Best Survival Lanterns | Tested & Reviewed
Lanterns have been helping us out for a few centuries now and have always been a reliable choice for lighting. Today, they are still useful beyond camping excursions. In an emergency, a good lantern will let you see when the power goes out. The best survival lantern will let you see while the power is out, is versatile enough to handle any situation, and will survive a beating.
I’ve been testing lanterns for our reviews since 2017 and have been using them in my in-place emergency kit for even longer.
My top recommendation is for the Glocusent Camping Lantern, which packs powerful performance in a small housing at a great price.
If you are looking for a non-electric option, the Coleman Deluxe Propane Lantern is a workhorse. I also suggest a few more alternative fuel options, with lamp oil and candle picks for maximum versatility.
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Best Survival Lantern
Glocusent Camping
Bright, Lightweight, and Compact
100+ LEDs and a high-capacity compact battery make for a great survival lantern.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
The Glocusent Camping Lantern is about the size of a soda can and is one of the lightest lanterns I tested. This doesn’t stop it from putting out a whopping 1200 lumens and lasting up to 80 hours on lower settings.
Specifications
- Lumens: 1200
- Measured Lux: 720
- Fuel Type: 5,000 mAh Rechargeable
- Runtime: 80 hours
- Size: 2.2″ D x 5.6″ H
- Weight: 8.7 ounces
The rechargeable battery is what keeps it lightweight and powerful. Comparable models of this size from brands like Fenix cost 3 times as much and have fewer lumens.
The downside to the Glocusent is that the 80-hour runtime isn’t that much for a 5,000 mAh battery- other brands can squeeze anywhere between 300 and 750 hours out of a battery with that capacity. You can bypass this downside if you already have a power bank or station paired with solar in your survival kit- you can transfer energy as needed.
If you want the best bang for your buck, the Glocusent Camping Lantern is your best bet for survival kits.
Best Gas Lantern
Coleman Deluxe Propane
Dependable, Propane-Powered, and Bright
A thousand lumens is enough to light up any area with this proven gas-powered lantern with adjustable brightness.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Also available to buy at Walmart.
Coleman knows there is nothing quite like gas, and their propane lantern proves this by putting out some serious lumens (1,000). You can run it for close to 10 hours on a one-pound propane cylinder, and it will brightly light up a huge radius of 23 meters. It is a match-light ignition and has flow control, so you can easily adjust the light output.
Specifications
- Lumens: 1000
- Measured Lux: 610
- Fuel Type: Propane
- Runtime: 15 hours
- Size: 7″ D x 10″ H (when collapsed, without fuel)
- Weight: 69.3 ounces
The really nice part of the Coleman Deluxe is the collapsible base that reduces the profile when you pack it away, but keeps it extremely stable when you set it up. The ‘Insta-Clip’ mantles make swapping them out quick and easy, too.
One of the major downsides is the fuel needed to run the lantern. Propane tanks aren’t small or light, so it is too bulky and heavy for mobile survival kits like bug out bags. It can excel where you have the space to store it and extra fuel, especially if that propane is also used for your emergency stoves and heaters.
Get a Coleman Deluxe Propane Lantern for your in-place survival kits so you can tackle disasters with propane power.
Best Oil Lantern
Lamplight Original
Old-school, Multi-fuel, and Proven
Use lamp oil or kerosene to carry a light anywhere- even if a disaster has set us back hundreds of years.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Oil lanterns are sometimes referred to as a period piece or a relic, but they are still useful as a light source in emergencies. While technology is a powerful tool for preparedness, simple old-school solutions can provide backup resources for a wider range of threats.
Specifications
- Lumens: 100
- Measured Lux: 70 Lux
- Fuel Type: Lamp Oil/Kerosene
- Runtime: 12 hours
- Size: 5″ D x 12″ H
- Weight: 16.8 ounces (with fuel)
The Lamplight Original Oil Lantern is a great alternative-fuel option for significant disasters where electronics may not work, like CMEs and EMPs. While those are unlikely, it’s cheap enough to have on hand and gives great ambience if you use it as decorative lighting. You can see more on why the Lamplight is a good choice from our best oil lamp review.
Best Candle Lantern
UCO Original Candle Lantern
Rugged, Candle-Powered, and Dependable
Old-school technology proves to be dependable in unpredictable survival situations.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Candles keep it simple: wax, wick, and flame. Simple often does really well in survival situations where one thing going wrong can be life or death. With this in mind, UCO developed a modern candle lantern that is small, portable, and elegantly simple.
Specifications
- Lumens: 15
- Measured Lux: 20 Lux
- Fuel Type: Candles
- Runtime: 9 hours
- Size: 2″ D x 4″ H
- Weight: 6.3 ounces (with candle)
It uses our top-pick candle from our emergency candle review, letting you take the best survival candle anywhere on the go. The spring-loaded candle mechanism is smartly designed, pushing the candle up as it burns. You can collapse the small glass globe down into the housing to make the entire lantern a tiny four inches in storage.
