When I think of a camping light I imagine the gas powered lamp that I used to be terrified of lighting thanks to the loud whoomph when the gas caught the flame. It used to take a fair bit of grit not to drop the lantern at that point. Plus there was the fiddly mesh mantle that had a drawstring at the top and bottom which had to be carefully fitted around the burner. After a few burns, they used to crumble at the slightest touch and you’d be back at the beginning again trying to fit the damn mantle again.

The good news is there is now a vast range of camping lanterns to choose from. In these eco-conscious times you can even get wind up lanterns powered by dynamo or solar rechargeable lamps (obviously, you recharge in the day). There are LED camping lanterns, U-tube lanterns, spotlights, gas lanterns (of course), battery powered camping lanterns - the list goes on. So where do you start to look for the camping lantern that will suit you and your needs?

Let’s say, you were heading off on a long camping trip and needed to travel light. Something electric would be the best bet, with a rechargeable option like wind-up or solar powered.

How about heading off with the family? You can take something bigger, heavier and maybe multi-fuel. If you’re not as nervous as me about gas camping lanterns, they burn pretty well and very bright. An ‘area-lantern’ is a good option as it lights up larger spaces; ideal for family camping tents.

After a quick web search, I found out that gas and multi-fuel camping lanterns are still pretty popular, but the rechargeables are storming up from behind as you don’t need to worry about carrying extra batteries or power for them. The infiltration of power-saving light bulbs has also had its effect on the camping lantern market, with a range of products that are battery powered. With the energy saving bulb, the lantern can work for up to eight hours continuously. We really are spoilt for choice now. At the end of the day, it’ll be down to you as an individual to decide what your preference would be.