I think two factors more than any others keep people from extending their camping season into late fall and early winter. Well, three, if you include potential bad weather, which you can prepare for but not control; obviously, watch the forecast!

I’d bet that most people don’t camp at this time of year because they are afraid of being cold in the night. I’ll address that problem in another story–in fact, we have several stories on that subject in the works. But, for now, let’s focus on the other big hurdle, which is the fact that it gets dark early at this time of year. To enjoy camping through the longer nights of fall you need to carry a light source  that lets you cook, read, do camp chores and make those oh-so-necessary trips outdoors in the middle of the long, sometimes dark night.

A couple of decades ago Patrick Smith, who founded two major equipment companies, Mountainsmith and Kifaru and I used to do a lot of camping together in the fall and winter from Colorado to Labrador. We’d sit inside one of his superbly designed  tipi shelters (still offered by Kifaru) through the long evenings in perfect comfort by the woodstove. We had wonderful packs, sleeping bags, pads, plenty of good food and clothing. What we didn’t have was a lightweight, reliable source of light. We often talked about designing a little turbine powered by the rising heat in the stovepipe to recharge batteries which were heavy and lost power quickly. My, how things have changed for the better since then . . .

In today’s world campers have a myriad of lightweight option for light in the backcountry. Though there have been some significant advances in gas-powered lanterns, the real game-changer has been the development of the LED (Light Emitting Diode) now used in flashlights, headlamps and lanterns  you can use easily and safely inside a tent.

Here’s how I see the light(s):

Flashlights: In my emergency kit, I carry an inexpensive, tiny  ITP  A3 EOS flashlight from Battery Junction. You can find cheaper versions at the local hardware store, but they aren’t as bright or well made. This one is incredibly bright, weighs 1.8 oz with a spare battery, is rugged and and  runs on a single AAA battery. I never use it, but it’s there and ready (with a Velcro band that turns it into a serviceable  headlamp) if I ever need it. A couple of time a year,  I pull the battery and the spare out, put them in something else,  and replace them with fresh.

Headlamps: I never use the flashlight because I have an LED headlamp. There are lots of good one on the market; my current go-to favorite is a Princeton Tec Fuel which  uses 3 AAA batteries and weighs 3 ounces. If you are only going to carry one source of light on a fall/winter campout, choose a headlamp. It does everything a flashlight can do, most of what a lantern can do (some of it better) and leaves your hands free to cook, hold a book, do chores…whatever.   And, a good headlamp is a perfect Christmas gift …

LED Lanterns: Since they don’t get hot and run just about forever on one set of batteries, LED lanterns are absolutely wonderful inside a tent. We haven’t yet found a perfect one. The best we’ve found for bright, even lighting,  the Hozuki from Snow Peak, is heavier than we’d like  (about 7 oz. with 4 AA batteries), but the light is so good we still use it all the time.  It comes with a silicone globe that makes the light “softer”; nice for car camping, extra weight for backpacking (if you leave it behind, replace it with a rubber band, or the lantern tends to come apart where the batteries go in).  When weight’s an issue, the best I’ve found is the  Lithium Pack Away lantern from Coleman that runs on 3 CR 123 A batteries and weighs 5.3 oz.

You could, I suppose, just go out dayhiking in the fall and early winter and either go home at night or find a motel somewhere. But then think of what you’d miss!

Life isn’t a spectator sport. Get a light, get out and enjoy!

Gas Lanterns Galore

The first real camping light was the venerable Coleman white gas double mantle lantern. There’s still nothing better for lighting up a large area. When they came out with the “little” Peak 1 version (now called the “Dual Fuel” because it runs on Coleman Fuel or standard unleaded gasoline) we thought we’d died and gone to heaven. It weighed only 28 ounces without fuel . . .

There’s been a revolution since then. Coleman came out with some spectacular gas lanterns that aren’t worth mentioning because they no longer make the fuel for them. Sad.

Instead we now have little lightweight lanterns that screw onto the top of the now-standard iso-butane cartridges that are used with so many great backpack stoves. These are perfect for softly lighting your camp area so you don’t trip as you move about.  The first of these we tried was the Coleman F1, which is still offered. But the new “Micron Lanterns” from Primus, one with a glass globe, one with tougher steel, are much brighter and have piezo lighter built in .  They’ve become our favorite camp area lights.

Safety Concern

We sometimes use one of these gas canister lanterns inside my tipi which is specifically designed for use with a woodstove, has no floor and is properly ventilated. Don’t be tempted to use one inside a standard tent for heat and/or light. There’s just too much danger of fire and carbon-monoxide buildup. Ditto for any gas stove. Use it outside the tent. When we’re in a tent, we always use an LED lantern, period.  Safety first!