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Chair-man
12-08-2013, 18:24
When I first started kayak camping a few years back I brought along a candle thinking it would save batteries when I needed light. What I discovered is how much heat a little candle can provide in a small tent on a cold night.
The candle I use is an emergency smokeless odorless candle (http://www.amazon.com/Sterno-Emergency-Candles-Columns-6-Pack/dp/B002UGJQP2/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1386541092&sr=1-2&keywords=sterno+candles) that I put in a cat food can. I'm sure some of you will recognize the name. They don't weigh too much either, about 2 oz.
So, if you're looking for something new to try on your next outing, try a candle.

Wise Old Owl
12-08-2013, 19:00
I saw your emergency candle and I always saw this safety one at the store to prevent wax and spillage in a tight tent.


http://www.rei.com/product/838880/uco-original-candle-lantern-kit

25186 Looks like a great product, and you are right it does take the chill out of the tent but at 7oz it wouldn't make the cut on the backpack.

Tri-Pod Bob
12-08-2013, 19:16
This one is only 3.8 oz with the 2 tea light candle wt. included. http://www.amazon.com/UCO-B-LTN-Micro-Lantern/dp/B004VIXTHI/ref=pd_sim_sg_2

Tri-Pod Bob
12-08-2013, 19:18
http://www.amazon.com/UCO-Ultra-Light-Candle-Lantern/dp/B00A76FGII/ref=pd_sim_sg_13 3.5 oz. with candle.

Starchild
12-08-2013, 20:15
Just to add I have noticed how much heat a canister stove can add to a small tent in almost no time.

Wise Old Owl
12-08-2013, 20:24
Yea - don't run out and buy a candle... sorry folks... I am wrapped into dual use.

Teacher & Snacktime
12-08-2013, 20:34
always....because you never know

Blissful
12-08-2013, 20:51
I used to use one long ago. With a headlamp, there is no need. And they hardly put out any light either to bother.

bfayer
12-08-2013, 21:58
I have a candle lantern. Mine is about 25 or 30 years old. it does put out a little heat, but it gives more of a mental boost than heat. Short winter nights equal more time in the tent, and there is something about a candle that makes it more comfortable.

Now that LEDs make batteries last so much longer, I often pass up on the candle lantern just to save weight. If you don't mind a little extra weight in the winter the lantern is great. I highly recommend using the lantern and not just a candle. Open flames and tents don't mix well.

4eyedbuzzard
12-08-2013, 22:22
The Black Diamond Orbit Lantern (LED) weighs 3 or 4 oz with batteries. Nice for overnights, weekend hikes if you like to read or make late camps.

kunzman
12-08-2013, 22:30
The Petzl Tikka RXP has reactive lighting. I got mine on sale for $72 at campsaver.com over Thanksgiving. It's back up to full price now though.

http://www.amazon.com/Petzl-Tikka-RXP-Headlamp-Black/dp/B00BA4R43Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1386556022&sr=1-1&keywords=Petzl+tikka+rxp

Toolshed
12-08-2013, 22:40
I started with the small teas candles and the hanging holders back in the 80's and then around 91 I picked up a true telescoping candle lantern, I have always liked the friendly littel yellow glow it provides as well as a smidge of warmth in the winter. Best of all, Icould hike voer to a L/T or spomeone elses camp for some friendly get-together and easily see my way back to my tent. I don't think I will ever stop carrying it.
I did try the oil insert aroun '95, but didn't really care for it. (and no LED candles lanterns for me please.....) :)

HooKooDooKu
12-08-2013, 23:08
On weekend trips, I used to carry a candle to save batteries. But that's back when I would stay up until 9:00 or 10:00. Now, I just go to sleep when it gets dark and therefore don't need the light beyond what a simple headlamp can provide.

leaftye
12-08-2013, 23:29
I used to carry a candle too back when batteries were alkaline and flashlights had halogen bulbs. Maybe it can still contribute some heat, but I'd rather have a couple extra ounces of down in my quilt than a candle lantern that weighs a couple ounces and provides zero warmth when the candle burns out.

