Emergency lighting

D

DOC-CANADA

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Apr 14, 2006
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Last night/early this morning, my power was out for about 3 hours. Now I have a considerable amount of flashlights, candles and cheapo mini lanterns (AA) and they did the trick, but I could see a need for a really good LED lantern. Something that would throw out enough light to allow you to read in comfort, and, of course, fill the bill for other emergency lighting, especially for my old-geezer eyesight.

I'm hoping that some of you have some experience with same and can make a recommendation re make and model, both battery (AA would be best) and crank.

Thank you,

Doc
 
The Black Diamond Orbit/Apollo/Titan lantern series, while expensive, is fantastic. I have both of the smaller sizes of them, and thought about getting the jumbo one. Very nice, reasonably bright and long running.
 
richard thurman said:
genrator. light up the whole house.
Click to expand...

Superintendent might have a problem with this. I live in an apartment.

MustardMan said:
The Black Diamond Orbit/Apollo/Titan lantern series, while expensive, is fantastic. I have both of the smaller sizes of them, and thought about getting the jumbo one. Very nice, reasonably bright and long running.
Click to expand...

Thanks MustardMan. Would either of the smaller ones be bright enough for reading in comfort?

Doc
 
DOC,
I've had success with a couple different LED lanterns. Recently I purchased a Coleman rechargeable model. This is a new line for Coleman with the totally integrated recharger for AC and DC built into the trap door of the bottom of the lantern. It isn't cheap and it takes 16 hours to recharge on AC. But so far on two wilderness tent outings it has worked good and one power outage here at home it worked fine.

I've also used the Coleman manual crank lantern and it is my porch lite on my canvas elk tent. It is much smaller and doesn't produce the light like the first one or the next one.

I've also had good luck with the Coleman Cree LED collapse lantern with rechargable D size batteries and that is what I was using up until I found the intergrated lantern I mentioned at the beginning. According to the LED Snobs anything with a Cree bulb is going to be the top of the food chain in LED light technology.

Also had really good luck with Black Diamond and they are coming out with larger size models in addition to their backpacker type models that should work for home application.
 
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hey Quirt,

Do you have a model name/number for the one with the integrated charger?

Thanks

Something that would be a real bonus is no more replacing broken mantles in gas lanterns (usually after dark when you can't see ).

Doc
 
Doc. Thanks for sharing that link to the Apollo story from Nepal.

This should be interesting as I've avoided most of the electric lanterns due to past experience with some of the older coleman models. In the woods I just use my headlamp, but during power outages it is a bit inconvenient.
 
I've used the Apollo to read on a picnic bench, and the Orbit to read while hanging from the ridgeline of my hammock. In both cases, I was pretty close to the lanterns, and deep in the woods where it was really dark, so my eyes were pretty adjusted to dark conditions. I would say they are probably bright enough, but make no guarantees
 
what about the dewalt 18 volt flashlight. I have one that I got with a kit and I used it in very dark places and it lights up a big area and the batteres seam to lst a very long time before they need to be recharged.
 
Doc, I have an Apollo and my one real complaint is I don't like it for reading. I got it to light up my little two person tent. It works great for that but even in the tent I can't put it in a good position to illuminate a book. I've also tried it on my night stand and the light is just too low. I love the size and the versatility of the thing but I'd almost rather use my headlamp or a book light for reading. Just my $0.02.
 
Its not specifically a lantern but I lost power a few days ago and I used my Quark AA flashlight with a Fenix diffuser tip as a area light for my house. Moonlight mode is just enough to see where you are going in a pitch black house and it will last for a long time if you use the higher modes only when you need them. It will stand on the tailcap end so you can use it like a candle. Plus, whenever you need the use of a flashlight, you just take off the diffuser and your good to go. Its also a great EDC light so it serves a dual purpose.
 
Energizer 4AA folding lantern is better for me than the traditional "lantern-shaped" LED lanterns.

I don't have much use for such a thing, though, and have given all but one that I had away.
A Zebralight headlamp(much prefer the "w" versions with neutral emitters) is lighter, smaller, and much more versatile. Tailstanding, it's a lantern/area light. Clipped to your clothes, it keeps bugs out of your face compared to a headlamp, if they're a problem. On its strap, it puts where you're looking in the center of a wide unbroken beam free of artifacts.
Unless you need throw from a headlamp for some reason, the Zebralights obsolete every other headlamp or lantern for individual use, IMO.
You said AA, so check out the H501w.
http://www.zebralight.com/H501w-Headlamp-Neutral-White_p_13.html
These are the only Chinese lights that I use and recommend, btw.
 
I use an 12 man Kifaru wood heated tipi and also use lights in it. Patrick Smith of Kifaru showed me the lights he clips above head height. Two of them illuminate my 12 man very nicely and they take AA batteries.

They cost around $8.00 each and are found in the camping isle at Walmart. They are marketed under the name Ozark Rambler. We refer to them as UFO lights as they are round in shape with an hole in center and little LED lights around the edges. They look like an little grey coloured UFO in fact.

Anyway that's what I use in my tipi and they work quite well because we hang them up above head height and they shine and illuminate downward.

