If you’re about to head out on a camping trip overnight, one of the most important items to bring along is an LED lantern. Providing enough light for an effective campsite even once the sun is long can be important, so choosing the right product can make or break your trip. The following five best camping LED lanterns are affordable, extremely well-reviewed and work great:
- Vont 2 Pack LED Camping Lantern
- Gold Armor LED Camping Lantern
- LE LED Camping Lantern
- EZORKAS 2 Pack Camping Lanterns
- MPOWERED Luci Solar Inflatable Light
No matter how prepared you might be, without a proper light included in your camping checklist, you won’t be able to do anything once the sun goes down. The campfire can only go so far in providing light for the camp and our phones won’t be enough to see what you’re doing or where you’re going. You need an LED lantern that will cover the entire area for your next big camping trip. So which lantern is the best option for your trip?
We’ve compiled a list of our five favorite LED lanterns of 2023. We understand the importance of having a quality lamp by your side throughout the camping trip, so we tested dozens of lanterns to find the best one for you. Our list includes many variations on camping lanterns to provide you with plenty of options to choose from for your next trip. Don’t get caught in the dark without a light, bring one of the best LED camping lanterns of 2023 along with you.
Top 5 Best LED Lanterns Reviewed
These are five of the best LED lanterns available in 2023. Whether you’re looking for a great camping partner or a light source for some late night tinkering, having the best product available will be important. None of these devices will break the bank, and all of them are well-worth their price tag. We’ve tested each of them and decided that these are the five that offer the most for the best prices. These are the five best LED lanterns of 2023.
1. Vont 2 Pack LED Camping Lantern
Vont understands what it takes to make a bright light that will illuminate any area. Their lantern leads the way in brightness, effectiveness, and durability. Made from compact metal and housing over 30 LED bulbs, this lantern will illuminate your entire camp site and then some. The best part is that there are two of them to keep your space full visible no matter how dark out it is. Only needing three AAA batteries, this lantern will last you up to 90 hours of use.
Overview
The company claims that this device can sustain a 10-foot drop and is waterproof, even when submerged under water so obviously we had to test these claims. Both proved to be true, making this one of the most durable lanterns on our list. The 30 LED bulbs provide a full 360-degree range of brightness that will illuminate your whole camp site. With such a powerful device, one would expect it to weigh a ton but it was designed to be lightweight and compact.
Our Thoughts
This is easily one of the best lanterns we’ve ever tested. They claim to be strong and to withstand even the worst conditions which proved to be true. Their lightweight design allows you to bring it along on any camping trip without weighing your pack down and hurting your back. It lasts almost three times as long as some of the best in the industry and it only takes three AAA batteries to operate. If you’re looking for a quality lantern that will illuminate the night, this is a fantastic product to start with.
Pros
- Lasts up to 90 hours with only three AAA batteries
- Waterproof and nearly indestructible
- 30 LED bulbs cover 360 degrees of space
- It is a two-pack!
- batteries included
- 140 lumens, but multiple LEDs make it super bright
- Feels solid, not cheap
2. Gold Armor LED Camping Lantern 4 Pack
Gold Armor takes a different approach to your basic LED lantern that has flooded the industry. They have found that the LED products don’t provide much light and require many more bulbs to properly cover an area. Gold Armor utilizes Chip-On-Board LED technology to provide much more light for less. With this lantern, you’re receiving up to 500 lumens of brightness in a much more compact device.
Overview
On top of the extensive brightness and coverage that this device provides, it is also compact and collapsible for easy use while camping and hiking. One simple push and the device shrinks to the size of a smartphone. While the lantern doesn’t last as long as the Vont device, it has batteries included to get your camping started. It takes AA batteries and includes six in the pack. While most LED lanterns offer a harsh, cold light, the Chip-On-Board (COB) design provides a warmer color.
Our Thoughts
This product is vastly different from the Vont lantern and the only reason this isn’t number one is because the Vont design is closer to what the industry seems to favor right now. If you’re looking for a warm, bright light that takes a step away from what the flow of the industry is, then this is a fantastic lantern for you. It’s dependable and provides more than enough light to cover the camp, but the warm color prevents it from drowning the natural feel out.
Pros
- Chip-On-Board LED design provides 500 lumens of brightness
- Warm color to the light
- Dependable and durable
- Collapsible
- Batteries included
- 4 lanterns are included for one great price!
3. LE LED Camping Lantern
With four different light modes, LE looks to cover your camp no matter how dark it gets around you. This 1,000 Lumen lantern is one of the brightest on our list and hosts many different settings to give your camp the proper brightness. On full brightness, this lamp has a 360 degree spill that will reach for hundreds of feet, making sure your whole camp is covered. LE has developed a product that is centered around ensuring you can see through the night no matter the activity.
