Camping Lights

The main camping lights when you go camping are the camp fires we all sit around at night time. Here we eat good hot food and maybe drink a nice beverage of some sort whilst telling horror stories or just having general chit chat and a sing song under the wonderful star lit sky. These visions are stirring fond memories in my mind and right now I can feel my feet itching to get out there again. Camping is a wonderful experience where you make new friends in abundance and enjoy all that nature has to offer. The camp fire is not the only form of camping light and when you retire to your tent at night time you need some form of lighting to see what you are doing and that is why you will add camping lights to your camping and outdoor equipment items.

Camping and Outdoor Equipment

Camping Lights

Camping lights are portable, light and environmentally friendly and generally fall into 2 categories according to their design. They can be roof lamps or lanterns. The roof lantern is a camping light that you hook up to the inside of your tent’s roof. With this type of camping and outdoor equipment the whole tent is illuminated so that you can

Single Mantle Fuel Lantern by Coleman

Coleman is one of the largest specialist camping and outdoor equipment makers and as with most camping accessories they produce camping lights for the camper. This example is a very good compact light that is very rugged and easy to use. The light effect is excellent whilst being very efficient as well. If you are an active camper then this could be the ideal camping light for you because all the components on it are very tough indeed. This camping light was built to be used and to be used frequently. For power you can run this light off unleaded petrol or on Coleman’s own fuel so wherever you decide to go you can be assured that you will be able to obtain fuel for this lantern. On one filling of fuel this camping light has a long burn time of approximately 14 hours and you can choose and adjust the light levels from bright lighting right down to soft ambient light. On the safety front this light excels and will not flare after a minute of correct operation. The dimensions are 32 x 15 cm and the weight is 1.34 Kg

Choosing camping lights

You should choose your camping lights based upon how, when and where you go camping. It is not advisable to just go out to your local camping and outdoor equipment store and just buy the first camping light you see. Camping has increased greatly in popularity over the last 20 years or so and because of this camping equipment makers have put more thought and energy into designing camping equipment meaning that camping accessories are more advanced as technology progress’s. So nowadays there are many more camping lights to choose from and you can either visit your local camping and outdoor equipment supplier or browse the internet in the comfort of you own home in search of the ideal one for you.

If for example when you go camping you plan on doing a lot of hiking then your choice of camping light will be a headlamp or torch instead of a camping lantern. The thing with hiking is that you must limit your camping and outdoor equipment to the bare minimum as you don’t want to be carrying huge weights on your back. A head lamp for example is ideal for hiking at night as the light beam follows your eyes and then when you do bed down for the night in your tent it can be used for operating inside the tent. So the hiker doe not need a camping lantern. And then are you environmentally friendly? If so then you will be looking at LED camping lights and wind up lanterns. Perhaps you wish to combine uses with your camping and outdoor equipment. For example maybe you wish to have a collapsible fire pit with you on your camping trip. This can be used both for cooking and as a light source saving you from having to have a lantern. Do you want a camping light that has additional features such as a radio or compass? And what about midges that maybe you are allergic to. Certain camping lights double up as insect repellents as well. And finally how do you want your camping light to be powered. Do you want gas, petrol or just candle light. So before embarking upon buying a camping light consider everything in detail and when you have decided which of the camping lights suit your criteria, then and only then, make your commitment and purchase.

Gas Lanterns

These camping lights tend to use either propane or propane and butane mixes. Propane is the most popular fuel for weekend campers and it comes in disposable canisters that can be used quickly and efficiently to fill their appropriate unit of camping and outdoor camping equipment. They can however be expensive on extended camping trips. The propane butane mix also comes in canisters but these are lightweight and geared towards the hiker or backpacker as this mix is used mostly with lightweight lanterns.

The advantages of a gas lanterns are that they produce a very bright light and are easy and convenient to use. The disadvantages are that as with most liquid fuel lanterns there is always noise when they are operating and in freezing temperatures the gas will be affected as the pressure of it will decrease and you will not get the best performance out of you light. One other thin to be aware of as well with the gas lantern is that the globe and top of it pose a threat of burning you as they become very hot when in use.

Liquid Fuel Lanterns

These camping lights use 3 types of liquid fuel. Coleman fuel which is also known as white gas is the most popular fuel used for lanterns needing gas as the Coleman gas can be found in stores practically everywhere. Newer types of lanterns these days use unleaded gas and Coleman fuel. These are known as dual fuel lanterns and the advantage of these is that if for example you cannot find Coleman gas anywhere then you have an alternative option of using unleaded gas. Kerosene is the final liquid fuel but it has decreased in popularity though many still do use it for their camping lights. Kerosene however can smell and produce smoke which you really don’t want inside your tent.

Liquid fuel lanterns produce very bright light and are economical to use. They also can serve as a form of heat source when the temperatures drop. But they do get very hot and again the globe and top could give you a very serious burn. Though they are not as noisy as gas lanterns they still do however emit a white noise sound.

Battery Lanterns

These camping lights come in several varieties and form a part of many peoples camping and outdoor equipment items. There are non rechargeable lanterns which are powered by normal alkaline batteries, rechargeable lanterns powered by batteries that can be recharged by the mains or even solar power and self charging lanterns that are powered by a rechargeable battery that you recharge yourself by winding up the lantern. All these 3 examples are very good for camping. Two other types of battery lantern are the LED version which uses less battery power because the LED is very small, but gives out a great bright light and finally the fluorescent lantern which has a gas filled tube that gives off a bright light but uses low energy.

