I carried a propane lantern on every backcountry patrol for the first six years I worked as a ranger. It threw good light, and there was something satisfying about that hiss-and-glow. But I also carried a burn kit, dealt with cracked mantles on cold mornings, and watched two campers give themselves minor burns trying to light theirs after dark. Three years ago I switched to an LED lantern for my personal trips and never went back. The Etekcity LED Collapsible Camping Lantern is the one I hand to friends who ask what to buy. It has 49,789 reviews on Amazon and a 4.7-star rating, but ratings don't tell you why. These 10 reasons do.
Still hauling propane? Here's the LED lantern 49,000 campers switched to instead.
The Etekcity Collapsible LED Lantern runs on three AA batteries, collapses flat for packing, and costs less than a tank of propane fuel. It's the lantern I recommend to every first-timer and every experienced camper who's tired of mantles.
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A propane lantern runs a pressurized fuel source and an open flame. That combination has no business inside a tent or anywhere near synthetic sleeping bags, and park rules in high-fire-risk areas outright ban them after 10pm. The Etekcity uses LEDs driven by AA batteries. There is nothing to ignite. I've left it on inside my tent while reading and had zero concern. For campers with kids, that matters more than any lumen rating.
It Collapses to About the Thickness of a Paperback Book
Propane lanterns are glass-and-metal cylinders. They take up the same space whether they're on or off. The Etekcity uses an accordion-fold design that presses flat when you're not using it. I can drop three of them into the same stuff sack a single propane lantern would occupy. For car campers, that's useful. For backpackers, it's near-mandatory.
AA Batteries Are Available at Every Gas Station Between Here and the Trailhead
Propane canisters are sold at outdoor retailers, some grocery stores, and that's about it. If you forget fuel or run out on day three of a four-day trip, you're in the dark. AA batteries are sold at every gas station, pharmacy, dollar store, and convenience mart in the country. I've grabbed replacements at a Walgreens mid-trip twice. That redundancy is not flashy, but it solves a real problem.
No Mantle to Crack, Clog, or Replace in the Dark
The mantle on a propane or gas lantern is a small mesh sock that glows when lit. It is fragile, temperature-sensitive, and easy to damage during transport. I've arrived at a campsite after a bumpy forest service road and found the mantle shattered inside a supposedly padded case three separate times. LEDs have no moving parts, no fragile mesh, nothing to crack. The Etekcity I've been using for three years looks the same inside as the day I opened the box.
I've arrived at a campsite and found the propane mantle shattered three separate times. In three years with an LED lantern, I have replaced exactly nothing.
Running Cost Per Trip Is Dramatically Lower
A standard propane canister for a camping lantern runs roughly $5 to $8 and lasts six to eight hours of burn time. Three AA batteries for the Etekcity cost under $2 and run the lantern for around 12 hours on the low setting. Over a full camping season of, say, 15 nights out, the difference adds up to $60 or more. That's not the reason I switched, but it's a reason I'm glad I did.
It Weighs 4.5 Ounces. Most Propane Setups Weigh Over a Pound.
A Coleman propane lantern with a full fuel canister attached weighs around 1.5 pounds. The Etekcity without batteries weighs 4.5 oz. With three AAs loaded it's still under 9 oz. If you're car camping that difference is minor. If you're doing a 14-mile in-and-out and every ounce matters, it's the difference between the lantern coming with you or sitting in the car.
A Low-Light Mode Makes It Useful Inside the Tent Without Blinding Anyone
Propane lanterns run hot and bright. There is no useful dim setting on most models. Full output or off. The Etekcity has a dial that takes it from full brightness down to a warm reading-level glow. My hiking partner Renata started using hers as a nightlight set at minimum inside her tent so she can find her boots at 5am without waking anyone. That kind of adjustability is obvious once you have it and missed immediately when you don't.
No Warm-Up Time, No Ignition Ritual
Propane lanterns require pumping, priming, careful ignition, and sometimes multiple attempts in cold weather. The Etekcity has one button. You press it, it lights. In the dark, in the rain, with cold fingers, that matters. I've watched campers spend four minutes lighting a gas lantern while standing in the dark because the igniter wouldn't catch. Four minutes is a long time when you need to see something.
It Doubles as a Flashlight When Collapsed
The Etekcity has a built-in flashlight mode that activates when the lantern is held closed. One lantern handles two jobs. That means one fewer item in my pack or car. For solo campers especially, having a single multi-use light source is cleaner than carrying a separate headlamp and lantern for every short trip to the bear box at midnight.
Kids Can Handle It Safely, Which Changes How the Campsite Runs
I gave my nephew Marcus, who was 9 at the time, a propane lantern to carry once. Never again. The glass, the fuel line, the heat. An LED lantern is something a child can actually use. They can turn it on, carry it to the bathroom, hang it in the tent, and press the button off without adult supervision. That's not a small thing when you're trying to set up camp after a long drive and need an extra pair of hands rather than someone you have to supervise holding a flame.
What I'd Skip
The Etekcity is not a floodlight. At full brightness it throws enough light for a picnic table and a few feet around it. If you need to light a large group campsite with 8 people and a wide area, you will want two or three of them rather than one. A single propane lantern of the same price tier actually throws more raw lumens. If raw output at large scale is the priority, that's a real tradeoff. For most weekend campers and couples, one Etekcity is enough. For bigger groups, buying two is still cheaper than one good propane setup plus a season of fuel. See my full side-by-side in the Etekcity vs Black Diamond Moji comparison and my detailed long-term Etekcity review if you want to go deeper before buying.
For most weekend campers, one Etekcity is enough. For bigger groups, two is still cheaper than a gas setup plus a season of propane.
49,000 campers rated this 4.7 stars. It's the LED lantern I recommend every time someone asks.
The Etekcity Collapsible LED Lantern runs on AA batteries, collapses flat, doubles as a flashlight, and has no mantles, no fuel canisters, and no open flame. It is the practical upgrade most campers should have made years ago.
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