I like to read at night but my wife likes to just roll over and go right to sleep. We've managed to get through 33 years of marriage by living with this situation but when we're camping and I use my LED headlamp for reading she gets annoyed because every time I turn or change my head position the light in the tent changes. She would prefer I use a lantern even though it lights up more of the tent because at least it's constant but our only lantern is a flourescent model and is large and bulky making it inconvenient for backpacking or kayaking. With the proliferation of LED lights (flashlights, headlamps, etc) I have been expecting low-cost camping lanterns to appear in the sporting-goods sections of the local department stores. The other day I looked at Big 5 (nada) and then Wal-Mart (bingo!). The Wal-Mart here is offering several LED lanterns from about $25 to under $50. I chose a "Garrity" (is there someone in China named Garrity?) 20 LED model for about $42 and brought it home to test it. The key, of course, is whether I can read in bed by the light. This particular lantern has some nifty features. There are several methods for re-charging: 1) add new AA batteries (3 come with the unit); 2) Use the provided DC charger from your cigarette lighter plug; 3) Use the provided AC charger in your house; and, 4) Use the hand-crank. The last one is particularly handy for kayakers and was instrumental in the choice. The lantern has 20 LEDs but only 16 of them are "white" for reading or lighting up your camp. The other four are red and indicate charging or can be switched as a "flasher" for emergency use on the highway. The white LEDs can be dimmed or brightened to suit your use but while it's bright enough to read by in the tent they aren't going to spread light around like a propane or white-gas mantle lantern will. Another nifty feature is the built-in AM/FM radio (with speaker) and an extendable whip antenna. I tested the radio and it worked on both bands picking up local stations. No weather radio, however. There is also a cell-phone charger system that I have not tried to test. The unit is about 12 inches high (including the handle) and about 4 inches in diameter at the base. It's very lightweight and packs away easily into a small dry-bag (Wal-Mart is also selling those, btw). The specifications show the following: Hand Crank Time Useage Time Light 1 min 6 min Radio 1 min 7 min Cell Chg 1 min 2 min 3 AA Alk Batteries 8 hrs AC/DC 12 hrs Essentially, one minute of cranking gives you 6 minutes of light or 7 minutes of radio or 2 minutes of cell phone usage. We are going to do an overnight camping trip at upper Priest Lake (northern Idaho) and I'll be able to give you all a better idea of how the lantern worked in a real-world camping situation. But for the price, this looks like a good deal for anyone who wants light at night in a device that is relatively compact, light in weight and that won't burn your tent down. Craig Jungers Royal City, WA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> Another nifty feature is the built-in AM/FM radio (with speaker) and an > extendable whip antenna. I tested the radio and it worked on both bands > picking up local stations. Your wife that likes to sleep while you're reading, is going to love this feature ;-)... $42 isn't a lot of money, but I've resolved a similar problem a little bit cheaper when needed a fixed light in my tent (and my only light was, as usual, a headlamp). Tied a longer loop to one of the loops sewn in the tent roof (they are for drying clothes, I think), and wrappped the headband of the headlamp around that loop. With tilted head of the lamp it can be directed pretty much anywhere. So now the same headlamp that I used for reading the map or writing some absolutely necessary notes with lamp on my head (don't feel like reading a lot with that amount of light) serves the same purpose, albeit doesn't have to be on my head any more. Extra cost was about 10 cents (approximately - I didn't measure the length of this piece of 50 ft rope bought long time ago). >No weather radio, however. VHF has weather channels - at least, close to coastline. As an outdoor radio for areas with no VHF weather service and weak FM reception (or no FM stations in Engliish) I would suggest all-band Sony GR700 or its Chinese equivalent Kaito 1103. SW or SSB you might not always need, but it also has FM and an excellent AM reception, better than many table-top radios that I've seen. Size of a pocket book. Costs about $80 for Sony, and $60 for Kaito (with charger included). *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Yeah, let us know how it works out. I looked around too for something wilderness/backcountry/kayak-tripping worthy earlier this week but came up empty handed. See, I was off camping with the family north of Campbell