Best Solar Powered Collapsible Lanterns


A green collapsible solar lantern

Solar-powered collapsible lanterns combine modern technology with environmental care. They’re portable, folding down to save space, ideal for adventurers and everyday use. During the day, they soak up the sun’s energy, providing brilliant light at night. No need for batteries or outlets; the sun takes care of everything. These lanterns are eco-friendly companions, reducing your carbon footprint. We’ll explore these innovative lanterns and their positive impact on our planet. Discover how they’re leading us towards a brighter, greener future, one sunbeam at a time. Illuminate your life sustainably with solar-powered collapsible lanterns!.

The best solar-powered collapsible lantern should possess several key attributes. It should emit a sufficient amount of light, have a lightweight design, and be able to withstand the challenges posed by camping and backpacking environments. If the solar lantern is overly heavy, fails to illuminate the area effectively, or lacks durability, it would not serve as an ideal choice for backpacking or camping activities. For us, that lantern is the MPOWERD Solar Lantern.

The fact that they are solar-powered makes them even more appealing to me. As a concerned citizen, I’m concerned about how much waste I produce and how much of a carbon footprint I leave behind. Solar-powered products have made leaps and bounds in the last 10 years. They’ve become more reliable, the cost has come down and they still benefit us all when we use them versus using battery or electric powered products.

In this review of solar collapsible lanterns, I want to showcase a little bit about each, so that you can make an informed decision about which would work for you.

Here’s a quick table summarizing some of the features.

BrandGoal ZeroMPowerdTansorenLuminAIDKizen
Weight3.2 ounces6.1 ounces3.1 pounds8.5 ounces9.6 ounces
USB PortOne-wayTwo-wayTwo-way Two-wayTwo-way
Lumens60150N/A150N/A

Solar Powered Collapsible Lantern Features

Solar Lantern Durability

Bags get tossed on the ground, leaned on, and bumped on constantly. A solar lantern will need to be able to withstand all the wear and tear of backpacking while still working in the evening. If you’re an avid backpacker you know that we’re not always super delicate.

As you pack your camping gear and backpack it’s common for things to get squished up pretty good. Since it’s best to hang the solar lantern on your backpack or somewhere the sun can charge it while your hiking or enjoying the outdoors, you need to be cognizant of it. This will ensure you don’t damage it or lean up against it.

If you’ve been hiking a few miles you know the feeling of getting your pack off and letting it fall to the ground or up against a rock. There are a ton of collapsible lanterns on the market so you want to get one that will last.

Solar Lantern Lighting

As evening sets in while you camping the star-filled sky is an awesome view. The light pollution of the city is hopefully gone and you can see satellites orbiting, planes cruising by, and get a sense of wonder.

But when it comes time to needing that light to cook, pitch tents, converse with others, make plans for the next day, or just navigate around the camp, a reliable solar collapsible lantern is a must. Solar lanterns are not only great for backpacking but they’re great for emergencies and essential in a survival kit.

Flashlights and headlamps work well for walking and illuminating a direct path in front of you, but a solar lantern can illuminate a full 360-degree area.

Some of solar camping lights have two levels of lighting. The higher level emits more light, but will drain the power quicker. The lower level light doesn’t provide as much light but will last longer.

To light up a camping table or area for a few people around 300 lumens is needed. If you’re just in your tent reading or something around 50-100 lumens will suffice.

Solar Lantern Features

Lanterns that are self-standing or hangable are just another reason why bringing one along on a camping trip is such a good idea. Unlike a flashlight, they are hands-free and incredibly practical.

Many times I’ve used a hanging lantern in my tent to read before going to bed, prep for the next day, and for finding items in my tent. A headlamp will do in a pinch, but a collapsible lantern is ideal.

Weather doesn’t always turn out ideal when camping. A water resistant lantern is one feature that is a necessity. A lantern that doesn’t work is useless. Make sure when shopping for a solar camping light that it’s able to withstand a bit of rain or moisture. Not to mention that can of beer that you might knock over on the table, onto the lantern.

