Light Up The Night With The Best Camping Lanterns In 2022

Why Trust Us

When it comes to all things camping, outdoors and sports-related, that's where our GearHungry team shines. We love camping, exploring and getting outdoors, so outdoor lanterns are must-haves. Whether it's small LED lanterns for camping tents or ultralight backpacking lanterns, this guide and our team have used a little bit of everything.

Who This Is For

This guide is for anyone looking for a quality camping lantern. Most of the lanterns here feature a rechargeable battery or built-in solar panels but we have a couple of gas-powered lanterns on our list too. Among the variety found in this guide, we think there's a camp lantern for everyone here.

How We Picked

Selecting the best camping lanterns started with our team's tried and tested favorites. We then ensured we have a variety of shapes, brightness, features and weight so that there were plenty of options, from the best backpacking lantern to favorites for car camping, and even a gas-powered lantern.

How We Tested

I tested these lanterns with my partner and some friends on a weekend camping trip. We used them for late-night adventures to the creek, for bathroom trips and while sitting around the camp table at night.

Features To Look For In Camping Lanterns

There are many things to consider when buying a camping lantern, including the power source, brightness, weight of the lantern, and more. Here are the main things we recommend you pay attention to.

Weight - Camping lanterns should be relatively lightweight. You’ll see an average of one to two pounds, and rarely more than three. You’ll be holding your lantern slightly elevated, so you don’t want too much weight making your arm tired while you’re traveling. However, lightweight camping lanterns may fall or become damaged if they are too light and hanging from a tree or inside a tent.

Brightness – If you want the outdoor lantern to illuminate your entire campground you’re going to want a propane camping lantern or one of the more powerful (600 lumens and up) LED lamps. If you're fishing and need light for your gear or something to illuminate your ski hut for the night, you'll want a softer, dimmer light. Lumens generally translate to brightness but in some situations, soft light or ambient light (string lights, anyone?) is a better fit.

Portability - This usually comes down to weight distribution. If a lantern is awkwardly heavy on one side, or doesn’t possess a large enough handle, it’s not very portable. There are some models where you’re just expected to put them down, turn them on, and that’s it but if you expect or need a lantern for late night bathroom trips or explorations, then portability should be a consideration.

Type and number of batteries required – Flashlight batteries are more expensive and heavier than AA or AAA batteries which is something to consider if you’re hiking a long way. Rechargeable camping lantern options are usually quite lightweight, as are solar-powered lantern options.

Light duration – How long the camping lantern will operate on a full charge, full tank of fuel, or a new set of batteries is crucial. Generally, the longer the battery life the better. However, easily rechargeable camping lanterns like solar powered options may not need as long of a run time.

Light modes and functions - Having several light settings is a benefit. A red light mode, for example, is great for being on the beach and not disturbing others. Multiple brightness settings are standard in any camp lantern and many have a dial to adjust the brightness. A blinking setting can be vital in an emergency too!

Water resistance and IP ratings - If you intend to bring your camp lantern on a kayak or raft trip, a snowy ski hut trip, or anywhere where there is a chance of moisture, water resistance and IP ratings matter to ensure you have a product that can tolerate its intended environment, the outdoors.

Size – Generally, the larger the camping lantern the less appropriate it will be on long treks. Smaller lanterns may not be bright enough for large spaces or campgrounds though. A night with a full moon will also need less illumination than one with a new moon.

Stability - Stability can be a make or break feature depending on your use. A lantern you intend to hang or carry around may not need to sit on a table well but any camp lantern that will be standing on its own must be stable enough to withstand some wind and movements.

Additional features - Additional features like phone charging or other survival or convenience features are always a plus but are not necessary. Extra features are a win but aren't worth shelling out too much extra money for.