River in the Sayward canoe route area of central Vancouver Island this past week. I have two Princeton-Tec headlamps, one an LEDand one with an incandesant bulb. Couldn't pry either one of them off either daughters head at night during reading time in the tents, so drove out to Spinners and picked up a Northstar propane lantern in frustration (I usually travel light family camping). Can't use lanterns in tents though, but lots of light for the camp chair reading enthusiast outside. Picked up a propane tent heater too - was rainy and cold - though the girls stole that too for their tent. Catalytic heater is fine in confined places. Well, I used to travel light. :-) BTW, I noticed an incredible perfusion of kayak craft this year throughout the lakes - far out numbering canoes. Everyone and his dog had a kayak. I've been sick for two months with abdominal problems (was down to 160), so didn't get much kayaking in. Kids kayaked sun-up to sun-down (when it wasn't raining). Hiked out on the Ripple Rock Trail. Seymour Narrows was ebbing at 11 knots - awesome whirlpools. Saw a fishboat go sideways for five minutes (displacement hull). We called off the Nootka Island portion of our vacation this weekend. Just a little too wet. Got any devices that make the sunlight come on, Craig? Doug L (whimping-out in my older years) >I like to read at night but my wife likes to just roll over and go right to > sleep. We've managed to get through 33 years of marriage by living with > this > situation but when we're camping and I use my LED headlamp for reading she > gets annoyed because every time I turn or change my head position the > light > in the tent changes. She would prefer I use a lantern even though it > lights > up more of the tent because at least it's constant but our only lantern is > a > flourescent model and is large and bulky making it inconvenient for > backpacking or kayaking. > > With the proliferation of LED lights (flashlights, headlamps, etc) I have > been expecting low-cost camping lanterns to appear in the sporting-goods > sections of the local department stores. The other day I looked at Big 5 > (nada) and then Wal-Mart (bingo!). > > The Wal-Mart here is offering several LED lanterns from about $25 to under > $50. I chose a "Garrity" (is there someone in China named Garrity?) 20 LED > model for about $42 and brought it home to test it. The key, of course, is > whether I can read in bed by the light. > > This particular lantern has some nifty features. There are several methods > for re-charging: 1) add new AA batteries (3 come with the unit); 2) Use > the > provided DC charger from your cigarette lighter plug; 3) Use the provided > AC > charger in your house; and, 4) Use the hand-crank. The last one is > particularly handy for kayakers and was instrumental in the choice. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Doug Lloyd wrote: > Yeah, let us know how it works out. I looked around too for something > wilderness/backcountry/kayak-tripping worthy earlier this week but > came up empty handed. See, I was off camping with the family north of > Campbell River in the Sayward canoe route area of central Vancouver > Island this past week. This is what I picked up Energizer Weather Ready lantern http://www.opticsforyou.com/product-9205-0-1-1.html I wanted it for emergency lighting at the house due to blackouts here in California. But also for a camping lantern, the primary reason being its 245 hours run time on one set of batteries (4 D alkaline). It's bright enough, two light settings with the lower setting being the battery-saver setting but still bright (plus a 3rd light being an amber nightlight). Just under 3 lbs (I would not use this for backpacking). You can set it up to provide 360 degree light by unfolding the stand, or block light on one side so as not to disturb others by folding it back into its stand for 180 degree light. Jackie *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
http://www.opticsforyou.com/product-9205-0-1-1.html I forgot to mention... I picked mine up at Home Depot for around $25. I can't figure out what they are doing with the pricing on this website. Jackie *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On 8/17/07, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote: > > Yeah, let us know how it works out. I looked around too for something > wilderness/backcountry/kayak-tripping worthy earlier this week but came up > empty handed. Just back today from an overnighter at a very primitive beach camp at upper Priest Lake in north Idaho (about 1.5 hours NE of Spokane). The setting was beautiful and the kayak and canoe campers were absorbed easily by the available beaches; the no-fire orders made it seem that there was no one else around. If anyone is worried that paddling is moribund I can allay that fear. Two