ShaneP
12-08-2013, 23:34
I pack a uco candle for camp light. I love the quality of the warm light vs. LED. Once your eyes get used to the dark, the candle is like a full moon.

When I camped in a tent, I used the candle lantern for years for warmth. Amazing how warm one will make a tent. Not advice for anyone else to do that, but I never woke up dead.

rocketsocks
12-08-2013, 23:34
I do, I like em for the warmth, they'll warm up cold hands quick...and they add ambiance, and a level of mystery to the surrounding shadows in the night.

leaftye
12-09-2013, 00:30
I pack a uco candle for camp light. I love the quality of the warm light vs. LED. Once your eyes get used to the dark, the candle is like a full moon.

You can get warm tint LED's, even warm high CRI LED's if you customize. I love my warm high CRI flashlight, but I wouldn't bring it backpacking due to its form factor. Unfortunately Zebralight and Armytek have made their headlamps difficult to mod.

Slo-go'en
12-09-2013, 00:39
If you burn a candle inside a tent, please use a proper candle lantern. Not only will it reduce the risk of setting yourself on fire, you'll get some better heat out of it due to the thermal mass of the glass and frame. And you can hang it from the peak of the tent. Tents used to have a little loop for hanging a lantern, don't think any of my recent ones have that feature...

Slo-go'en
12-09-2013, 00:40
I do, I like em for the warmth, they'll warm up cold hands quick...and they add ambiance, and a level of mystery to the surrounding shadows in the night.

Minature camp fire :)

Chair-man
12-09-2013, 01:17
This one is only 3.8 oz with the 2 tea light candle wt. included. http://www.amazon.com/UCO-B-LTN-Micro-Lantern/dp/B004VIXTHI/ref=pd_sim_sg_2

Thanks, I wasn't familiar with any UCO products. This micro one you posted is definitely worth checking out. It's nice having a warmer tent for a little while on a cold wet night.

Trailweaver
12-09-2013, 03:18
Please beware using a stove inside a tent for heat. I know two campers who died of CO 2 poisoning using a stove for heat on a cold night. Young and inexperienced. . . Tragic outcome.

Rocket Jones
12-09-2013, 08:46
I started out using a candle lantern, then moved on to a small LED lantern. Recently I got the Montbell Crushable Lantern Shade (http://www.backcountrygear.com/montbell-u-l-andon-white-one-size.html?gclid=CKq41tWVo7sCFag7OgodH2wAZQ), which works pretty darn well for what I need it for. If you're just needing light, wrapping your headlamp around a Nalgene makes a decent lantern too.

dmax
12-09-2013, 09:01
I take a tea light candle on every hike. I use it for light in the tent and a few times I've used one to help start a fire on a wet day.

Starchild
12-09-2013, 09:01
Please beware using a stove inside a tent for heat. I know two campers who died of CO 2 poisoning using a stove for heat on a cold night. Young and inexperienced. . . Tragic outcome.

Nitpick, While 'CO 2' intoxication and poisoning is possible, I'm pretty sure you meant CO poisoning.

And yes not suggested to leave running, but just a short, maybe 20-30 second 'burst' can actually make quite a difference in the inside temp of a tent. I used that on those 'so f'n cold you can't sleep nights' and it does work. Also once took the stove into the outhouse and placed it on the floor while I did my business. It really made a big difference.

But yes like with anything with risk/reward you take you chance.

Nooga
12-09-2013, 10:28
I like to carry a candle for winter hikes. Long nights and some added warmth if needed. Do not carry during typical 3 season hikes.

rocketsocks
12-09-2013, 10:35
Effective alarm clock
http://i.imgur.com/TVTrK.jpg

bfayer
12-09-2013, 11:52
[h=2]Effective alarm clock]

You have been stuck inside a little too long. Try to get out some, it will help :)



Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

coach lou
12-09-2013, 14:23
I take a tea light candle on every hike. I use it for light in the tent and a few times I've used one to help start a fire on a wet day.

