photo by Santiaga via iStock
Camping is becoming more and more popular, and a lot of people enjoy this hobby that allows them to spend time in nature while being in the present. From the campfire to the tents, there is something to love for everyone that enjoys a good camping trip.
However, adding camping lights to your outdoor campsite gives it the perfect finishing touches while also providing a good light source.
There are many different styles of lights available on the market. So, every type of camper is bound to find a set of lights that perfectly fits their needs, whether that is string lights, a camping lantern, solar lights, or even rechargeable lights.
In this article, we have lined up our favorite of each category to help you find the best camping lights you can use.
| Best String Lights | Best Lantern | Best Solar | Best Rechargeable | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Brightech Ambience Pro | TOP PICK Lichamp LED Lantern |  LuminAID PackLite Solar |  Jarxin Rechargeable Lantern |
| Rating | ★★★★★ 4.7 | ★★★★★ 4.7 | ★★★★☆ 4.6 | ★★★★☆ 4.6 |
| Power Source | USB Powered | 4-Pack Battery Powered | Solar + USB | USB Rechargeable (2000mAh) |
| Best For | Ambient campsite lighting | Hands-free tent/table lighting | Backup & emergency light | Multi-night car camping |
| Price | $23.69 as of Aug 28, 11:06 am | $23.99 as of Aug 28, 11:06 am | $16.99 as of Aug 28, 11:06 am | |
| Check Price → | Check Price → | Check Price → | Check Price → |
Table of Contents
- Why Do You Need Camping Lights?
- Best Camping String Lights
- Best Camping Lantern
- Best Solar Camping Lights
- Best Rechargeable Camping Lights
- Other Camping Gear We Recommend
Why Do You Need Camping Lights?
photo by Edwin Tan via iStock
A camping light or a lantern is a very important tool in terms of illuminating the current environment in situations where there are no light sources. Considering the dimensions of the need for light, it is obvious how important the camping lantern is.
In cases where you are lost in the camp or you want to send a signal, the camping light will help you and someone from afar will understand that someone is at the light source and will send you help. There are rules for calling for help with a flashlight, and you should learn them.
In a dark environment, you cannot find your belongings or move freely. Therefore, if you have your camping light source with you, your movements are not limited. With a lantern that illuminates large areas, you can easily spot the dangers in any environment.
Accidents can happen at any time and you may need to give first aid. Light is very important for you in this intervention that you will do with limited materials in the camp environment.
Best Camping String Lights
Our absolute favorite camping string lights are the Brightech Ambience Pro- USB battery pack powered, waterproof string lights for camping. These camping string lights will provide that perfect outdoor camping feeling to your setup, providing you with a tremendous and reliable power source.
A USB port powers these camping string lights. Meaning you can plug them into a power bank, but if you have a portable generator with a USB port, you can plug them right in as well.
The camping string lights contain ten hanging bulbs and are 24.5 feet long in total, with 6.5 feet of cord at the end. The bulbs themselves are evenly spaced 20 inches apart from one another.
These camping string lights are waterproof, weatherproof, and shatterproof. Built with commercial-grade insulation to ensure water stays on the outside.
Brightech also provides a three-year warranty period for their lights. This warranty covers if the product stops working at any time during those three years or if any other defects should occur within those three years.
- Power source: USB port
- Length: 24.5 feet
- Number of bulbs: 10 bulbs
- Type of lights: LED S14 bulbs
- Wattage: 1.5 Watts
- Light temperature: 2700 Kelvin
- Lumens: not specified
- Material: Plastic, rubber
- Color: Black
- Water resistance: Waterproof
- Warranty: 3-year warranty
Best Camping Lantern
When it comes to the best camping lantern, our pick is the Lichamp LED Camping Lantern, which comes in a 4 pack.
This collapsible LED light folds away by its own handles and turns on automatically as soon as you pull them up, throwing a 360-degree beam so you get light all around the lantern instead of just on one side.
With 30 energy-efficient LEDs putting out up to 350 lumens, it’s plenty bright for the picnic table or the inside of a tent, and the military-grade, water-resistant housing is built to take a few drops and a rainy night without complaint.
It folds down small enough to toss in a pack for the hike in, and because it ships as a 4-pack, everyone in the group gets their own light instead of passing one lantern around the fire.