weekends in a row at Priest Lake with more canoes and kayaks than I've ever seen. Only one camp had a powerboat. As to my new $42 lantern, perhaps it's my 60-year-old eyesight but I found the Wal-Mart LED lantern somewhat difficult to see by for reading. Part of the problem was finding a steady perch for the lantern behind my head so the light would be cast on the book. I was in a tiny one-man tent and everything I piled up to put the lantern on collapsed even though the lantern itself is quite light. I reverted to the LED headband to read myself to sleep. I still like the idea of a lantern and hope to find some kayak-transportable stand that would help. The real plus for me is the hand-wind charging system which means that batteries which so often fail would not doom reading myself to sleep in camp. So the search (for me) continues. I only wish that manufacturers of LED devices could standardize on a light-measurement scheme (lumens, watts, etc.) that would make it easier to compare them. The number of LEDs is quite useless for comparison. This, of course, is hardly what the manufacturers want. I tried turning the sun on but I had misplaced my wand. :) Craig Jungers Royal City, WA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Ha! They are hoping to sell a few to Internet buyers who make mistakes. I quicklygoogled up a few sites selling them for 25-30 dollars. GaryJ Jackie Myers wrote: > http://www.opticsforyou.com/product-9205-0-1-1.html > > I forgot to mention... I picked mine up at Home Depot for around $25. > I can't figure out what they are doing with the pricing on this website. > > Jackie *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Ooops. I had to see it on another site and then check back: They sell the *lanterns* in 4-packs. So they are 4 for $110-$125 depending on the site. Gary J. MacDonald wrote: > Ha! > They are hoping to sell a few to Internet buyers who make mistakes. > I quicklygoogled up a few sites selling them for 25-30 dollars. > GaryJ > > Jackie Myers wrote: > >> http://www.opticsforyou.com/product-9205-0-1-1.html >> >> I forgot to mention... I picked mine up at Home Depot for around >> $25. I can't figure out what they are doing with the pricing on this >> website. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I gulped at the first price. $25.00 doesn't sound bad. I'll keep looking for something that takes double A's, but probably run times would be low. Thanks for the link. DL > http://www.opticsforyou.com/product-9205-0-1-1.html > > I forgot to mention... I picked mine up at Home Depot for around $25. I > can't figure out what they are doing with the pricing on this website. > > Jackie *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Doug Lloyd wrote: > I gulped at the first price. $25.00 doesn't sound bad. I'll keep > looking for something that takes double A's, but probably run times > would be low. Thanks for the link. Gary is right. After I sent my 2nd message, Bob and I figured out their pricing was set up in a rather strange way at the link. They are charging about $25 per lantern. 4 D batteries aren't too expensive considering the run time, imo. I've got other flashlights that can run on AAs but in this instance, I neeed the long run time and didn't intend on carrying it in my pocket :-) The 245 hours run time and bright light is why I bought it. Jackie *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> I gulped at the first price. $25.00 doesn't sound bad. I'll keep looking for > something that takes double A's, but probably run times would be low. Thanks > for the link. >DL > http://www.opticsforyou.com/product-9205-0-1-1.html With 2AA - yes, it can't have enough light output (and at the same time battery life long enough for relaxed camping purposes), but with 4AA there is one (4 LED). Called Brunton Glorb LED XB Lantern. Costs USD 26 at Amazon (in Canada - CND 30 in MEC). Its earlier model 2 years ago wasn't good, but this one has more powerful LEDs. MEC has some reviews: http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp;jsessionid=Glblv8zyrP9X6Gl6MRp jbGXyJdVlD8BL3HWh1vJzC1n2dJPQTpgy!79276373?