Tent Lighting?????

[scubacamp]

I am wondering what type of lantern or flashlight I can hang inside my tent? I know it can't be too heavy, any suggestions?

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

I give my daughter a glow stick in the evening. Then at bedtime, I hang it up for a little night light.


If that ain't your style, try some Christmas lights that operate on battery, order online, kind of hard to find in stores right now. Or coleman has these.
Coleman String lights
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-200000...man+tent+light

[toedtoes]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

How about one of these? You can get them at Harbor Freight, etc. They have a rotating hook on the back and a magnet. They also have the front light and a flashlight at the bottom. And they're cheap.

[MacGyver]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

When I'm in my backpacking tents, I hang an LED headlamp up with Nit-ize gear Ties.

[hwc1954]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

I use two LED flashlights. Mine run on AA batteries because I have rechargeable Eneloop NiMH batteries and a charger, but you can get them for other battery configurations. For example, I have one that stays in the car with lithium batteries (long shelf life, impervious to cold).

For camping, I have this one that is two AA batteries:

http://www.amazon.com/FOURSEVENS-Qua...productDetails

It has a bunch of different brightness levels ranging from moonlight that will run for 15 days continuous on two AA batteries, to a retina burning max 280 lumens that will practically light dry grass on fire from the light beam. That will run for about 45 minutes and is completely unnecessary for normal use.

I have another one that runs on a single AA battery and is on a headband:

http://www.zebralight.com/H52w-AA-He...ite_p_120.html

It has the same 280 max output, ranging down to a super low mode that will run for 3 months continuous. Makes an awesome headlamp for walking around. I always have it within easy reach in the tent.

These new generation LED flashlights are just remarkable. Here's a video comparing the light beam of a similar AA flashlight to a four D-cell MagLite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hPvnP42h_4#t=414

For inside a tent, even the cheapo LED flashlights would work fine.

[Bigdog57]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

For camping, in a tent or van, I favor an LED light I got at Wally's. It's a ring of white LEDs, uses a couple AA batteries, has a center mounted hanger so the light points downwards but in a wide circular pattern - very useful. Easy to hang. Lasts a long time on it's batteries. Get them in Wally's camping section.

[MacGyver]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

Have a look at this lantern from Coleman. 85 lumens, 3 AA batteries last for days. They'll light up a picnic table area at night just enough to keep from tripping over something, but they'd be great in a tent.

[James.]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

LED lights are going to be a godsend for campers. They are bright, use very little power and last forever. And as an added bonus some LED lights (I believe the ones under 3000 K) don't attract bugs....well, don't attract as many.

Now if they can just get the prices down to somewhere in the realm of sanity....

[toedtoes]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

This may be sacrilege with serious campers, but I get my lanterns at Kmart. I got multiple Northwest Territory lanterns at great prices. They work great. I have various different styles all under $20 each.

[MacGyver]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

LED lights are going to be a godsend for campers. They are bright, use very little power and last forever. And as an added bonus some LED lights (I believe the ones under 3000 K) don't attract bugs....well, don't attract as many.

Now if they can just get the prices down to somewhere in the realm of sanity....

I never gave a thought to how many bugs LEDs attract or don't attract, but no doubt they beat incandescents and fluorescents all to hell for performance. As far as the cost goes, I think it's only the high end lights, like Fenix, Nitecore and several others that take a deep bite out of the wallet. The Coleman I mentioned is under $20 and the light toedtoes put up is around $4 at Harbor Freight (I actually have several of those, too). The big money lights are only for people who need or want extra durability or over-the-top illumination. Even then, a friend of mine grabbed a 1000 lumen light from Home Depot for around 30 bucks. All that to say, I think LED technology has advanced to the point where they're more cost effective than any other option to date.

[MacGyver]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

This may be sacrilege with serious campers, but I get my lanterns at Kmart. I got multiple Northwest Territory lanterns at great prices. They work great. I have various different styles all under $20 each.

Ain't no sacrilege if you get what you want, at a price you like, and it does what you want it to!

[hwc1954]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

The MagLite LED models are very high quality and pretty affordable. The classic AA model LED version is $22 at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Maglite-SP2P01...MagLite+AA+LED

The AAA XL50 and XL200 are nice flashlights, too for $22 and $34 respectively:

http://www.amazon.com/MAGLITE-XL50-S...P662S6BVBTKHC5

http://www.amazon.com/Maglite-XL200-...5479902&sr=1-9

[hwc1954]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

Having said that, I've gone old school for general lighting at the campsite picnic table. I dusted off an old Coleman propane lantern, ordered up a supply of mantles, and got one of those propane Ts that bolts on a propane tank (I use a little 5-lb tank). I sit the tank in the middle of the picnic table, lantern on a short T at about standing eye level, and a hose from the T to my 2-burner camp stove. Works out really well for a car camping rig.

I use the flashlights in the tent and walkin' around.

[tplife]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

We agree with BD57 and have several of the "flying saucer" LED tent lights sold at WalMart. They give off a lot of light, don't need frequent battery replacement, and aren't the size of a breadbox. Just remember to remove the batteries between camping trips to minimize corrosion on the cheap zinc terminals inside where the 4 AA batteries connect.

[MacGyver]

Re: Tent Lighting?????

REI has an online outlet store which, right now, is having a killer sale. Spend $50, get 15% off the already reduced prices. Spend $100, get 25%, $150 gets you 35%. So, I put a bunch of stuff together including this unique headlamp/lantern. If the reviews I read on it are accurate, I'm going to love it. One less thing to pack in the box!