Posted: 11/16/2016 8:35:44 PM EDT
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Going hunting with the Boy this weekend and going to camp for the first time in ages. I was shaking out the equipment and fired up a coleman lantern. As I was doing so it occurred to me that the gas lantern is a hugely outdated piece of gear. Think about it -- fragile mantles, gas (cannot use it indoors), limited light output etc. Don't LED's rule now?
I have gas 3 lanterns that I have acquired over the years and laid back a stock of mantles. I also have a couple of 1st generation LED lanterns for indoor use but these are nothing like the current models on the market today in terms of lumens and battery life. I will obviously keep these but...... It seems to me that when funds permit it is time to upgrade to all LED. What am I missing in terms of advantages to the old gas coleman lanterns? By the way, I still think Coleman stoves are good to go. |
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Oh yea completely outdated. New LED tech means LED lamps can run for days. Of course, it also runs on electricity. Which means a need for a way to generate it. But even that's getting easier to do "off grid". Gas lamps are to LED lamps as the compass is to GPS. The more technology based thing is better in nearly every way, except when there is no juice to run it, making the old tech analog thing a great backup to have "just in case".
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Oh yea completely outdated. New LED tech means LED lamps can run for days. Of course, it also runs on electricity. Which means a need for a way to generate it. But even that's getting easier to do "off grid". Gas lamps are to LED lamps as the compass is to GPS. The more technology based thing is better in nearly every way, except when there is no juice to run it, making the old tech analog thing a great backup to have "just in case". Yes, but without gas these lanterns are the same as an LED without a battery. Seems cheaper to just stock batteries. |
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LED lanterns are not cool, nor collectable. True 
But I am not a collector. Just want to have the best for preps. There is probably a role for both gas and LED but it was an eye opener for me if things truly go south. The LED's would be working way longer than gas assuming a decent supply of batteries. |
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It depends on the purpose of the light. For tasks I prefer a headlamp. I have a smaller propane Coleman lantern, for car camping, which hardly gets used. I rather not use a light unless I really need it. Having a lantern that you know will burn for a determined amount of time versus a battery powered lamp, that you are not sure how much time you have left on the used batteries can be a benefit. If you are out searching or are trying to leave a light on for someone to be able to find you. A lantern may be better. You can also use your lantern to help start a fire after heavy rain if you have limited resources.
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Quoted: Yes, but without gas these lanterns are the same as an LED without a battery. Seems cheaper to just stock batteries. Quoted: Quoted: Oh yea completely outdated. New LED tech means LED lamps can run for days. Of course, it also runs on electricity. Which means a need for a way to generate it. But even that's getting easier to do "off grid". Gas lamps are to LED lamps as the compass is to GPS. The more technology based thing is better in nearly every way, except when there is no juice to run it, making the old tech analog thing a great backup to have "just in case". Yes, but without gas these lanterns are the same as an LED without a battery. Seems cheaper to just stock batteries. |
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Quoted: True But I am not a collector. Just want to have the best for preps. There is probably a role for both gas and LED but it was an eye opener for me if things truly go south. The LED's would be working way longer than gas assuming a decent supply of batteries. Quoted: Quoted: LED lanterns are not cool, nor collectable. True But I am not a collector. Just want to have the best for preps. There is probably a role for both gas and LED but it was an eye opener for me if things truly go south. The LED's would be working way longer than gas assuming a decent supply of batteries. |
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pretty sure you can cook on a lantern if you had too. Quoted:
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Coleman lanterns put out lots of heat also,LEDs nots so much. Can come in handy during outdoor activities. You can warm stuff. "Cook" is a bit of a stretch, especially if the power is out and it's cold. Not much for BTUs. |
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I prefer LED lanterns with rechargeable batteries and solar panels to recharge them.
That said, I still do like the Coleman lanterns. Have one hanging up, but don't use it often. For the weight and size, I can have 2 Fenix LED lanterns with some smaller folding solar panels to charge the batteries, that would give me much more light in the long term. Of course, those LED lanterns won't run off of propane or other fuels like the Coleman. They also don't produce heat, which is a side benefit to the Coleman lantern. |
| For camping, I always bring a Coleman lantern. I also bring a USGI gasoline lantern. Both are fun and I love using them. I also bring a 50 year old Coleman stove and old steel cooler. Of course I also bring an LED lantern for when the other lanterns fail. The LED is smaller, lighter, more reliable, and more durable. If SHTF, the LED lantern would be the first I grab. For fun, Led is my last choice. For anything else, the LED is my first choice. |
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I've got LED lanterns. Some take AA's, some have internal LiIon batteries, a couple even take 18650's.