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=8455244426212 04&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302697119&bmUID=1185241893794 or http://www.amazon.com/Brunton-Glorb-Four-LED-Lantern/dp/B0007U9D2E Don't be confused - Backgeartest.org has reviews of Brunton Glorb powered by butane(small built-in cartridge), and this one compares both Glorbs, showing that LED Glorb is brighter than butane one: The problem of fragile mantle (in Butane Glorb) is mentioned too. Matle failure usually makes regular matle lanterns inoperational (and it crumbles instantly when wet, as I've found). This butane Glorb can operate in a "candle mode" - without a mantle, but then it is dimmer yet than with mantle. Even though I like those bright propane mantle lanterns for their brightness, - but their bulk, fragility of mantle and glass shade, and the need in a second propane tank (one is taken by the stove) have made me a convinced LED convert (not carrying this LED lantern, though - doing mostly solo trips, I don't need another light in addition to my 2 headlamps, and any of them can be used a a tent light, like I wrote before - suspended from the tent roof). Back top the subject, though - ALL these lanterns aren't too good for reading in tent, because thy don't cast much light immediately below. The one foldable described above might work better for this purpose - though it looks a bit cumbersome for solo trips (which wasn't the initial guestion, of course). *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Sorry, pressed the wrong button and the message went off without the link to comparative review of Butane and LED Glorb: http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Lighting/Lanterns/Brunton%20Glorb%20 Lantern/Pam%20Wyant/Long%20Term%20Report/ If link the link breaks - this is the second author, Palm Wyant, Long Term Review. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Another my typo - the review in Backgeartest.org actually shows that butane Glorb is "brighter" than LED lantern, though it is not clear which LED lantern he used - it couldn't be new Brunton LED Glorb, as year of review is 2005. I've used the quotation marks in "brighter", because butane Glorb has higher total light output, casting a wider circle of medium and weak light than LED lantern, but the circle of very bright light is same wide in both lanterns. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> I reverted to the LED headband to read myself to sleep. > > I still like the idea of a lantern and hope to find some kayak-transportable > stand that would help. The real plus for me is the hand-wind charging system > which means that batteries which so often fail would not doom reading myself > to sleep in camp. > > So the search (for me) continues. I only wish that manufacturers of LED > devices could standardize on a light-measurement scheme (lumens, watts, > etc.) that would make it easier to compare them. The number of LEDs is quite > useless for comparison. This, of course, is hardly what the manufacturers > want. The problem lies more with wholesalers, like Walmart procurement office located you know where, importing no-name products, rather in manufacturers. Though, with hundreds of thousands of manufacturers existing now in China this is manufcturers' problem too (nobody knows exactly - how many, this statistics is same unreliable as their quality control with these barely known companies). The Brunton LED lantern that I mentioned is made in China too - this is where all big corporations are moving their manufacturing now, unfortunately, - but at least this is some brand. As a rule of thumb, 1 or 2 WT of total consumed power in LED should be enough for reading under directional light, like headlamp. With LED lanterns it's hard to tell, as lanterns are not directional and therefore require MUCH MORE light output to provide enough light in specific sector where you need it for reading, and LED bulbs ARE directional, and therefore aren't suitable for a good lantern, so this is a no-win situation, resulting in having LED number in a decent lantern at least 6 and 8. My impression is that 4 * 1 Watt LED is the minimum power that can be used for reading in lantern layout provided it has an ADEQUATE REFLECTOR - which many even reputable LED models don't always have, not to mention no-name products. I don't think that reliability of AA batteries is a concern. Again, reliable and more expensive brands of rechargeable AA is the solution, although not 100% fail-proof one, and a pack of 4 alcaline AA will make it almost 100% fail-proof. There is really not much need in hand-wind system unless in a VERY long wilderness trip where you just can't carry enough batteries, and/or for some reason need to use a radio and lantern a lot (the latter scenario is more plausible during power outages at home, than in wilderness). *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
[Please remove all old content that is not pertinent to your reply including old headers and footers. It's list policy.... this post was modified to meet policy - by an admin on vacation...] > > I reverted to the LED headband to read myself to sleep. I like to read with a led headlamp. Easy to get the light where I want it to go. And three white LEDs provide plenty of light. Mine has three AAA batteries in it and it runs a really long time. Noel Noel Davis FurledSails Sailing Podcast http://www.furledsails.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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