Size and Weight

As an avid backpacker, I can relate to measuring things down to the ounce. You can probably relate to the fact you’ll sacrifice a bit of comfort for the sake of weight. If your just car camping, the weight isn’t a big deal, but everyone is trying to save space. Most of these solar camping lights are only a few ounces, making them great for long treks on the trail.

The collapsible feature comes in handy for saving space. It also prevents the solar camping lights from getting hung up on branches, twigs, and rocks while your walking and turning corners on the trail.

Solar Light Charging Options

Being able to charge your solar lantern via multiple methods is conveninet too. Many times you’ll just pack your stuff and head out. It’s likely that your solar collapsible lantern won’t have any juice in it unless you remember to place it in the sun before departing.

Some of the solar lanterns can be charged via a car charger, USB port, or even DC power. These multiple options ensure you have every opportunity to get your lantern fully charged before use and during your backpacking.

So before you head out on your next outdoor adventure here is a list of solar lanterns that will come in handy.

Best Solar Powered Collapsible Lanterns

Goal Zero

1) Goal Zero Crush Light Solar Powered Lantern – The Crush Light Chroma is a solar-powered lantern designed for convenience. Features three light settings (high, medium and low), a flickering candle mode, multi-color fade and 6 color modes.

Features and Benefits

  • 60 lumens of useable light on high and a 35-hour runtime on low
  • Features high, medium, low and soft, candle flicker mode for ambiance and party mode with multi-color face or 6 color modes
  • Recharge using the built-in solar panel or charge from any USB port with the included cable in about 3 hours.
  • When collapsed, the lantern is just over half an inch and can fit into any emergency kit, glove box, backpack, purse, and much more.

MPOWERD Solar Lantern (Editor’s Choice)

2) MPOWERD Luci Outdoor 2.0 Pro – This powerful solar lantern is 100% solar If you’re looking to use the power of the sun to light up your outdoor trip, this is the one for you. No more extra batteries in your pack with this unit.

Features and Benefits

  • It’s durable in that it can withstand 150 lbs of pressure.
  • Can be fully charged via sun in 14 hours or via USB in 3 hours
  • Capable of providing a charge to mobile devices
  • Collapses down to 1.5 inches, and weighs just 6.1 oz (173g).

Tansoren

3) Tansoren Solar Collapsible Lantern – The Tansoren solar camping light is a collapsible lantern designed for camping or short backpacking trips. This solar light is a bit more heavy-duty compared to the other full collapsible lanterns but is perfect for providing a lot of light on those short hiking trips. At a little over 3 lbs, it’s a super-powerful light full of features that would work great for emergency situations and is still collapsible.

Features and Benefits

  • Solar charger or DC charging or 3-AA battery.
  • 3 Attachment Options: metal loop, top loop, magnetic base
  • Omni-directional LED lights provide illumination in every direction around the campsite.
  • Can charge Android devices

LuminAID Solar Lantern (Runner up)

4) LuminAID PackLite 2-in-1 – LuminAID is the creator of the world’s first inflatable solar lanterns, designed as a sustainable solution to off-grid light and power around the world. Once this solar camping lantern is charged expect to get a lot of light for several hours. Individual testing shows it takes a bit to charge but once fully charged it will provide sufficient late into the night.

Features and Benefits

  • Brighten the campsite with up to 50 hours of light, at your favorite park, or in the backyard
  • The 2-1 feature allows you to charge your mobile devices as well as receive a charge.
  • Charge via solar or micro USB input. No batteries needed.
  • Packs flat for easy storage, and can hook on a backpack

Kizen Solar Lantern

5) Kizen Solar Rechargeable Lantern – You won’t be left in the dark with this solar lantern. The KizenĀ is a sturdy and small collapsible solar lantern that has three settings of usable light. When collapsed down it can also be used as a flashlight, so very versatile.

Features and Benefits

  • Can be used as a lantern or a flashlight
  • Able to charge mobile devices via the USB port
  • Collapses down to 3.2 inches and only weighs 9.6 ounces

As you can see there are a variety of camping solar lanterns, and this is great for end consumers. No need to buy more than you want or need.