Overview
One of the most unique factors about this lamp is the dimming setting. Most LED lanterns offer around four different settings to help cover your nightly activities. These usually include two brightness settings and two flashing settings. LE takes their LED lantern in a different direction with their four light settings. You can choose from full brightness at 1,000Lm, a lower light at 700Lm, a warm light setting at 300Lm, or the full flashing setting. This array lets you customize your lantern’s light like no other product.
Our Thoughts
We enjoyed using this lamp and the different light options allowed us to take a step away from the harsh cold light typically emitted by LED lanterns. This was definitely one of the longest lasting lanterns we tested coming in around 15-hours of use. It uses 1.5V 3x D batteries to power the device which offers you more use time than any others listed above. It has a far spread with its 1,000Lm strength and will be more than enough to light your full surroundings.
Pros
- 1,000 lumens on the highest setting, which is the highest
- Four different brightness settings including a warm light option and bright white daylight option
- The battery has around 15-hours of use
- Very light, only 15 ounces
4. EZORKAS 2 Pack Camping Lanterns
With a very similar design to the Gold Armor device, this lantern is easily collapsible and ready for convenient transportation. Another similarity you might find with this device is the COB style lights which offer a wider spread than the typical LED lantern, but also creates a warmer, more tolerable light. While there are many similarities between this lantern and the Gold Armor device, there is one key difference that will help you choose a favorite: this lantern has a USB chargeable battery.
Overview
COB style lights provide a warmer, longer spread of light to fill the surrounding areas that won’t flush out your party with the harsh LED feel. It includes four lighting modes that change the brightness and the flashing settings of the lantern for further customization. If your rechargeable, built-in battery ever dies while in use, the product also can house three AA batteries as a backup to prevent your camp from sudden darkness.
Our Thoughts
If you’re looking for a quality lantern that hosts many different features and settings, then this is a fantastic choice for you. It’s compact and has many extras that other lanterns do not like: a blinking red warning light when you need to contact someone from far away. Once the lantern is closed, you can utilize the top light which acts as a search light in the dark. This is a fantastic device that we recommend to anyone looking for a multi-use lantern. The rechargeable USB seems to work properly, though many users have complained about it failing them.
Pros
- Rechargeable battery with three AA slots for backup
- COB LED lights provide stronger, warmer light
- There is a top light flashlight when the lantern is collapsed as well as red warning lights
5. MPOWERED Luci Solar Inflatable Light
This is one of the most unique LED lanterns on our list. This small, solar-powered camping lantern made by MPOWERED is designed for more off-the-path use with the 10 cool-white LED bulbs. Charging this device is simple and will last up to 18-hours of use off of one charge. Simply leave the little lantern out in the sun during the day and let it sit for seven hours. MPOWERED has built this product to be perfect for any emergency situation.
Overview
The Luci solar powered lantern is a small but mighty device. It’s built to last in the wild and to provide you the perfect amount of light, even in the darkest areas. It’s waterproof and nearly indestructible for its lightweight size and design so that you don’t have to worry about losing it while out on your camping expedition. Batteries are a thing of the past as this is a completely solar product and an adjustable strap to make storage simple.
Our Thoughts
We fell in love with the unique design and features that this product offers. While it might not be as powerful or effective as the other devices on our list, the Luci lantern offers plenty of exciting features that you won’t find anywhere else. Waterproof, solar-powered, built to withstand the elements – this lantern will keep you camping without fear of the dark.
Pros
- Solar powered and therefore battery free
- Completely clear body provides a sphere of light
- 24 hours of use after one charge
Cons
- Not as powerful as other devices on our list
- Depends on the sun for power, cloudy days might not be as effective
Choosing the Right LED Lantern For You
There are many factors that go into choosing the best LED lanterns that you should consider when searching for them. First and foremost is the brightness that the lantern stands to provide you. If you’re at a larger camp that has more area to cover, having a brighter lamp will be important as smaller ones will leave you without much light the further away you go. Smaller camps might benefit from lower lumen lamps as the brighter options could drown out the entire place.
Portability is another factor that you need to consider. If you’re going on a long hike to get to your campsite, chances are you already have plenty of equipment weighing you down and putting pressure on your back. Why add more when you don’t have to? Some of the best LED lanterns are the ones that come with collapsible or compact features. Lightweight lanterns are always better than the heavier, industrial options.
Choosing an LED lantern for your campsite doesn’t have to be difficult. Any of the lanterns on our list will provide you with the coverage you need to have an enjoyable and well-lit camping experience. Choose the lantern that fits your needs best and get camping today! Or you can even buy a $4 USB bulb from a hardware store, and Outside Magazine says that can be great too.
Read More: The Best Backyard Lights
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