clearance at HomeDepot. Liked so much bought a second. A little expensive, but it's a tank. It's been bounced around and dropped and left in the rain and stood up to a gang of kids running around the campground with it on their bikes.

I'm also not a fan of rechargeables so the fact that it used D batteries is a plus for me. However it doesn't have a charge port for your phone.

https://www.amazon.com/UST-Portable-Lif ... B00G612QOU

Thanks for the link. I've not seen those lanterns before. A 60 day run time on low, even for six D batteries, is impressive.

I can't vouch for the 60 day claim, but with our usage one battery set lasts all season. (when we were still in tents we'd leave one on low outside all night for washroom runs)

That's on low, and it should be achievable. According to UST, it starts at 20 lumens on full batteries. It does not maintain that. If they are following the ANSI testing standard, it should be at least 2 lumens at the end of 60 days. Comparing those figures to the state of the art for LED efficiency, I suspect it drops below 10 lumens fairly quickly. Those are still useful levels of light to me, but I prefer the more predictable output of lights that are regulated.

[LLeaff]

I bought one of these because it was on clearance at HomeDepot. Liked so much bought a second. A little expensive, but it's a tank. It's been bounced around and dropped and left in the rain and stood up to a gang of kids running around the campground with it on their bikes.

I'm also not a fan of rechargeables so the fact that it used D batteries is a plus for me. However it doesn't have a charge port for your phone.

https://www.amazon.com/UST-Portable-Lif ... B00G612QOU

Thanks for the link. I've not seen those lanterns before. A 60 day run time on low, even for six D batteries, is impressive.

I can't vouch for the 60 day claim, but with our usage one battery set lasts all season. (when we were still in tents we'd leave one on low outside all night for washroom runs)

That's on low, and it should be achievable. According to UST, it starts at 20 lumens on full batteries. It does not maintain that. If they are following the ANSI testing standard, it should be at least 2 lumens at the end of 60 days. Comparing those figures to the state of the art for LED efficiency, I suspect it drops below 10 lumens fairly quickly. Those are still useful levels of light to me, but I prefer the more predictable output of lights that are regulated.

Well, it got us to the washroom, that's what counts in my book...

[ThankYouJack]

However, now that you've mentioned 18650 batteries, I'm sure my curiosity will get the better of me and I'll have to look into it...

I've been looking into it and wondering if other will chime in with more info...

I believe most small Li-Ion batteries are around 3.7V compared to about 1.5V for alkaline batteries. So one benefit is LI-Ion are smaller and lighter for generating a lot of power. This is what I want in a lantern (a lot of lumens/lux in a small form factor) and this is especially great for things like mountain biking where you want a ton of light, but don't want to lug around a bunch of big heavy Alkaline batteries.

Looks like Li-ion and Alkaline both have the same self-discharge rate (2-3% / year) - https://www.torchspot.com/ultimate-guid ... batteries/

18650's seems to be the most common and are a bit bigger than AA (the size is 18mm by 65mm) , but 14500 (14mm x 50mm) are the same size as AA. However, since the voltage is different, one shouldn't swap them unless they are sure the device can handle it.