(Part 2) Best camping lanterns according to redditors

https://www.amazon.com/Cascade-Mountain-Tech-Pop-Lantern/dp/B01FGE90WI

REI has a very good camping checklist. Of course it's a US site and REI sells high quality stuff that is usually out of the price range of most beginners, so use it as a general guide on what you need, not necessarily the exact items you want to buy. Last time I was down under I was a shocked at the markup on imported US brands, so make do with what you can get down there.

I'm assuming you're going car camping; driving up to a campsite and unloading the gear. And I'm going to assume family of five means three kids say 8-14 or so. With older teens or more adults you'll need to pack more food and might need a bigger cooler, need a bigger tent or different sleeping arrangements.

Here are some recommendations for the basics. I'm linking to Amazon so you can see the products, and hopefully find something similar locally.

Tent - Coleman Montana 8. It's a well regarded tent for the price. Big enough for a family, can fit a couple of queen size air mattresses in there (kids can share a full size mattress or bring smaller inflatables). Whatever tent you get, make sure you take it out of the bag and try setting it up a few times. When setting up the tent, make sure you take out the poles and stakes and set them in a specific location, so they don't get lost and they don't get stepped on (and broken). If anything is confusing, get it sorted out before you go!

Sleeping bags - depends on where you are going and when. You can buy Coleman synthetic bags pretty cheap at most outdoor stores. Synthetic bags are generally heavy and bulky, but will get the job done. The rating on the bag is generally the extreme rating... as in you probably won't die at that temp but it might be a cold miserable night. Mummy bags save some weight and some bulk and are warmer, but some don't like the constrictive nature of the bags. Bring pillows from home to make things more comfortable (but note that you may have to wash them when you get home). Throw pillows will work, probably better than "backpacking" pillows. Or you can bring pillow cases and stuff them with spare clothes and jackets... I generally use throw pillows car camping.

Mattress pad - if you're car camping, don't bother with backpacking pads. Bring full size Coleman air mattresses, or even a queen. Remember you'll need some way to inflate the pad; a battery operated pump will work but is slow. You can get a pump that plugs in, but you 1. need an inverter in the car, 2. need an extension from the car into the tent since the inflated mattress probably won't fit through the door of the tent. Make sure you get the dimensions of all the air mattresses and the dimensions of the tent and make sure everything fits with some room to spare. Remember that you also need room for gear; of course the car is right there and you can always leave gear in the car, but on a chilly morning it's nicer to just open your bag and get a hat rather than run out to the car.

Stove - Camp Chef Everest dual burner propane stove. The Coleman dual burner stove is a classic and works well.

Cookset - I use full size pots and pans for car camping. You can just bring what you have at home (not too big, the stove won't fit big pots and pans), or maybe find cheaper stuff in the clearance section of some stores (if the stuff at home is too nice to bring camping). Along with the pots and pans, bring your usual utensils. You can bring paper plates, plastic cups and forks/knives, or buy "camping" stuff. Don't forget the spices and condiments, trivets for hot plates, coffee, tea, bottle/wine opener...

Water - Is there potable water at the campsite? Are you bringing your water or do you need to filter? I generally bring a couple of Coleman 5 gallon water jug. They collapse until I need them... but you really can't fill them all the way up since they're really difficult to carry. Or you might be able to buy water at the grocery store and just bring what you need - 1 gallon per day per person should be fine, more if it's hot and you're being very active.

Washing - if there's no washing facilities, you want to bring a wash basin to clean up the dishes and utensils. Don't forget the dish soap and sponge for cleaning pots and pans.

Cooler - Coleman Xtreme 70quart. Or the Igloo Max. I prefer something smaller since I've got a smaller sedan and will run into town more frequently. If you're only going overnight, you may only need a small cooler, but if your kids drink lots of milk or only cool juice, you may want to invest in a good size, well rated cooler.

Headlamps - it's good for everyone to have their own headlamps. The Black Diamond Spot is a good headlamp from a great company. You can a cheap Energizer Headlamp for under $15 for young kids, they're not great but work well enough.

Camp lantern - Coleman propane lanterns are the ol' standard, work great and cast great light. Uses the same 1lb propane tanks as the stove. But many are going with LED lanterns... these Cheap camp lanterns on Amazon seem like a pretty good deal, I've got some like them and they work fine. Very bright and very white, but cheap and effective.

Packing/hauling - Rubbermaid tote. These tubs make a great way to haul and store gear. I also store food in my tubs; make sure you can secure them so critters can't get in.

Tarp - bring a couple. It's good to have one tarp to hang over the cooking / eating area. You'll need some rope or cord to tie these up.

Folding chairs and tables - bring 'em if you've got 'em. It's much easier to cook standing up at a table.

Firewood - call ahead or check online, some campsites have firewood restrictions; some places you can't forage for wood and you need to buy it locally.