You won’t be putting off a huge amount of lumens like our other picks, but a simple candle lantern is often all you need and works great for not broadcasting where you are. Like the fuel-powered lanterns, it also puts out a bit of heat. I have accidentally burnt my fingers on it, not expecting it to heat up so quickly, so be sure to use the hanging chain or bail handle.
The UCO Original Candle Lantern is the simplest solution and one of the lightest solutions we found.
Comparison Table
| Survival Lantern | Recommendation | Price* | Fuel Type | Lumens | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glocusent Camping | Best Overall | $25 | 5,000 mAh Rechargeable | 1200 | 8.7 oz |
| Coleman Deluxe Propane | Best Propane Lantern | $33 | Propane | 1000 | 69.3 oz |
| Lamplight Original | Best Oil Lamp | $17 | Lamp Oil/Kerosene | 100 | 16.8 oz |
| UCO Original Candle | Best Candle Lantern | $40 | Candles | 15 | 6.3 oz |
| Vont Collapsible | $8 | 3x AA Alkaline | 140 | 10.9 oz | |
| Energizer 360 PRO | $16 | 3xD or 3xAA Alkaline | 500 | 32.4 oz | |
| Coleman 600 LED | $27 | 3xD Alkaline | 600 | 32.2 oz | |
| Energizer X1000 | $35 | 2x 2,000 mAh Rechargeable | 1150 | 17.6 oz | |
| UCO Candelier | $47 | Candles | 45 | 18.0 oz | |
| Streamlight Siege | $48 | 3xD Alkaline | 540 | 29.1 oz | |
| Fenix CL26R Pro | $80 | 5,000 mAh Rechargeable | 650 | 7.0 oz | |
| Goal Zero Lighthouse 600 | $80 | 5,200 mAh Rechargeable | 600 | 17.6 oz | |
| Sofirn BLF LT1 | $86 | 4x 3,000 mAh Rechargeable | 800 | 25.7 oz | |
| Streamlight Super Siege | $136 | 10,400 mAh Rechargeable | 1100 | 30.0 oz |
How I Tested
There are many types of lanterns, and I’ve looked at them all to help you find the best fit for your situation. LED rechargeable lanterns have become very efficient over the years, especially when paired with charging equipment like power stations and solar panels. Low-tech solutions like candle-powered, oil, and propane lanterns still have their place, though, since they offer redundancy.
Comparing the lanterns was slightly more complicated because of the different fuel types. So, I tested them with practical use indoors and outdoors at my North Carolina home. (Outdoors only for the propane lanterns and the oil lamp models when filled with kerosene.) The practical testing helped inform me of their durability and ease of use.
For the rest of the testing, I turned to gathering data:
- Light Meter and Trap – We’ve upgraded our light trap to fit larger lanterns in it, so the numbers from our light meter have been updated for all models, as our equipment has changed.
- Size – I measured the collapsed height and diameter of each lantern with a yardstick and digital caliper.
- Weight – I measure the weight of the lanterns filled with fuel (or the largest batteries).
The manufacturers often list empty lantern weight or packaged sizes, so the last two measurements helped me understand the significant impact some lanterns can have on mobile survival kits.
Why Trust TruePrepper
Lighting up an area is easiest with a lantern, making them ideal for power outages, camp sites, and project work. I’m Sean Gold, and I’ve been testing lanterns for survival kits since 2017, when I first reviewed a Goal Zero model. I’ve been using lanterns long before that- at camp sites, during power outages, and packed in my bug out bags.
As an engineer, I like to gather testing data to objectively compare survival gear. Besides seeing how easy they are to use and how durable they are with regular use, this can help me understand the limits of the lanterns and which situations they might work best in.
Using light meters and other test equipment to verify the manufacturer’s claims on size, weight, runtime, and brightness all help us ensure that the best lanterns can hold up for survival and not leave you high and dry when it really matters.
Analysis & Test Results
The best survival lanterns have several important features to look for:
- Value
- Brightness
- Runtime
- Durability
- Versatility
When you get the right blend of these, you can find an unmatched survival lantern that will help you stay out of the dark as you navigate through any emergency. Below, we break down what each of these features means for a truly great lantern:
Value: Cost vs. Benefit
The amount of money you can spend on a lantern really shouldn’t be that high. Lanterns are just one tool in a long list of gear that can help you in an emergency.
Sure, the Coleman lantern was very effective, but its cost is a little higher than we would suggest unless you have other uses for it, or if the propane fuel overlaps with your emergency stove.
You never want to spend too much money on one resource, especially something like a lantern. It’s better to diversify your lighting options and make sure you are covered for a wide range of scenarios. There is a sweet spot where you get high value out of the best features with not too high a price, which is where our top pick sits.
