On Amazon
flintronic mini lantern (2-pack)
180 lm · about 6 h on full · IP43
Two small lanterns with a magnetic base and clip; 1,800 mAh battery that can charge a phone; 20 hours in flashing mode.
£15.99 · as of 5 Nov, 11:37 GMT
Camping lights
One good lantern lights the pitch; a string of fairy lights makes the tent easy to find and nice to sit in. Below: what to check, then 8 lights in two groups, compared on what their own listings say.
What to look for
- Brightness and run time
- Listings give brightness in lumens and run time per mode, and the brightest setting runs shortest: the flintronic lists 180 lumens for about 6 hours and its flashing mode for 20.
- Water rating
- IP43 and IP44 lights are protected against splashing water; IPX5 against water jets; IP65 is also dust-tight. Keep battery boxes out of the rain: the Ollny listing says its lights can go under water but its battery box cannot.
- Batteries or USB
- The Ollny and Lepro fairy lights take 3 AA batteries, not included. The others charge by USB, and several double as a power bank for a phone.
- Fairy lights for tents
- Every set here runs on batteries or USB, so none needs a mains hook-up. Reel-type strings (sinzau, MoKo) wind back in without tangling.
- Warm or cool light
- Some lanterns let you choose the colour: the Glocusent lists 3000 K to 6000 K and the Harper Living 2200 K to 6500 K. Lower figures are warmer.
Listed cheapest first by the price when we put the list together. Each line says why it is here, using the maker's own listing. We have not tested these products.
Lanterns
Rechargeable lanterns for the tent, the table or the whole pitch.
On Amazon
Glocusent 1200 lm lantern
Up to 200 h on low · IP44 · 299 g
135 LEDs with 3 colour temperatures and 5 brightness levels; 5,000 mAh battery, USB-C, charges a phone.
See the current price on Amazon
On Amazon
Harper Living retro lantern
370 lm · up to 75 h · IPX4
Dimmable, colour-changing (2200–6500 K) retro lantern with a wooden base; 600 g; doubles as a power bank.
£27.89 · as of 5 Nov, 11:37 GMT
On Amazon
BougeRV T1 telescopic light
3 × 1,000 lm · 8 to 102 h · IPX5
Three light panels on a stand that extends to 1.68 m, with daylight, amber and red modes; 15,600 mAh battery.
£99.99 · as of 5 Nov, 11:37 GMT
Prices as of the time shown and may change. Details
Fairy lights for tents
Battery or USB only: no mains hook-up needed.
On Amazon
Ollny copper-wire fairy lights
50 LEDs on 5 m · 3 × AA · IP44
Bendable copper wire with LEDs every 10 cm; batteries not included; the lights can go under water, the battery box cannot.
£3.58 · as of 5 Nov, 11:37 GMT
On Amazon
Lepro warm-white string lights
5 m · 3 × AA · IP44
8 modes with memory, and a remote with a timer that switches them off after 6 hours; batteries not included.
£12.99 · as of 5 Nov, 11:37 GMT
On Amazon
sinzau retractable string lights
10 m · up to 12 h · IP65
Winds back onto a built-in reel; USB-C 1,800 mAh battery, 9 modes, magnetic base; 255 g.
£11.99 · as of 5 Nov, 11:37 GMT
On Amazon
MoKo string light and lantern
10 m · up to 14 h · IPX4
String light, lantern and torch in one, with a 3,000 mAh power bank, a magnet and 10 clips; 210 g.
£17.09 · as of 5 Nov, 11:37 GMT
Prices as of the time shown and may change. Details
Side by side
| Product | Type | Brightness | Run time | Water rating | Power | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| flintronic mini lantern (2-pack) | Lanterns | 180 lm | 6 h full, 12 h half, 20 h flashing | IP43 | USB, 1,800 mAh | Not listed |
| Glocusent 1200 lm lantern | Lanterns | 1,200 lm (1,500 lm boost) | Up to 200 h on low | IP44 | USB-C, 5,000 mAh | 299 g |
| Harper Living retro lantern | Lanterns | 370 lm | Up to 75 h | IPX4 | 2 rechargeable batteries (included) | 600 g |
| BougeRV T1 telescopic light | Lanterns | 3 × 1,000 lm | 8 to 102 h | IPX5 | USB, 15,600 mAh | 2.4 lb (1.1 kg) |
| Ollny copper-wire fairy lights | Fairy lights for tents | Not listed | Not listed | IP44 (not the battery box) | 3 × AA (not included) | Not listed |
| Lepro warm-white string lights | Fairy lights for tents | Not listed | 6 h timer | IP44 | 3 × AA (not included) | Not listed |
| sinzau retractable string lights | Fairy lights for tents | Not listed | Up to 12 h | IP65 | USB-C, 1,800 mAh | 255 g |
| MoKo string light and lantern | Fairy lights for tents | Not listed | Up to 14 h as string lights | IPX4 | USB, 3,000 mAh | 210 g |
More kit lists
Somewhere to use it
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