Lichamp LED Camping Lantern, 4 Pack Battery Powered Flashlight for Power Outages, Portable Collapsible Hanging Light Essential for Home, Outdoor, Emergency Lamp Survival Kit Gear for Hurricane, Gray
Four lanterns in one box means the whole group is covered on night one.
- Sold as a 4-pack so every tent and the picnic table each get a light
- Foldaway handles turn the lantern on automatically when pulled up
- 360-degree coverage from 30 LEDs at up to 350 lumens
- Military-grade, water-resistant housing
- Battery powered only, no USB or solar charging option
- Some reviewers report shorter runtime at the highest brightness setting
- Power source: Batteries (4-pack)
- Number of bulbs: 30 LEDs per lantern
- Type of lights: LED
- Lumens: up to 350 lumens
- Material: Military-grade, water-resistant plastic
- Water resistance: Water-resistant
- Design: Collapsible, foldaway handles, auto-on
Best Solar Camping Lights
If you want to choose solar camping lights as a light source on your next trip, look no further. The LuminAID Solar inflatable lanterns are not just great for camping and hiking. But also for any emergency kit, as they either hook to a backpack or simply fold into a small 4.75”x4.75”x1” package.
These collapsible solar camping lights have multiple brightness settings and are both perfect for indoor and outdoor use. In addition, they are lightweight, collapsible, inflatable, and rechargeable.
Don’t worry if the solar panel gets dirty either; you can simply dip the entire light in a nearby creek to clean it (or use any other water source) as it is fully waterproof. In addition, the 1000mAh battery can be charged on a rainy day and will last up to 24 hours.
And the best thing? For disaster relief, LuminAID brings safe light to families in need, including Syria, Nepal and Puerto Rico.
LuminAID Nova Inflatable Solar LED Lantern for Camping, Hiking & Travel
As seen on Shark Tank and used in real disaster-relief kits, so it's built to actually work when you need it.
- Fully solar rechargeable with a 1000mAh battery
- Folds flat to 4.75 x 4.75 x 1 inches for packing
- Fully waterproof; rinses clean in a creek
- Up to 24 hours of light on a full charge
- 75 lumens is dim next to a battery-powered lantern
- Needs a full day of direct sun to fully recharge
- Power source: Solar powered (or charged with a 1000mAh battery)
- Number of bulbs: 1
- Type of lights: LED
- Wattage: 3 Watts
- Light temperature: not specified
- Lumens: 75 lumens
- Material: not specified
- Color: White
- Water resistance: IP67 Waterproof
- Warranty: not specified
Best Rechargeable Camping Lights
And last but absolutely not least, we picked the best rechargeable camping lights for you: the Jarxin LED Camping Lantern. These also come in a four-pack with USB rechargeable batteries included in the purchase.
These rechargeable camping lights clip onto a tent ceiling or a backpack with a built-in hook, and the 2000mAh battery gives you roughly 3.5 to 4 hours of runtime on high brightness or 10 to 12 hours on low, so you can trade output for runtime depending on the trip.
Charging time runs three to five hours over USB, and the lanterns hold up fine in a rainy campsite. This pick has also earned Amazon’s Choice status in the camping lantern category, so it’s a safer bet than an unproven brand if you don’t want to gamble on a first rechargeable lantern purchase.
Jarxin Led Camping Lantern USB Rechargeable,Outdoor Tent Lights
Charges off any USB port, so it's one less type of battery to pack.
- USB rechargeable with a built-in clip hook for hanging in a tent
- Sold as a 4-pack for full-group coverage
- Compact enough to clip onto a backpack for the hike in
- Amazon's Choice in camping lanterns
- Charge time runs 3-5 hours before first use
- Light output is modest next to a full-size battery lantern
- Power source: USB rechargeable, 2000mAh battery
- Number of bulbs: 1
- Type of lights: LED
- Runtime: 3.5-4 hrs on high / 10-12 hrs on low
- Charge time: 3-5 hours
- Color: Black
- Water resistance: Waterproof
- Pack size: 4
Other Camping Gear We Recommend
Other Camping Gear We Recommend
CampLand Aluminum Height Adjustable Folding Table Camping Outdoor L…
