The Best Lanterns for Camping
Whether you're a veteran trailblazer, a weekend warrior, or a first-timer hitting the backcountry for some much-needed relaxation, one thing's for sure: you don't want to be caught in the woods without the right gear. Serene as a camping trip may sound, you'd be amazed how quickly your romantic notions crumble once night falls in the forest and you realize you forgot an essential piece of equipment. One such gear item is a lantern. Bring a good lantern with you and you'll never be without light, whether you're playing cards, reading a book in your sleeping bag before bed, or unzipping the tent when nature calls at 3 A.M. Here you'll find our absolute favorite lanterns for camping, ranked for their quality, cost value, and reliability.
Vont Collapsible LED Camping Lantern (4-Pack)
There is a Light That (Almost) Never Goes Out
If you’re looking for a value purchase that’s both reliable and portable, this is your ticket. Boasting a collapsible design that emits light from 30 tiny LED lights, this lantern is both bright and long-lasting (with a ~90-hour battery life). To adjust the brightness, you can simply alter the height of the lantern. The light element retracts into the body housing, so by partially retracting it into the body, you’ll have fewer lights shining. This adaptable design makes it quite easy to use, not to mention convenient.
You’ll notice that it touts an IP44 water-resistance rating, but be aware that not all water-resistance ratings are created equal. This particular rating means that it’s protected against splashes of water. You wouldn’t want to leave this one out in a rainstorm, but you don’t have to worry about it being ruined by the inevitable splish-splash.
Since this is sold as a four-pack, you can utilize the extra lanterns in other areas of your life. For example, you might keep one in your car for emergency use, one in storage for when the power goes out, and one out on the patio for who-knows-what.
Pros:
- Comes with a lifetime warranty, should anything go wrong
- It’s a great idea to have a few of these laying around the house in case a power outage occurs
- Very affordable
Cons:
- There is no switch to turn it on or off. Once you pull the lighting element out of the body housing, the lights automatically turn on. While some may like this better than a traditional switch-on, switch-off design, for others, this is a bit annoying.
Lighting Ever 1000-Lumen Camping Lantern
You might not have heard of this company before, but don’t be quick to assume the worst because of that. Though a bit obscure, Lighting Ever’s 1000-lumen lantern has become a favorite for many-a-camper, and with good reason. Aside from its comfortable handle and cleverly-designed hanging hooks, this lantern is seriously bright. If you imagine you’ll be using this to illuminate a night-time card game, a large tent, or a picnic table at the campground, you’ll be more than satisfied.
As far as its actual usage goes, you can toggle through its four different lighting modes. Choose from daylight white, warm white, full brightness, and flash mode. By pressing down the button longer, you can adjust the brightness to customize it to your liking, too.
Pros:
- Intuitive design means that kids won’t have any issues using it without mom and dad
- Instructions for battery installation are easy to follow
Cons:
- Requires three 1.5-volt D batteries, which are not included
- Batteries don’t last as long as one would hope for, either
Odoland’s Portable LED Camping Lantern
I'll Follow You Into the Dark
While plenty of folks scour the internet in search of a lantern that they intend to use for camping, it’s not like you can only use the lantern for camping. If you’re looking to scoop a lantern that’ll serve you just as well in the backcountry as it will in your home when hurricane season hits, look to Odoland’s Portable LED Camping Lantern.
Thanks to its inclusion of a fan, this one does double duty as a hurricane emergency unit. Whether you’re in your tent on a hot, stuffy night or you’re stuck in your home with no power, you’ll find the combination of an LED lantern and a fan a warmly-welcomed friend. The ventilation the fan provides certainly isn’t powerful, but it’s enough to cool you down when you’re in a bind.
Pros:
- Excellent for those who like the idea of camping but don’t do well in the heat
- Hook so you can string it up on a line inside your tent
Cons:
- Construction quality isn’t the most impressive
LuminAID PackLite 2-in-1
Backpackers' Delight
Backpackers are particularly concerned with minimizing the size of their gear to free up pack space. When you’re on the trail, the less bulky your pack is, the better. After all, you’re likely clocking 10+ mile-long treks on the daily. Serving as a 2-in-1 inflatable lantern/electronics charger, LuminAID’s highly lauded PackLite lantern is one of the best options a backpacker has when it comes to on-trail lighting. Why? Well, this is mostly due to its solar-charging capabilities. Strap this lantern down to the outside of your pack at the beginning of your day and it’ll collect that sweet, sweet sunlight to power up the battery. Feel like bringing along your phone, a digital camera, or – well, any USB-chargeable electronic at all? No problem. The PackLite’s 2000mAH battery can charge up your electronics while the lantern is illuminating your campsite. Pretty neat, right?
Pros:
- Light is quite bright
- Inflates to a cube shape when in use. When you deflate it, it packs down to 1″ thick, so it’s quite compact
- Great to use as a makeshift patio light or for late-night card games on the porch
Cons:
- A bit heavy, so ultralight backpackers will likely want to look elsewhere
UCO Pika 3-in-1 Rechargeable Lantern
3-In-1 and One For All
Equal parts lantern, flashlight, and USB charger, the UCO Pika is an obscure, but beloved product for those in the know. Why? Well, first, its various features make it a highly-desirable gadget. Between its collapsible design, IPX5 water-resistance rating, LED battery-level indicator, and rechargeable battery, it’s an all-around excellent multipurpose lantern. But add to that its spectacularly affordable price, and you’ve got yourself a winner.
Pros:
- Thanks to its affordable price and commendable quality, it makes for an excellent gift for an outdoorsy friend or family member
- Great for those who plan on doing a lot of RV-camping, since it can double as a flashlight
Cons:
- Though the lithium-ion battery is rechargeable and will last a long time, you cannot replace it if/when it does burn out
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s wrong with just using my phone’s flashlight? Do I really need to spend money on a lantern?
Don’t let yourself believe that your phone’s flashlight will do the job when you’re camping. What happens if it rains, or if you lose your phone, or it dies unexpectedly? The list goes on. It’s not a good idea to have to rely on your phone for light, considering that you might need to use it for other extremely important things, like calling emergency services, should disaster strike.
Are solar-powered lanterns better than battery-powered ones?
This depends on how you use them. If you’re backpacking, for example, chances are you’re spending much of your day walking in direct sunlight. In this case, you can strap a solar-powered lantern to the outside of your bag to expose the solar cell to the light. This’ll ensure it’s fully charged. On the other hand, you might not want to rely on a solar-powered lantern if you’re a casual camper, because you might forget to place it in the sun before your trip. It’ll be quite a bummer to arrive at the campsite with your fancy solar lantern only to realize it’s got no juice.
You almost definitely don’t want to rely on a solar lantern if you’re hoping to use it in the case of an emergency, because batteries are much more reliable – especially since you can store extra batteries with the lantern.
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