When it comes to camping, one of the best aspects of a getaway is literally just that…getting away from everything. Unfortunately, that often means you’ll find yourself in some pretty dark surroundings. Oftentimes, all that’s standing between you and the wilderness is a lantern. That’s why it’s important to make sure you’ve got a good one!
Here’s a look at three of the best lanterns you can have in your camping arsenal. Of course, the most important aspect of a lantern is how much light it puts out, and these three are some of the best. Each of these lanterns is also fairly rugged, so they’ll stand up to plenty of abuse.
Whether you’re stocking your emergency closet or looking for a lantern to guide you around your campsite at night, you’ll want to have one of these lanterns around.
1. Collapsible Divine LED Lantern
This is touted as the “brightest lantern on Amazon,” and customers can’t stop raving about it. This lantern literally receives a few dozen five star reviews every single day. What makes it so good? In addition to being incredibly bright, it’s incredibly rugged. It’s constructed from military grade, water resistant material, meaning it’s perfect for indoor or outdoor use. It collapses into itself with a single button push, both saving space and protecting the lantern even further. The manufacturer, Divine LED, has only been around since 2013. But in a few short years, they’ve put out some of the best products available. It is compatible with rechargeable batteries, and boasts an impressive 30 LED lights.
Real life review: How awesome is this lantern? My husband used it to move something behind our shed in the dark, forgot about it and left it there for 48 hours. When he retrieved it, it was STILL ON, shining brightly even though it was covered with ice.
2. AYL Starlight 330 Lantern
Think of the term “starlight,” and images of soft, twinkling lights come to mind. But the Starlight 330 lantern from AYL is anything but soft. A fresh set of D batteries will last you over 6 days! Its water resistant, shock-proof shell protects an output of 300 lumens that promises over 100,000 hours of use. Three lighting modes are available, including low, high and flashing strobe. You can use the lantern as a spotlight to light up one specific area, or there’s a removable convex reflector cap that fits on the top of the lantern to shine the light back down for full 360 degree coverage.
Real life review: The brightest setting is the brightest I have seen in a lantern. It is lightweight, but it’s durable and strong. We are thrilled to have it for a number of lighting needs whether for camping, hiking, working outside in the dark, or for power outage emergencies.
3. Coleman MicroPacker LED Mini Lantern
Coleman’s MicroPacker comes in at only 6 ounces and 9.5 inches tall. If you’re packing light, this is the lantern you’ll want to include. But just because it’s small, that doesn’t mean you’ll get reduced light output from it! It doesn’t have multiple settings, but it will last for plenty of time on one set of batteries (nearly 92 hours according to the manufacturer). One of the better features about this lantern is that it converts from a lantern to a flashlight with one snap.
Real life review: These were a godsend. Absolutely fantastic! This lantern is small and compact, but still bright enough for any use – camping or emergency. The LED lights last a very long time on one set of batteries.
