Candles for camping?

MEJ

MEJ

Joined
Jul 24, 2011
Messages
1,283
I just saw a pic of one of those tiny inch and a half tall candles and was wondering if you guys ever use them in place of a lantern or as back ?

Say if i only had a flashlight?
 
Are you mentioning a tea-candle "lantern"? They don't provide much light..... I am, however, a 2-decade candle-lantern user (the standard size candle lantern....). They provide decent amount of light and are comforting in the tent on long winter nights.
 
Yes. I've used candles since I was a kid. I use a UCO candle lantern now and it puts out good enough light to navigate a campsite or tent in the dark. It uses the same diameter candles as the tea candles you mention, but taller for a longer burn time (9 hours). For many uses, I like the candle light more than a harsh flashlight. And they are darn handy here at home when the power is out. Encased in glass and metal, there is not much danger from tipping one over or hot wax spills. They don't weigh much, about six ounces with a new 3" candle. There is a "micro" size now that takes the tea light candles and a "candlelier" model that holds three large candles. And the candles come in citronella and natural beeswax if you prefer.
 
I have tried the REI candles, pink ladies, and even regular candles. Not enough light and many times too hard to keep lit. I recently found religious candles at the Dollar Store. They come in a tall glass and burn plenty bright. They can be tricky to light as you need a long match or a lit stick to get down inside the glass but they are the best I have found. Good long burn time too :)
 
County Comm has these at a pretty good price. http://countycomm.com/lantern.html
You can find the tea candles at just about any grocery store. I keep a couple of them around for power outages. Very convenient and no worries about fuel being spilled. Not much light but plenty enough for emergency purposes.
 
I used to have a candle lantern, with a spring under the candle so the flame was always in the right spot.
The wax melted on a hot day, & messed up the whole thing. Don't store your candle in the lantern.

It gave a useful light, but was fussy.
 
Mtangent I had the same experience. What a mess to clean up! I found if you use candles with wax that doesn't melt at low temps, and don't leave the lantern in the sun, this doesn't happen. The ones that the OP asked about, the ones that use the tea candles, don't have the spring so they don't have the problem.
 
Lou Castle said:
County Comm has these at a pretty good price. http://countycomm.com/lantern.html
You can find the tea candles at just about any grocery store. I keep a couple of them around for power outages. Very convenient and no worries about fuel being spilled. Not much light but plenty enough for emergency purposes.
Click to expand...

Also Uco Micro lantern and you can buy spare glass for it
http://www.rei.com/product/820304/uco-micro-candle-lantern

For camp they are great
once you eyes are adjusted the light is plenty
Just hold them close for reading

I carry five tea candles in the lantern
And I can buy the tea candles in packs of 100 in the supermarket
Great self supplying survival lantern
 
Not to mention that the enclosed flame can add fifteen or more degrees to the inside of a tent in the winter.
 
The ability to heat your tent with a UCO lantern is great, but I've pretty-much gone over to small clip-on LEDs for lighting the camp nowadays. You can get cheap LED lights for a couple bucks each but which can last 80+ hours per battery. They provide the same if-not more light than a candle and are smaller, lighter, more robust and can also be clipped to your body for use as a flashlight.

I have crushed candles and had them melt while in the pack before.
 
MEJ said:
I just saw a pic of one of those tiny inch and a half tall candles and was wondering if you guys ever use them in place of a lantern or as back ?

Say if i only had a flashlight?
Click to expand...

Use candles if you prefer the quality of light they give off, or you need the heat they throw. I camped last winter and sometimes used 3 tea lights in a tin to light the tent. No, they are not as powerful as my LED lantern, but I like the light better. Warmer and more pleasant. This setup is also a good emergency heat source if snowbound.

l1040108.gif
 
Hassilov said:
Use candles if you prefer the quality of light they give off, or you need the heat they throw. I camped last winter and sometimes used 3 tea lights in a tin to light the tent. No, they are not as powerful as my LED lantern, but I like the light better. Warmer and more pleasant. This setup is also a good emergency heat source if snowbound.

l1040108.gif
Click to expand...

That is a good idea.... a good back up for the lantern.
 
Not for me they're too inefficient compared to LEDs. I've found women are affected by the flame thing though so it makes just as much sense to have them available as candles in the bathroom. I've got a little lantern that'll transport 4 night light candles inside. Burned one at a time that's several days worth. Works great for what I want it for.
 
Wow, I love the tea light micro lantern! I've got a couple of the normal size ones, and keep them in their little cozies for household power emergencies. (not much of a camper). I might have to get the little ones just 'cause they're so frickin' cute. The altoids candle lantern is a great idea too, and the top won't get hot like the lanterns, but is also less wind-resistant for out-of-doors/tents. No glass to break either...

-Daizee
 
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