Types Of Camping Lanterns

Electric lanterns – The battery operated lantern has been around a while but has become increasingly popular following the advent of affordable LED technology. Today they’re the fastest growing segment of the outdoor lantern market. Some of the benefits of electric lanterns that use LED technology include a long battery life, great light output, and quiet operation. Another big plus is that they're safe for indoor use.

Fuel-powered lanterns – There are a number of different types of fuel-powered camping lanterns including:

• Propane – Propane powered camping lanterns enjoyed widespread popularity in the past and are still very popular mainly because you have more precise control over the amount of light and they shine like the sun if that’s what you want. Many folks also carry propane for their camp stoves, making it an accessible fuel source.
• Butane – Butane-powered lanterns are not huge sellers because they don’t always perform well in cold weather. They do have the advantage of lighter fuel canisters than propane and they’re typically self-igniting.
• Kerosene – Kerosene lanterns are old-school at its best. Typically made of metal with a heavy glass lens, they can weigh quite a bit. On the other hand, you have a lot of control and they’re very dependable. There is a greater fire hazard here though, but these are still some of the most dependable gas lantern options.

Wind-ups – Wind-up lanterns use a crank system to charge a battery that powers what are typically LED lights. They’re great because they never run out of power and are easy to recharge. Some of these models don't hold their charge for long though.

Solar – The solar powered rechargeable lantern is a favorite of environmentalists seeking a more sustainable way to illuminate their surroundings. The only drawback is the obvious one: cloudy days. Still, some of the best camping lanterns on the market fall in the solar powered lantern category. Many of these models make for a compact lantern that is great for backpacking.

Q: How to maintain camping lanterns?

A: You’ve got a fairly easy task when it comes to maintaining your camping lantern. There’s very little damage that can occur (apart from dropping it), so following these steps will keep it in out-of-the-box shape from day one to day one-thousand.

• Clear dirt from base - Bits of dirt and dust are going to find their way inside your camping lantern. Simply detach the lens, clean out anything that’s fallen in, and ensure to clean the exterior. People don’t often correlate general cleanliness with maintenance, which is exactly how things get damaged far quicker than they ever should have.
• Clean interior of lens - If you get a simple lens cleaning rag or individual lens wipes, you’ll be good to go. Take the lens off during disassembly and general cleaning, and wipe down the inside and out. Light eventually bleaches/damages plastic lenses, which are most common among camping lanterns. You can slow that effect immensely by doing this, which will keep things nice and bright as time goes on.

Q: How often should I clean my camping lantern?

A: Ideally, you'll wipe your lantern down every time you're about to put it away after camping, and right before you use it again. If you’re one of those gents who throws your camping gear into a bag in a hurry and heads home, you’re bringing the great outdoors in, and nobody wants that. Clean your lantern right before you store it and then again before you use it, and it’ll stay looking next to perfect.

If you just use your lantern in the backyard or have it set for emergencies, you should check it out every six months to clean off any dust or dirt that’s gathered. Give it a little test as well; nobody wants to reach in for emergency supplies, only to find that their light source is toast.

Q: What are lumens?

A: In short, lumens equal brightness. Lumens are affected by way too many factors to count but primarily dictate how bright your light source is going to be.

Thanks to new light bulb labeling standards and laws, it’s easy to determine how energy-efficient a light bulb can be. You take the lumens (listed on packages) and divide by the watts that the bulb or light source takes. You’re able to get a figure of watts per lumen, and on portable light sources like these camping lanterns, it gives you a better idea of how quickly you’re going to run through the battery source.

More lumens, more light; this is especially useful for your campsite. Too many lumens can be a bad thing, mind you. In a moment, we’ll discuss how many lumens you’re actually going to need. If you take a look at our tactical flashlight buying guide, high outputs of lumens are used to temporarily blind and distract your adversaries in a survival scenario. High lumens can damage your eyesight, so be careful.

Q: How many lumens do you really need?