Same here!

Odd Man Out
12-09-2013, 16:00
Saw an on-line DIY tutorial recently about a guy who would candle powered heater. It was basically two inverted, nested clay pots with a candle inside. The pot got quite hot to the touch and made a nice radiant heater. This obviously would not be of use for backpacking and doesn't give light. But for car camping, I thought it sounded like a neat idea, and it does illustrate the amount of heat produced.

Cookerhiker
12-09-2013, 18:47
30+ years ago, I brought a few candles, for light more than heat.

rocketsocks
12-09-2013, 20:21
You have been stuck inside a little too long. Try to get out some, it will help :)



Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using TapatalkBrother you ain't kiddin! days 'll start gettin lover here pretty soon.

SunnyWalker
01-05-2014, 16:51
Wow, when I go to bed I am tired and just go to sleep. Sometimes I use my head lamp and think "I am going to read some" but I only last a few minutes. That and I am fearful of the fire danger. So the candles out out for me.

bigcranky
01-05-2014, 17:55
I have a tea light in my little emergency bag. It does put out a surprising amount of warmth inside a tent, and can be used to help start a fire (not inside a tent.)

leaftye
01-05-2014, 18:39
I just spent over two weeks in the desert. I used one of my modded flashlights as a nightlight in my tent. I uses an AA sized lithium ion battery and had a diffuser. It was used more than 12 hours a night at its lowest level, plus a little more at higher levels, and the battery lasted 10 days.

Papa D
01-05-2014, 18:45
I love candles. I don't always carry one but they will occasionally find their way into my pack. A little piece of foil and you have a nice little reflector - - I love lo-fi.

for car or a short in / out backpack type camp (which I also do quite a bit) I have several candles sort of smashed together in a coffee can which makes an excellent little windscreen - - like someone

else said, it's like a mini-campfire. I particularly dislike sweet scented candles thought - check before you grab one. Usually a thrift store will have a box of partially used / broken candle tapers and

they are nearly free - - why not?

shelterbuilder
01-05-2014, 21:38
I never had much luck with spring-loaded candle lanterns - they produced so much heat that the candle melted faster than the flame could consume the wax...what a mess!!!

Decades ago, Early Winters (remember them?) made a collapsible oil lantern that worked well, but it was HEAVY. Of course, back then, who worried about weight....

Prime Time
01-05-2014, 21:53
I just won't have a flame in my tent, regardless of whether or not it's enclosed. I'm afraid of falling asleep and knocking it over and in seconds you'd likely have at the very least a burn hole on the floor of your tent or in your sleeping bag, or much worse. Just not worth the risk to me.

Chair-man
01-06-2014, 00:56
I just ordered one of these UCO Micro Lanterns (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004BR2B28/ref=oh_details_o01_s01_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and should have it Wednesday. It comes with a carrying handle so you can hang it from your tent. The glass part slides up. Some of the reviews say it wont stay up but after watching some you tube videos I realize that these people were probably not pulling it up all way to lock it in. I'll post a review after I use it.

fiddlehead
01-06-2014, 02:37
Wally world and target sell these small, battery operated led candles.
They weigh almost nothing (I'd guess 1/10 of an ounce)
I saw last summer that a few PCT hikers were carrying them and put them together at night to simulate a campfire.
I thought it was a great idea and picked a bunch of them up.
Now, I am giving them out for gifts here in Thailand as we often lose power.
They flicker a little, like a candle, and provide almost as much light as a candle for MUCH less weight.

You won't find any in the wallyworld near Port Clinton Pa as, I bought them all (about 70 of them)
They say "up to 120 hours" of battery life, so, we left one on for 5 days. It still was working but quite dim by then.
The first 24 hours was pretty good though.

I think they are a great idea for camping.
They are the same size as tea candles and look the same, just lighter. Way lighter.

