A camping lantern is similar to most portable lighting products, but it is unique in its own ways. While the idea of a lantern may seem outdated, you will find that camping lanterns have a few advantages over some options which are more modern. While the overall design of lanterns is old, this does not prevent them from being outfitted with modern technology.
While lanterns in the old days used to burn one of several substances to function, most modern camping lanterns use gasoline. However, there are further modernized designs which make use of LEDs to function.
We will be taking a closer look at various aspects of the best camping lanterns soon, but we will first see why it is important to be careful while purchasing your camping lantern. If you would rather get right down to the reviews, you can always skip ahead, but there may be some crucial information in the coming sections.
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| Product Name | Our Rating | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
| Best Gas Camping Lantern | ||
| Winner: Coleman Premium Powerhouse Dual Fuel Lantern | VIEW ON AMAZON | |
| Runner Up: Coleman Deluxe PerfectFlow Camping Lantern | VIEW ON AMAZON | |
| Best Rechargeable LED Camping Lantern | ||
| Tough Light LED Rechargeable Camping Lantern | VIEW ON AMAZON | |
| Best Battery Powered Camping Lantern | ||
| Etekcity Portable Outdoor LED Camping Lantern | VIEW ON AMAZON | |
| Best Solar Camping Lantern | ||
| Whetstone Solar LED Camping Lantern | VIEW ON AMAZON | |
Why You Should Choose Your Camping Lantern Carefully
There are many reasons why you should take care when choosing your camping lantern. While a camping lantern may seem like a rather insignificant purchase. You should always endeavor to purchase the best camping lantern possible. You may end up relying on your camping lantern as your only source of light, so it is important to find a quality model.
To elaborate on that point, you may find yourself in the wilderness with your camping lantern, and it could greatly aid you in navigation. A model which unexpectedly fails on you could end up getting you lost, which is much more of a problem when you are in the woods than when you are in the city
Failure while hiking or camping is not the only type of malfunction you should worry about in your camping lantern. While you may be looking for the best outdoor lantern for camping, you will find that these products are also ideal for use in situations where you require an independent light source, such as during natural disasters and power outages.
A light in these situations can end up being the difference between life and death, so you will want to ensure that you purchase the best camping lantern possible. You will want a product that you can rely upon and not have to worry about malfunctions or other issues with reliability.
On What To Pay Attention When Choosing Your Camping Lantern
There are several things you should take into consideration while buying a camping lantern.
Power Type
The first thing to consider before your purchase your camping lantern is the type of power source you are looking for. There are quite a few options you have when it comes time to choose amongst these sources. The most common power source is a battery, but there are also multiple types of batteries.
You can opt for a model which features rechargeable batteries. These have the advantage of saving you money on disposable batteries, but you will not be able to recharge your lantern quickly without access to a power outlet or USB power bank.
Most rechargeable batteries can be charged using some form of cable. The most common cable which is used is the USB due to its superior degree of versatility and commonality with various power sources. While AC adapters can also be used, they are growing less and less common.
You can also find models with batteries that can be recharged using solar power, so you can leave them out during the day and have them fully prepared come night. Some models even feature an old-style hand crank and dynamo combination so they can be charged manually.
Disposable batteries can be quickly swapped out, but you will have to purchase them separately. Another disadvantage to disposable batteries is that they are one extra bit of gear that you will have to pack and account for. This can take up crucial space if you are hiking and have limited room in your bag.
The other type of power source which you will find available is a combustible source of light, such as gas or oil. While this may seem like a dated power source, you will see that gas has its own advantages. In the event of a power outage, there is nothing stopping gas from functioning.
Lanterns which are powered by gas will also be more reliable than electric models, which can sometimes be a bit finicky. It takes quite a bit of damage for a gas camping lantern to stop working. For all of these advantages, you will find that gas models are not guaranteed to be the best value camping lantern design.
Gas camping lanterns are let down by their relatively high operating costs when compared to electric models. This is because you have to purchase oil or gasoline for your lantern so it can operate. Gasoline can also lose its potency over time, so you can only store it for six months to a year.
Size And Weight
Another thing to look, especially in the best compact camping lantern, is a reasonably small size and light weight. As with any other piece of hiking or camping equipment, you will find it crucial to diminish the size of your equipment and to reduce the weight of your load.
Reduced weight in a camping lantern not only helps you bring more supplies with you in the first place, but it also greatly increases the ease of use of your camping lantern. This is because your arm will not end up getting tired after you hold the camping lantern for an extended period.
Portability
This point is closely related to the size and weight of your camping lantern. Superior portability means that you will be able to more easily transport your camping lantern, regardless of whether it is packed away or it is in your hands.
