The best camping lantern primarily serves to give convenient and dependable illumination in and around your tent. Long battery life, various charging choices, and bright, changeable light settings may transform an ordinary lamp into a fantastic lamp.
We’ve assembled all you need to know to pick the best camping lantern in 2023, whether you’re searching for your first LED camping lantern or have an old kerosene Coleman that’s becoming a little long in the tooth.
How To Choose A Best Camping Lantern
This should go without saying, but don’t believe a manufacturer’s claim that a lantern is “very brilliant.” So, how can you know which lantern is brighter than the others? Fortunately for us, there is a unit of brightness measurement known as “lumens.”
The scientific reason for how lumens are computed is extensive and boring, but for now, all you need to know is that more lumens = brighter light. To light up a decent area, you’ll need around 400 lumens, though more is always better if you’re in a larger campsite or want a brighter space. That said, you wouldn’t want a camping light that emits 1,000 lumens all of the time, which leads us to our next point.
Every lantern on this list, in an ideal world, would be extremely brilliant, long-lasting, waterproof, and small enough to fit in your pocket. When it comes to camping lanterns, adding features tends to increase their size and weight, so keep that in mind when making a purchase.
Our’s Best Camping Lantern Picks
1) Best High Power Camping Lantern: Vont 2 Pack LED Camping Lantern
(56449 Reviews) 4.5 Star out of 5
Specification:
- Light Source Type – LED
- Brand – Vont
- Color – Black
- Power Source – Battery Powered
- Material – ABS + PP
From the time you unbox this lantern, you will be pleasantly delighted. Simply put the batteries in and turn it on. This lamp will supply you with up to 90 hours of lights to observe your surroundings, whether you use it for camping, emergencies, or even trick or treating. This light is ideal for travel because of its distinctive lightweight, compact form.
By folding and collapsing your lantern, you can easily alter the brightness. There’s no need for any tools or complicated setup. Your next camping vacation is going to become a whole lot more enjoyable!
2) Best Rechargeable Lantern: UST Duro 30-Day LED Camping Lantern
(146 Reviews) – 5 Star out of 5
Specification:
- Brand – Unknown
- Colour – Green
- Material – Other
- Item Dimensions – LxWxH10.8 x 10.8 x 27.9 Centimeters
- Item Weight – 1.2 Pounds
How does thirty days of light sound in terms of runtimes? On our list, there’s just one lantern that packs that type of punch, and it accomplishes it the old-fashioned manner… Three massive D-size batteries are included. On a single pair of batteries, the UST 30-Day Duro provides 720 hours of illumination at a reasonable 30 lumen brightness. That’s a remarkable achievement, but it’s far from the only one the UST has up its sleeve. On its highest setting, this camping lantern can produce 1,000 lumens of light, which is the most of any lantern we looked at, battery-powered or not.
Three light modes (high, medium, and low) are included, as well as a fourth emergency strobe function that automatically communicates “SOS” to emergency/search and rescue teams. This lantern also comes with IPX4 water protection, so it can compete with some of the more expensive options on our list. The size and weight of the 30-Day Duro are the only significant drawbacks, but at 7 by 4 inches, it’s not exactly cumbersome, and it weighs just under 2 pounds with the batteries fitted.
3) Best Camping Lantern With Red Light: Streamlight Siege Compact, Cordless, 7.25” Alkaline Hand Lantern
(4179 Reviews): 5 Star out of 5
Specification:
- Light fixture from – Recessed
- Power Source – Battery-Powered
- Material – Plastic
- Style540 – Lumen
- Special Feature – Floats, Water Resistant
- Color – Coyote
While this lantern has several useful features, such as D-rings for hanging it and a waterproof structure, almost 300 reviewers praised the red light setting.
There are multiple light modes on this lantern. For emergency readiness, the White LED, Red LED, and Night Vision Preserving mode extends the run duration. To illuminate vast regions, the cover can be removed.
Three “D” cell alkaline batteries are used (sold separately). Battery change is easier in the dark with the keyed battery door.
