Good Replacement for an Old Lantern?

Q: I need to replace my old lantern. Any suggestions?
— Kail, Des Moines, Iowa

A: Lanterns are great lighting options, especially when conditions are not ideal for a campfire. Camping lanterns usually run off propane or batteries.

Each produces a specific amount of light, measured in lumens. The higher the lumens, the brighter the light will be. Depending on how you’ll be camping dictates what kind of lantern you should get.

Lanterns with different brightness settings, like the Dorcy LifeGear Multi-Mode Lantern ($50, dorcy.com), allow you to adjust the amount of light. It features two settings at 500 and 250 lumens, plenty of light when you’re car camping. It’s also rechargeable by built-in solar panel or USB. Flip the lantern on its side, pick it up by the sturdy plastic grip and turn on the built-in spotlight, and you’ve got a more powerful beam to use while walking around a dark campsite.

If you’re going on a trek, get a smaller lantern that’s easy to pack. MPOWERD makes inflatable lanterns that fold down, some of which you can find at the Scout Shop. I recently tried out their Luci Base Light ($60, scoutshop.org). It has three brightness settings, going as high as 360 lumens. A built-in solar panel can recharge its battery while a USB port can recharge your devices.