Maui Rhino
01-06-2014, 16:40
I keep a couple of birthday candles in my firestarting kit. As a teenager, I read that you could eliminate the mosquitos that followed you into your tent by lighting a candle. The bugs would be attracted to the light and be singed. Sounded like a good idea, so I tried it a few nights. I found a few dead moths but never any mosquitos, so gave up on that idea. I was worried that the tent might catch fire too.

Rolls Kanardly
01-06-2014, 18:42
I have had a candle lantern in my fishing tackle box for many years. Lost track of it until I started reading posts about their use when hiking. Then got to cranking the gears. I bought one of the skeeter coils (the ones that look like incense) and broke off a piece and put inside my candle holder. Works great. I would think a confined space would be dangerous or at least hard on the lungs.
So now my candle holder is doing double duty as a bug repeller.

Roll

jdc5294
01-06-2014, 18:44
If you burn a candle inside a tent, please use a proper candle lantern. Not only will it reduce the risk of setting yourself on fire, you'll get some better heat out of it due to the thermal mass of the glass and frame. And you can hang it from the peak of the tent. Tents used to have a little loop for hanging a lantern, don't think any of my recent ones have that feature...
It would work better keeping it on the ground since heat rises

rocketsocks
01-06-2014, 20:55
Brother you ain't kiddin! days 'll start gettin lover here pretty soon.Whad tha

Lover...eeew what...days 'll start gettin longer...scheezzz

candle packer :rolleyes:

aficion
01-06-2014, 21:45
Pack a candle but no longer the candle lantern. Lighten up y'know.

Hikes in Rain
01-07-2014, 09:40
I carry several can't-blow-them-out birthday candles to use as fire starters. Does that count?

turtle fast
01-07-2014, 16:50
Ive used a UCO aluminum candle lantern for years and in the winter does give off some heat and I agree the psychological fire component makes it feel more cozy. Just remember to not put it too close to a sidewall or hang it too close to the top. Your eyes do adjust to the light and I have found out that the focal transition to the dark is easier.

Alligator
01-07-2014, 17:20
Wally world and target sell these small, battery operated led candles.
They weigh almost nothing (I'd guess 1/10 of an ounce)
I saw last summer that a few PCT hikers were carrying them and put them together at night to simulate a campfire.
I thought it was a great idea and picked a bunch of them up.
Now, I am giving them out for gifts here in Thailand as we often lose power.
They flicker a little, like a candle, and provide almost as much light as a candle for MUCH less weight.

You won't find any in the wallyworld near Port Clinton Pa as, I bought them all (about 70 of them)
They say "up to 120 hours" of battery life, so, we left one on for 5 days. It still was working but quite dim by then.
The first 24 hours was pretty good though.

I think they are a great idea for camping.
They are the same size as tea candles and look the same, just lighter. Way lighter.My wife picked up a pack of 24 of these for Christmas. They came with 24 replacement CR2032 batteries too and she paid $6, it was at one of the local clearance outlets I think. It was a score just for the batteries IMHO.

Chair-man
01-19-2014, 01:17
I just ordered one of these UCO Micro Lanterns (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004BR2B28/ref=oh_details_o01_s01_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and should have it Wednesday. It comes with a carrying handle so you can hang it from your tent. The glass part slides up. Some of the reviews say it wont stay up but after watching some you tube videos I realize that these people were probably not pulling it up all way to lock it in. I'll post a review after I use it.

OK, so I said I was going to give a review on this UCO Micro Lantern once I got it so here it is.
The first thing I noticed was how small this thing is. I mean really small. I guess that's why they call it a micro Lantern. This photo is the Lantern collapsed 25627
This photo is the Lantern extended.
25628
OK, so this is really a nifty little lantern. I really like it. You have to make sure when you extend it you pull it all the way up until all three little nobs snap into place so it will stay up. Same with the base, make sure the base is twisted on until it snaps in place. I would say this is a well made device. I got the cocoon for it which is just a foam container to protect it. Handles the breeze well.
The only problem I see with this is that the wax becomes liquid and will spill out if it's tilted. Not sure if the wax would spill out of the lantern or not.
Some technical specs - puts out 450 BTU's, 15 Lumens, 4 hours burn time per candle, 3.9oz with 2 candles.
Hey, and it's one piece of gear my girlfriend didn't mind me spending money on. We put it next to the bed during "Our Time". ;)