I have solar panels and chargers compatible with them to charge the above batteries (albeit a lot slower than I can charge them from an outlet). I even have a variety of ways to charge them from a 12 volt power source (car, etc.) That being said, I ALSO have a decent stash of 1 lb propane bottles, a half dozen 20 pound propane tanks, a stack of mantles, and three propane lanterns. Two is one, one is none.
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Umm, I find the older the tech, the more relevant it is when the lights really go out. My go-to lantern is a railroad lantern from the 1920s that burns kerosene or white gas or lamp oil or pretty much anything else flammable. . It's bulletproof and will outlast any LED anything. I prefer wicks and liquid over compressed gas canisters.
I'd rather have a coleman lantern than anything that needs electricity when the shit hits the fan. |
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Umm, I find the older the tech, the more relevant it is when the lights really go out. My go-to lantern is a railroad lantern from the 1920s that burns kerosene or white gas or lamp oil or pretty much anything else flammable. . It's bulletproof and will outlast any LED anything. I prefer wicks and liquid over compressed gas canisters. I'd rather have a coleman lantern than anything that needs electricity when the shit hits the fan. I understand where you're coming from, but, especially for those of us with little ones, the lack of fire risk that we get with LEDs is a huge attractant. Also, the thought of using a propane lantern indoors makes me clench in all the wrong places. |
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I understand where you're coming from, but, especially for those of us with little ones, the lack of fire risk that we get with LEDs is a huge attractant. Also, the thought of using a propane lantern indoors makes me clench in all the wrong places. Quoted:
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Umm, I find the older the tech, the more relevant it is when the lights really go out. My go-to lantern is a railroad lantern from the 1920s that burns kerosene or white gas or lamp oil or pretty much anything else flammable. . It's bulletproof and will outlast any LED anything. I prefer wicks and liquid over compressed gas canisters. I'd rather have a coleman lantern than anything that needs electricity when the shit hits the fan. I understand where you're coming from, but, especially for those of us with little ones, the lack of fire risk that we get with LEDs is a huge attractant. Also, the thought of using a propane lantern indoors makes me clench in all the wrong places. Well that's what regular old fashioned oil lamps are for. It's pretty much what was standard was for everyone over a hundred years ago. Safe indoors for fumes, and you just have to put em up out of reach so kiddos don't knock em over. A roll of wick and a few gallons of fuel and you've got lamps for years man. Anyway, that's what I use. And candles. You tend to not stay up so late after dark during power outages anyway. :) |
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Yeah, they may be outdated, but a led will never be as cool as this. And, I'd never think of displaying led's on my mantle. Just another tool in the tool box. <a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/powderfinger/media/image_zpsudj5aoay.jpeg.html" target="_blank">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/powderfinger/image_zpsudj5aoay.jpeg</a> <a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/powderfinger/media/image_zpsmssucxwr.jpeg.html" target="_blank">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/powderfinger/image_zpsmssucxwr.jpeg</a> What is that top one? It's awesome! 
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You can warm stuff. "Cook" is a bit of a stretch, especially if the power is out and it's cold. Not much for BTUs. Quoted:
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Coleman lanterns put out lots of heat also,LEDs nots so much. Can come in handy during outdoor activities. You can warm stuff. "Cook" is a bit of a stretch, especially if the power is out and it's cold. Not much for BTUs. When i lived in Michigan guys used to build replacement caps for then that doubled as a cook pot for ice fishing. |
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Well that's what regular old fashioned oil lamps are for. It's pretty much what was standard was for everyone over a hundred years ago. Safe indoors for fumes, and you just have to put em up out of reach so kiddos don't knock em over. A roll of wick and a few gallons of fuel and you've got lamps for years man. Anyway, that's what I use. And candles. You tend to not stay up so late after dark during power outages anyway. :) Quoted:
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Umm, I find the older the tech, the more relevant it is when the lights really go out. My go-to lantern is a railroad lantern from the 1920s that burns kerosene or white gas or lamp oil or pretty much anything else flammable. . It's bulletproof and will outlast any LED anything. I prefer wicks and liquid over compressed gas canisters. I'd rather have a coleman lantern than anything that needs electricity when the shit hits the fan. I understand where you're coming from, but, especially for those of us with little ones, the lack of fire risk that we get with LEDs is a huge attractant. Also, the thought of using a propane lantern indoors makes me clench in all the wrong places. Well that's what regular old fashioned oil lamps are for. It's pretty much what was standard was for everyone over a hundred years ago. Safe indoors for fumes, and you just have to put em up out of reach so kiddos don't knock em over. A roll of wick and a few gallons of fuel and you've got lamps for years man. Anyway, that's what I use. And candles. You tend to not stay up so late after dark during power outages anyway. :) And deaths from house fires are down something like 90% since those days. 