A: You want to light up the campsite, but you don’t want to burn your retinas out. For the indoors, you’ll want 5,000 lumens per 250 square feet. Since there’s no real way to measure the outdoors (don’t go eccentric on your campsite layout), you’re left with a loose formula to determine what you’re going to need. Nothing is worse than premiering this on the campsite, and finding out that there’s not enough light to go around.

For one, determine how many people you’re going to have on your camping trip. If it’s you and three mates, envision a 1,000 square foot space, requiring about 20,000 lumens. You’re basically left with the need to light up a big-ass apartment or enormous connecting living room in an open floor plan. Keep in mind, this is a rating for widespread, non-concentrated light, and not realistic for the outdoors. How that light travels is different. You’ll have tents set up, the bumper of your car blocking some light, your equipment: you want to illuminate the space without having too many shadows getting in the way. For this, we personally recommend grabbing two of the same lanterns and placing them strategically on your camping grounds.

20,000 lumens in a single camping lantern is impossible to find, and besides, you don’t want to feel like you’re in a literal spotlight while you’re out there, so definitely don’t go crazy on the light source. The last thing you want is to attract wildlife from far-reaching spots in the great outdoors. Stick with a couple of lamps in the 200-300+ lumens range, and you’ll have plenty of low-bearing light in numerous areas of your campsite.

Q: I’m grabbing this for emergency situations, does that change my lumen needs?

A: Absolutely. Without being grim, power outages often bring a lot of scary feelings, like being looted during a widespread blackout from a horrible storm or hurricane. You don’t want to look like a source of major energy for others to get the wrong idea about. It doesn’t take very long for people in adverse conditions to resort to extreme actions.

In this case, you’re going to want to stick to about 1,000 to 5,000 lumens at most. These are great little numbers to have in case of an emergency. Take into consideration how long it takes for devastated areas to get power back: three weeks, ten hours of night each day, means about 310 hours of light that you may need. So, for emergency scenarios, we recommend getting a long-lasting lantern with multiple light modes and brightness settings, including a low light setting. Candle lanterns are also good to have as a backup light.

Q: What's the difference between a lantern and headlamp?

A: The main difference between the two is light output. You can have a lantern and a headlamp with the same lumens, but how that light is directed will change everything. Headlamps traditionally shine the beam of light all in one direction, giving you the ability to light up one specific target instead of just emitting a light source all around you.

Lanterns are more often used for camping because your campsite isn’t this narrow little strip of ground. If you’re with friends, you probably have two or more tents, possibly a small area where you dumped all of your backpacks, and maybe even a car. Think about this: you wouldn’t want the headlight of a car to be your primary nighttime light source around the campsite.

Another reason lanterns are preferred is the dimming effect. As that light source expands, the light strength lowers since it’s being focused on a 360-degree space. Headlamps focus that light, so you’re going to damage your eyes. It’s like having a little sun just staring you in the face whenever you need a little bit of illumination.

Now, headlamps do have their advantages. If you’re traveling in the woods at night, a lantern is going to help with your personal surroundings, but not with what’s up ahead. If you had to abandon the campsite due to a bear, you want both: some light around you and your friends, and a clear beam of light looking straight ahead so you’re not walking into trouble.

Last but not least, camping lanterns tend to emit less heat, while headlamps can often heat up and become alarming to touch the wrong spot. If you had to grab a lantern by the lens, you’d feel heat, but you’d still be able to grab it without burning yourself or injuring your hand.

Q: Can a camping lantern get hot enough to cause a fire?

A: We’ve read just about every dumb story online that you possibly could think of, and we’re convinced that you could use just about anything to start a fire.

Having said this, if you’re using propane or butane, be sure to pack your common sense. You can 100% avoid the outbreak of a fire if you keep your placement smart, don’t put flammable items nearby (the casing can get hot enough to light paper on fire), and make sure to turn it off before hitting the hay, then you should be all good.

Sources:

1. How To Choose A Lantern - REI Co-Op
2. Lumens And The Lighting Facts Label - Department Of Energy