Light up Your Camping Life
| May 24, 2012 | Posted by GuestPoster under Camping |
If you have been looking for ways to light up your camp site lately you may have been surprised, and maybe even confused, by the plethora of lighting methods and gadgets that are on offer. Everything from candles, to gas lanterns are available and each have their advantages and disadvantages. The type of camping light right for you will ultimately depend on your camping style, so use this to simplify the process.
The most basic type of light, and one of my favorites (despite my love of high tech camping), is the humble candle. I don’t mean that you should be satisfied with the good old household candle stuck in an empty soda bottle either. That can be terribly unsafe, especially with little children around. Instead I opted to go for the UCO range of candle lanterns. These things are great and if you choose the UCO Candlelier (three candles burning at once), it also makes a handy food warmer or coffee brewer, as the heat shield is large enough for a small pot or stainless steel water bottle. They also put out more than an acceptable amount of light.UCO have done an amazing job at making these devices as safe as possible. A glass shield protects the flame from the wind, and a large hanging handle keeps the heat a safe distance from any material roofing.
The micro lantern is perfect for backpackers as it runs on tea lights, which are available just about everywhere — not just camping stores. Candle light is also excellent for inside a tent, as the warmth reduces moisture build up and can also raise the temperature by a few degrees, making for a much more comfortable trip.
Not everyone trusts candles however, as they do need to be closely monitored.These campers may want to choose some other form of camp lighting that has a much safer reputation. You can’t get much safer than battery powered lights, and with the new range of LEDs on offer, the average camper gets a lot more mileage out of a set of batteries then ever before, and with more light output to boot. The range of battery powered camp lighting is nothing short of astronomical, so it really depends on budget and powering options. Standard D cells, SLA (sealed lead acid), and all manner of rechargeable lithium battery powered lamps are on offer. My personal favorite is the Coleman CPX range of lights. I’ve found the amount of light and the time the batteries will last to be slightly exaggerated on the box but otherwise find them to be a very adaptable source of illumination. Rechargeable 6 volt batteries are available, or they can be run on 4 x D cell batteries, making them very versatile. Numerous hanging options are available as well, so you can attach them to tent roofs or exposed tent poles.
Gas powered lighting is something I have toyed with very briefly. I find the risk of breakages to be high as they usually need to be attached to a gas bottle via a rigid pole (which kids like to knock over). The amount of light they put out however, is far superior to anything else on offer and most are very economical. I did enjoy the brightness levels, but with my kids running around, and the risk of them being burned from a hot mantle was too great. I may look into it further when they get older and hopefully, a bit more sensible.
Despite my love of high tech camping gadgets I really can not go past the warm cheery light of the humble candle lantern and strongly urge others to try it out. For other tips on enjoying camping more check out the my website at http://hightechcamping.com.
Recent Comments