Garbage bags - bring a couple of big ones, a bunch of smaller bags if you need to pack up smelly stuff.

Well, I hope that enough for a start. Good luck!

Fenix CL09 200 Lumen compact USB rechargeable magnetic base camping light (Neutral white, Red, Green) with EdisonBright USB charging cable (Grey) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073R8LZBM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vU1eAbA6G817F

Thanks!

I bought my brother two of these solar powered collapsible lanterns and he says he absolutely loves them! Doesn't take up much room in his pack and nice and bright light with no batteries to worry about. https://www.amazon.com/MPOWERD-1023-002-001-002-Luci-Outdoor-2-0/dp/B074NQLRTF/ref=dp_ob_title_sports

I assume that because you're posing in /r/flashlight that you're looking for battery powered, but nothing beats a good old fashioned propane lantern for brightness, longevity, and warm tint.

http://www.coleman.com/Products/1010/propane-lanterns

If you really need a battery lantern I can recommend the following

60 day lantern

30 day lantern

You mention air-mattresses so I assume you're just car camping, not hiking? Probably a good choice for first-time camping.

REI has a good checklist here. You obviously won't need all of it (like navigation stuff), but it's a good starting place.

Tents are a bit tough without more detail. Are all six of you planning on going in on purchasing a six person tent? Do a select few people want to buy 2-3 person tents to just keep? Are you planning on hiking in the future, in which case you'll want lighter tents - at more upfront cost? How many sites have you reserved? If only one site, there will probably be a limit on number of tents you can have.

Either way, some good starting places:

• ALPS Mountaineering offers a 6-person tent for $140, and is a well regarded brand on here. That's about $24 each.
  
  
• REI also has a good 6-person tent for $150, and this subreddit loves REI (and deservedly so). Can't go wrong with their gear. About $25 each.
  
  A tarp for the tent might not be necessary, but is something worth considering if you're worried about wet conditions.
  
  Air mattresses are an unnecessary expense if you're on a budget. Pretty much any sleeping bag that's not designed specifically to be lightweight will have enough fluff in it to provide some padding. Something like one of these big fat ones for $25. You're camping anyway, not staying at a hotel. A few nights on the ground won't kill you. Bring a few thick blankets if you're worried though. A good inflatable pad will probably be more than you want to spend money on.
  
  You can forget backpacks for now if you're just using your cars at a state park or something. A good pack is expensive anyway. But a duffel bag or small backpack or something is a good idea to carry clothes, food, and supplies. Doesn't need to be anything special.
  
  One important thing to keep in mind is firewood. Don't bring it. You should always buy locally (most parks will supply/sell it) since this prevents the spread of dangerous pests like Emerald Ash Borers and such.
  
  A few more basics you'll want:
  
  
• A first aid kit, probably. Even at a well developed state park, it's still a good idea to have one nearby for smaller injuries.
  
• Some sort of firestarter. Doesn't need to be fancy. Just, if you bring a lighter, make sure you have fluid for it. Something like these guys might be useful though if you're not used to starting fires.
  
• Flashlights/Lanterns are useful. Something like this or this
  
• A cooler.
  
• A pillow. For car-camping a normal pillow will do. Just make sure you don't forget. I always forget a fucking pillow when car-camping.
  
  Food. Personally, I think planning and packing food for a camping trip is one of the best parts. There are more camping food "hacks" and ideas out there than you can imagine. Plan it right and you'll eat better when camping than your average day in the college dorm. A little bit of tin foil, pie pans, and prep the night before and you can eat stuff like this or this or this. Just browse and look around until you see something that makes your mouth water. Most of it is no more difficult than throwing ingredients in some tin foil, and then throwing them on the fire later (in some cases you'll want to pre-cook chicken or fish or beef though).

I use a luminoodle for just this reason.
Luminoodle link on Amazon

Thanks!

https://www.amazon.de/Nitecore-LA10-CRI-Campingleuchte-Nichia/dp/B01M3TWZSK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511900955&sr=8-2&keywords=nitecore+la10

http://www.amazon.com/Leland-Marine-Emergency-Strobe-Light/dp/B002XF00CI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341121661&sr=8-1&keywords=personal+safety+strobe

In case you get lost in a low visibility situation. They're whacky ass bright so you can be seen through a good deal of smoke.

Edit to add: Also a weather radio/police scanner and some two way radios for communication in remote areas.

Not rechargable but I would imagine you could easily charge rechargable double a batteries from a solar charger. Still, this is my favorite backpacking lantern ever, so I gotta share.

UYLED do a few lantern-y things of varying lengths.

This is their shortest, but is a bit big, and doesn't have a clip.

