In the great outdoors, getting more out of a single tool means a better time at camp and less gear and weight in your pack. That's a big reason why the category of multifunctional lighting has been flourishing in recent years. We've seen plenty of examples, including the Bosavi headlamp/lantern/bike light, the Light & Motion Solite headlamp/flashlight/bike light and the Candea water bottle/bike light. The all-new Lantern joins the pack, working as a 1,000-lumen LED flashlight/lantern/bike light combo that also charges portable gadgets.
In addition to the multifunctional lighting solutions we mentioned above, we've also seen a few lantern/flashlight hybrids over the years. Models like the Eureka Magic 125 and UCO LumoraPod include integrated lantern globes, relying on a physical sliding or rotating motion to quickly switch back and forth between the ambient light of a lantern and the direct light of a flashlight.
Those types of designs offer the advantage of packing both flashlight and lantern functionality into a single all-in-one package, but usually come with the disadvantage of a larger, less ergonomic body that's not quite as sleek as classic flashlight. We've used a Eureka, and while we loved the dual flashlight/lantern functionality (great for shining a beam while walking the dog on a winter evening, then planting on the ground in lantern mode when it comes time to clean up his mess), we found it to be one of the chunkiest and least ergonomic flashlights in our collection.
The irritatingly meta "Lantern" flips those pros and cons, pairing a slim flashlight with a removable, bell-shaped lantern diffuser. So while you'll have an extra component to carry (and potentially lose), you'll also have a compact handheld flashlight that looks as slim and comfortable as any other torch out there. The Lantern's flat bottom and diffuser let you stand it up on the ground, table or other flat surface in lantern mode, and the included strap and carabiner let you hang it off a branch or tent ceiling.
In addition to a "Lantern" and flashlight, you also get a powerful bike light. The included 360-degree bike mount lets you quickly fix it to your handlebars and adjust it from side to side however you need. With a claimed output of up to 1,000 lumens and an estimated 785-ft (240m) beam, the Lantern should serve as an effective handlebar light.
The Lantern offers three primary lighting modes, with a high of 1,000 lumens and an estimated two hours of runtime, a medium of 400 lumens and six hours, and a low of 180 lumens and 14 hours. It also has a 90-lumen pulse mode (72 hours) and a 1,000-lumen strobe mode. The 4,000 mAh lithium-ion battery doubles as a power bank for charging your phone and other portable gadgets via the 2A USB two-directional port. The Lantern also has an IPX-6 water rating.
Rolling Enterprises Inc., the Calgary-based folks behind the Lantern, are running a Kickstarter campaign, offering the Lantern for pledge levels of CAD$106 (US$82) and above. The package includes the light, battery, diffuser, bike mount, strap and carabiner. If things work out, deliveries will begin in August. The campaign is currently about halfway to its CAD$30,000 (US$23,200) goal.
Source: Rolling Enterprises