Every camper knows the importance of having a bright and reliable camping lantern at the campsite.
But if you’re looking for the ultimate in brightness, you might be wondering what the brightest camping lantern is?
The brightest camping lantern is the Coleman Northern Nova Propane Lantern, which has a light output of 3000 lumens. While most standard camping lanterns only have a light output between 500 and 1000 lumens.
But for most campers, 3000 lumens would be overkill. As you probably just want to light up your campsite and not the entire campground.
So we did a ton of research to come up with not only the brightest camping lantern but also the 10 brightest camping lanterns.
So no matter what type of brightness you’re looking for, you should be able to find the perfect lantern for your needs.
10 Brightest Camping Lanterns (From Most to Least Bright)
| Camping Lantern | Lumens | Type | Average Price |
| Coleman Northern Nova | 3000 | Propane | $160 |
| Adelante Camping Lantern | 2000 | LED | $35 |
| AYL Camping Lantern |
1800 | LED | $25 |
| Power Villa Camping Lantern | 1800 | LED | $30 |
| Blazin’ Sun Lantern | 1500 | LED | $45 |
| Coleman Dual Fuel Lantern | 1107 | Liquid Fuel | $125 |
| LuxPro Dual Power Lantern | 1100 | LED | $45 |
| LE Lantern Flashlight | 1000 | LED | $40 |
| LE Camping Lantern | 1000 | LED | $25 |
| Coleman Quickpack Deluxe | 1000 | Propane | $60 |
1. Coleman Northern Nova
- Average Price: $160
- Lumens: 3000
- Type: Propane
- Power Source: Coleman 16 Ounce Propane Canisters
To check the price of the Coleman Northern Nova at Cabela’s click here.
If you’re looking for the brightest camping lantern that money can buy, the clear winner is the Northern Nova Propane Lantern, which produces an incredible 3000 lumens and casts light as far away as 107 feet from the lantern.
But all this brightness and lumens do come with one major drawback though, which is the price of this premium camping lantern.
As the Northern Nova has a wallet-busting price on average of $160, which is three or four times more expensive compared to more affordable camping lanterns.
2. Adelante Camping Lantern
- Average Price: $35
- Lumens: 2000
- Type: LED
- Power Source: 2 Lithium-Ion Batteries
The second brightest camping lantern is the Adelante Camping Lantern which produces 2000 lumens of light and is more than bright enough to light up even the largest of campsites.
Especially when you consider the fact that this camping lantern has 360-degrees of omnidirectional light, ensuring that it will light up every corner of your campsite.
This ultra-bright camping lantern also has 2 lithium-ion batteries that are capable of powering the lantern on low for up to 190 hours as well as a USB charging port that lets you charge all your small electronic devices while you’re at the campsite.
3. AYL Camping Lantern
- Average Price: $25
- Lumens: 1800
- Type: LED
- Power Source: 3 D Batteries (Not Included)
This AYL Camping Lantern is a very affordable option if your looking for a really bright camping lantern but don’t want to spend a ton of money.
As the average retail price of this budget-friendly camping lantern is only $25.
A major drawback to this bright camping lantern though is the lack of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, as the lantern requires 3 D batteries to operate.
So while this camping lantern is one of the brightest and cheapest camping lanterns you can buy.
If your someone that plans to use the camping lantern a lot, the operating cost will be pretty high due to its inefficient D battery power source.
4. Power Villa Camping Lantern
- Average Price: $30
- Lumens: 1800
- Type: LED
- Power Source: 4 D Batteries (Included)
The Power Villa Camping Lantern is also another really bright camping lantern, as it has a light output of 1800 lumens.
But just like the AYL Camping Lantern, this camping lantern also uses D batteries, as its power source, requiring 4 D batteries to operate for up 72 hours on its lowest setting.
A plus to this lantern though is that the batteries are included, which is usually not the case with most battery-powered lanterns.
However, if you plan on using the lantern a lot it would get pretty expensive and inconvenient to have to be constantly buying D batteries for the lantern.
5. Blazin’ Sun Lantern
Video Review of the 800 Lumen Blazin’ Sun Lantern
- Average Price: $45
- Lumens: 1500
- Type: LED
- Power Source: 4 D Batteries (Not Included)
The Blazin’ Sun Lantern comes in an 800 or 1500 lumen version but since there’s only a $5 difference between the two, I would definitely opt for the brighter Blazin’ Sun Lantern.
As it will do a better job of lighting up your tent as well as your campsite at night.
The brightness is also fully adjustable in case you don’t need the full 1500 lumens of light output.
As a note though, just like other budget-friendly bright camping lanterns, this lantern does not have a rechargeable option and requires 4 D batteries to operate which can get pretty expensive and be a hassle.
On the plus side though the lantern does has a pretty long runtime on those D batteries, as it provides up to 200 hours of light when set on the lowest setting.
6. Coleman Premium Powerhouse Dual Fuel
- Average Price: $125
- Lumens: 1110
- Type: Liquid Fuel
- Power Source: Coleman Liquid Fuel or Gasoline
If your looking for a bright lantern that doesn’t rely on rechargeable batteries or D batteries, then the Coleman Premium Powerhouse Dual Fuel Lantern might be the right choice for you.
