Choosing Coleman Lanterns.

Which Coleman lanterns are best for you? Battery, gas and rechargeable all offer different advantages and disadvantages and various amounts of light output.

Battery lanterns are the safest, especially around kids, because they don't require a flame making them great for in-tent use and they provide light instantly. They give off enough light to eat, read, or do dishes and don't require you to bring extra fuel (or mantles) which can be a mess if you don't have a funnel. They are also quiet. The disadvantages are they are heavier and you'll want to have extra batteries and bulbs (unless you get a rechargeable lantern) on hand.

The fuel lanterns give off an intense bright light that is good for lighting up your campsite and the immediate area. White gas and unleaded fuel usually require pumping, priming, and igniting before you you'll have any light but it isn't that big of deal if you do it before it gets totally dark. The canister type lanterns (propane, isobutane, and butane) are easier to use because all you have to do is turn them on and ignite them. You'll want to bring along extra fuel and mantles. Coleman lanterns that burn fuel usually come with glass globes so like any glass camping equipment, they should be handled with care.

In general when choosing a lantern I lean toward the battery/electric lanterns because their safer and easy to use, but I cover both here because we all have different preferences. If you're backpacking weight becomes an issue. Obviously you're not going to want to lug around a 5 pound lantern and extra D batteries. If you're looking for light-weight lanterns take a look at my camping lanterns page otherwise...

The rechargeable portable Coleman lantern is my camping recommendation for Coleman lanterns. It weighs in at 5 pounds, will provide light for up to 10 hours before it needs recharging, is weather resistant, has an adjustable light switch, and requires no tools for tube replacement (find bulbs before you need them as they may be difficult to locate). This lantern can also be recharged by either a 110-volt or 12-volt power source (very nice) up to 1000 times. And the charging adapters store inside the base. You can get it at Amazon.

The Coleman Electric Northstar Lantern with night light at REI offers 42 watts of adjustable electric light that you can dim to save the batteries or turn up to increase the amount of light. It will almost last 12 hours on 8 D cell batteries. Obviously with all those big batteries you won't want to take this puppy backpacking but for around the campsite this 5.5 pound lantern shouldn't blow away too easily. ;-) If you'd like an electric lantern that's a little lighter...

If space is at a premium, take a look at the Coleman Pack Away electric lantern. It actually collapses into itself so that it takes less space to stow it. The krypton bulb throws off about 10 watts of light, so it's brighter than a candle lantern but dimmer than most lanterns. And battery life is about 12 hours. And from the world of high-tech camping...

Coleman's Remote Control Lantern runs up to 15 hours on 8 D cell batteries. At 35 watts the light is respectable but won't leave you totally light blind when you look away into the dark. At just over 5 pounds it's no light-weight but if you like the idea of being able to turn on you lantern from across the tent check it out. It also has a nightlight which is nice for kids and keeps you from fumbling in the dark.

White gas lanterns give off a consistent intense bright light when it's pressurized by pumping up the fuel tank. White gas is also easy to find in most U.S. stores. The Coleman Adjustable 2-Mantle Lantern is a classic...

When I was little my parents would bring along their single mantle Coleman lantern when we went camping and it still works great after 25+ years. The double mantle puts out 78 watts of light and will burn for 1 hour and 50 minutes at full brightness, but with that much light you can adjust it down to use less fuel and still have plenty of light. At 3 pounds and 1 ounce it's too heavy for backpacking but is great around the campsite.

Dual gas Coleman lanterns can burn two different fuels making them flexible and easier for you to find fuel when you need it. If you travel and camp around the world this feature can come in very handy. But unless you really need this feature, I'd stick with white gas because it burns cleanly and evaporates quickly if spilled. The Coleman Dual-Fuel 2-Mantle Lantern can burn either white gas or unleaded gasoline and provide 58 watts of light while doing it. It will burn up to 7 hours and 55 minutes at full-tilt or up to 14 hours with the flame adjustment set to low and weighs 3 pounds.