My Coleman lantern almost ruined a whole weekend at Lake Chelan

I packed my old reliable propane lantern for a trip last fall, but the mantles kept tearing and it gave off this weak, flickery light that made cooking after dark a real chore. A friend let me try his newer LED camp light, and the bright, steady glow over our whole site was a total game-changer. Anyone have a favorite lantern that's actually tough enough for real use?

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3 Comments

grace_perry445mo ago

What's wrong with a little flicker? That's part of camping for me. I still use my old Coleman white gas lantern. The hiss and the warm light feel right. It's survived being dropped in a creek and still works. Batteries die and LEDs feel too much like my kitchen.

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wood.noah5mo ago

My grandpa's Coleman still works too, @grace_perry44.

3

rosel833mo ago

Honestly @grace_perry44 I used to be all about the LEDs. Thought they were just better and safer and whatever. But you kinda made me see the whole thing different. The hiss and the warm glow and even the little flicker, that's part of the experience right? It's like the difference between watching a movie on a phone vs in a theater. Both work but one just feels more real. Now I'm kinda wanting to dig my dad's old Coleman out of the garage and try it next time I go out. You might have just converted me.

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