Although plenty of people have told us we're mad, we're attempting to go for our first major camping trip (7 days) with small children this summer without EHU.
Firstly, are we mad?
And secondly, can anyone recommend some really good tent lights? I can't bear hunting around for things in half-darkness....
No you're not mad, it's quite normal. Until a few years nobody had EHU in a tent, at best someone might have rigged up a light to their car battery with a huckster home made cable (not recommended as you might find you have a flat battery the next day).
A good rule of thumb is more/bigger batties required the better the light. Avoid 'Wind Up' like the plague too. A head torch each, plus a general tent light is best. A hand torch is handy for finding the loo's at night too.
We have a couple of small 15 LED lanterns from home bargains, not really bright though. We have rechargeable AAs but also take some regular AAs for emergencies.
I also have some Argos camping lights on a string with a switch in the sleeping compartment, and our trusty windup emergency torches.
For our main light, we have a gas lantern which gets very very bright and warm but is adjustable.
No not mad ...insane like us, we go for around 10+ days at least once a yera so far and you will suprised that you realy can live without EHU, so much so we have put off buying an EHU for another and this will carry on I guess.
I would start with this as your main light IMHO, you can buy the identical lantern in other brands of the below but twice the price, very bright at its highest setting and surprisingly good on batteries, we used ours for two weeks without the batteries dyeing on us..
I use UFO lights in the tent living area and then have 2 small LED lanterns for the bedroom pods. I also have 2 Campingaz Lumogaz lanterns to place on the tables outside in the evenings.
And, NO, you're not mad to go 7 nights without EHU.
I have two of these. I had mine from Lidl or Aldi and they were £10 never mind what Towsure are asking!!!!
Anyhoo I charge them before I go away and they last for days. They are fab. They are definately bright enough and can be hung up out the way.
I put these ( well ones like these ) in my Girls bedroom in the tent so if they wake up they wave there arms and have light. Mine had magnets to keep the back on which worked well with the bed room material.
Also other led battery operated lights with various options for hanging.
This year though , making my own LED tent lights.. 12volt mains and working out for battery as well.
------------- Thank you Donnod123
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Coleman Evolva (might have more than one shhhh)
And now a VW T25 high top.
Tilley Titan
Tilley Trio
Cobb BBQ
Quote: Originally posted by vwstarbug on 27/2/2013
I have two of these. I had mine from Lidl or Aldi and they were £10 never mind what Towsure are asking!!!!
Anyhoo I charge them before I go away and they last for days. They are fab. They are definately bright enough and can be hung up out the way.
I had one of those but was disappointed with it. It is, indeed, very bright but the light is very directional (ie a beam of light) and not dispersed over a wide area.
I have a Lidl rechargable (charges from car or mains)wand, a bit harsh, but good, also a free gift from magazine of a Coleman rechargeable Led lantern, which is pretty good, two detachable lamps in one.
Mine still has its original batteries after well over 2 weeks' worth of use.
Great lamp. Even better when you take a small piece of a white plastic bag (this gets rid of the 'strip' of light at the bottom of the globe, making it easier on the eyes) and a yellow wrapper off a Quality Street sweet (this eliminates the harsh white LED glow and turns it into a far 'warmer' light) and secure both of these around the 'bulb' on the inside using an elastic band.
we use the coleman CPX™ 6 Easy Hanging LED Lantern first set of batts lasted 2 x 10 day holidays and a couple of long weekends and lights up our wynster perpinon 6 well!