Lanterns

[warrenpfo]

Quick question if I can...

What lantern do you take with you when you are on a trip and does it differ if you are staying in the same place for many nights vs setup for one night and then move on.

I ask this as I want to get an older style duel fuel double mantle lantern as I like the hiss and gurgle they make along with the light it gives off which i think adds to the ambiance. You can also get fuel for apposed to gas bottles and you are not contributing to the landfill with those gas cartridges.

The other half of me says they are big in size, a pain to pack and old technology and maybe one of the newer rechargeable LED lanterns are the way to go. BUT the light it so bright and "in your face" and they are on or off rather than adjustable to the mood. They are however light in weight, easy to pack being smallish in size and they don`t break easily.

Any thoughts on your favourite lantern and the pros and cons welcome.

 

[clivehorridge]

Paraffin burning Tilley lamp.

Only I don't have one!

Like you said, the hissing sound, and the variable light, even the smell of them (used outside) is nostalgic, comforting and relaxing somehow.

Pros = the above

Cons = smelly! leaky! big! heavy!

 

[grantw]

One more pro of the dual fuel/tilley lanterns is they output quite a bit of heat - handy when camping in the UK. If you also run the dual fuel ones on brake cleaner or panel wipe they burn alot cleaner.

I still like using the dual fuel one as it's easier to fill it with fuel and worry about keeping something charged. I have a Tilley lamp too that I started refurbishing but I haven't quite got there with it yet.

 

[froggy Steve]

Used to use a tilly lamp when beach fishing many moons ago - draw you to them, smashing. But use a LED lamp now, with 2 or 3 settings (cant remember) and much more efficient.
Steve

 

[Towpack]

Used to use a tilly lamp when beach fishing many moons ago - draw you to them, smashing. But use a LED lamp now, with 2 or 3 settings (cant remember) and much more efficient.
Steve

We still have the Tilley lamp we used in the power cuts in '74 and it still works fine. A Tilley or one of the later dual fuel types would be my choice. Why not get a small, rechargeable LED lamp for 'quick' light and emergencies and use a Tilley for general camp lighting?

 

[Olazz]

I love and use a 1947 refurbished Tilley lamp. uses little paraffin and gives off a lovely warm light.



But I also carry two of these for quick easy lighting if i don't want to faff with paraffin. Don't very much like the bright white LED light though.

http://www.outdoorwarehouse.co.za/ultralight-compact-emergency-220v-12v-lamp.html

 

[grantw]

I was always tempted to get one of these:
http://www.conrad-electronic.co.uk/...3068-500-High-wattage-Petroleum-lamp?ref=list

For the price you can't complain ... but I already have two others

 

[Towpack]

I love and use a 1947 refurbished Tilley lamp. uses little paraffin and gives off a lovely warm light.

That's EXACTLY the same as mine. I think mine is a mid '60's vintage. They haven't changed much, such is the quality of the original design.

 

[Chris]

Coleman, dual fuel 100 watt petrol lantern. Love it. Good on fuel, no smell whatsoever, easy to light and maintain. Get the hard plastic case for it and store some spare mantels in the base. Added benefit is the heat it gives off to warm your tent. I bought some spare glasses for it too. These can be expensive so whatever you get, find spares ahead of time.

 

[Chris Green90]

I had a coleman one years ago and loved it. After leaving the scouts I stopped camping for a while and can't seem to find it now. was looking only the other week at replacing it. Can't believe I paid best part of 100 quid for it though.

 

[fridayman]

I use dimmable, warm white led's for doing stuff, and the campfire for ambience.

 

[Gary Stockton]

see my post on LCCSA, Warren!

 

[Chris]

Coleman do a twin mantle one too. Which if I had to buy all over again, I'd probably go for. I use mine inside an original design canvas bell tent ans it gives a beautiful light. LEDs would not be the same. Outside - LEDs all the way.

 

[warrenpfo]

Thanks for all the replies, It was the Coleman that i was looking at but it would seem the Tilly gets very good reviews from all.

The long term plan is to have a camp set up light (LED) on an extendable pole off the wheel carrier that will illuminate camp at the flick of a switch if needed so no problems there but its more for sitting around in the evening reading a book, chatting and general camp activities.

I will have to have a look at good old Ebay and see what I can source.

 

[grantw]

Warren - go the coleman. Tilleys are great but they are more work and will only run on paraffin, lighting them is also bit of an art.

Chris what do you run your lamps on? Unleaded or coleman fuel? When running them on unleaded I would say they are far from odourless ... ?

 

[Chris]

Unleaded Grant. I have the lamp and two of the dual burner cookers too and I get no odour from any of them at all. Nothing. Only when filling them when clearly I manage to pour petrol everywhere.

Chris

 

[clivehorridge]

Unleaded Grant. I have the lamp and two of the dual burner cookers too and I get no odour from any of them at all. Nothing. Only when filling them when clearly I manage to pour petrol everywhere

 

[Olazz]

Tilleys are great but they are more work and will only run on paraffin, lighting them is also bit of an art.

Ah, but that's the whole beauty of a Tilley lamp see. It's the art of lighting the vaporiser with Meths until just right, then cracking open the valve and "pop" the mantle ignites and you have that wonderful soft light, the comforting hiss of the pressured vaporiser, the need to occasionally pump up the pressure, that wonderful faint whiff of burring paraffin, coupled with the warmth of the lamp, whilst you sit and listen to the sounds of the wilderness.

 

[clivehorridge]

Ah, but that's the whole beauty of a Tilley lamp see. It's the art of lighting the vaporiser with Meths until just right, then cracking open the valve and "pop" the mantle ignites and you have that wonderful soft light, the comforting hiss of the pressured vaporiser, the need to occasionally pump up the pressure, that wonderful faint whiff of burring paraffin, coupled with the warmth of the lamp, whilst you sit and listen to the sounds of the wilderness.

 

[SpinDrift]

Now that is poetry

Ah, but that's the whole beauty of a Tilley lamp see. It's the art of lighting the vaporiser with Meths until just right, then cracking open the valve and "pop" the mantle ignites and you have that wonderful soft light, the comforting hiss of the pressured vaporiser, the need to occasionally pump up the pressure, that wonderful faint whiff of burring paraffin, coupled with the warmth of the lamp, whilst you sit and listen to the sounds of the wilderness.