Camping lanterns
Discussion
I'm after a lantern for various reasons, I've toyed with the idea of a Tilley or Coleman but they're quite pricey, and although I prefer the idea of a fuelled lantern I also quite like the idea of something LED based that's a bit sturdier (as in not made of glass and flammable liquids that might spill in the car), but that then relies on having batteries around, and electronic things don't tend to last as long.
I'm one of those people that only likes to buy once. Are the Tilleys/Colemans worth it? It won't be used too often, but I want to be able to rely on it when I do. I think I've just talked myself into buying both actually, £20 would buy an LED lantern which pales when considering £100 for a fuel-based one.
Any experiences?
I'm one of those people that only likes to buy once. Are the Tilleys/Colemans worth it? It won't be used too often, but I want to be able to rely on it when I do. I think I've just talked myself into buying both actually, £20 would buy an LED lantern which pales when considering £100 for a fuel-based one.
Any experiences?
Gas lanterns are more camping and you are likely to be able to get spare mantels etc where an electric light may need a wierd specific bulb that isn't available in the Camp shop I got a cheap remote control light and on the second use the "bulb" failed unfortunately it is an odd fitment and not readily available.
We use a tilley for camping. We don't camp in places that have electric hook ups as a rule.
In our opinion, it is the best source of light even though we have to remember to take the meths to light it and paraffin to run it off. There is something about the light, its nice to read by, and the gentle hiss is kind of welcoming. It does give off heat so helps to warm the tent but its nothing like a heater. Ok you have to be a bit more careful with it than you would with an LED torch, i.e. we always stand it on the cooker and well away from the edge of the tent, but we've never had any problems. I'd really like another, but as you say they are expensive.
In our opinion, it is the best source of light even though we have to remember to take the meths to light it and paraffin to run it off. There is something about the light, its nice to read by, and the gentle hiss is kind of welcoming. It does give off heat so helps to warm the tent but its nothing like a heater. Ok you have to be a bit more careful with it than you would with an LED torch, i.e. we always stand it on the cooker and well away from the edge of the tent, but we've never had any problems. I'd really like another, but as you say they are expensive.
I like the look of the UCO candle lanterns, I've been meaning to treat myself to one.
The advantage of gas or naked flame is the heat they will generate, so they could be considered a heater and a light. LED wont give off any heat. Personally Id consider getting 1 of each, LED for the instant on and a naked flame/gas for the superior light you will get and of course the heat it will give out (plus you then have a redundancy in case 1 fails)
I usually just pop a tea light in a mug or hang my headlamp somewhere depending how cold it is.
The advantage of gas or naked flame is the heat they will generate, so they could be considered a heater and a light. LED wont give off any heat. Personally Id consider getting 1 of each, LED for the instant on and a naked flame/gas for the superior light you will get and of course the heat it will give out (plus you then have a redundancy in case 1 fails)
I usually just pop a tea light in a mug or hang my headlamp somewhere depending how cold it is.
Dave 500 said:
They are reliable and certainly won't blow out, but the light they give off is a dull yellow as its essentially just a flame and nowhere near as nice as the bright white light a Tilley gives off (which I think you'd also struggle to blow out once lit).I sure wish I was cleverer.
I would make a lightweight lamp that can be suspended from the hook that is normally fitted to the inner liner.
Rechargeable battery, from a cigarette lighter (also supplied with a 240v transformer and 12v socket).
LED as they are bright and low energy.
Two settings, bright for general evening use and a low light level for modesty and bimbling to the loo in the night.
Controllable by Android/iOS Device, so you can remotely operate the lamp from within you bedroom compartment.
Seeing as clever people reside here, I'm not greedy so don't expect a 15% commission, but a free lamp for "testing" would be nice
I would make a lightweight lamp that can be suspended from the hook that is normally fitted to the inner liner.
Rechargeable battery, from a cigarette lighter (also supplied with a 240v transformer and 12v socket).
LED as they are bright and low energy.
Two settings, bright for general evening use and a low light level for modesty and bimbling to the loo in the night.
Controllable by Android/iOS Device, so you can remotely operate the lamp from within you bedroom compartment.
Seeing as clever people reside here, I'm not greedy so don't expect a 15% commission, but a free lamp for "testing" would be nice
Used our Tilley type lantern at LeMans over the years many times
Very good for late night tent disco, with amateur strobe effect made by twiddling the nob back and forth to the beat.
You can't do that with LED
No chance of fumes, suffocation or fire, as from memory most nights I slept in a hedge or ditch
Thanks all, I think I'll have to get a Tilley or Coleman, as well as a cheap LED one.
Incidentally, this has nothing to do with tents, caravans or motorhome, it's most definitely a gadget and stuff thread. I often marshall at various events and can be in the middle of nowhere at night.
Incidentally, this has nothing to do with tents, caravans or motorhome, it's most definitely a gadget and stuff thread. I often marshall at various events and can be in the middle of nowhere at night.