Something I would caution you about, is the run time of solar lanterns. The manufacturers always over estimate the run time of their products. When I see run times of anything over 10 hours I hesitate. At a certain point the lanterns may be giving off light, but the light is so dim, it’s not really useable.

In all likelihood you’ll only need a few hours of light, depending on how late into the night you use it. And then the next day you’ll hopefully have access to solar charging. But this brings me to the point of conserving light.

How to Make Solar Lanterns Last Longer?

Like many products, solar lanterns will work best when maintained regularly. Here are some of the most important actions to take to make sure that you get many years of use and enjoyment out of your camping solar lantern.

The first thing to remember is that any kind of solar-powered outdoor lighting will work best when you invest in high-quality equipment in the first place. There are many different types of light out there on the market now at very reasonable prices, so it is often worth spending a little more to ensure that you come away with a great – and highly durable – product.

As well as better quality meaning better durability, the other advantage of higher quality items is that they are generally equipped with better technology which makes them last longer. Dumping money into gear every couple of years on the same product will eventually empty your wallet. Choose something that won’t’ need replacing often.

While maintaining your solar lanterns, it’s a good idea to keep the solar collector clean and free of dust or debris that could hinder its ability to soak up the sun’s rays. If the batteries are unable to be fully charged the amount of light it produces will be low and the length of time it provides light will be shorter.

During the summer, it’s easy to use the solar lights but to help extend the useful life of them, try to use them a bit during the winter. Continual use throughout the year will help them last longer.

Benefits of Solar Camping Lanterns

Their are many benefits of using any solar powered gear. And some of these benefits carry over to solar lanterns.

  1. Sustainable Energy Source: Solar-powered collapsible lanterns utilize renewable energy from the sun, reducing the need for disposable batteries and minimizing your environmental impact. They are a sustainable and eco-friendly lighting solution.
  2. Portability and Space Efficiency: These lanterns are designed to be compact and collapsible, making them highly portable and easy to store. They are perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, travelers, and emergency preparedness kits, as they take up minimal space.
  3. No Electricity Required: Solar lanterns do not rely on electricity or power outlets. They charge during the day and provide light at night, ensuring you have a reliable source of illumination in remote areas or during power outages.
  4. Cost-Efficient: Once you’ve invested in a solar-powered lantern, you’ll save money in the long run since you won’t need to purchase batteries or pay for electricity to power them. They offer long-term cost savings.
  5. Versatility: Solar lanterns often come with multiple lighting modes, such as adjustable brightness levels and even the option to charge your electronic devices via USB ports. This versatility makes them useful for various situations, from reading indoors to camping outdoors.

These benefits make solar-powered collapsible lanterns an environmentally responsible, cost-effective, and versatile lighting choice for a wide range of applications.

Wrapping up Solar Lanterns

Many outdoor enthusiasts are going solar these days and for good reason. When camping or engaging in any outdoor activity, we should all strive to leave our surroundings in the same shape we found them, if not in better shape. One way to accomplish this goal is to use solar-powered products vs battery powered. The fewer batteries in the landfill the better. Solar-powered collapsible lanterns are a great way to get started in eliminating waste and doing some good for the planet.

FAQ on Collapsible Solar Lanterns

How long do solar lights emit light?

I’ve found the manufacturers numbers to be overestimated. A fully charged solar lantern should provide around 5-6 hours of useful light.

How heavy are solar lanterns?

The collapsible solar lanterns are generally around 3-7 ounces, with the non-collapsible solar lanterns weighing around 3-5 pounds.

Can outdoor solar lights get wet?

Most durable solar camping lights are water resistant. Be sure to check the manufacturer specifications for the level of water resistant.

How long do solar lanterns last?

After a few years, it’s common for solar lanterns to decrease the amount of charge they can hold along with how much light they can emit. If maintained and used regularly, the batteries should last 3-5 years.



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