Selecting Proper Camping Lights

The whole purpose of camping is to become more in tune with nature, but the lightbulb is one of those inventions that always come in handy. But you need to make sure you choose the right camping lights.

There are headlamps, flashlights, lanterns and LED lights to choose from. Honestly, most people will probably invest in all at some point in their camping career. In this article we discuss the difference and benefits in each.

Headlamps

If you are camping alone you may find yourself in a situation where you need both hands and light. Unless you want to hold a flashlight in your mouth are try to get the light in the right place with it in between your legs, headlamps will come in handy. The only issues to have to worry about when selecting one is its weight, features, (does it move), and whether it lets you select high or low beams. It is a good investment even if you plan to camp with others.

Flashlights

The best advice I can offer about flashlights is find a brand that you trust and keep extra bulbs on you. Also, I would invest into some high-end batteries and carry extras.

Lanterns

At the end of the day, it's not brain surgery. Obviously, you don't want to rely on matches as a light source, but picking a good, quality lantern shouldn't be too difficult. Go with what suits your needs best.

I don’t normally recommend brands, but I can start this section off with telling you that I love Coleman Lanterns. They are a popular brand and are well known for their durability.

There are three types of lanterns: electric, gas, and candle.

Electric lanterns are the safest and are the ones that most campers use inside their tents. The only con is that the battery consumption that they use when compared to LED lanterns. LED lanterns are also more environmentally friendly.

At the camp base, gas lanterns are commonly used with either liquid or pressured fuel. Gas lanterns are the brightest out of all the types

Candle lanterns can be rather dull but are perfect for couples camping out.

Tips

Properly dispose of propane cartridges properly.
For backpacking, candle lanterns or lightweight packing lanterns are best.
Try to use a lantern that uses the same fuel as your cookware.
Use electric or LED lanterns for inside the tent.

Lights run off of various energy sources. Some use batteries, some use power cords, and some use gas, and some use liquid fuel. Just make sure you have enough of what you need.

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