Camping is undoubtedly seen by all that enjoy it as a great way to escape from the trappings of modern life.
However, we are sure you will agree, there are some camping accessories that are important to pack for a camping trip, as they can transform an okay camping experience into a memorable and comfortable one and one such thing just has to be a good rechargeable lantern or LED lantern.
There is nothing more memorable, in a truly positive way anyway, about trying to find your way out of the tent and into the wilderness in the dark and without a camping lantern, almost breaking your neck tripping over chairs and guy lines.
If in your visions you have this glorious dream of your return to nature being peaceful, tranquil, and relaxing then you will need a camp light, because if you take away the luxury of LED lanterns it is anything but relaxing when the campsites goes dark.
This is why we would always recommend that along with everything else you need to remember to take, you need to take some form of LED camping lanterns. The go-to lighting for camping has been for a long time, the humble and reliable flashlight, or even the old style gas lamps, which is just so dangerous when camping.
We agree that flashlights are essential for camping but they definitely do not create a mood or provide good light to sit by and relax, unlike an LED lantern. Well, there’s a new kid on the block when it comes to LED lights for camping.
Flashlights are just not as effective as an LED camping lantern or LED head-lamp on those days when the weather conditions are poor and you are stuck in your tent until the rain stops, trying to read or play a card game or two.
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Our Top 5 Best Camping Lantern Reviews
This is when you need something a bit more robust and versatile such as rechargeable lanterns for your illumination, with LED energy efficiency they have the power and are the right size for any tent. With the best LED camping lanterns, you are able to light up far more space than you can with a flashlight.
When it comes to led camp lighting, you may be wondering how you decide which is best. Well, this is tricky, given the sheer variety and options available. However, with this post, we hope to make it a little easier, by outlining our top 5 best camping lanterns.
1. Etekcity LED Camping Lantern Portable Flashlight
Affordable, practical, and lightweight are 3 terms that could be used to describe the Etekcity LED camping lantern. Its power source is from 3 AA batteries and on full power will produce illumination for a total of 12 hours. In contrast to other battery powered LED lanterns, this lantern features very precise adjustment.
It features the fact there are no light modes to worry about, to adjust the brightness you simply turn the top, (where the bulbs are installed) and collapse it into the lantern base, blocking off some of the lights ideal for any camping trip.
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These LED lanterns consist of 30 LEDs that are placed into groups of 10 between 3 different faces, giving you a full 360 degrees of light. When you collapse the top part into the base and fold the handles into the sides, you transform the size of the lantern into a more compact size.
Undoubtedly, the most attractive selling point of these LED lanterns is that it is actually a pack of 4. Meaning you can have one that you can use at your tent or sitting around the campfire, while the others can be used when you have to go to the toilet or go exploring during the darkness of dawn or dusk.
Why We Liked It
- Sold up to packs of 4
- Designed for convenience
- Ultra-bright
- Collapsible design
2. Streamlight 44931 The Siege Camp Lantern
It is fair to say that the first on our list is one of the best LED lanterns available. Not only is it suitable for the wilderness because of its durability and robustness, but this is also one of the brightest LED lanterns with a lumen rating of 540 lumens.
The power source for this model is 3 x D battery type. This also features a recessed switch there is no accidental turning ON when packed away in a case or backpack. The Siege portable camping lantern has the power to produce a bright light when it is on its highest power setting, thanks to the 4 extremely bright LEDs.
Streamlight’s design for this lantern is set apart from others because it has three different lighting modes or power settings. We’ve already covered high, but the medium produces a respectable 275 lumens, while low only provides 55 lumens saving battery life when you do not need the extra light.
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Streamlight has really designed a thoughtful lighting solution with these LED lanterns, that can also help when you are stuck in an emergency situation. The Siege features a red LED bulb that can either be used as a night light with hardly any battery power usage, using only 10 lumens or for an emergency situation light with the option for it to flash red for an SOS call.
Streamlight’s The Siege LED camping lantern has a sturdy handle for illumination when wandering the campsites and is also kitted out with a D ring hanging hook on the bottom and top of it, allowing you the flexibility to hang both directions, upside down for more focused light.
With the 3 lighting modes, High power runs 30 hours battery life, the medium is still a bright light but a longer run time of 70 hours battery life and low provides extended run times for when less light is needed and gives 295 hours of battery life. Ideal illumination for power outages as well.