As this versatile and bright camping lantern from Coleman will actually run off either Coleman liquid fuel or gasoline providing the ultimate in versatility and adaptability.
In addition, when it comes to brightness this camping lantern has got you covered, as it has a light output of just over 1100 lumens, which is more than enough light to fully light up your tent or campsite.
And the great thing is, as long as you have liquid fuel or gasoline at the campsite, there’s no need to worry about losing your light source in the middle of the night.
7. LuxPro Dual Power Lantern
- Average Price: $45
- Lumens: 1100
- Type: LED
- Power Source: Lithium-Ion Battery or 3 C Batteries
One of the coolest LED camping lanterns on this list is the LuxPro Dual Power Lantern, as it has a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery as well as the ability to run off C batteries.
Providing the ease and convenience of a rechargeable battery but the versatility of being able to run off more than one power source as a backup.
This 360 degree LED camping lantern also lets you fully adjust the light output on the lantern, as it can be adjusted all the way down to 60 lumens if desired.
8. LE Lantern Flashlight
- Average Price: $40
- Lumens: 1000
- Type: LED
- Power Source: 2 Lithium-Ion Batteries
One of the most unique camping lanterns on this list is the LE Lantern Flashlight, which doubles as both a lantern as well as a flashlight depending on your needs.
But the versatility doesn’t stop there, as this lantern flashlight also has a large red light on the side making it great for emergency situations.
And thanks to its built-in 3600mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery, it’s super easy to keep it charged and can also double as a power bank while you’re at the campsite, thanks to the handy USB charging port.
9. LE Camping Lantern
- Average Price: $25
- Lumens: 1000
- Type: LED
- Power Source: 3 D Batteries (Not Included)
One of the most popular and brightest LED camping lanterns right now on Amazon is the LE Camping Lantern, which currently has over 20,000 4½ stars reviews.
And there’s a good reason for this, as this camping lantern from LE has a very bright light output of 1000 lumens and also features a rugged plastic and rubber exterior, which provides a lot of durability and shock absorption if it were to be dropped.
It also has four light modes and is fully dimmable, allowing you to pick just the right amount of light for every camping situation.
The only real negative of this handy camping lantern that we could find is its power source.
As this bright camping lantern from LE runs off 3 D batties instead of a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
And only provides light for up to 12 to 25 hours depending on the brightness setting.
10. Coleman Quickpack Deluxe Propane Lantern
- Average Price: $60
- Lumens: 1000
- Type: Propane
- Power Source: Coleman 16 Ounce Propane Canisters
The last camping lantern on this list is the Coleman Quickpack Deluxe Propane Lantern, which has been around for years and is one of the most reliable camping lanterns you can buy.
While this lantern does run on the small Coleman 16 ounce propane canisters, they’re pretty easy to find, as you can find them in most camp stores, sporting goods stores, and just about anywhere that sells sports and outdoor equipment.
And the nice thing about this particular Coleman propane lantern is that it packs down into a really handy carrying case, which makes this lantern super portable and easy to store.
How Many Lumens Do You Need for a Camping Lantern?
While you can find compact and portable camping lanterns with lumens as low as 200.
A camping lantern should have a light output of at least 500 lumens in order to provide adequate lighting around the campsite, and ideally have a light output range between 700 and 1500 lumens for the best usability.
As camping lanterns, less than 500 lumens are often too dim to properly light up a campsite.
While camping lanterns more than 2000 lumens can often be too bright for most campsites and an annoyance to camp neighbors.
What is the Brightest Propane Lantern?
The brightest propane lantern is the Coleman Northern Nova Propane Lantern, which has a light output of 3000 lumens.
Which makes this propane lantern not only the brightest but the brightest by far.
As the Coleman Northern Nova almost doubles the next brightest propane lantern, which also happens to be a Coleman lantern.
As the 2nd brightest propane lantern is the Coleman Northstar Propane Lantern, which has a light output of 1540 lumens.
How Many Lumens is Bright?
The best way to figure out how many lumens would be considered bright is by converting lumens to watts
By comparing a certain number of lumens to the wattages of standard incandescent light bulbs as the website rapidtables.com did.
- 375 Lumens – 25 Watt Light Bulb
- 600 Lumens – 40 Watt Light Bulb
- 900 Lumens – 60 Watt Light Bulb
- 1125 Lumens – 75 Watt Light Bulb
- 1500 Lumens – 100 Watt Light Bulb
- 2250 Lumens – 150 Watt Light Bulb
- 3000 Lumens – 200 Watt Light Bulb
While everyone might have their own opinion on what constitutes bright.
Anything with a light output of 1000 lumens or above would be considered bright.
How Far Will 1000 Lumens Shine?
How far 1000 lumens will shine, depends largely on whether the 1000 lumens of light is focused in a single direction or is diffused more broadly.
As a 1000 lumen flashlight will shine light much farther compared to a 1000 lumen lantern.
Because of this 1000 lumens of light will shine up to 650 feet away in a flashlight, while only 50 feet away in a lantern.