I have no idea what is best, all we want is something that works for a few hours a night and is bright enough to light a large(ish) living space. Are the gas ones quite noisy?
If you have an EHU, the plug-in awning lamps are best.
I've had 3 or 4 rechargeable lanterns in as many years - they are OK but not very bright, so used two at a time, and generally left one on all night as a night-light for the kids.
Problem I have found with rechargable lamps - if left in your trailer over winter, the batteries run flat and then won't recharge.
Assuming you have not got EHU and provided you have not got kids running about, I would go for gas every time. Nothing else, other than petrol, gives as much light as a gas lantern.
We have 2 small folk aged 12 & 8 and have been using paraffin stoves and lanterns since 2006 without ever a worry or problem.
Great light, enough heat to take the chill off the evening air and that reassuring, gentle hiss and smell of pressurised paraffin.
Love em!!!
great lantern with two settings ( and can be used as a torch)
really impressed with it
though there are reviews that say you need to spary frost the lantern to get rid of the artefacts, i intend to get some frosting gel ( i do AV for a living) to to test this out
Wasn't planning on going with EHU but may find that as we camp more we do but for now unfortunately that option is out. We have two smallies 4 & 6 but they are both relatively reliable and know whenI say dont touch I mean it. My husband has seen a solar latern that also plugs into the car to charge, would this also have the problem of batteries failing year after year? Also concerned about the brightness?
Spudz I expect what ever is in that bottle also gives you a nice warm glow too haa haa.
Simplist solution with no ehu is battery lanterns. Campingaz lanterns are nice because they are real fire but they are more expensive to buy & run & get hot so not good if you have kids running around.
If you have ehu, why not just buy a clippie light? I think you'd be able to clip it onto your tent poles, to your table, camp kitchen or wardrobe - to anything really. I clip mine all over the place in my caravan.
You only need a bulb and a saver one at that. The downside is that as there is no lampshade (although you could fit one if required), it's not a good idea to look at it directly! Mine was cheap from a pound type shop, around £1.50.
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We do have a hookup light, but only got it this year as we don't always use EHU, but decided it would be cheaper to buy a electriclamp and use that when we can as that is paid for. It's functional, but the light is harsh and much prefer the gas when sitting aorund of an evening.
Primary lighting is gas lanterns. The standard small gas lanterns are fine, but do like the twin mantle Camping gaz Stellia that we got last year for extra light. We have a couplle of smalls, now 5 and 9. It's noit som much them touching it and burnign themsleves that would concern me is rather them not being careful enough and say knocking it over. So we have tended not to use it in the tent whilst they are about. Could do without melted tent :-) Though as they are getting older, it's less of an issue
But am fine withit being outside, we use it inside when we are sitting around though.
For when we don't want to use the gas lantern around the kids we use a LED lantern. The windup bit is a bit gimmicky really. You might get 8 minutes light for 1 minutes winding, but it's rather dim if it was low on charge. We just charge ours from the car or from the mains via a 12V power supply. a bit dim as an area light, ok for sitting round the table and the kids take it into the bedroom at bed time. We back it up around the tent with our headtorches. (we would not be without our head torches, if I was to take one form of lighting I would take these)
But this 4W LED lantern looks like it might do the job better.
As for gas being noisy. Can't say I find it esp noisy, find the noise rather comforting really.
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