Why We Liked It
- Red emergency SOS mode
- 295 hours of battery life
- Incorporated D rings
- Removable cover
3. MPOWERD Luci Outdoor 2.0 Inflatable LED Camping Light
This next product on our list is not like any other LED camping lantern, this one is actually an inflatable lantern. Yes – you heard me right. This is a unique lighting design from MPowerd that is completely powered by the sun and needs no batteries.
It is extremely durable and weighs less than a mobile phone. Once in direct sunlight, this LED camping light can last up to 24 hours on a single 7-hour charge. Users have recommended it the best option for a wide range of outdoor activities, such as; perfect for camping, biking, hiking, kayaking, fishing, paddle boarding, and more.
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The lantern features top and base straps that are adjustable, making it very convenient for clipping onto backpacks, stringing the light wherever it is needed, or even just hanging in a tent.
The Luci outdoor LED light has 10 cool white LEDs that shine up to 75 lumens. Not the brightest camping light on our list but a reliable source of light to keep you out of the dark. It comes with 4 different lighting modes, from low, high, medium and 1-second flashing which can be used in an emergency situation.
Why We Liked It
- Solar Powered
- Inflatable LED Lantern
- Super lightweight
- Waterproof design
4. Supernova 500 Lumens Ultra Bright LED Lantern
Next on our list is this LED lantern light which has a surprisingly powerful brightness rating, Supernova’s Ultra Bright LED camping lantern has a lumen rating of 500 Lumens, enough light for your tent and campsite.
This lanterns design means that it can be hung from the top of your tent, either up the right way or upside down. Why? Hanging this camping lantern upside down can help to produce a more focused light, meaning you can light a specific area of your tent.
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If you want to focus the light, even more, you can remove the cover from in front of the bulb too. This is great if you are reading or playing cards or a board game. This lantern also benefits from featuring an emergency light option – flashing for an SOS situation.
Amazingly, the 3 x D batteries that these camping lanterns have as their power source give you bright light for a full 3 days. Allowing for around 5 to 6 nights worth of light, think about the possibilities though, as you are unlikely to run it continuously throughout the night, every night. So with just one set of batteries, you could have power for light for an entire camping trip.
Why We Liked It
- 500 Lumens
- Emergency light mode
- Long-lasting light
- Versatile hanging options
5. Lighting Ever Rechargeable LED Camping Lantern
If you are looking to use a light to cover the whole of your tent, while not having to actually hold the light this is the LED camping lantern for you. This camping lantern from Lighting Ever comes with 3 different lighting modes. Full brightness of 280 lumens, half brightness of 140 lumens, and even an SOS mode at 260 lumens.
Respectively, this tiny but bright LED light can last about 5-11 hours, which is one of the main reasons we loved it. A row of blue indicator lights show the battery level so that you can charge it timely. It only weighs 0.39 lbs which is one of the lightest camping lanterns on the market! Perfect for carrying in your bag or backpack without taking up lots of space.
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Another feature that makes this LED camping lantern stand out from the rest is the two magnets that can be found on the base. This makes it super easy to stick this light to your tent or any metal surface. Just like most other LED camping lanterns, this light can also be hung using two metal loops.
Despite all the features it has, this lantern has very simplistic controls and is therefore still really easy to use. To select any of the 3 power settings above its just a simple press the same button the relevant number of times. With all of the above lighting modes, the pure robustness, and practicability of these LED lanterns, and with the price taken into consideration, this is a lantern camping light that is well worth investing in for your tent. Beats a flashlight hands down.
Why We Liked It
- SOS lighting mode
- Magnetic hanging options
- Super small in size
- Lightest camping lantern
If you need a recap of our article, here’s the most popular and best LED camping lantern picks:
- Designed for convenience
- Sold up to packs of 4
- Ultra-bright
- Collapsible design
- Magnets and hooks
- Compact & portable
- 3 lighting modes
- USB rechargeable
- An Amazons Choice
- 2300+ 5* Reviews
- Rechargeable Available
- 540 Lumens
LED Camping Lantern Buying Guide
There you have it, our top 5 best LED camping lanterns. We hope that the above helps you to find the best LED lantern for your needs and requirements so that you can have a great and most comfortable camping experience possible when it is dark.
