Best 10 Lightweight Backpacking Lanterns Of 2024

If you are going on a backpacking trip for a couple of days then bringing a backpacking lantern is a must. Lanterns can help you illuminate a wide area while camping or backpacking. Light is a must if you plan on cooking at night or fixing up your tent. I often use my lantern to cook breakfast as well. A lantern is just a very useful backpacking gear to have since it has plenty of uses at night. I have listed a few lamps and lanterns that are very light in weight and very compact. I hope you find one of them to be very suitable for your needs.

Best Backpacking Lanterns – Quick Chart

How To Choose A Backpacking Lantern

Types Of Lantern

Battery Powered Table Lanterns

The most common and most popular type of outdoor lantern is battery powered. There are lots of batteries to choose from as well. These lanterns provide a lot of light and easy on the eyes as well. These lanterns are often seen on top of a table when you are on a car camping trip. Most people would use a battery powered lantern than anything else.

Hanging Lanterns

One Bulb – These lanterns can often be found hanging in the inside of a tent. They often provide enough light so that the user can move easily in the tent. The hanging lantern can also have additional features like a fan or insect zapper.

String – String lanterns look like Christmas lights. People tend to put them on top of a table so that people can cook easily and see what they are cooking. String lanterns are very beautiful and they tend to make a campsite more photogenic.

Gas Powered Lanterns

There are a few lanterns that can use gas as a way to power itself up. This is great if you want to use your batteries for other things. These lanterns tend to be very heavy though.

Oil Lanterns

There are still oil lanterns that are sold but they are not really used that much. People definitely do not use them for backpacking and camping. The light is not that powerful. These lanterns are used and made for survival or emergency purposes most of the time.

Candle Lanterns

Like oil lanterns, candle lanterns are hardly used these days. There are some that are used for aesthetic purposes but most of the time, people would rather get a bulb or use electricity to light up their campsite.

Main Features Of A Lantern To Look For

Lumens

I like my lanterns to be very bright and have high lumens. Although, it is not really required for backpacking. A good lightweight lantern that can illuminate the space around you is good enough. We don’t really need a portable sun while backpacking in the outdoors. Although I like my lanterns very powerful and high lumens. I am a big fan of flashlights, headlamps and lanterns. I am just saying that a very expensive and high lumen lantern in not required.

Waterproof

Rain can come in unpredictable moments. It can very sunny then rainy. It is the same at night. It can be cloudless and then rainy in the next hour. It is important that the item is somewhat waterproof or water resistant so that they are not destroyed easily by the weather.

Battery Life

The battery life is often overlooked but it is very important. You may end up camping in the dark without any light if you do not pay attention to the battery life. I often forget to check the battery life. However, it is also very important information. You need to know how long your lantern will last. Some batteries only last for 2 hours or 4 hours. You may want to use your lantern for the whole night. So the battery life should be something that you need to check out and know.

USB Rechargeable

Most lanterns can now be charged using the USB. There are a lot of cars that allow or have USB charging options. People can charge their lanterns with their cars. So this is a great feature to have if you are camping in a campground or even if you are going on a backpacking trip. You will eventually return to your car anyway.

Lantern Features That I Also Like

Durable / Shock Resistant

Slips and falls often happen so it is important that our outdoor gear and equipment to be very durable and shock resistant. It is better to make sure that the lantern can handle a few accidents because lanterns falling off a table or high place often happens. A durable lantern can last for a long time and save people money.

Solar Powered Lanterns

If you are planning on staying in the outdoors for a long period of time, then getting a lantern that can recharge itself in the day time is a great idea. You can have unlimited amount of power while hiking or backpacking in the wilderness.

Flashlight Lanterns

Some lanterns can be used as a flashlight to focus their beams straight. This is useful if you need to see objects that are very far. You may prefer to use a flashlight when walking in the dark than a lantern. It is a good idea to have this feature.

Detachable Lanterns

There are a lot of lanterns that can detach portions of themselves to become multiple lanterns. Coleman has a lantern that are made out of multiple lanterns. You can detach each piece so that multiple people can have a lantern that they could use. This is a great feature to think about.

Backpacking Features To Think About

Weight

Every item has a weight. When it comes to backpacking, every pound and every ounce matters. We don’t want to carry too much weight. Carrying too much weight can cause fatigue and we will just not enjoy the outdoors if we are too tired. We should always factor in the weight. A lantern can weigh a lot. A lot of companies also do not include the batteries as the total weight. It is something you need to look for also.