There are several features which can help improve the portability of your camping lantern. For example, the best camping lantern in terms of portability should be able to collapse, so it takes up even less space.
Run Time
The run time is another important aspect of your camping lantern, especially if you envision yourself using it for longer periods of time. A camping lantern which can run for a long time will (ideally) be able to last for the entirety of the night.
The capacity of the battery in an electric camping lantern is responsible for the run time, whereas the size of the gas tank influences the run time in a model powered by gas. The intensity of the light will be directly correlated to the length of time that your camping lantern can run for.
Lumens
A lumen is a relatively complicated unit of measurement, but it boils down to the amount of light emitted from your light source in a second. The number of lumens that are emitted by your camping lantern will give you an idea of how bright it is, which is an important quality to know before making your purchase.
Durability
You will also want to ensure that your camping lantern is sufficiently durable for use in the outdoors. As with most camping products, a sufficient level of durability will mean that it is adequately capable for use in the outdoors.
Durability also ensures that your camping lantern will last you for a longer time. This makes for a product which provides better value for money as it will last you a longer time. This means that you will not have to waste money and time trying to purchase replacement camping lanterns for your product that ended up breaking on you.
Water Resistance
This aspect is related to durability in a more tangential sense since better water resistance means that your camping lantern will be able to keep functioning in a wide range of hostile conditions.
Adequate water resistance is an important quality for any product that you intend to use outdoors.
If your campsite is beset by a sudden rainstorm, you will still want to be able to use your camping lantern without having to worry about it dying because of the water.
Most models will only be resistant to water spray, not full submersion, which means that you should still try to keep your lantern away from bodies of water.
Ease Of Use
It is also important to ensure that your camping lantern is easy enough to use without having to worry about opening up the instruction manual every time you want to power it on. A camping lantern which is easier to use will also be more accessible to a wider range of users.
If you find yourself in an emergency situation, the last thing you want is a lantern which is too complicated to use with ease. You need something which is simple to power on and intuitive to operate. Ease of use is also related to the ease of maintenance, such as refilling lanterns which are powered by gas.
Our Recommendations
Here is our choice for the best camping lanterns, divided into categories.
Best Gas Camping Lantern – Coleman Premium Powerhouse Dual Fuel Lantern
Specifications:
- Capable of producing 800 lumens worth of light on the highest setting
- Features a design which is optimized for use in all weather
- Features a knob which allows you to set the brightness of your flame
- Comes included with a filter funnel
- Comes included with a 3-year warranty
- Capable of running for seven hours on high with a full tank
source: coleman.com
Our Rating
This gas camping lantern will rival even the best propane camping lantern thanks to its superior fuel efficiency and brighter light emission. You will find that 800 lumens are more than powerful enough for a camping lantern, so you will typically end up keeping this lantern on mid to low power when it is in use.
The ability to run for seven hours straight when set to “high” means that it works for far longer than your average camping lantern, especially when set to a lower intensity. This is due to the high capacity fuel tank featured on this model, which is about 1.5 to 2 times larger than the tanks that you will find on other models.
The fuel tank is also highly durable, which means that it is resilient to temperature shifts that would render another lantern unusable, particularly in cold weather, but also in extreme heat. As with any other model of gas camping lantern, you will want to keep the fuel tank out of direct sunlight and other conditions which may end up damaging it.
The Dual Fuel design ensures that your camping lantern will be able to use either Coleman’s proprietary fuel or standard unleaded gasoline. This means that you will be able to use this camping lantern in situations where you end up running out of fuel unexpectedly, you need only visit a service station.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZONRead Our In-Depth Review
Runner Up To The Best Gas Camping Lantern – Coleman Deluxe PerfectFlow Camping Lantern
Specifications:
- Features a knob to adjust the intensity of the light
- Can be lit using matches
- Features pressure regulation to ensure adequate fuel flow in all weather conditions
- Runs for seven hours on high and fourteen hours on low intensity
- Features folding feet for greater portability and stability
- Operates using propane
- Comes included with a limited lifetime warranty
source: coleman.com
Our Rating
This is arguably the best budget camping lantern you will come across thanks to its excellent value for money. While it is not the cheapest model on this list, you will find that it offers the best quality relative to its price point. While you will have to spend money on propane refills, they will not be often enough to affect the long term price of this lantern hugely.
The build quality of this particular camping lantern ensures that it will last you for years or even decades before malfunctioning and this is further cemented by the inclusion of a lifetime warranty. Like most of Coleman’s camping lanterns, this product is very resistant to weather, both hot and cold, and even rain.
The intensity knob gives you a good range of brightness and also measurably increases the amount of time that your lantern can keep running. The 14-hour run time of this lantern on low power ensures that it will be able to light up your campsite for the entire night, but it is likely that you will not burn through the canister in a single use.