4) Best Value Camping Lantern: Streamlight Siege Compact Hand Lantern
(3792 Reviews) 5 Star rating out of 5
Specification
- Style – Country
- Brand – Streamlight
- Item Weight – 0.4 Kilograms
- Item Dimensions – LxWxH10.2 x 10.2 x 18.4 Centimeters
- Voltage – 3 Volts
- Number of Light Sources – 4
While the UST above isn’t cheap, you can get the Streamlight Siege Compact for $10 to $15 cheaper if you don’t require a full 30 days of runtime or 1000 lumens of brightness. Overall, the Siege and the UST are extremely similar in that they each have three power settings, dual hanging hooks, and are powered by three D-size batteries. At 540 lumens on its highest level, the light output is decreased but still quite bright, and the lifespan is significantly shorter (but still sufficient) at 295 hours. The Streamlight Siege, on the other hand, stands out for its tough build quality.
For example, it’s entirely submersible in water, with an IPX7 waterproof rating, and it’ll even float top-side up if dropped in a lake, river, or hot tub. The Siege’s body is designed with a rubberized covering around any impact points, giving it a two-meter impact resistant rating. In low-light situations, it also has a red light option to safeguard your night vision (plus, ya know, fewer bugs).
5) Best Directional Camping Lantern: Energizer LED Camping Lantern Flashlight (Amazon’s Choice)
(2017 reviews): 4.5 star rating out of 5
Specification
- Color – Red
- Style – Red
- Material – Water-Resistant Plastic
- Brand – Energizer
- Special Feature – Folding 360 Degree Light
- Included Components – Energizer Weatheready Folding Lantern 500 Lumens LED
This lantern’s ability to fold into various heights appeals to campers. This is described as a “solid, comfortable to handle and carry lantern” by one reviewer.
Energizer LED folding lantern requires 4 Energizer max D batteries (batteries not included) – with Energizer power, you can enjoy up to 350 hours of runtime on low.
On high mode, this lantern emits up to 500 lumens of light, providing excellent vision when you need it most, from hiking to camping to blackouts. Switch between three light mode settings: high, low, and night light to easily fill a room or campsite with brilliant light. Use high mode for the brightest light and low mode for the lowest light and the longest run-time of 350 hours.
6) Best Solar Camping Lantern: LuminAid PackLite Titan 2-in-1 Camping Lantern
(285 Reviews): 4.5 star rating out of 5
Specification
- Brand – LuminAID
- Item Weight – 0.35 Kilograms
- Number of Batteries – 1 Lithium ion batteries required. (included)
A LuminAid camping lantern is likely something you’ve seen at REI or on an episode of ABC’s Shark Tank. If you haven’t, that’s fine, too, because the PackLite Titan 2-in-1 is by far their best yet and deserving of our top solar lantern award.
The PackLite, as its name implies, folds flat to 1′′ thick and weighs only 12.5 ounces, making it equally handy for trekkers and car campers. The Titan has LuminAid’s largest solar panel to date, which charges the Titan’s 4000mAh battery in about 16 hours. Because the Titan has a 100-hour lifespan on a single charge, you could theoretically use it endlessly if you charge it throughout the day (and the weather is beautiful).
7) Dimmer Dial Best Camping Light: Coleman Twin LED Lantern
(1417 reviews): 4.5 star rating out of 5
Specification
- Color – Green
- Brand – Coleman
- Product Dimensions – 7.09″D x 7.09″W x 12.99″H
- Light Source Type – LED
- Power Source – Battery Powered
Most camping lights have approximately two to three brightness levels, but this Coleman lantern has more options. Reviewers enjoy that the lantern’s brightness may be customised thanks to the dimmer notch.
390 extra-bright lumens on high, with brightness settings ranging from high to ultra-low. On low, it produces 100 brilliant lumens.
Eight D-cell batteries are used to power the device (sold separately). Rain and splashing water are not a problem.
8) Best Lantern Overall: Coleman Powerhouse Dual Fuel Lantern
(703 Reviews): 4.5 star rating out of 5
Specification
- Brand – Coleman
- Item Dimensions – LxWxH39.6 x 19.8 x 17.8 Centimeters
- Weight- 4.5 Pounds
A Coleman product epitomises classic outdoor gear. Sleeping bags lined with flannel, propane barbecues, thick air mattresses… Some things scream Coleman like a gas-powered lantern, but nothing screams Coleman like a gas-powered lantern.
