by Rex Trulove

Created on: July 20, 2009

As far as camping equipment goes, camp lanterns are not normally thought of as vital. Still, a campfire rarely puts out enough light to see in camp in night, and a flashlight, also known as a torch, isn't a great deal of help. This increases dangers from falling and unseen obstacles. This means that a camp lantern is quite useful and increases safety, even if it isn't considered vital.

There are four basic kinds of camp lanterns, and to choose one, it is important to know the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Battery powered:

There are many shapes and sizes, but they all work on the same principle. Batteries are used to light bulbs in the camp lantern. This is efficient, and the lanterns are often not very expensive, but the downside is that unless you have extra batteries, they generally don't last very long before the light begins to become dimmer. The batteries can even wear down in storage, and the bulbs may need to be replaced. This can be problematic if a bulb burns out when you are in camp. How many people will think of bringing extra bulbs and batteries?

Kerosene powered:

These usually come in one and two mantle versions. The mantle is a cloth bag that must be tied on and burned before the lantern is turned on and lit, however it lasts for some time with reasonable care. The light is bright, particularly with the two-mantled version. The drawbacks are that this kind of lantern requires pumping a small piston in order to get enough air in the tank to force the air and kerosene mixture into the mantles. They must also be pumped up frequently.

Another downside is that kerosene or white gas is highly flammable and explosive. Without proper care, a fire can easily happen. The glass and top that surround the mantles also gets extremely hot, so care must be given not to burn yourself when handling the lantern.

Propane powered:

Lanterns of this sort also come in one and two mantle versions, and the mantles need to be pre-burned as with the kerosene lantern. The light is also bright and can last for a good amount of time with a single cylinder of propane. It isn't unusual for one tank of propane to last for several nights, and no pumping is required. While also explosive, propane is also less apt to create a fire that must be contained and is safer.

The drawbacks are that the cylinders need to be disposed of when empty and that the glass and top still get very hot. Too often people give one of the empty tanks a toss, which is not great for the environment.

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>