While some campers deride propane camping lanterns as being inconvenient and overly bulky, we would argue that this is the best camping lantern which uses that power source. Thanks to a combination of intelligent design and quality construction, this is a great choice of product.
Best Rechargeable LED Camping Lantern – Tough Light LED Rechargeable Camping Lantern
Specifications:
- Comes in a choice of three different colors: mud, blue, or yellow
- LEDs can last for up to 50,000 hours before failure
- Can be charged with the two included micro-USB cables
- Features 400 lumens worth of illuminance
- Features a USB power bank to charge your devices
- Resistant to both drops and water damage
- Comes included with a 30-day money back guarantee and a 2-year warranty
- Features two emergency modes: SOS beacon and red flashing hazard light
source: onlinecampingsupplies.com
Our Rating
If we were to give the title of best camping lantern for use in an emergency to any product on this list, it would be this model from Tough Light. The name of the manufacturer is rather accurate, as this is one of the toughest camping lanterns that you will come across.
This model is not only highly resistant to water damage due to the o-rings used in its construction, but it can also be dropped from a substantial height (five feet) and not sustain damage. This makes it far more reliable than your average camping lantern, which is the first reason that it is a great choice for emergency use.
The inclusion of two emergency modes is another reason why this model is particularly optimized for use in tough situations. The ability to use this lantern as an SOS beacon in case you get stranded in the forest ensures that you will be much easier to spot when someone comes looking for you.
The inclusion of a power bank can also help you charge any devices that you have with you in case they end up dying due to lack of sufficient charge. This model is an ideal choice for anyone who wants to stay safe in the woods.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZONRead Our In-Depth Review
Best Battery Powered Camping Lantern – Etekcity Portable Outdoor LED Camping Lantern
Specifications:
- Features 30 individual LEDs to provide adequate lighting
- Constructed using materials that are military-grade
- Features a cover which can collapse either fully or partially
- Can function for 12 hours on a full charge when on the low power setting
- Features folding carrying handles for better usability
- Comes included with a ten year manufacturer warranty
- Comes included with 12 AA batteries for use with the lantern
- Comes in a pack of four lanterns
source: etekcity.com
Our Rating
If you would like the best electric camping lantern when it comes to price point, you will not find a cheaper model than this one. These lanterns come included in packs of four that cost less than the price of a single lantern of a different type. This allows you to purchase a camping lantern for each member of your family or so you can have backup lanterns.
Unlike most products, these camping lanterns come with the batteries included, which saves you money at first. These lanterns have a decent run time of 12 hours on low power or about 6-8 on high power. However, the ability to replace the batteries whenever they die means that you only need carry a reasonable number of spares.
You have multiple options when it comes to adjusting the intensity of your light; you can choose to set the power level to low, medium, or high. This has a direct effect on the run time of your light, so you can shut off banks of LEDs if it is looking like your battery will run out on you sometime soon.
The other way that you can adjust the intensity of your light is through the sliding cover. This will allow you to have better direct control over the lighting but will not affect the energy efficiency.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZONRead Our In-Depth Review
Best Solar Camping Lantern – Whetstone Solar LED Camping Lantern
Specifications:
- Features a top-mounted solar panel for daytime charging
- Features a hand crank and dynamo for manual charging
- Capable of being powered by three AAA batteries
- Can also be charged using a USB cable
- Features LEDs which can run for up to 100,000 hours
- Features three levels of illumination for either conservation or brightness
- Weighs only 1.6 pounds for better portability
source: importitall.co.za
Our Rating
If you are trying to find the most versatile camping lantern around, you will find few better options than this model from Whetstone. This model can be charged in three different ways, and it also features an alternative source of power. If you are worried about things going wrong, this is the lantern for you.
While this model does not come included with a USB cable, it can be charged through USB, which provides the quickest and most convenient method of charging. Unfortunately, you will rarely have access to a power outlet or a USB port when you are out in the wild. This is why you have the choice of a few other options.
The hand crank can provide about half an hour’s worth of light for a minute and a half worth of dedicated cranking, which may sound tiring, but it is better than no power at all. The hand crank provides a charging method for cloudy days or night time.
While the LEDs can last for quite a while, you will find that they are not as powerful as some of the other lanterns on this list. While the three lighting power levels are adequate, do not expect them to light up the entirety of the surrounding forest.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZONRead Our In-Depth Review
Conclusion
Finding the best camping lantern for your needs is not as difficult as one would imagine. It is quite simple. We have tried to provide a varied selection of camping lanterns so everyone could find the perfect model for their needs. Leave a comment below if you happen to have any questions or remarks.
Resources:
Sources
http://gizmodo.com/lumens-and-lux-light-words-explained-in-a-single-image-933223282