TAKE BACK THE NIGHT: THE 6 BEST CAMPING LANTERNS

Since mankind first crouched in filthy groves, unwashed and grunting – so, like last Thursday – it has sought to conquer its environment. It wanted to travel to strange lands and not get eaten by all the bigger, scarier animals that live there. To do that, we needed light. Well, fire too, but fire is really just hot light. By being able to carry our light into any darkness we claim it as our. Armed with our trusty camping lanterns, and maybe a few guns, we cast away the shadows! One of the most trustworthy lanterns is SUNJACK CAMPLIGHT.

These generally come in two varieties: LED/Electric and fuel-burning. LED models use batteries to create lights. They are usually dimmer but the light lasts much longer and they are easier to carry around. Also, they can’t explode. Fuel models come in propane and dual-fuel models, and were the original lanterns used by men, men who didn’t mind singing off their eyebrows. Whichever way you choose, here are the 6 best camping lanterns for your venture out into the dark.

BLACK DIAMOND ORBIT

Pros: Lightweight
Cons: Limited illumination

Best for Backpacking: There were other, brighter options than the LED Orbit – including Black Diamond’s own Voyager – which could output more lumens by three times or more, but they all were slightly heavier. Any backpacker will tell you a few grams might not seem like much but can make all the difference on the trail. At only 4.7 oz. this gives you 60 lumens of illumination without adding weight to your pack. It is easily hung, has a 4-5.5″ height whether collapsed or not, has adjustable brightness whether cooking or looking to set the mood, and includes a 50 lumen flashlight. The base is a little flimsy so expect to knock it over if using it standing. 

COLEMAN NORTH STAR

Pros: Immense power
Cons: Short life

Brightest Overall: First off, this is our only fuel option. There are plenty of great ones out there, but the only real choice is “Which Coleman do you like best?” The North Star version of the Coleman is a favorite because it gives you a safety globe on the top that is heat resistant and nearly impossible to break. It also has a nifty little InstaStart system that lights it with the press of a button. It’s only about 3 lbs. making it very portable and easy to hang. A wire frame surrounds the bulb so children, whether 5 or 55, can’t accidentally burn themselves on the bulb.

The best part of the North Star camping lantern is it can produce a eye-popping 1543 lumens when cranked to its highest setting. You can easily adjust the flow to get much, much less light and really set the mood. It has propane and dual-fuel models depending on your preference. As you would expect from Coleman the construction is all top-notch, even by their standards. With a full tank you can expect between 7 and 14 hours of light, but gas consumption is totally dependent on how high you set it.

UST 30-DAY

Pros: Long run time.
Cons: Flimsy handle

Long-Lasting LED: Power and portability in one quaint little package. The UST 30-Day might look like the similar LED offering from Streamlight but it not only packs a bigger punch when it comes to light, it also has a longer run time. Clearly this was made with green in mind since it can literally run for a month on the lowest setting. Even at the highest output it goes for more than a day so you won’t be fumbling around in the dark trying to put in new batteries. Output levels ranged from 29 lumens to 300 lumens and it has an SOS strobe. At only 2-pounds (heavier with batteries) it can be hung or sit on a table without capsizing. The construction is mostly sturdy but the handle feels a little flimsy.