I bought this Coleman lantern just before going on a week long camping trip, so there wasn't much time to really get to know what to expect from it. I read other reviews, positive & negative, but purchased it anyways because it was not a fueled lantern, but battery powered LED's.
The first thing to keep in mind about this lantern is the level of light this unit makes. The first evening out in the campsite, I used my flashlight for a while until it got very dark. Then I set this lantern on the picnic table there and turned it on. It literally lit up the whole campsite, just as a propane or camping fueled lantern would. In the total darkness surrounding me out there, I could clearly see about 50 or 60 feet around my campsite. That was with the light at full brightness. Knowing that full brightness would eat up the batteries, I adjusted it down a bit. Still, it puts out plenty of light to see around me, even on low to medium power.
This is an adjustable LED lantern, meaning the levels of light will vary with the rotary knob. It isn't like the tall torch floor lamps most people have in their homes, where the level of light will slowly vary with the knob as you turn it, but will brighten up or dim down with a "fixed" amount of light coming from it. LED's don't vary in their intensity slowly like an incandescent light bulb will when you increase or decrease their intensity.
There are 7 levels of light from this unit, which is nice if you want to light up the whole campsite, or dim down far enough to read a book, but not disturb others in your tent while they sleep. The twin frosted globes doesn't have "bright spots" as clear globes would, because there is no direct light coming from it. It's all diffused all the way around. But the best thing about this light is, since it's an LED light, there is no heat coming from it to attract bugs. Some of the other campers around me used fueled lights, and I could see moths buzzing around their lanterns, as well as them swatting mosquitoes. I had the occasional moth fly by me, but no mosquitoes. BIG PLUS for me right there!
I would've given this light 5 stars, but I've only had it for about 3 weeks now, so I can't comment on it's durability and longevity. I *can* say that for the money, it's a GREAT camping light. It's about a foot tall and weighs about 4 or 5 pounds, but most of that weight is the lithium batteries I put in there. Sure if you want to save weight, put dry cell batteries in there, but dry cell batteries won't last for very long. That's something you DON'T need when you're out in the middle of the woods, is no light and dead batteries!
If you're an avid camper, OR you need an LED lantern that puts out *plenty* of light, this would be the one I recommend. I put it to the test for a week out in the woods, and it didn't fail me. But, that's only a week's time so your mileage may vary.
Two thumbs up!
***UPDATE 07/02/12***
After using this lantern many times over the course of a year, I have to say that it's still going strong on the SAME batteries! It either draws very little power from the batteries, or the Energizer Lithiums' I put in there were factory fresh (so to speak).
I've had several power outages here at home during some Spring & Summer storms too, & it makes a great backup light as well. No more burning candles (like we've all done at some point when the power goes out) so it's a lot safer to use!
***UPDATE 10/13/13***
After using this lantern for 7 more camping trips (two of those were for a week long trip), here's what I see. I *still* have the original Energizer Lithium batteries inside & they're going strong. Either Energizer's claim to keep going & going are true, or this lantern just doesn't use much power to light up. I use the light at setting 2 or 3 of the 7 levels I spoke of in my original post, for about an hour each time. So I would say that the lantern has been "on" for at least 24 hours total run time.
I raised this from a 4 to a 5 star product since it has stood up against time & many camping trips. I'm not rough with it so it still looks like new, wiping any dirt or grime off it. I DID, however, make a mistake late last year. I wiped some dust off the globe with a towel. It scratched the plastic globe. I should've used a microfiber cloth instead, after blowing the dust off. It's not glass so it DOES scratch. Now, it looks kinda "hazy" but not bad.
I still call this a "buy now" because it does the job & stands up to time & many camping trips. Even a short time out in the rain didn't stop this. Oops! Just let it dry & then go on.
| Product Dimensions | 7.2"L x 7.2"W x 13.6"H |
|---|---|
| Battery Description | Alkaline |
| Brightness | 390 Lumen |
| Item Weight | 1.3 Kilograms |
| Mounting Type | Tabletop Mount |
| Water Resistance Level | Water Resistant |
| Bulb Base | E26 |
| Specification Met | IPX4 |
| Voltage | 12 Volts |
| Manufacturer | Liberty Mountain Sports LLC |
| UPC | 076501228120 |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00076501228120 |
| Part Number | 2000024375 |
| Item Weight | 2.86 pounds |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | 2000024375 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | One Size |
| Style | Lantern |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Coverage | 10 M on High, 6 M on Low |
| Special Features | Customizable brightness |
| Included Components | LANTERN TWIN LED C002 |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Description Pile | Alkaline |
| Warranty Description | None. |