Fenix have the CL05 (AAA), CL-09 (16340), and CL-20 (built in 1600mAh lipo)

Cheapest option (ignoring most of your other 'should have's) I've found is the niteize ZipLit, with its single coin cell, or MoonLit, with 2x2032s (note; you can get rechargeable LIR2032s, but I don't know if it'd like the higher voltage.)

Here is the US version. https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Rechargeable-Flashlight-Brightness-Emergency/dp/B01N8XBT6H/ie=UTF8&qid=1497634128&sr=8-9&keywords=thorfire+camping

Amazon.com, here is the product page

I ran my Super Siege for about 6hrs on high (1100 lumen) before it stepped down to medium (550 lumen). Low is 125 lumen and rated up to 35 hours. Has red LED modes as well. It's built really really well. Tough as nails. There's a youtube vid of a guy dropping it on a rock repeatedly with no problems. Waterproof and even floats. The carabiners on top and bottom as well as the flip up handle/hook gives it a myriad of mounting and hanging options. Even gives you a water tight compartment for extra paracord or whatever. I keep 20ft or 25ft of paracord in it for hanging options. Oh, and it has a USB out to charge your phone (8800 mAh) and a removable glare shield. Did I mention that it's built like a tank? $107

Very exciting, I hope you enjoy the hell out of it for many years. I've written about this before but you might be surprised when you get out there how little you need any kind of formal system. KISS, at least to start. :) To wit:

> Ideally we'd like enough power to power 1 or 2 led nights [sic] at night, maybe a small 32in TV etc. If there is enough power, a coffee maker maybe.

All that said I may not even get to my place next week and if I do I may die in the cold there, so there is the downside to just winging it. Do you have any pictures to post of what you got?

Nice! Price history

A Coleman Northstar

Fenix CL09

Thank for the givingaway!

No, that's more of an old school miners lantern. It's more like this but not battery

CORE 750 Lumen CREE LED Battery Lantern, Three Modes, Water Resistant, Camping, Emergency Backyard Use https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HMTYJJ4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6xMaAbTGFCCYS

https://www.amazon.com/Cascade-Mountain-Tech-Pop-Lantern/dp/B01FGE90WI

I shifted our Scout Troop from propane to LED lanterns a few years ago. Tested a few. The overhead hang, diffused type was most useful. Definitely not UL but for a group the best value one that survived the boys was https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WW8CB8C

I bought [THIS](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Z5WYESW/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_2_w) tent light, it's awesome for just 10 bucks. and they have a gen 2 that's even better and comes with 2x 18650 liIon batteries.

I have some of these for the tent and they work really well. Rechargeable via USB, bright, low light and red light settings.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00WW8CB8C/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks so much!

https://www.amazon.com/Fenix-CL20R/dp/B075QQ8VHB/?tag=parametrek-20

I use this luci solar candle/lantern. I have the clear version, I'll post it second, but I think the frosted/matte version would be superior for light diffusion.
https://www.amazon.com/MPOWERD-Luci-Candle-Inflatable-Solar/dp/B076JLGV9Q/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=mpowered%2Bluci%2Bsolar%2Bfrosted&qid=1554154649&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-1-fkmrnull&th=1

​

It's an *excellent* tent light though. It's bright enough to operate by but not so bright that you can read.

​

Here's the normal version:
https://www.amazon.com/MPOWERD-Luci-Outdoor-2-0-Inflatable/dp/B074NQLRTF/ref=pd_day0_hl_0_1/137-1895126-3510130?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07H4BBT9Z&pd_rd_r=6397c807-54c6-11e9-8d3d-9fea76e3c72a&pd_rd_w=xRso2&pd_rd_wg=O1wqr&pf_rd_p=ad07871c-e646-4161-82c7-5ed0d4c85b07&pf_rd_r=2PR4HS202GW8TW5QWBC3&refRID=2PR4HS202GW8TW5QWBC3&th=1

Someone gave me one of these about 2 years ago and it's been part of my standard camping kit since.

It's been dropped a fair bit but it still works great.

Amazon reviews are great.

https://www.amazon.com/UST-20-PL20C3D-Parent-30-Day-Lantern/dp/B00E9P02L4

Some mention another (smaller) product that runs on AA's, with even more reviews.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DII7CTI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use something similar on my backpack for nighttime rides - one of these USB rope lights + Mini USB battery pack. Probably isn't as bright but much more economical at <$30.

Thanks for doing this Parametrek!

I'd like this one please.

Thank you for the giveaway!