Just to be a bit geeky, here's a photo of our tilley compared to a hurricane to show what I was saying earlier about the light they give off (sorry flickr was broken this morning or would have posted then).
Tilley (bright and white) :
IMG_2118 by chrisga, on Flickr
Hurricane (dull and yellowy) :
IMG_2124 by chrisga, on Flickr
Tilley (bright and white) :
IMG_2118 by chrisga, on Flickr
Hurricane (dull and yellowy) :
IMG_2124 by chrisga, on Flickr
mildmannered said:
I sure wish I was cleverer.
I would make a lightweight lamp that can be suspended from the hook that is normally fitted to the inner liner.
Rechargeable battery, from a cigarette lighter (also supplied with a 240v transformer and 12v socket).
LED as they are bright and low energy.
Two settings, bright for general evening use and a low light level for modesty and bimbling to the loo in the night.
Controllable by Android/iOS Device, so you can remotely operate the lamp from within you bedroom compartment.
Seeing as clever people reside here, I'm not greedy so don't expect a 15% commission, but a free lamp for "testing" would be nice
I can live without the Android/iOS control personally:I would make a lightweight lamp that can be suspended from the hook that is normally fitted to the inner liner.
Rechargeable battery, from a cigarette lighter (also supplied with a 240v transformer and 12v socket).
LED as they are bright and low energy.
Two settings, bright for general evening use and a low light level for modesty and bimbling to the loo in the night.
Controllable by Android/iOS Device, so you can remotely operate the lamp from within you bedroom compartment.
Seeing as clever people reside here, I'm not greedy so don't expect a 15% commission, but a free lamp for "testing" would be nice
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004S3PBAO/ref=...
If Vango have done it, I'm sure others have too.
We went camping for the first time this summer.
On our first trip, I had loads of LED lights which I quickly realised I hated as they give out a cold harsh light and eat batteries. On our second trip I used one of these and found it to be spot on. Nice bright (but warm) light.
http://www.tesco.com/direct/campingaz-lumogas-plus...
On our first trip, I had loads of LED lights which I quickly realised I hated as they give out a cold harsh light and eat batteries. On our second trip I used one of these and found it to be spot on. Nice bright (but warm) light.
http://www.tesco.com/direct/campingaz-lumogas-plus...
mildmannered said:
I sure wish I was cleverer.
I would make a lightweight lamp that can be suspended from the hook that is normally fitted to the inner liner.
Rechargeable battery, from a cigarette lighter (also supplied with a 240v transformer and 12v socket).
LED as they are bright and low energy.
Two settings, bright for general evening use and a low light level for modesty and bimbling to the loo in the night.
Controllable by Android/iOS Device, so you can remotely operate the lamp from within you bedroom compartment.
Seeing as clever people reside here, I'm not greedy so don't expect a 15% commission, but a free lamp for "testing" would be nice
this:I would make a lightweight lamp that can be suspended from the hook that is normally fitted to the inner liner.
Rechargeable battery, from a cigarette lighter (also supplied with a 240v transformer and 12v socket).
LED as they are bright and low energy.
Two settings, bright for general evening use and a low light level for modesty and bimbling to the loo in the night.
Controllable by Android/iOS Device, so you can remotely operate the lamp from within you bedroom compartment.
Seeing as clever people reside here, I'm not greedy so don't expect a 15% commission, but a free lamp for "testing" would be nice
https://www.led-lighthouse.co.uk/led-strip-lights-...
with their wifi controller, and a 12v feed from a cigarette lighter - i have 5m of the stuff in my van ;-)
Had to fit conventional on/off switches to some white LEDS too to keep the wife happy incase she couldn't find her iphone to turn the lights on to find her iphone...
I recently bought one of these http://www.7dayshop.com/7dayshop-torch-satellite-d...
I was buying some other bits and pieces at the time, so when I eventually came to use it, I was amazed by the light it gave out. The batteries seem to last ages too
I was buying some other bits and pieces at the time, so when I eventually came to use it, I was amazed by the light it gave out. The batteries seem to last ages too
rxtx said:
Are the Tilleys/Colemans worth it? It won't be used too often, but I want to be able to rely on it when I do.
I have 2 Tilley lamps, that we use regualry when camping through the motorsport season.One i bought on from a junk stall at a classic car show, for £5. needed a new storm glass and a pump. bearing in mind that it was a X246a model that was only made between '61 and '64 - the parts are still available from Tilley.
Second was a X246B that my dad had used in the early 70s when he used to take the local scout group hiking and camping. That'd been in our loft for best part of 30 years when i started to use it again.
basically, so long as you have the tank filled with paraffin, some meths to soak the torch with and some spare mantles (just in case it gets knocked over or bashed in the car. i might have to replace a broken mantle once every other year or so.) a full tank of parafin will last about a dozen camping trips before it needs refilling and will run for hours & hours.
Sure for a quick light solution we have my folks old camping florescent tube hooked up to a leisure battery - we tend to just have the tilleys running during the evening, and use the tube if one of us needs to get up in the night to make a loo trip.
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