Although they have been around for more than 30 years, battery operated camping lanterns are finally able to compete with their more established propane fueled rival.
Unlike traditional propane lanterns which require periodic maintenance (new mantles, regulator switches, lenses, etc.), battery operated fluorescent and LED lanterns are more durable, last longer, and are much less dangerous to operate.
Experienced campers argue that propane lanterns project a brighter and more powerful light, but the convenience of the electric models is hard to overlook and campers everywhere are beginning to make the switch!
LED lanterns cost about the same as a propane lantern and are very easy to buy
The latest LED models require only 4 “D” size batteries and can operate continuously for 84 hours (or longer). In contrast, a propane lantern will last only about 14 hours on one tank of fuel. At $5.00 per 4 pack of “D” batteries and $4.00 per tank of propane, an LED lantern will save you $25 in fuel costs every 7 days of use! That’s reason alone for many to switch. Even more amazing, some models even come with a remote!
Whenever I bring my LED lantern along I usually bring a spare set of batteries but in three years of using my LED lantern I still haven’t needed to replace them once.
The above photo was taken on one of our most recent camping trips on Moosehead Lake, in Northern Maine. Can you find the LED lantern in the picture? By the way, my red beer cooler doubles as an excellent guitar seat!
While some ”traditionalists” will never give up the familiar “flickering” of their old Coleman propane lanterns, campers looking for a safer and more efficient technology should consider replacing their old propane lanterns with an electric model.
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