To save you a bunch of headache, pick one of the options below.


https://www.bestbuy.com/site/philips-hue-go-portable-dimmable-led-smart-light-table-lamp-claro/5938038.p?skuId=5938038&ref=212&loc=1&extStoreId=308&ref=212&loc=1&ds_rl=1266837&ds_rl=1268709&ds_rl=1268652&gclid=CjwKCAiA8ejuBRAaEiwAn-iJ3g-DwlgjOIhvfs2bJVcwuC3wOhD7F4dg2poTU2GMtchYFhP5N8YnBhoCe7EQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


Sofirn BLF LT1 Lantern, LED Rechargeable Camping Lantern, portable with 8x Samsung LH351D LEDs powered by 4x Inserted 18650 batteries for camping, hiking, fishing, cellar/basement (Batteries Included)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YWHDJCR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_D502DbHW277GD








https://www.modernlantern.com/collections/all

TIL that Reddit really does have a sub for all of my obsessions! First, I find a flashlight sub. Then, I see that there is a flashlight giveaway. My day has been made. Thank you so much for this!
I would love a new lantern for hurricane season.

HA! You were so so close "Customers who viewed this item also viewed these(and there was only one)" And it was this Almost exactly what I was thinking of. Although the one I had looked a little nicer.

I could use a new lantern for camping. Thanks for hosting another awesome giveaway!

every cool thing I try to come up with sounds dumb. hope I win

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D3DW0EE

Thank you for the opportunity!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KGLD3A6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_IuU8BbX64NM62

Best of luck to everyone else!

(Edit: wrong model, sorry)

Thanks for the giveaway!

Last week we lost power, which is an exceptionally bad time to find out the battery acid in your flashlight has leaked and corroded the interior. This is a long shot, but it would be amazing to win one of these:




https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Conquer-Pack-Away-Lantern/dp/B01D3DV630/?tag=parametrek-20




Thanks!

You'll need to list a budget if you want valuable advice. Like most camping gear - these items can go for a wide range of prices / quality. You generally get what you pay for - so the bigger budget the better quality.

Are you shopping in the USA or abroad? Online or local shops? Different areas have different brands available.

When / where will you do the majority of your camping? Don't need to list the specific parks - but a general idea of the temps and terrain you'll be using this equipment would be idea. Warm beaches or snowy mountains, Windy plains or thick forests, etc.

You said car / base style camping - that's a valuable distinction. Backpacking / wilderness style gear would be very different.

​

Tent - 4-person tent for 2 people is best for car camping, you could even go higher for more room/comfort.

Stove - a 2-burner propane stove would be ideal. Coleman brand is classic.

Lantern - a propane lantern is old-school, but bright / effective. I'd probably go with a battery powered option though, easier to deal with.

cookware - tons of options here. You could start by going to your local Thrift Store. Get the basics, they even have cast iron there often. Then get a plastic tub to store it all in - as your kitchen kit grows it will be valuable to store it all together for transport.

​

----

Without knowing the answers to my above questions, I'll throw out some basic gear options for you to check out:

​

Tent

• https://www.rei.com/product/894015/rei-co-op-kingdom-4-tent
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Sundome-4-Person-Tent-Green/dp/B004J2GUOU
  
  There are other top brands, but the REI one is good quality for the cost. The Coleman one is cheap, but highly popular and good enough for most. Kind of 2 ends of the spectrum there.
  
  ​
  
  Stove
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Stove-Ppn-BRN-Triton/dp/B00VTJGWNU
  
  This one really is the standard, I don't recommend any other option personally.
  
  ​
  
  Lantern
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Northstar-Propane-Lantern-Case/dp/B00HUG7OZQ
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Portable-Camping-Flashlights-Batteries/dp/B00XM8HTIS
  
• https://www.amazon.com/rechargeable-camping-batteries-EdisonBright-Batteries/dp/B01HB4WK3M
  
  Tons of options in the battery category. Might as well start cheap and see if it works well enough. I rarely even use my lantern anyway. I sit by the fire or use my headlamp. Better to invest in a good headlamp I'd say.
  
  ​
  
  Cookware
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Adventure-Base-Stainless-Steel/dp/B01MTFIMUC
  
• https://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-Superior-Backcountry-Cookware/dp/B006ERSCNA
  
  Kits are a good way to get started. Then add single items like tongs, knives, wash buckets, etc. as needed. I really do suggest using items from the thrift store whenever possible. That way you don't care if it gets dinged up or burnt while camping.

nitecore lr50

It looks like that deal is active - the linked lantern is $50.56 now.

Neither price is really a deal breaker, but it's hard not to compare it against other 4x D cell lanterns that are available for $30 and also offer stepless dimming.

At the current price it's probably worth $20 for a more compact light that has a higher CLR and (likely) a more realistically rated output. $50 more is a bit of a stretch.

Curious, does this mean that amazon.de and others aren't allowed?

If they are allowed, I'd love the Nitecore LA10 CRI! https://www.amazon.de/Nitecore-LA10-CRI-schwarz-Mini-Laterne/dp/B01M3TWZSK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1540150320&sr=8-3&keywords=nitecore+LA10