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Going hunting with the Boy this weekend and going to camp for the first time in ages. I was shaking out the equipment and fired up a coleman lantern. As I was doing so it occurred to me that the gas lantern is a hugely outdated piece of gear. Think about it -- fragile mantles, gas (cannot use it indoors), limited light output etc. Don't LED's rule now? I have gas 3 lanterns that I have acquired over the years and laid back a stock of mantles. I also have a couple of 1st generation LED lanterns for indoor use but these are nothing like the current models on the market today in terms of lumens and battery life. I will obviously keep these but...... It seems to me that when funds permit it is time to upgrade to all LED. What am I missing in terms of advantages to the old gas coleman lanterns? By the way, I still think Coleman stoves are good to go. I just saw new Coleman LED lanterns at REI the other day. One was an old style converted to LED. |
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I think LED lanterns are superior in every way. They weigh less, have longer runtimes, can be recharged endlessly via solar, aren't fragile, go on and off instantly, aren't a fire hazard, etc, etc, etc.
Nothing wrong with keeping lanterns you have now, but there's no chance I'd buy a new gas lantern today. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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LED wins for inside and for summer use. It is nice to be able to shut it off and not have anything still be hot. I have all sorts of stuff and am messing around with some old coleman stuff, still need to get some parts in hand to mess with them but they got put on the back burner for the past few years. Someone brand new depending on their situation might do a whole lot better with some aa led lanterns, some lithium aa batteries for long term storage, and some quality aa rechargables and a quality charger to get things started. Getting a decent battery bank up and running would be good as well for charging when the power is out. Just one of the portable setups is what I am talking about. Sure 10 gallons of coleman fuel and some lanterns and stove do x, but depending on location and layout the led stuff and batteries might be a whole lot more useful. I trash pick coleman stuff now and then. Or find some old stuff in a pawn shop that looks rusty and add it to a deal on something else so I get it for nothing. I have fuel and probably always will. But the led stuff is a big game changer depending on what you need or want. For someone in an apartment, led all the way. Someone who has a hunting camp or rustic rural getaway, don't they get issued a coleman lantern as you cross into the rural county? |
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I was thinking about this a couple weeks ago as I was camping while bow hunting. I bring all sorts of lights, but teh central piece to my camp is a Coleman Northstar lantern. I had LEDs with me, but the light from the Coleman is simply more pleasant. I hang a tarp and pitch my tent under it along with stove etc, and the lantern provided some minor warmth under the tarp that an LED wouldn't have. When I was a kid my dad and uncles had their lanterns set up with tops that could warm coffee or chili while ice fishing.
I'll admit that a big piece of my attraction to it is nostalgia - all the years on blood trails and ice fishing with lanterns and memories of all the old guys who are gone now. I use the propane types, got away from Coleman fuel years ago, but all the propane tanks and cans are still way more hassle than simply bringing some extra batteries would be. And last time I needed mantles I had to order the type I needed off friggin' Amazon. |
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CF and Kero will always be classic.
