Battery-Powered Lanterns

Reviewed by KiwiKlimber

BioLite's AlpenGlow 500 is a reliable and rechargeable 500-lumen lantern that offers a wide range of color options from bright party colors to a subtle candle-like feeling. The simple one-button design takes a little time to figure out how to access each mode, but once figured out, is easy to operate. A smaller 250 lumen option is also available from the manufacturer.

Conditions: What started out as a car-camping lantern quickly turned into a back porch lantern and eventually my daughter’s favorite light that she plays with all the time and permanently resides on her bedside stand. Purely from an hours-used perspective, my daughter has spent far more time with the AlpenGlow 500 than I have, as she regularly plays with it in her bedroom, enjoying the various color modes and finding places to hang it from. Other than being a much-loved toy, I’ve used the lantern for two-and-a-half months, mostly while camping as a family and while sitting on the back porch as the day fades into night.

Read more: BioLite AlpenGlow 500 review (1)

Featured review by Emsjames

It does weigh a bit for backpacking, but I like to car camp too. The light can be very bright, but is almost infinitely adjustable. It is built well and has a split ring mounting hook on top.

I got this as a Christmas present from my daughter. I did hint just a bit. I love this light. I have replaced the florescent light on my desk with it. I am writing this review by Apollo light. If you want to be green buy this light, get 4 rechargeable AA batteries and a solar charger. With this setup you can replace a light in your house with a sustainable light (Very Eco friendly). This light can easily replace a reading light or a desk light. Outdoors the light gives out very even light cast. Walking about I can see a good 20'(7m) around the light. I will add to the review after spring camping. 

Read more: Black Diamond Apollo reviews (6)

Featured review by Bill S

Conclusions: The BioLite Powerlight Mini provides reasonable light for use around camp, with the additional benefit of recharge capacity for a cell phone, inReach, handheld GPSR, or small camera, and at a reasonable price. It is readily recharged with a small solar panel, making a total of just over a pound, which is reasonable for a backpacking trip. Heavy use as a night or hiking light or as a recharging source for frequent cell phone or inReach tracking use may require extra backup battery storage.

Background: Whether you spend a long day hiking, months on a through hike, or a multi-day hike, sooner or later you run into a situation where a dependable source of illumination is needed. Over the years, I have used candles, a candle or kerosene lantern, carbide headlamps, butane-powered lanterns, solar-charged lights, and a variety of electrically-powered devices, along with cozy (and not-so-cozy) wood campfires. All have their strong points, and all have their flaws. Major steps forward over the last couple of decades include halogen lamps and LEDs.

Read more: BioLite TravelLight 135 reviews (2)

Reviewed by Sheila Bergin Goss

I love my Pika lantern, which I use in both flashlight and lantern mode. It is a small, lightweight, and dependable light for use in camping, or as an emergency light. It is easily re-charged, and also can be used to charge other devices. I have used this reliable light for two years on frequent canoe camping and winter cabin camping trips, and would definitely recommend it to others.

While on a recent solo canoe camping trip, I had to pack up my gear in the pre-dawn hours, while a steady rain was beginning to fall. I needed illumination that I could carry around with me, yet which provided bright lighting, and was resistant to the falling waters from above. Well, the maneuver was successful, as my trusty UCO Pika 3 in 1 LED lantern provided just what I required.  I have used this lantern on every camping trip for the past two seasons, and have come to depend on it both for its use as a tent lantern, a hand-held flashlight, and as a short term charging device for my cell phone and other LED lights.

Read more: UCO Pika 3-in-1 Rechargeable Lantern review (1)

Featured review by Phil Smith

A lightweight, easy to carry, waterproof solar-powered lantern useful in the backcountry or at home during emergencies.

I saw this while standing in the checkout line at a local Eastern Mountain Sports, and figured "what the heck, it's only $15!" Then I figured "what the heck, it's only $30!" and got one for a friend as well. Meet Luci: Luci weighs 4 ounces and collapses to a disc that's 1" thick and 5" in diameter. Luci's LEDs are powered by a rechargeable 3.7V lithium battery and have a bright, dim, and flash setting, each successive push of the switch (in the middle of the PV panel) will change the setting.

Read more: MPowerd Luci Original reviews (4)

Featured review by BigRed

A compact, lightweight, and versatile camp lantern suitable for short-to-medium length backpacking trips.

What weighs 8 ounces, fits in the palm of your hand, throws enough light for cooking and reading, and will burn for hundreds of hours? Not so many years ago the only thing that would meet those specs would have been an old-fashioned candle lantern (with some extra candles), and the cooking and reading part might require some close maneuvering. But nowadays there might be a few contenders for that title, and the Goal Zero (GZ) Lighthouse Mini leads the charge. The lantern has two basic modes, full-on where both sides light up, and half-on where only one side lights.

Read more: Goal Zero Lighthouse Mini Core Lantern reviews (2)

Featured review by Kitcarson61

With very little modification, this has become my "go to" light source.

Over the years I've found that I'm needing less and less light when in camp. I don't backpack in the dark, so a bright light isn't needed...just something to allow me to find things in my tent on moonless nights or to get me far enough away from camp in the middle of the night when nature calls. I've gone from carrying a 5-D cell Maglite and 2-D cell cheapo backup flashlights when I was a kid, to smaller flashlights, to fewer flashlights, to a Solitaire Maglite and a lantern light lid for my 1 liter Nalgene bottle and now to this little beauty.

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Featured review by Bob Freeman

To sum up this light in one word...fantastic!

I have owned two of these lights for several years, and they are FANTASTIC. They weigh next to nothing. I clip one to the top of my pack lid and it recharges while I'm hiking. They have a charge level indicator (which my first solar light did not have), and a loop on top to hang it in my tent using the mini-biners that clip it to my pack. On low power it puts out enough light to see to set up my tent, read a book, or any other task that you would perform at close range. On low power it will run all night and still have power in the morning.

Read more: MPowerd Luci Outdoor 2.0 reviews (2)

Reviewed by StoicFabian

I’ve been using Lupine LED light systems for night MTBiking and other activities for more than a decade. It’s hard to beat the Germans when it comes to high-end LED equipment in terms of performance, quality, versatility, and reliability. When it was time to shop for a new camping lantern, I decided to choose one from Ledlenser, another German manufacturer with similarly good reputation, but in camping/backpacking light equipment.

These high-end lighting German manufacturers have great pride in their engineering and craftsmanship, and above all the quality, performance, and design of their devices. I can attest to that 100%: my Wilma, Piko, and Rotlicht bike light sets from top brand LUPINE are still performing strong after a decade of hard and frequent use. I’ve been wanting to try Ledlenser for some time, so when shopping for a new camping/backpack/survival lantern, I decided to take the plunge and go with the flagship model, the ML6 WL Connect.

Read more: Ledlenser ML6 Connect WL review (1)

Reviewed by KiwiKlimber

A nifty little light that works great for small campsites, travel, and where a larger lantern might not be practical. Solar or power charging options eliminate the need for batteries.

Why did I buy this light? I really enjoy my BioLite AlpenGlow 500 lantern, but for some trips, it just doesn’t make sense to lug around just a big lantern. So I started looking for a smaller, lighter option that would be able to slid into a pack without taking up much room but still provide similar results (i.e. a campsite light or small reading light in a tent), without the need for extra batteries. After doing a little research, I came across the BioLite SunLite 100 at my local outdoor gear shop and have been using it for 8 months now.

Read more: BioLite SunLight 100 review (1)