The advantages you experience from battery camping lights are that they are quiet and very easy to use. They are also very dependable and an excellent piece of camping equipment. The disadvantages are that the light these camping lights produce is not as bright as the gas or liquid fuel counterparts. Also as the batteries lose power the light will reduce with them and dim. Cold temperatures also can have an adverse affect on battery power.

Candle Lanterns

Candle lanterns do not require any power source. Just light them and you will have continual light for as long as the candle continues to burn. They are good for additional light sources and candle light will give you splendid ambience inside a tent.

They are very economical to use and make no sound. They can also serve as an insect repellent if you use citronella candles. The disadvantages are that the light they give off is not so bright and they could become a fire hazard if you do not use them correctly. Bad weather will affect their performance and of course you are not able to adjust the light level. However for a romantic relaxed night in the tent no other camping lights can compete with the candle lantern.

So hopefully now you have a little more knowledge about camping lights and will now be able to go out and buy the correct camping light for your camping and outdoor equipment requirements.

Most common gas lanterns are fueled by unleaded petrol because this unleaded fuel is more heat emitting and lasts much longer giving you a better light to fuel ratio. Depending upon the flame which is adjustable you can easily have a couple of hours of continual light from a single filling. And if building a fire is not something you want to do because you have to collect wood or you have environmental issues about it, then the gas lantern can serve as a pretty adequate substitute. Place 3 or lanterns down and you can all sit around them and tell your horror stories under the moon.

Remote Control Battery Operated Lantern by Ukayed

Camping lights also come in battery versions just like this remote control camping lantern from Ukayed. This is an ideal light for evenings outside whilst you are camping and it is also remote controlled. To turn it on or off all you have to do is push the remote control. How convenient is that! Because of the design of this item it is ideal for camping but can also be used in conjunction with fishing, caravanning and boating. When you are not camping it can be kept in your home as an emergency light source in case you have a power failure. To power this camping light you need 4 x D sized batteries and it’s recommended that you have the rechargeable versions. This lantern comes complete with a carry handle and a hanger hook so you can use it for hanging up in the roof of your tent to give you all round light. The remote control unit is infra red and the light given off is given by a 5 watt fluorescent double tube. All in all a good example out of the many camping lights that are available and an ideal addition to your camping and outdoor equipment and camping requirements.

TOR 314 LED Wind up Lantern by Gelert

Gelert make good quality camping and outdoor equipment and this, one of a many camping lights they produce, is no exception. This is an ideal accessory for camping particularly if you wish to do your bit for the environment whilst still having the performance levels of fuel camping lights. When you buy this version it comes supplied with the battery and bulb which is an ultra bright white LED bulb. The measurements of the bulb are 12 x 5mm. If you charge this light from the mains you can expect approximately 3 to 4 hours of light in one sitting. If you go for the wind up option then you will get about 15 minutes of light from 1 minute of winding. It is 2 function with 4 LED and 12 LED and gives you 360 degrees illumination. There is a carry handle with this lantern which is very durable and there is also a foldout hanging hook for you to hang it in the roof of your tent. Design wise it has a soft touch rubber finish which is water resistant and lastly but not least the winding handle is compact and folding. This a perfectly adequate camping light to go camping with.

Uco Candle Lantern by Oco

As said earlier camping lights come in several versions and this is the final version we shall take a look at. The candle lantern is still the most popular camping and outdoor equipment light for camping by the outdoor types. They are lightweight and compact and give off a warm light with just a single candle. As well as this they are so simple to use, maintain and operate. This particular version from Oco has a unique spring loaded candle tube that gives you a constant flame height and very little spillage of wax. When you buy this you are supplied with one candle as well which is good for about 9 hours of light. What is very novel about this lantern is the telescopic closing ability of it which protects the glass chimney while you are transporting it. There is a stainless steel handle to allow you to easily carry it or hang it. The dimensions open of this unit are 5 x 16.5 cm and 5 x 11 cm closed.

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read or write and if you are entertaining a small group of people, everyone has good vision. The majority of these roof lamps are powered by batteries and use LED bulbs for brighter light and lower energy drain. And of course they are safety conscious as well because there is not risk of the roof of your tent being ignited by a fire flame.

The lantern however on the other hand is a form of camping light that is used on the open ground. They can be used at close quarters in the tent for bedtime reading or such things but their use is not just limited to this. Because of their portability you can take them with you for picnics, midnight snacks or playing cards. If you are a camping fisherman and embark upon night fishing they are more than suitable company for you in that situation as well. These lanterns can either be powered by gas or electric.

The electronic lantern is pretty much the same as a roof camping light in that they are powered by batteries and in many cases have LED bulbs. But some of these lanterns have a novelty factor about them. Manufacturers have tinkered with them and now you can even buy lanterns with built in radios in them or even with a compass. For the night fisher person these lanterns are also very good for giving you some light to read whilst you are waiting for a bite and the glow should even attract the fish as they will find it alluring. But don’t just buy one of these because now you think it will help you catch fish. I am not promising you anything. So you can now see that camping lights are very versatile and because of their popularity amongst the camping fraternity, manufacturers have produced many different varieties for you to choose from to add to your camping and outdoor equipment.