Dimensions

The more compact the lantern, the better. There are foldable lanterns and very compact designs out there. We have a limited amount of backpack space. It is best that we get something that is very small or very compact so that we will have more space in our backpack for other things like food, sleeping bags, tents and so on.

Power Bank

There are many cases when you don’t need a lantern at all and would prefer to use the battery to charge your phone for GPS. It is best that the lantern can also function as a power bank for emergency purposes or for leisure. Being able to access your social media and talk to your loved ones to tell them that you are safe is a good thing. A power bank is just a very useful feature to have.

Price

The price also matters. We all work hard for our money so we should buy something good and affordable at the same time. The price of the lantern can vary. Again, we don’t really need a very high powered, very expensive lantern. Something affordable, lightweight and can illuminate the area around us should be sufficient. Once you learn more about backpacking, then you should look for more expensive lanterns.

Best Backpacking Lanterns

Here are some amazing backpacking lanterns that are very good. These items are very durable and they work well. They can illuminate a campsite rather easily. All product links are affiliate links.

1. Vont 4 Pack LED Camping Lantern

Technical Specs
Weight: 7.6 Ounces
Lumen: 140
Battery Type: 3 AA
Dimensions: 5.2 x 3.5 x 3.6 inches
Feature Summary: Unfold the metallic handles and pull up to illuminate your lantern, 360 illuminations from 30 quality LEDs, collapsible design that reduces or increases the light, constructed with aircraft grade materials

Short Review: This backpacking lantern is pretty good and I know you will like this when you try it. This is a pretty standard design that a lot of lightweight lanterns have. This is great for beginners and people new to backpacking. Made out of Polypropylene or plastic that is very durable. The item works well and for most backpacking trips since it is very lightweight and very compact also. There are no issues with the battery life as it lasts for about 90 hours which is plenty of time for most adventures. For this one, you get 4 piece for a very cheap price tag. Can be used at home also or for emergency purposes.

2. LuminAID Solar Inflatable Lanterns

Technical Specs
Weight: 5 Ounces
Lumen: 75
Battery Type: 1000mAh
Dimensions: 4.72″D x 4.72″W x 4.72″H
Feature Summary: Lightweight, inflatable, collapsible, waterproof, completely safe for children, up to 24 hours of light when battery is fully charged, recharges with direct outdoor sunlight or by micro USB input

Short Review: The way I view it is that this outdoor lantern is a very good deal. This is a very lightweight item that works very well. Inflatable lanterns are becoming very very popular in the backpacking world. It is because they are very light and very compact while also providing a lot of light.  Provides around 24 hours of light when fully charged which is great for a lot of outdoor activities. The amazing compact and space saving construction is very useful for people who love backpacking and the outdoors.

3. MPOWERD Luci Original: Solar Inflatable Light

Technical Specs
Weight: 4.4 Ounces
Lumen: 65
Battery Type: 1000 mAh
Dimensions: 12.5 * 12.5 * 12 cm
Feature Summary: With 65 lumens, and lasting up to 24 hours on a single charge, 65 lumens of power via 10 warm white LEDs, Luci’s built-in high efficiency solar panel means that no batteries are needed, can withstand up to 150 lbs of pressure

Short Review: I am extremely satisfied that I purchased this given that this is a rather outstanding rechargeable lantern. This is one of the first few inflatable lanterns that were invented. This is an amazing lightweight lantern that has a built-in rechargeable 1000 mAh lithium battery while also providing a 65 lumens. This lasts for about 24 hours but you can also charge it with solar power. So it recharges a little bit during the day while you are on hike and can use it at night. A very solid item that is very compact and lightweight.

4. Lighting EVER LED Camping Lantern

Technical Specs
Weight: 6.21 Ounces
Lumen: 280
Battery Type: 3000mAh
Dimensions: 2.48″D x 2.76″W x 2.48″H
Feature Summary: 3 lighting modes, built-in rechargeable 3000mAh polymer battery, blue indicator light shows battery level small but bright enough, compact in design

Short Review: I am lucky enough to have been able to try this outdoor lantern considering that it is awesome. This is very small and lightweight which makes this ideal for backpacking and other similar activities. This is a great tent lantern that you can put at the center of your tent. Can be used as a general lightweight backpacking lantern also or for emergencies. This has around 3000 mAh worth of battery power which can be used as a power bank to charge smart phones and other small devices. A pretty good item that can be used lots of different types of outdoor activities.