Before you go and pick a camping lantern, we wanted to give you further help with choosing the best light. The specification of camping lanterns can not only help you to determine if it is the right light solution for you, but also if it is a good camping lantern in general after all there is no point getting a lantern that leaves you stumbling around in the dark.
Below are some key aspects to consider.
Think About Its Power Source
While you will notice that there are various kinds of power options for camping lanterns, you have probably noted that the only ones we’ve covered are powered by a battery (be in lithium-ion or conventional AAA and D batteries).
One major plus point for battery or rechargeable LED lanterns though is the fact that you can place them virtually anywhere and do not have to worry that it might get tipped over or set something on fire – something that can’t necessarily be said about fuel-powered lanterns. This means if you prefer a night-light while you sleep or are camping with younger children that do, you can keep a battery lantern on all night without any worries or concerns.
Another distinct advantage is the fact that fuel-powered lanterns are not as flexible in how you can place them or hang them, compared to battery-powered options which can be hung upside down, on their side (depending on their design) or simply the right way up.
Brightness – Lumen Count
Before we go any further, if you are not familiar with lighting and brightness, you may be wondering what lumens actually are. Basically, just like a gram is a unit of weight a lumen is a unit of brightness, therefore, the higher the lumen count the brighter the light.
Lumens are an important number to pay attention to as newer bulbs, like LEDs for instance, do not need as much wattage as older bulbs to produce the same level of light. As such, they can’t be similarly labeled. This is useful when you are comparing fuel-powered lanterns and bulb-based alternatives, like LEDs, as fuel-powered models do not use any wattage, but still produce light.
If you are looking to illuminate your entire camping ground, however, you may be able to buy some solar flood lights instead. These are designed for high brightness and are normally solar powered that will recharge during the day time and do not require constant changing of batteries.
You could even go the whole 9 yards and use solar path light stakes to mark a route to the toilet or a perimeter around your campsite.
Other Factors To Consider
Camping lantern models out there feature handy and practical hooks that allow you to hang them from branches or the top of your tent. So check them out to make sure they can be hung.
Quite a few battery camping lanterns have hooks located on the bottom that means you can turn them upside down to hang them which will give you more downward and focused light. With these models, you often have the option to remove the cover as well which helps give even more light towards the center of your tent. Having this option is handy for reading books or other fun things to do while camping.
So there you have it, Batteries, power, size, weight, and lumens for brightness are the main things to look for in a camping lantern.
Happy Camping!
Frequently Asked Questions about LED Camping Lanterns
Now you have seen our picks for lanterns that are currently on the market. As you will have noticed a lot a very similar in size, weight, and design and therefore you do need to check out the features each lantern has, such as how many light modes there are, are the batteries rechargeable and how long will the power last to light your tent. There is nothing worse than failing batteries halfway through a camping trip.
What is the best LED camping lantern?
Our top picks for the best LED camping lantern covers various forms and design types. For the most robust and adaptable light for a tent or camp, we would recommend the battery-operated Streamlight 44931 The Siege LED Lanterns.
For fun but practical along with being lightweight it has to be the Luminoodle which are LED strips with style, no batteries are required as all you need to do is plug them into your power bank a brilliant light for LED camping with style.
What is the brightest camping lantern?
The brightest camping lantern we have in our reviews is an outstanding battery operated lantern with a huge 540 lumens. It is the Streamlight 44931 The Siege LED Lantern which is robust, fully waterproof, and features 4 light modes for brightness and energy saving for the batteries’ power usage.
All camping lanterns come with a different amount of LEDs and each LED has a different amount of lumens, (each lumen represents a bit of brightness), so the more lumens the LEDs have the brighter the camping lantern will be.
How long do LED Lantern Lights last?
LED lantern lights can last for up to 50,000 hours, this is the LED bulbs themselves. If the actual lantern molding and build are inferior then this will break before the light fails, so if you are investing in LED lanterns be sure to buy quality and not design if you want them to last.
1 comment
These Etekcity Lanterns are awesome!! This is the third 4 pack I have bought! I make family Christmas baskets each year, and I tuck one into those. I also have one in every room of my house for times of power loss. I figure a 7 hour battery life will work a full night with power to spare so a couple dozen more AA’s and we are all set for next time. Mine will sit in the closet until the power goes out, but these could also work really well for camping or even cooking or whatever in the back yard if you didn’t have ample lighting. 🙂