Can somone please recommend me a budget LED lantern (AA batteries)

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

Im really into lanterns now, but have yet to get my first one.

I live in Canada, and being budget minded was just wondering if there are any budget lanterns recommended available from Chinese sellers, like DX, or somewhere of that like vs the Coleman, Energizer, Rayovac brands I can order here.

Basically I can spend $30 or $40 locally and get something in Canada (Amazon.ca and sort by popularity), but are there Chinese budget brands for around $10 to $20 shipped? (Just like the budget lights we like on this forum vs buying the brand name?)

Lantern should have:
Low setting with long run time
AA batteries

What would you recommend - Thank you!

Or should I just get this one, is $30 shipped a good deal?

Ultimate Survival Technologies Pico Lantern (Green)
(Seems to have good reviews here: Amazon.com)

2

The unit you mentioned is a good choice, though there are hundreds of good “small” lanterns to choose from. I usually modify most of my lanterns with warmer tint LEDs. It really depends what your looking for and the purpose you plan to use it. Camping, Power Outages, long-term storage, battery versatility, etc. Some lanterns are better for different purposes than others.

3

Hi DB, thanks for your reply - Im in Ontario too.

I dont know how to modify any lantern but do like warm tints.

Id like a budget lantern just for fun or maybe emergency use if the power goes out which never happens where I live. (For more serious use I have a Fenix LD20 with a Fenix diffuser which can do about 100hrs at 5 lumens on 2 AA)

4

Another Ontarian here, i have wondered if one could mod one of those cheap lanterns from dollarama

5

Really? You have backup generators?

6

I didnt know the dollarama had lanterns? Are they nice?

7

I dont recall power being out in my house for more than a few hours at a time over the last 15 years.

No I dont have a generator - if I did it would be over 15 years old and I would never have used it.

Do you live in a developing country where you experience regular blackouts and require generators?

8

I’m sure you weren’t born yesterday, but i assume your older then 11 years, 2 months, 24 days

9

no idea, i saw some years ago, and never bothered looking at them again, i would assume they are cheaper then cheap plastic and use those 5mm leds that put out 1 lumen each if your lucky
it may be moddable though if they still sell something similar

10

What happened 11 years, 2 months, 24 days ago?

11

I have already modded all the Lanterns from dollarama, they work good. ( even added Modes to several of them without drivers.) ( i have 4 different types of them that i found there. )

12

The great Northeast blackout of 2003, which included Ontario.

13

What did you use for drivers and LEDs?

14

actually i have 7 that came from Dollarama. ( all cost less than $ 3 bucks each.)

Below are the Dollarama lights. ( all have been modded with better LEDs, modes, and downward-facing emitters. )

- 1. already had 3 modes, i swapped the cheap blue-tint 5mm emitters for a single Warm White Luxeon, its now brighter and gained longer run time.

- 2. Came with the blue-tint 5mm strawhats, i swapped them out for WarmWhite LEDs, and it already has a variable “dimmer” switch for output.

- 3. Came with the usual bluish-tint 5mm LEDs, i modded then out for a Neutral White Luxeon. Its has single-mode, but is brighter, much better tint, and gained 3-times the run time with a resistor mod.

- 4. came with three of the same blueish-tint 5mm LEDs. (dual-Light, with front thrower and pull-out lantern) I modded it with three Luxeons & 22-ohm resistors, Now brighter, better tint, throws farther, and longer run time. songle-mode twis on-off.

- 5. Came with 4 blueish tint 5mm cheapo-LEDs, moded it with a Nichia 119, it already had a 3-way switch, so with a couple resistors and a 2 diodes it now has two modes, better tint, and longer run time.

- 6. came with an incandesent bulb, but now has a single mode, single-7135 driver, and luxeon neutral white emitter. Now much brighter & much longer run time.

    1. Dual-light, front 7-LED flashlight, and side lantern. Swapped all the LEDs. for beter tint strawhats in the lantern, and Luxeons in the front light. Single modes.)

15

Very impressive, i like the single 7135, one could use a 105c and have several modes on an XM-L run at low power

16
  1. 6 also uses 4 AA cells, but can be easily modded to use 3 AA cells and/or a single 18650 (as the base of it has lots of extra space) adding to it versatility.
    I plan on giving one of these away at the planned spring Flashaholic meet-camp weekend. ( modded in that form with a 105C / 2-7135 , 3-mode driver and NW 4C XM-L)
17

I would go for 4AA, on a single 105c would give me 150 lumens for almost 6 hours, and having lower modes would make it more versatile

If i had a 3D printer i would make a 4 or 8AA version with up to 500 lumens with many modes to choose from, make it the ultimate camping light
I suppose i could just buy a battery holder from fasttech and wire it into any lamp, thanks for the idea :slight_smile:

18

Yes I remember now - I think it was only a day or so in my area.

19

Nice looking collection. Might stop by the Dollarama this evening.

20

Yes, I do. The Gulf Coast of Texas. Storms and Hurricanes. Experience power interruptions rather frequently.