This is the best and cheapest system I've found for the tipi and works better than an lantern as the light is dispersed downward.

One of those rare times when an cheapo item works beyond its price point.
 
How about a good old kerosene/oil lantern? Reliable, cheap, does the job in the long run, as well. There is no reason not to have at least one around.
 
1066vik said:
I have a couple of these in the basement - they work pretty well and put out a decent amount of light. The auto on feature is handy, as well. (you can also just turn them on if you need light, without waiting for a power outage)
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=62541&cat=2,40731&ap=1
Click to expand...

They look interesting and might just be what I'm looking for.

MustardMan said:
I've used the Apollo to read on a picnic bench, and the Orbit to read while hanging from the ridgeline of my hammock. In both cases, I was pretty close to the lanterns, and deep in the woods where it was really dark, so my eyes were pretty adjusted to dark conditions. I would say they are probably bright enough, but make no guarantees
Click to expand...

No guarantees expected. :D Thanks for the reply.

richard thurman said:
what about the dewalt 18 volt flashlight. I have one that I got with a kit and I used it in very dark places and it lights up a big area and the batteres seam to lst a very long time before they need to be recharged.
Click to expand...

I'll have a look at it next time I'm at Home Depot. I'm assuming it's free standing.

dttomcat said:
Doc, I have an Apollo and my one real complaint is I don't like it for reading. I got it to light up my little two person tent. It works great for that but even in the tent I can't put it in a good position to illuminate a book. I've also tried it on my night stand and the light is just too low. I love the size and the versatility of the thing but I'd almost rather use my headlamp or a book light for reading. Just my $0.02.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the critique. If you find it somewhat lacking for reading, no doubt I would too (old geezer eyes :( )

Garrett Schmidt said:
Its not specifically a lantern but I lost power a few days ago and I used my Quark AA flashlight with a Fenix diffuser tip as a area light for my house. Moonlight mode is just enough to see where you are going in a pitch black house and it will last for a long time if you use the higher modes only when you need them. It will stand on the tailcap end so you can use it like a candle. Plus, whenever you need the use of a flashlight, you just take off the diffuser and your good to go. Its also a great EDC light so it serves a dual purpose.
Click to expand...

I've thought about picking up a diffuser (for my Fenix L2D), but I'm really looking for a free standing light source.

Quirt said:
Doc,

Coleman MAX - 4345 Rechargable LED. It is getting "good to great" reviews but not "this is the best". Honestly if someone knows of something better in an non-backpacking type LED Recharagable I'd like to know about it.

Here it is on Amazon if you wanna take a peek. They sell them at (argh) WalMart too.

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-20000...e=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1275774544&sr=8-2
Click to expand...

Thanks Quirt, I'm going to check it out.

OwenM said:
Energizer 4AA folding lantern is better for me than the traditional "lantern-shaped" LED lanterns.

I don't have much use for such a thing, though, and have given all but one that I had away.
A Zebralight headlamp(much prefer the "w" versions with neutral emitters) is lighter, smaller, and much more versatile. Tailstanding, it's a lantern/area light. Clipped to your clothes, it keeps bugs out of your face compared to a headlamp, if they're a problem. On its strap, it puts where you're looking in the center of a wide unbroken beam free of artifacts.
Unless you need throw from a headlamp for some reason, the Zebralights obsolete every other headlamp or lantern for individual use, IMO.
You said AA, so check out the H501w.
http://www.zebralight.com/H501w-Headlamp-Neutral-White_p_13.html
These are the only Chinese lights that I use and recommend, btw.
Click to expand...

That's an interesting looking light. I don't like headlamps (a comfort thing) but clipping it to your clothes is novel.

oldpinecricker said:
I use an 12 man Kifaru wood heated tipi and also use lights in it. Patrick Smith of Kifaru showed me the lights he clips above head height. Two of them illuminate my 12 man very nicely and they take AA batteries.

They cost around $8.00 each and are found in the camping isle at Walmart. They are marketed under the name Ozark Rambler. We refer to them as UFO lights as they are round in shape with an hole in center and little LED lights around the edges. They look like an little grey coloured UFO in fact.

Anyway that's what I use in my tipi and they work quite well because we hang them up above head height and they shine and illuminate downward.

This is the best and cheapest system I've found for the tipi and works better than an lantern as the light is dispersed downward.

One of those rare times when an cheapo item works beyond its price point.
Click to expand...

I'll definitely check them out, if Wally World Canada stocks them.

Switchblade61 said:
How about a good old kerosene/oil lantern? Reliable, cheap, does the job in the long run, as well. There is no reason not to have at least one around.
Click to expand...

That brings back memories. My grandmother never had electricity and oil lamps was all she ever used. No, I quite like the new LED technology and will stick with that.

---------------------------------------------

Thank you everyone, for taking the time to post your suggestions. Now I have to check them out.

Doc
 
there is also the telescoping candle powered lanterns. the candles are long burning and in winter time they will produce enough heat to keep a snow cave, or equivilent, just below freezing even in very cold weather. (25 below C when my dad and i got snowed in).
 
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