If you’re tackling any camping or hiking adventure, it is crucial to get reliable tools. A decent camping lantern should be top of your list.

Throughout the year, families across the USA engage in a recreational, and inexpensive, a weekend getaway that often includes camping.

With countless numbers of park and recreation facilities across the States, children, and their parents can enjoy the great outdoors, even if in their backyard.

When camping, as in any other sport or recreational activity, the key to safety lies in the preparation.

Camping, for many families, can overwhelm when not adequately prepared with the right tools and resources.

One such tool, the camping lantern, is a necessity. Choosing the right lantern for camping can be equally challenging as the camping event itself.

Size of the Camping Lantern

As a general rule, camping lanterns come in a variety of sizes. But we classify them as either small or large. The size you will need will depend, mostly on what camping activities you will be doing.

When backpacking, the small lightweight packing lanterns are ideal. This type of lantern will weigh, generally, around 28 ounces.

For an easy to carry lantern like these, the power is unleaded gas or stove fuel.

While there are smaller and more compact lanterns, weighing around nine ounces, we find these are not as useful when hiking. Especially when you expect being outdoors, in the dark, for extended periods.

Although, for a short nighttime excursion, a nine ounce lantern will work well.

Liquid-Fuel Burning Lantern

When at base camp, many families will turn to the larger lanterns.

In the larger versions, lanterns use:

  • kerosene,
  • unleaded fuel,
  • propane, and even
  • batteries.

As a heavier version of camping lantern, these will weigh a few pounds. Liquid-fuel burning lantern is the cheapest option for use.

Along those same lines is the use of propane lanterns. While not as cost-effective as a liquid-fuel lantern, we consider the propane lantern the safest, aside from costly batteries. We recommend it for families who are camping with children.

A refillable propane tank is heavy, but propane lanterns will provide the safest option when camping.

If you are camping with children, safety is the most critical issue.

Safety When Camping with your Family

When camping with your family this year, there are many tools and resources you need to consider as part of your camping excursion.

Whether camping with children, camping in very remote areas or just camping in your backyard, a lantern will, in most cases, be necessary.

To ensure the safety of your entire family, and to provide the most efficient use of power and energy, use these simple guidelines when purchasing your next camping lantern.