Lets talk about camp lights

[MOguy]

It is light that has changed (ruined for some) the campground camping expereince. Those old gas Coleman lanterns light up just your little area, I remember them as fondly as many others. Over the last years light has changed. It has gotten brighter, easier to deal with (no heat, no ruined mantels) just string them up and plug them in. Leave them on all day and night it you want, you paid for your spot use up that electricity .

People are social, light up an area and they will come. The bigger the lite area the bigger the group. The bigger the group the louder the noise and the more disturbing it is.

As I look back over the last decade of campground camping I have witnessed this just as many others here have.

 

[tatanka48]

I agree, unfortunately its not possible in Texas. Very little public land and what there is can be very crowded. My vacations are to the middle of now where, i could move and start over again but workin cheap is not something I would like to do.

perterra, just west of Ft Worth is the Brazos River where you can paddle a 21 mile stretch w/ remote camping along the way

it begins just below Possum Kingdom dam and goes down to the St hwy 4 bridge

there is an outfitter http://www.rochellescanoeandkayakrental.com/trips that can shuttle you up river and drop you off while your vehicle is safely parked at their location/the take out point

about 1:45 - 2:00 hours from down town "D"

if you don't have your own you can rent canoes from them(i recommend having your own PFD's)

the location/trip is such that you can leave "D" early on Saturday morning > leisurely canoe for a day > camp over night > finish the trip & return home on Sunday evening ;-)

some folks will just paddle the whole 21 miles in one day and go home sans camp fire :-(

there is a great resource https://www.amazon.com/Rivers-Rapids-Canoeing-Arkansas-Oklahoma/dp/0963240390 that includes maps and outfitter info for virtually all the rivers in Texas and surrounding states

AND since you will be camping alone so to speak you may have as many or few lumens as your heart desires

an expedition doesn't necessarily have to be entirely "on the hard"

T

 

[krick3tt]

Used to be that the only light I had in the evening was a flashlight and a campfire. Now with the possibility of a raging forest fire because of the campfire, I use a propane fire and Luci lights mostly. Cant really tolerate long range lighting and the voices and 'music' that accompany it when I have to be at a designated campground. Many times dispersed camping is not possible after driving for long distances to 'get away'.

 

[Happy Joe]

I just wish, in the 21st century, we as a highly advanced species (who even went to the moon with slide rulers and vacuum tubes) could figure out how to make a lantern mantle that will survive JUST ONE trip in the truck!

Every time I want to use it, I have to re tie the mantle and set it up.

Clearly, we are not ready to go to Mars.

Most folks gave up stone age tech and fragile mantles, along with candles, and vacuum tubes, back in the 20th century. Although at one time there were some heavy duty mantles available that would last several trips)... If I recall the ash (thorium) from, at least, some mantles was faintly radioactive; but I haven't checked this century, since going to modern, convenient, easy on the eyes (no glare), 2500K LED (solid state) lighting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_mantle

Enjoy!

 

[jeep-N-montero]

We avoid campgrounds whenever possible because of noise and proximity to other people in general, but this is not possible when we take our big boat to the reservoirs. Most people are there to fish as well and are early to bed/early to rise. We bring a fan to plug in for white noise and it helps, but occasionally we will get woken up by those who are not deserving of the term "adult" and all they do is drink all night, they are also the same ones who never catch anything because they slept half the day away. Dang I miss my truck with basic camper on the back, could sleep very soundly in there.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Most folks gave up stone age tech and fragile mantles, along with candles, and vacuum tubes, back in the 20th century. Although at one time there were some heavy duty mantles available that would last several trips)... If I recall the ash (thorium) from, at least, some mantles was faintly radioactive; but I haven't checked this century, since going to modern, convenient, easy on the eyes (no glare), 2500K LED (solid state) lighting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_mantle

Enjoy!

You are correct, the mantles were radioactive... but in a micro-rem kinda way...lol.

 

[Boatbuilder79]

The bulb on my back porch light burned out 2 years ago so I put a hook in one of my rafters and hung up my old big gas lantern.

I find the light it gives off a lot more plesant than the electric light when I’m outside after dark cooking on the grill or having a beer.

I guess that’s why the rich folks still have gas lights at their houses.