Brightness
The lanterns we tested had lumens ranging from 15 to 1200. There is no ‘right answer’ for how many lumens you should have in a lantern, but adjustability is nice to be able to control the light output.
The issue is that lumens are often stated for the LEDs themselves, not the finished lantern. Battery type, reflection, and other features affect the actual light output of the lantern as well as the lumen rating.
We measured the Lux output of the lanterns in our light trap using a light meter. This helped us compare lanterns in a controlled environment. It’s a simple solution to cut out the lumen/LED noise from suppliers.
Runtime
Runtime is just how long it lasts when it is turned on. This is usually directly related to its battery/fuel capacity and the lumen output. You want the runtime to cover a large part of the night so that you can get important tasks done regardless of the time.
Testing this is as simple as running the lantern until the fuel/batteries run out and noting the time. For lanterns with multiple settings or controlled output, we ran them at the lowest setting that was still measurable over 1 Lux.
Durability
Lanterns, especially the ones with glass globes, can be a little on the fragile side. We’ve all seen the movies and TV shows where they toss an oil lantern into a barn and it bursts into flame. Luckily, they are a little more durable these days.
A few of the lanterns I tested had some durability concerns- it became evident with regular use that they would not keep up.
Versatility
Some lanterns do weigh a lot and take up a large amount of space, which limits their versatility for portable survival kits. The main offenders when it comes to weight are the oil lamps, propane lamps, and lanterns that use D-cell batteries. All of these can easily go over a pound when you weigh them with their fuel.
Our top pick and a few other sleek options from brands like Fenix pack a lot of power into a small, lightweight package. The lightest lantern I weighed ended up being the UCO Original Candle Lantern.
How to Use a Survival Lantern
Survival lanterns are easy to use once you figure out the fuel type.
There is a wide variety of fuel types to pick from:
- batteries
- disposable
- rechargeable
- solar
- kinetic
- external power source
- propane
- butane
- gasoline
- candle/flame
Some models even have multiple fuel types, making them very versatile. Depending on the power source, you may just need to switch the lantern on or safely light the lantern.
Lanterns make the most sense for your in-place survival kit setup. Even the lightest and smallest profile lanterns get edged out in functionality by flashlights and even some headlamps.
If you don’t have a lantern, you could always create a makeshift lantern using another light source and a diffuser. AlaskaGranny shows us how:
Who Needs a Lantern?
Lanterns are a great way to light up an area quickly for survival tasks or camping. They are also a great solution for 360° light when you are on the move. Most people are familiar with lanterns and have used one at some point in their lives, but they are especially useful in emergencies.
Lanterns are great to consider adding to this kit:
Even the lightest-weight collapsible lantern is a little much to add to a bug-out bag, get-home bag, or EDC loadout. If you have lanterns in those kits, you may want to evaluate your weight, since the functionality can often be replaced with a flashlight. If weight/space is not a concern, then keep the lantern in your portable kits.
No matter what threats come your way, a lantern is nice to have around so you can stay out of the dark.
Sources & References
All of our experience and the testing done to determine the best lantern are useless without listing our research sources and references. We leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with our hands-on testing and practical prepping experience:
Sterling, C. (2008). Military Communications: From Ancient Times to the 21st Century. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, Inc. (Source).
Jovinelly, J. (2007). The crafts and culture of a medieval manor. New York: Rosen Pub. Group. (Source).
Paek, H. (2010). Theory-Based Approaches to Understanding Public Emergency Preparedness: Implications for Effective Health and Risk Communication. Journal of Health Communication. Issue 4. Pages 428 – 444. (Source).
Conclusion
Lanterns have been around for a while and now come in a huge variety of fuel types. Your preferred fuel type is based on how you plan to use the lantern- or you may even opt to go with dual-fuel or have a few lantern types on tap. We tested many lanterns over the years and the last few months and found the brightest, most reliable, most durable, and most versatile survival lanterns on the market.
To go along with a solid lantern, you’ll need other light sources. We suggest looking into:
- The Best Prepper Flashlight for Emergencies and Survival
- Best Survival Headlamps | Tested & Reviewed
- Home Survival Kit List | 53 Essentials
Be sure to get familiar with your lanterns. Whether it’s lighting the lantern or adjusting the many settings, know how to do it before you need to depend on it.
See more of our expert-written guides, resources, and reviews in your search results – add TruePrepper as a preferred source.
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Very good article and info on survival and emergency lanterns. As a lantern collector, I have learned the importance of having back-ups for heating, water, food, shelter, and light. The lanterns I donate to family, friends, and neighbors are safe, fool-proof, efficient, easy to maintain, and simple to use.
An emergency or survival situation is NOT the time to learn to use or repair a vital piece of equipment. Keep up the great work!
Tommy
I have several Duracell led lanterns from Costco that are 2000 and 3000 lumens with multiple settings. They are solar/ usb charging and d battery powered. I think they are very good