There’s nothing like sitting around an open fire while camping. But sometimes you need more illumination around your campsite than the fire can provide. Fortunately there is a wide variety of camping lanterns available to light your way in the outdoors.
Battery operated camping lanterns are a safe and effective form of illumination. Some lamps use incandescent or fluorescent bulbs and newer models feature LED lamps for a long battery life. The fluorescent lamps give off nearly as much light as a propane lantern while incandescent and LED lanterns have a much softer glow. The biggest advantage of battery operated lanterns is that they can be safely used inside campers, tents, and other enclosed spaces. They also can be knocked over without the fear of starting a fire. Their biggest disadvantages are the heavy weight, short battery life, and the cost of batteries to keep them working.
Candle lanterns are small, lightweight, and give off a warm soft glow. These lights are great for backpacking and low impact camping. A candle lanterns can fold down to a little smaller than a soda can. They use inexpensive candles that usually burn for up to eight hours each. Downside on candle lanterns is that they put out very little light, although you’d be surprised at how much illumination they give once your eyes have adjusted to the dark.
Liquid fuel and propane powered lanterns are the most common lights seen at campsites. They can put out a comparable amount of light as a 150 watt light bulb. Both types of lanterns work in the same way. Pressurized gas is fed into the mantles, which are silk pouches that have turned to ash. When the gas filled mantles are lit, they glow brightly. The lanterns are very bright and will last for several hours on a full tank of fuel or cylinder of propane. Propane lanterns can also be attached to a 20lb cylinder for days of lighting capability. The down side is that the mantles are fragile and can break if the lantern is dropped or tipped over, so have replacement mantles handy. The lanterns should never be used in an enclosed space or tent as they get very hot and give off carbon monoxide as the fuel burns.
When choosing a camping lantern, you need to first figure what purpose you’ll use it for. Propane and gas lanterns are great for lighting the outdoors, but are a poor choice for indoor use. Candle lanterns are great for backpacking because they are so small and lightweight, but suffer from weak illumination. Battery operated lanterns can be used inside of tents and campers, but have a short battery life. The best recommendation for camping is always to have two light sources, one as your main source and the other as a backup. Choose a gas lamp for general illumination and a small battery lamp for the tent. With two light sources, you’ll stay safe and cover all your illumination needs at the same time.