I think the led lights are obnoxious.

 

[dcg141]

YES that’s what I’m talking about! I grew up in the 80’a and early 90’s, in boyscouts we had older green Coleman lanterns, Coleman stoves and Grumman canoes, and those are all the tings I use to this day. A Coleman lantern truly gives me a good feeling... I will never replace my old Coleman lanterns.

Same here I have a whole collection of them including a 1934 220B that runs like top. I have one of at least every model 220 made over the years and a couple 228 Big hats and the ever elusive 202 Professional.

 

[Elysian Ranch]

I started a thread in here a few years back about my favorite camp lighting, the Bushlite candle lantern from South Africa. It is still my favorite! https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/my-new-candle-lanterns.129331/

 

[perterra]

perterra, just west of Ft Worth is the Brazos River where you can paddle a 21 mile stretch w/ remote camping along the way

it begins just below Possum Kingdom dam and goes down to the St hwy 4 bridge

there is an outfitter http://www.rochellescanoeandkayakrental.com/trips that can shuttle you up river and drop you off while your vehicle is safely parked at their location/the take out point

about 1:45 - 2:00 hours from down town "D"

if you don't have your own you can rent canoes from them(i recommend having your own PFD's)

the location/trip is such that you can leave "D" early on Saturday morning > leisurely canoe for a day > camp over night > finish the trip & return home on Sunday evening ;-)

some folks will just paddle the whole 21 miles in one day and go home sans camp fire :-(

there is a great resource https://www.amazon.com/Rivers-Rapids-Canoeing-Arkansas-Oklahoma/dp/0963240390 that includes maps and outfitter info for virtually all the rivers in Texas and surrounding states

AND since you will be camping alone so to speak you may have as many or few lumens as your heart desires

an expedition doesn't necessarily have to be entirely "on the hard"

T

This is true, just have to be careful to stay around the waterline in many areas. Trespassing laws can be pretty expensive. I'm not much of a canoe'r though.

 

[perterra]

Most folks gave up stone age tech and fragile mantles, along with candles, and vacuum tubes, back in the 20th century. Although at one time there were some heavy duty mantles available that would last several trips)... If I recall the ash (thorium) from, at least, some mantles was faintly radioactive; but I haven't checked this century, since going to modern, convenient, easy on the eyes (no glare), 2500K LED (solid state) lighting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_mantle

Enjoy!

Oh yeah, makes sense, I guess thats why some people bring a TV to gather round instead of a camp fire.

 

[dreadlocks]

All this talk of camp fires is making me envious, I might get to have one or two at edges of seasons if I'm lucky.. then its burn bans in every direction for several states. once it gets dark we usually just go to sleep like old farts.

used to visit mountain towns for some fantastic fireworks shows on the 4th, after years of canceling em all they are now doing drone swarm shows

mebe I should just put a TV in the fire pit with a fire loop.

 

[dwh]

I started a thread in here a few years back about my favorite camp lighting, the Bushlite candle lantern from South Africa. It is still my favorite! https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/my-new-candle-lanterns.129331/

That link in your old thread to the Bushlite site no longer works.

 

[F350joe]

I use my Rigid light for cooking and seting up camp at night. It’s dimable, tough, and can be pointed wherever you need it. https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-Hybrid-Cordless-Folding-Panel-Light-Tool-Only-R8694221B/207041053?cm_mmc=Shopping|G|Base|D25T|25-9_PORTABLE+POWER|NA|LIA|71700000044155732|58700004615424082|92700038837660441&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1sriBRD-ARIsABYdwwFgaqndrfjO0fIPNC8o5r7-F2FZVH6iVczE9nrJ6nZStdVq98EXiIQaAhJZEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I love this little flashlight. It’s great for taking night pics, waterproof, rechargeable, and a really wide flood beam. It also has a magnet and a couple screw mounts. I put it on my walking stick. I use it all the time around the house, it lives on the fridge. https://litra.com/. It also comes with a diffuser which is nice in the tent.

 

[Elysian Ranch]

Here is a newer link to the Bushlite candle lantern site: http://www.bushlites.co.za/# And here is a picture of my Bushlite lanterns with my UCO lanterns for comparison.