I’m always happy to review kit that keeps the darkness at bay, and even though I can be a bit of a torch snob, I’m not averse to using kit that’s value for money.

We were offered the chance to review the GlobaLink Rechargeable Collapsible Lantern, and although its full title on Amazon is ‘GlobaLink Camping Lantern, LED Rechargeable Camping Light, Solar/USB Powered Collapsible Tent Light with First-Aid Whistle, Camping Lamp for Outdoor Hiking Tent Garden, Emergency Charger for Phone.’ We will stick to lantern!

We will focus on its job as a lantern, but I’ll give an opinion on the extras towards the end of the review.

For the most part, it has exceeded my expectations. It works well; it’s compact, rugged, easy to open, turn on, and close and put away. Based on a concertina principle, you hold the lamp, turn each half in opposite directions and then pull it apart, easy peasy! The main defuser/lens is pliable plastic; the whole thing is plastic, but the case/enclosure is solid.

Illumination

It has a max 65lm output that’s diffused via the plastic concertina material; this gives the lantern a soft white light that’s not blinding and works well for a small area of illumination. I didn’t find a lot of difference between the 65 and 25lm settings so I mostly used the lower one to conserve battery power.

I liked being able to hang the lantern, and the end lens was useful when it was closed, and in more of a ‘torch’ mode; it gave a good downlight.

There’s a flashing ‘SOS’ mode, although it didn’t SOS, but just regular on/off flashing at the 65lm level, could be useful in the right circumstances.

Runtime

The quoted runtimes are 5hrs on high – 65lm output, 10hrs on low 25lm output, 6hrs on strobe, and these seem fairly accurate in our testing.

Battery

Being rechargeable and lasting a reasonable amount of time, it saves on batteries and the hassle they can be. Still, there’s also the convenience of carrying spare batteries. Of course, that’s up to you to decide if not having that option is ok.
It also has a USB output for charging phones, etc. It works, but given the limited battery size, it’s unlikely to be hugely helpful; my phone battery is 5x bigger than the lamp’s. But, in an emergency, having some source of phone charging could be essential.

Solar Charging

Well, it works, but it’s very slow. The quoted time is 20 hrs for a full charge. I’d say closer to 24hrs with reasonable sunlight. So if you used the lamp for just a couple of hours a night, you could keep ahead of your power consumption, especially if you had the lamp on the low 25lm setting, which would be enough inside a tent to read etc.
I would make sure I had a power pack just in case it needed a boost if I was going to use it for more than a couple of nights.

Feel, Durability and Build Quality

For the price, the build quality is fine and will stand up well to the rigours of camping and being outdoors. It’s IPX4, so it can handle some rain and getting a little wet, although it’s not to be immersed. It’s comfortable when opening, and the button works fine for cycling through the lighting modes.


It has little rubber feet on one end so that it can grip a flat surface, and on the other end, there’s a hanging loop, which is practical and can be used with the little carabiner that comes with it. When it’s hung from the loop, and the lamp is closed, the ‘torch’ function gives a suitable downlight.

Extras

The lamp comes with a micro USB charging cable, a small carabiner and a paracord ‘survival’ bracelet, which I can only presume is in there as a value add. It’s 21.5cm long and has a built-in flint and striker, which actually work surprisingly well. I’d even say that you could use the striker as a mini saw if needed; it’s sharp and serrated enough. So, it would provide some cordage, possible firefighting and some sort of edged tool…could be a lot worse!

Conclusion

The GlobaLink Rechargeable Collapsible Lantern is a good value cheap plastic lantern that will last well. As long as you are realistic about the solar charging capabilities of the lantern, you’ll be fine.

You can purchase the Lantern from Amazon with a 10% discount HERE