Given that their emblem includes a gas-powered lantern, we can’t say we’re shocked Coleman is our top option (spoiler: it’s also our second pick). If you’re looking for the best gas camping light, we recommend the Coleman Powerhouse Dual Fuel Lantern. With a dual mantle design, a true glass globe, a porcelain-coated ventilator, and a lovely long carry handle that doubles as a strong anchor to hang your lantern overhead, it has all the old gas lantern charm.
The Powerhouse is distinguished from other Coleman lanterns by its “dual fuel” construction, which allows you to fill the accompanying fuel tank with either regular white gas/lantern fuel or straight from the pump gasoline. That may seem insignificant, but it’ll come in handy when you’re out of town camping hours away from the nearest outfitter.
9) The best camping light for the traditionalists: Primus Micron Lantern
(227 Reviews) 4.5 star rating out of 5
Specification:
- Power – gas
- Weight – 155g
- Max lumens – 235
- Max burn/run time – depends on usage
- IPX – not stated
If you’re searching for some old-school lantern lighting, this modern twist on a Tilley lamp from the 1800s is just what you need. This will never run out of battery, can’t actually be destroyed (short of literally breaking it to bits), and puts off a whopping 235 lumens in a stainless steel mesh version, and runs on screw-in gas canisters (which you’ll have for your stove anyway). This is increased to 360 lumens with a more breakable glass variant.
Primus has utilised their gas stove knowledge to build a burner that sips gas and burns for incredibly extended periods of time, while a ‘EasyTrigger’ piezo ignition mechanism makes lighting a breeze. You can hang it up with the help of an inbuilt steel cable, but keep it away from combustible tent material for obvious reasons. This is a kind of a modern jewel for rough-and-tumble journeys off into the wilds kayaking or similar, thanks to its robustness.
10) Best Ocassional Camping Lantern: Coleman Deluxe Perfect Flow Lantern
(1922 Reviews): 4.5 Star rating out of 5
Specification
- Batteries Included – No
- Brand – Coleman
- Length – 12 Inches
- Width – 6 Inches
- Height – 8 Inches
- Weight – 3.2 Pounds
- Number of Pieces – 5
These lanterns are brilliant, producing usable light up to 20-30 feet, depending on how congested your campground is. In terms of intensity and colour, it’s comparable to a 100-watt bulb at higher settings. After it has warmed up a little, it may be dialled down to a much warmer, less harsh light that is still rather bright after your eyes adjust.
I’ve been able to get some big burn periods out of mine over the previous few years. While the claimed maximum time is roughly 14 hours, on my most recent vacation, I only used one bottle over four nights, running for about 5-6 hours each night. As a result, the published run-times are conservative. For the most part, I was running just above minimal. Even at brighter settings, a single tank of propane should last at least 20 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Here are some questions for best camping lantern that people also seek.
What To Consider When Buying a Camping Lantern
While there are many different varieties of lanterns, choosing the appropriate one is actually quite simple. The most important considerations are the power source and lumen output. It’s only a matter of picking on the physical size, weight, and features that best fit your needs once you’ve determined your power source and lumen output.
How Long Do Lantern Mantles Last?
This light runs on a 16.4-ounce Coleman propane cylinder (not included) and can last up to seven hours on high or 14 hours on low.
What Is a Lantern Mantle?
In a nutshell, a lantern mantle is a mechanism that, when ignited by a flame, produces dazzling white light.
What Is the Best Lantern for Power Outages?
UST Duro 30-Day LED Camping Lantern, Streamlight Siege Compact Hand Lantern, LuminAid PackLite Titan 2-in-1 Camping Lantern these are best lantern for power outages
How Many Lumens Do I Need for a Camping Lantern?
How many lumens does a camping lantern require? Lanterns with a lumen output of 400 to 600 are excellent, but even a 75-lumen light can help you avoid tripping on a route late at night.
What Is the Best Camping Lantern?
Here are some best camping lantern: Coleman Twin LED Lantern
Coleman Powerhouse Dual Fuel Lantern
Coleman Powerhouse Dual Fuel Lantern
Vont 2 Pack LED Camping Lantern
Streamlight Siege Compact, Cordless, 7.25” Alkaline Hand Lantern
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