Geezer camping upgrade: Propane lanterns

[bikeama]

Hey, I have seen one of those around where I work. I take it, tho, that they are only really functional for one person, right? And, are you technically allowed to park it in a tent campsite or are you relegated to the land of poodles and generators?

Mine is set up for two people, see my build here. Some parks will let you park in a tent site. Best is to boondock away from everyone.

 

[Bay Arean]

Mine is set up for two people, see my build here. Some parks will let you park in a tent site. Best is to boondock away from everyone.

Wow, thats great info!!! Thanks!

I love seeing people's personal solutions! Thanks all. I admit, I have no idea about an 18650 battery tho'. D'oh!

 

[madsen203]

Buddy uses this

He collects all of the disposed 1lb propane containers and uses this to refill them. Comes out pretty inexpensive. He has 20 bottles he goes through and then refills them all at once. Cool process--albeit time consuming.

 

[ScorpioVI]

Wow, thats great info!!! Thanks!

I love seeing people's personal solutions! Thanks all. I admit, I have no idea about an 18650 battery tho'. D'oh!

Basically a bigger AA that's rechargeable. 18mm diameter, 65mm length. It's the same cell type that is being used in Tesla cars and laptops so they've gotten a lot cheaper over the last few years.

I was an early adapter of the CR123, two of those is the size of an 18650 cell (which is rechargeable). All my weapons lights, sights, and flashlights were usually powered by two CR123s so it was a natural step up to the 18650.

 

[CABilly]

Buddy uses this

He collects all of the disposed 1lb propane containers and uses this to refill them. Comes out pretty inexpensive. He has 20 bottles he goes through and then refills them all at once. Cool process--albeit time consuming.

I have one but haven't used it yet.

I bought these for emergencies and they're super convenient while camping:

https://www.amazon.com/CAT-Lights-Lumens-Magnetic-Rotating/dp/B0798XR4DL

Hang em from a tree, stick em to your truck, set it on any surface. Bright light and batteries last long

 

[littlebeast]

When I retooled earlier this year I also decided to standardize and drop anything that didn't use 18650 batteries. Didn't realize it at the time but there's not a whole lot of lanterns that run on 18650.

This is what I ended up getting on Amazon that ran on 18650. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UZ2R89...colid=ME097KI05JQP&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Between that, my headlamp, my flashlights and the LED strips in my camper shell I'm pretty well covered. The propane lanterns stay at home for emergency use only.

A buddy did introduce me to these cheap "fairy lights" that make for pretty good ambient lighting for the campsite. They're USB so they pretty much run on any power bank. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075TXS2XC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

i still can’t get over the pics of your pup. beyond adorable!

 

[bikeama]

He collects all of the disposed 1lb propane containers and uses this to refill them. Comes out pretty inexpensive. He has 20 bottles he goes through and then refills them all at once. Cool process--albeit time consuming.

Be careful picture shows a refillable 1 LB bottle it will have a bleeder valve. The disposable bottles will have a pop off valve, that can but should not be pulled up with a needle nose pliers. They will leak after a while, the voice of experience. Spend the extra and buy refillable bottles.

 

[Bay Arean]

Be careful picture shows a refillable 1 LB bottle it will have a bleeder valve. The disposable bottles will have a pop off valve, that can but should not be pulled up with a needle nose pliers. They will leak after a while, the voice of experience. Spend the extra and buy refillable bottles.

Though I'm generally a libertarian type, it seems like we should just pass a law and grandfather out the disposable ones. I saw the refillable small bottles for the first time on this last trip to Lassen in one of the stores. I didn't even know they existed.

 

[sasquatch]

Have you seen LuminAid?
Inflatable Solar lights
5 different settings, and the lowest 2 last all night.
If you are near a USB power sourced you can recharge them quick, or just place in the sun during the day and fully charged when you come back.
One of them is even a phone / GPS recharger

 

[dravnx]

ive got a 200lumen headlamp and a BlackDiamond Moji tent light that hangs in there. thats about all the light I need for any sort of camping. I prefer a headlamp over anything else because the light is exactly where u need it and u aren't holding it.

I dumped propane a long time ago. I went kicking and screaming from my white gas lanterns to propane and have now gladly dumped my propane. Less light is best. With the propane, your campsite ends at the edge of the light. Once I dimmed down, my campsites got much bigger. I now use a headlamp and a solar Luci light. I have a couple of the Luci Lights so when one goes down, which has never happened, I can flip on another. You can carry them into your tent. No mantles to deal with. Once your eyes adjust to lower light levels, you'll never miss propane.

 

[Bay Arean]

I had never heard of Luminaid or the Luci. Thanks. Really interesting alternatives.

 

[Climber]

Have you looked into these, they are the best of both worlds, rechargeable batter, collapsible and solar chargeable: SUAOKI Led Camping Lantern Lights Rechargeable Battery

They can also be recharged from a battery backup.

I did the lantern/candle lantern route for years, some of my earliest childhood memories are sound of white gas pump lantern and white gas pump stove in a cabin on the lake.

 

[Bay Arean]

I looked at that Suaoki, doesn't look like it puts out much light though it would be fine for retiring in the tent, unless I'm reading the specs wrong.

 

[madsen203]

Be careful picture shows a refillable 1 LB bottle it will have a bleeder valve. The disposable bottles will have a pop off valve, that can but should not be pulled up with a needle nose pliers. They will leak after a while, the voice of experience. Spend the extra and buy refillable bottles.

So far so good. On the rare occasion it fails to hold pressure he lets it sit over night then tosses them out. I’ve seen some used 4-5 times already. That’s a sweet ROI. Easy to do as he measures the weight empty and is able to prevent overfill.

 

[budman]

My Geezer camping upgrade. all LED's and solar. Too old to sleep on the ground anymore.

This geezer camps in a hotel...

man... it has been forever since I went real camping.

 

[bootsy]

This geezer camps in a hotel...|

That's what's called "glamping"....glamorous camping

 

[ScorpioVI]

i still can’t get over the pics of your pup. beyond adorable!

Yea, I think half my Instagram followers are just there for his pictures.

This geezer camps in a hotel...

man... it has been forever since I went real camping.

I took a break for about 10 years. After the Army I still went backpacking and camping, mostly in the Sierras, but then just gradually stopped going. Took it up again back in December and forgot how good it felt. There's just something so good about being outdoors, the lack of people, hanging around a campfire, sleeping under the stars. I swear I sleep better in my truck than I do in my own bed. I'm talking dispersed camping though, not the "assigned campground" stuff most people think of when you say camping.

 

[budman]

That's what's called "glamping"....glamorous camping

I guess that makes me a glamper.

 

[SFMCjohn]

I'm talking dispersed camping though, not the "assigned campground" stuff most people think of when you say camping.

... dispersed camping is like being able to lane-split ...
can't do either where I grew up ...
always feel like I'm getting away with something special ...

... after seeing your pics I'm going to
get some x-mas lights for my camp spots ...

 

[Bay Arean]

...
... after seeing your pics I'm going to
get some x-mas lights for my camp spots ...

I felt the same way. What's the matter with me? I never think of stuff like that. So festive!

As to continuing to camp: part of the philosophical discussion about camping as a geezer is that I feel like it's sort of an appropriate level of humble. If all the old native Americans can "camp" in their huts and teepees and stuff, why not me? WHy do I need to decide I am too good, too soft, to sleep on the ground? I know, it probably sounds crazy but it sort of cuts to the core of my world view and personal sense of identity and relationship with nature. Ms. BA does not agree of course and has been lobbying for a trailer of some sort and I keep resisting.