Lighting up a campsite is very important, but for a lot of people it is very difficult to do because the campfire only puts off so much light. Now, what is even worse is when the lanterns you use are either running out of battery life and your forgot the extra batteries or run out of the fuel needed. Well, I decided it was time to look at some of the rechargeable lanterns on the market. To start the rechargeable lantern series off we have decided to do a Nite Ize Radiant 314 Rechargeable Lantern review here.
Features Of The Nite Ize Radiant 314 Rechargeable Lantern
Type Of Light The Lantern Puts Off
With this light it is going to have a regular white light that is going to be very bright and actually can be harmful on the eyes. However, what sets this lantern off from the rest on the market is the built-in diffuser that is going to soften the light. This not only allows the light to be softer on your eyes and make it easier for you to see, without ruining your night vision, but also helps to expand the distance the light is going to cover.
What else is great about the is it does have quite a few different settings for you to pick from. The lantern adjusts from high, medium, low, but it also has a night-vision mode and an amber mode that allows you to find the right setting with ease. What else is great and will be mentioned in a little bit is the push button control makes it easier to change the settings.
Battery Life Is Nice
As you can imagine if you are camping you want to make sure you have an item that has a battery that is going to last for a decent time frame. Well, the Nite Ize Radiant 314 Rechargeable Lantern uses a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. Now, I know if you are like me that type of name means nothing other than it has a battery that is rechargeable.
What I did find is unlike a lot of the batteries that I have used in the past that are rechargeable, these last close to 44 hours. Now, just like all batteries, even that on my iPhone the life span is impacted by the number of recharges it has had and the level the battery was recharged to. The other thing that, unlike the iPhone battery, is the life span and time in between charges on this batter is impacted by the setting that is used. If you use the highest setting, obviously the battery will drain faster, but on the lower settings it will last longer.
Push Button Control Makes Changing Light Easy
As you can imagine on the maximum setting the 314 max lumens is fairly bright. However, what typically is a downside and negative of a lantern a slide type of switch, the Nite Ize does not have that. Instead, this is a lantern that has a push button control. This makes it very easy for you to get the lantern changed from the different light settings by pushing a button.
What else the push button does for the lantern is it prevents you from accidentally changing the light setting when you are walking or hiking. It also makes it easier for you to find the light setting you want without having to try to remember the way the switch slides or where to stop. So the push button feature definitely is a major plus and one that will make it easier for you to keep your light set on what you are looking for and not having the slide moving to a different setting.
Lockout Feature For The Light
Okay, I am sure if you are like me you are all excited to get a light out, flash light, lantern or anything really that gives off light only to find it is dead. That is a common problem that I have had before and have really had to deal with as the batteries are dead and I am running out of light. I know this is a pain and that is one great feature I love about the Radiant 314 lantern.
The feature that I love is the fact that it has a lock out switch! While you may get a picture right away of being locked out of a building and pulling on the handle, that is not the case. Instead, this is a switch that when you have it turned on it will stop you from being able to accidentally turn the light on. This not only helps you get the most out of the battery, but also keeps you from completely draining the battery when you have the lantern stored in your back pack.
Can Withstand Abuse
The case the lantern is contained in is impact resistant. Does this mean that it will not break? No, but it does mean that you do not have to be concerned about it breaking if you drop it off of the picnic table. The one downside that I have found with any type of equipment that is battery operated is a fall can knock the batteries loose. When this happens it generally means having to take the battery out and put it back in. However, if you run over the lantern with your RV then you may have to find a new way to provide light at your campsite.
What else is talked about quite a bit with the Nite Ize Radiant 314 is the water resistant level. Now, if you read the product description quickly you notice it is water resistant, which is a great thing! However, you need to carefully read what it says and that it is IPX4 water resistant. That really threw me for a loop because I thought water resistant meant water resistant like on a watch. Well, after a quick search I found that the rating is only meant for water splashes from any direction. So if you are using this lantern as your light please make sure you are using an area that is not going to puddle in water or you could have nothing more than a paperweight.
Pros And Cons
- The battery life is longer than most flashlights or other lanterns.
- Can be recharged and used over and over.
- Is impact resistant and resistant to water splashes on the rating.
- The light is bright, but also has a diffuser to soften the light.
- The battery does go dead and need to have USB port to recharge.
- Only resistant to water splashes and not to submersion.
Final Thoughts On The Nite Ize Radiant 314 Rechargeable Lantern
A lantern is a great way to light up your campsite and have something to take away from the fire for light. Well, the one thing that you do have to be concerned about is what type of lantern you should get. That really depends on what you are looking for and have available at your campsite. If you have a way to recharge electronics when they are dying or close to dying on the battery life, then a rechargeable lantern could be the best option for you. Camping remotely and with no way to recharge batteries or bring extra batteries with you, then you may need to look at a fuel powered lantern. Overall, I have to say the Nite Ize Radiant 314 Rechargeable Lantern will definitely work if you are in a traditional campground with electric, but if backpacking and away from electric then you may want to pick a different lantern to use.
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