Your priorities for a source of light while camping might be low down on the list of priorities but boy does it go to the top when you all of a sudden find yourself in the dark. Your camping light needs to be reliable and have a readily available fuel source or power supply.
There are many ways to light your camp site and you need to consider what your needs are so you can purchase the camping lights that are right for you and your family. I've compiled a list of the various types of camping lamps available in the marketplace today and listed their various benefits and disadvantages.
Gas Lanterns
Gas lanterns have the advantage of providing the brightest light out of all the camping lights currently on the market. If you camp in the cooler months the lantern will even provide a bit of warmth with a clean burning flame. A slight disadvantage to gas lanterns is that the flame does burn hot so you can't leave them unattended, especially with little ones around.
Kerosene Lanterns
Kerosene lamps come in two varieties, namely pressure or wick. A pressure type kerosene lamp will give you the brightest light. The biggest drawcard for kerosene lamps is the availability of kerosene for the fuel. The wick type kerosene lanterns are also extremely cheap and easy to use. Wicks are cheap and readily available. You do have to make sure that the lamps never get tipped over so they don't cause a fire. Kerosene lamps also need to be watched carefully to avoid a fire breaking out.
Butane Lanterns
Butane lamps are an excellent source of light for the weight conscious backpacker. They produce a lot of light for their size and are much lighter than the average battery powered lantern. You might be surprised when you see a working model at just how much light is being produced. It is possible to purchase a butane lamp that produces the equivalent amount of light to a 60W globe.
Battery Powered Lamps
The battery powered lantern is probably the safest form of camp light on the market. As there is no flame there is little to no chance of a fire. You also don't need to be carrying around dangerous flammable materials. Another advantage is that many battery powered lanterns can be charged up from a 12 volt source. You can then charge your lantern up via the car 12 volt socket or with a solar panel. Battery powered lamps in the past have been unable to produce light in any great quantities. The new technology producing super bright LEDs has been changing that as they use little power, produce very little heat and can produce quite a bit of light for their size.
Solar Camping Lantern
Most 12 volt battery lanterns can be charged via the cigarette lighter socket but what if you are worried about getting caught with a flat battery. Getting a solar camping lantern could solve your problem. There are models that will even give you a bit of extra juice on your cell phone which is always a plus.
Leigh is an avid camper and likes to write about his hobby. If you need some lighting on your next camping trip why not check out the page on camping lights at the author's website.
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