5. EverBrite 2-in-1 Mini Lanterns

Technical Specs
Weight: 2.3 Ounces
Lumen: 60
Battery Type: 3 x AAA Alkaline batteries
Dimensions: 1.57 x 1.57 x 2.76 inches
Feature Summary: Telescopic design will save you storage space, dimming switch adjusts from high, low to strobe, 3 lighting modes, adjustable beam focus for both close and long range visibility

Short Review: There are a number of camping lanterns in the Internet however this is extremely amazing. This is a pretty cool lightweight lantern that can be used as a flash light as well. I don’t think I’ve ever used the flashlight mode but the lantern works well. It uses 3 AAA alkaline batteries and lasts for a very long time. The amazing compact and space saving construction should provide us more room in our backpacks when we are in a camping trip or backpacking trip. A great item that works well and provides a lot of light.

6. Makita DML806 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless L.E.D. Lantern

Technical Specs
Weight: 0.82 Pounds
Lumen: 620
Battery Type: 5.0Ah LXT battery
Dimensions: 3.2 x 6.7 x 18.4 inches
Feature Summary: 21 hours of continuous illumination in 180Degree lantern mode, provides ultra-bright illumination, versatility and convenience, great item for outdoor activities and very durable

Short Review: One of the things I love relating to this lightweight backpacking lantern is that this is extremely high-quality. This is an amazing item that has a very beautiful design. It can become a flashlight or a lantern. The weight is also very light which makes this ideal for backpacking. Can provide around 21 hours of light in lantern mode or 59 hours of light in flashlight mode. A very powerful item that illuminates a camp site very easily.

7. LED Camping Lantern, CT CAPETRONIX

Technical Specs
Weight: 0.28 lbs
Lumen: 400
Battery Type: 1800mAh
Dimensions: 2.2″ x 4.49″
Feature Summary: 3 levels of brightness to meet your daily needs, as small as your phone which could be easily fit in your pocket, backpack and camping supplies, equipped with a hook, easy to be hung in a tent or tree

Short Review: I am thrilled to recommend this rechargeable lantern because this is amazing. This comes in a pack of two which makes them very affordable. Water resistant construction makes it ideal for rainy weather also. Each lantern can lasts up to 10 hours and can charge other devices also since it can be used as a power bank. Each lantern is very light in weight and provides a lot of light which makes it very useful for a lot of backpacking trips. A pretty good lightweight camping lantern that is also very affordable.

8. Goal Zero Crush Light Solar Powered Lantern

Technical Specs
Weight: 3.2 oz
Lumen: 60
Battery Type: Built-in
Dimensions: 4.95 x 4.95 x 3.9 inches
Feature Summary: Designed to be very compact, durable and well made lantern, collapses to around half an inch, can be recharged using the sun, 35 hours worth of run time at full power

Short Review: You must check out this rechargeable lantern since this could possibly be the item that you are searching for. This is a very effortless to use item that works very well for backpacking since it is very lightweight and the collapsible design makes it very compact. It has around 60 lumens which is good enough to light up the area near a person. This also lasts up to 35 hours which is pretty good for an outdoor lantern. This also has a very high amount of positive customer reviews which you can check out to read more about the experiences of other users about this lantern.

9. HISVISION Solar Powered LED Camping Lantern

Technical Specs
Weight: 1.3 lbs
Lumen: 400
Battery Type: Built-in
Dimensions: 3.5 x 3.5 x 7″
Feature Summary: led lanterns have 4 lighting modes, made from high quality plastic, silicone lampshade of the lantern is waterproof, built in USB port for charging your smart phone, tablets and mobile devices

Short Review: This camping lamp is one of the greatest that I know of. I knew that lots of people will love this simply because of the amount of positive customer reviews. The best part about this item is that it is very compact. It collapses to a very small item while also being able to act as a power bank to smart phones and other similar devices. A great item that will lasts for a very long time because it is very durable.

10. Power Practical Luminoodle

Technical Specs
Weight: 4.41 Ounces
Lumen: 180
Battery Type: Requires Power Bank
Dimensions: 5 Feet
Feature Summary: 5 ft outdoor rope lights come with universal noodle ties, built-in magnets, a utility loop, and rip-stop bag to double as a lantern, hang, stick, or transform this LED light rope into a lantern

Short Review: This lightweight backpacking light source is extremely fantastic. This is more like a rope or cord with mini lights on them like a Christmas light. The only difference is that the lights are very powerful and can be used in a lot of ways. This item definitely has style and that “WoW that looks cool” kind of factor with it. You can get a battery pack with this item but I recommend just buying your own power bank since you may get something more powerful for a lesser price tag. It looks very beautiful and illuminates an area very well.