Check out Colemancollectorsfourms.com I am a member their. They have a classified sections where one can get some really good deals on classic lanterns and stoves. I own 10 various liquid fuel lanterns and 6 stoves and thats still not enough. I really enjoy the Kero lanterns and stoves. I have access to a near endless supply of free Jet-A so for me Kero is the way to go. I have a detailed thread on that website showing how to convert a 424 Coleman stove into a kero burner. It will still work on CF as well. I also do custom lantern globes.  free adult image hosting
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Yeah, they may be outdated, but a led will never be as cool as this. And, I'd never think of displaying led's on my mantle. Just another tool in the tool box. <a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/powderfinger/media/image_zpsudj5aoay.jpeg.html" target="_blank">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/powderfinger/image_zpsudj5aoay.jpeg</a> <a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/powderfinger/media/image_zpsmssucxwr.jpeg.html" target="_blank">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/powderfinger/image_zpsmssucxwr.jpeg</a> Nice set up. |
pic hosting The one lantern lit on the left is a Mil Spec Coleman with the standard single globe( Non Quad Glass) Picked it up from another collector for $50.00 which is cheaper than a new lantern and it will run almost any type of fuel. The lantern on the left is a 242C painted. $30.00 at a swap meet. The Svea 123 stove was $25.00 Same swap meet. |
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I think LED lanterns are superior in every way. They weigh less, have longer runtimes, can be recharged endlessly via solar, aren't fragile, go on and off instantly, aren't a fire hazard, etc, etc, etc. Nothing wrong with keeping lanterns you have now, but there's no chance I'd buy a new gas lantern today. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Yes LED lanterns and flashlights are great, as long as you store them without batteries or rotate the batteries, and providing none of the electricals get wet.
Coleman lanterns and stoves (and wick oil lamps) are pretty much the ultimate in LTS ready. I have bought Coleman lanterns and stoves which have been sitting in garages/barns with fuel in them for unknown years. For the most part, just dust them off and they fire right up. Plus, I have found many Coleman lanterns for < $5 ea. Also, no one has ever entered the ManCave and said, wow, nice LED lanterns..... 
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Yes LED lanterns and flashlights are great, as long as you store them without batteries or rotate the batteries, and providing none of the electricals get wet.
Coleman lanterns and stoves (and wick oil lamps) are pretty much the ultimate in LTS ready. I have bought Coleman lanterns and stoves which have been sitting in garages/barns with fuel in them for unknown years. For the most part, just dust them off and they fire right up. Plus, I have found many Coleman lanterns for < $5 ea. Also, no one has ever entered the ManCave and said, wow, nice LED lanterns..... https://s5.postimg.org/uo0pvcz9j/Lanterns.jpg Quoted:
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I think LED lanterns are superior in every way. They weigh less, have longer runtimes, can be recharged endlessly via solar, aren't fragile, go on and off instantly, aren't a fire hazard, etc, etc, etc. Nothing wrong with keeping lanterns you have now, but there's no chance I'd buy a new gas lantern today. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Yes LED lanterns and flashlights are great, as long as you store them without batteries or rotate the batteries, and providing none of the electricals get wet.
Coleman lanterns and stoves (and wick oil lamps) are pretty much the ultimate in LTS ready. I have bought Coleman lanterns and stoves which have been sitting in garages/barns with fuel in them for unknown years. For the most part, just dust them off and they fire right up. Plus, I have found many Coleman lanterns for < $5 ea. Also, no one has ever entered the ManCave and said, wow, nice LED lanterns..... https://s5.postimg.org/uo0pvcz9j/Lanterns.jpg Damn, that's an impressive collection! |
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Damn, that's an impressive collection! Thanks. That is about half of the working lanterns. I ran across a lady up near Dallas a few years back who was cleaning out her fathers garage and had about 20 various Colemans that she let me have for $50. She also had an grocery bag full of parts and mantles which I wanted to buy, but she just gave them to me. She wanted them to go to someone who would appreciate and use them. |
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Thanks. That is about half of the working lanterns. I ran across a lady up near Dallas a few years back who was cleaning out her fathers garage and had about 20 various Colemans that she let me have for $50. She also had an grocery bag full of parts and mantles which I wanted to buy, but she just gave them to me. She wanted them to go to someone who would appreciate and use them. Quoted:
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Damn, that's an impressive collection! Thanks. That is about half of the working lanterns. I ran across a lady up near Dallas a few years back who was cleaning out her fathers garage and had about 20 various Colemans that she let me have for $50. She also had an grocery bag full of parts and mantles which I wanted to buy, but she just gave them to me. She wanted them to go to someone who would appreciate and use them. Like the Sear's. I have been wanting to add some color to my collection. I also want to find a Kamplite and a inverted. |
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Oh yea completely outdated. New LED tech means LED lamps can run for days. Of course, it also runs on electricity. Which means a need for a way to generate it. But even that's getting easier to do "off grid". Gas lamps are to LED lamps as the compass is to GPS. The more technology based thing is better in nearly every way, except when there is no juice to run it, making the old tech analog thing a great backup to have "just in case". Get a solar panel and it's easy to charge them up off grid or in the field. Fuel has its own limitations. It is heavy, and requires refining. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |