Ditch the Flashlight – How to Find the Best Camping Lanterns of 2024!

When sleeping out in the wild, the first thing you’ll notice is how freaking dark it gets! It’s safe to say that nature doesn’t go out of its way to provide a camping light for us, mere mortals. Even with a full moon, it’s quite easy to trip over a hidden branch or, dare I say, get lost in the woods.

If you’re staying at a bustling campsite, it’s not too big of a concern, unless there’s a power outage, but if you’re like many campers who prefer a more remote experience, you’re going to need a bigger boat, I mean light!

Now there are a few basic options to choose from to see what you’re doing and where you’re going. The highly inexperienced might ask “Can’t I just use my cell phone to get around?”. In short, yes, but that strategy will only work for a quick task or two. Believe me, using your phone as a primary light source gets old very fast, particularly out camping.

What else? Flashlight? More suited for search and rescue operations if you ask me, which hopefully you aren’t experiencing on your next outing. They also demand the use of a hand at all times which feels limiting after a while. Headlamp? These can work and come in as my second favorite, but not ideal for general use, or lighting up a wide or common area.

The best, and probably oldest method to brighten up your campsite are good old-fashioned camping lanterns. They are so handy, pardon the pun, and fit right in the middle of convenience and subtlety. They’re great for most general needs and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, capacities, brightness levels, and more. I would hazard a guess most experienced nature lovers use them above all else.

Why are they so good? What makes a good one? Well, I’m glad you asked! In this breakdown of camping lanterns, I’ll go over the pros, and cons, what to consider when purchasing, and even my top picks for those who know what they need. By the end of this article, you should have a crystal clear idea of what to get and where to get it.

Enough fooling around. Let’s get into it!

Pros of Camping Lanterns

Let’s start with some of the major advantages of investing in a good-quality camping lantern, and I do mean good quality. I’m of the humble opinion you get what you pay for so if you do choose to grab one up, I highly recommend avoiding the cheap Walmart knock-offs or a 4-pack on Amazon for $15.

Listed below are but a few of the top reasons, but there are many more. They make for a great prop during a spooky ghost story or even a late-night shadow puppet session with your kids. There are hundreds of benefits, but I’ll just go over the top 5.