RockDoc
01-19-2014, 01:24
Does anyone else remember the fold-up candle lanterns with big sheet mica windows, from the 1970's? They were great. Lots of light, and they would heat up the inside of a tent. Got mine at Hudson Bay Outfitters when they were in Kensington, MD. Seems like a long time ago...

scooterdogma
01-19-2014, 08:24
OK, so I said I was going to give a review on this UCO Micro Lantern once I got it so here it is.
The first thing I noticed was how small this thing is. I mean really small. I guess that's why they call it a micro Lantern. This photo is the Lantern collapsed 25627
This photo is the Lantern extended.
25628
OK, so this is really a nifty little lantern. I really like it. You have to make sure when you extend it you pull it all the way up until all three little nobs snap into place so it will stay up. Same with the base, make sure the base is twisted on until it snaps in place. I would say this is a well made device. I got the cocoon for it which is just a foam container to protect it. Handles the breeze well.
The only problem I see with this is that the wax becomes liquid and will spill out if it's tilted. Not sure if the wax would spill out of the lantern or not.
Some technical specs - puts out 450 BTU's, 15 Lumens, 4 hours burn time per candle, 3.9oz with 2 candles.
Hey, and it's one piece of gear my girlfriend didn't mind me spending money on. We put it next to the bed during "Our Time". ;)

The wax WILL spill out. I attached a small cat food can to the bottom, catches all the overflow, even when it's swinging. Punched 3 holes in the can and attached the can with wire ties. Weights nothing and works great.

Theosus
01-19-2014, 09:41
On our last noob group hike, someone brought along a pack of those glow bracelets (the chemical ones you crack and shake up). It looked really weird with all of us walking down from our night hike with those bracelets glowing. I looped mine around the hammock ridge line above me and went to sleep. It was nice to have a little bit of light waking up in the middle of the night. They only last around 8-12 hours or so, you wouldn't be able to carry enough for an AT hike, but for an overnight or a few days, they are pretty lightweight. They don't put out any heat, but I'm in a hammock, so there's not really anywhere to put fire, anyway.

Chair-man
01-29-2014, 12:20
The wax WILL spill out. I attached a small cat food can to the bottom, catches all the overflow, even when it's swinging. Punched 3 holes in the can and attached the can with wire ties. Weights nothing and works great.

Thanks, I just made one.

slbirdnerd
01-29-2014, 13:26
Bought an Original UCO candle lantern recently and took it on a winter overnight. Loved it and will likely always take it in winter, but probably not summer. 'Bout froze my tail off and lit my lantern in the tent. Any actual warmth it adds is negligible but it was very soothing. The candle lasted from roughly 10 pm to 7 am--I actually blew it out before it burned out. No, I would not (officially) recommend hanging a candle lantern in your tent; but it works well in my tent, hangs down plenty low, doesn't get very hot at all and I felt comfortable I wasn't going up in smoke...

Sailing_Faith
01-29-2014, 14:49
Better to light a candle then curse the darkness....


... How are you gonna light one if you don't pack it?


:)

slovakiasteph
02-26-2014, 09:24
How did you attach the can to the bottom? I was thinking about doing something like this.

I was also thinking about changing out the small hook on top...but am I right in thinking it wouldn't be safe to take completely take off the chain/hook and replace it with a biner? Because it would be too short a distance between the top of the lantern and whatever you were hanging it from...the top gets very hot.

Chair-man
02-26-2014, 11:58
How did you attach the can to the bottom?

Just like it says in post #50. Using a cat food can " Punched 3 holes in the can and attached the can with wire ties." Punch the holes in the side of the can near the top.