Lanterns

[Bob]

I'm looking to get a lantern now the nights are drawing in so I thought I'd cast around for suggestions / favourites.

Ideally it will be a small but robust one that will throw out a decent level of light, will be safe to use inside a tent but also won't blow out under a tarp, and uses mantles etc. that can be acquired easily.

Fuel-wise, I'm unsure whether petrol or bottled gas is best. Certainly the only petrol lanterns I've come across seem much too large for carting around easily (more the sort of thing you'd throw in a vehicle), so it looks like gas might be more practical - however I'm open to suggestions. Most battery lanterns look to be fairly hungry and low light.

Common makes appear to be 'Camping Gaz', Karrimor, Coleman and Primus. Anyone recommend any of these?

Your help appreciated - thanks.

Bob :-D

 

[ally]

i love the basic stuff me, old drinks can and a candle, couple of them work a treat, bit of clear platic when its really windy, candles are nice and small and the cans are also portable drinks carriers!

 

[alick]

I like candles, little to go wrong and lots of life for the smal size. If you use a tent in winter, they add a useful bit of warmth too.

I keep hankering after one of the new compact gas lanterns (primus / optimus whatever or the Brunton Glorb) but it's just because I'm a gear freak - I don't need one and so far I've managed to resist. :-D

 

[stevec]

have a look at the outdoor designs lanternshttp://www.outdoordesigns.co.uk/observerlantern.html its about the size of a satsuma. or candles are good. coolahans, an american firm made a small candle lamp that took tealights, not many places sell it though. i did find a place selling tealight lamps, a while back. a fishing store i seem to remember. i made my own.
don't know how expensive this method miht be, but, go and get one of the glass inserts for a bordum coffee cup, cut up a drinks can to make a lid, et voila. we've got a glass workshop here where i work so i got them to cut me up a bit of pyrex.
steve
ps sorry bout the grammer

 

[martin]

They sell these on http://www.attacc.com/acatalog/Attleborough_Accessories_Explorer.html
Five hours on half a candle.

 

[bigjackbrass]

The Bushlite is a very good candle lantern. I've had one for about four years now, but after the previous importer disappeared I started to fear that I'd never be able to get a replacement glass if anything happened to it, then I found Att. Acc. (link in Martin's post).

The main advantage over typical camping candle lanterns is that it takes standard household candles, particularly handy if it you use it overseas where special candles are hard to find. They don't burn for quite as long, but you can sometimes find specially hardened ones which burn for longer than the average. Past Times used to sell them, in fact. I have a small reflector inside the glass to help with the light output.

Very nice to have in a small tent, but the light is still basically a single candle. They cannot compete in terms of brightness with a gas or liquid fuel lantern... but they're entirely quiet and very small (not much bigger than the cardboard tube out of a toilet roll).

 

[Roving Rich]

Personally I'd never take a petrol lantern into my tent. I've had a few bad experiences with stoves to put me off. I'd go for the gas as they seem very reliable. I just use a small fluorescent tube torch that runs off the trusty 4xAA batteries, fixed up high it illuminates the whole tent and gives enough light to read by. Mine came outof a neighbours skip! but i have seen them in woolies.
As the ultimate travelling lantern suitable for all bushcraters (though i still wouldn't put one in my tent):
Take one white paper bag, the type we used to get sweets in to the macdonalds bag, any will do. Fill the bottom of the bag with dirt. Sand is ideal. Just enough to keep the bag open and stop it from blowing over.
Place one tealight/nightlight in the bag and light it - Het presto one lightweight folding recycled disposable lantern.
They give off a suprising amount of light, and with Ikea and Habitat selling bags of 50 nightlights for a few quid they're east to make.
Go on light up your whole campsite, your pathways whatever, also great for summer barbqs...
Cheers
Rich :-D

 

[stevec]

had a thought, if you want a small gas lantern, have a look at the karrimor one, mitylite, possibly, its got a metal globe not glass, so if you drop it all that breaks shoud be the mantle!
possibly try looking at
www.rekri8.co.uk
steve

 

[Tony]

had a thought, if you want a small gas lantern, have a look at the karrimor one, mitylite, possibly, its got a metal globe not glass, so if you drop it all that breaks shoud be the mantle!
possibly try looking at
www.rekri8.co.uk
steve

It is good, we are reviewing one at the moment. A tough little beast :-D

 

[rik_uk3]

These are great value for money, the seller has them up all the time

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=160100727569&rd=1&rd=1

spring loader for a candle plus a small paraffin burner (not much good, the candle is great). You can also load a tea light into the candle holder if you run out of the long life candles. £6.99 delivered is a good price Its actually the Eltex 'Firefly' lantern.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Take one white paper bag... Fill the bottom of the bag with dirt.
Place one tealight/nightlight in the bag and light it - Het presto one lightweight Rich :-D

Hey Rich,
That sounds similar to one that I've seen. Take a plastic milk carton, cut the bottom out of it - invert it and tape/tie it to a stick. Cut a cross in the cap and push a candle through it so the flame will burn inside the carton - soft illumination and reasonably safe.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Wayland]

Like this.