Backpacker Magazine – October 2009

Gear Review: Coleman LED Quad Lantern

No kid gets left in the dark with this versatile LED lamp.

by: Kristin Hostetter

Trust us: Don't try to camp without a light for each kid. But get the right one. Headlamps often get lost or left burning all night, and standard handheld flashlights aren't versatile. Enter the Quad, a great solution for car-camping families. It's a beacon of a light source that easily illuminates a picnic table and then some.

Even better: It separates into four 6-LED handheld lights–so each kid can have his own torch, too. The main terminal charges the four panels on eight D batteries, and when separated from the terminal they'll run for about 90 minutes each before they need recharging. $70; 6 lbs.; coleman.com.

Make it Backpackable Coghlan's Micro Lantern is light (1 oz.) and cheap ($8) enough to buy one for everybody. coghlans.com.

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