camping lantern

Am not sure if I am in the right forum - but could use some advise. Am seeking a camping lantern that will illuminate a 50 +/- sf area - will place either on a picnic table or hang over the picnic table and will want to be able to read, play cards, etc with the light. Do not know which type is best - batteries, propane, etc - or which model would be recommended. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks [email protected]

On my ever growing but hardly cut down 'to buy' list is a German made, nickel plated Petromax lantern. It's supposed to be as bright as a 400 watt bulb. If I can ever cough up the $150+ price for it, I'll give you a review.

There is no real forum for this question. I'll move it to the general light discussion forum for now.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DavidW:
On my ever growing but hardly cut down 'to buy' list is a German made, nickel plated Petromax lantern. It's supposed to be as bright as a 400 watt bulb. If I can ever cough up the $150+ price for it, I'll give you a review.

There is no real forum for this question. I'll move it to the general light discussion forum for now.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey thanks for that Petromax link-I wasn't aware of it . -I have been salivating over having the smaller one that I've known about for 5 months.

I guess you did notice the $118. price tag on one model?

p.s.-Imho, the P-Max is the Mercedes-Benz of liquid gas lanterns. (I have a really beat up 40 Yr. old one-still works)!

Edit: No attractive deals on eBay rite now, but 2 weeks ago I saw several-an idea for you?

When diving at night we use a propane colman double mantle lantern. It is about as bright as a 100w light. Plenty bright for use a night, makes a great area light and I have never changed the 16oz propane tank. I did drop it once and the mantles fell apart, it still worked but wasn't as bright so I put new ones in and it is good to go. The replacement mantles are about $4 and the whole lantern was about $40 if I remember correctly.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DavidW:
On my ever growing but hardly cut down 'to buy' list is a German made, nickel plated lantern. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've sold many of the 150W ones and we also had several 400W ones (not Petromax ones). In one of my basements I have even a searching light with a huge reflector and a 500HK (that is the 400W) gasmantle.

I could write many pages about these lanterns, but have no time now, so some short remarks:

far superiour over Coleman or similar lanterns.
Use only good gasmantles (no cheap Chinese ones), you get much more light out of them.
For the metrically challenged: Get the metric tools to disassemble them.
With only minor changes the top of this light accepts a espresso coffee machine.

Last weekend we satyed in cave for a two day cave rescue training. We had two lantern with us, one ~100W Petromax (actually Geniol) and one Coleman double mantle. Both performed well, the Coleman needed a refill after about 6-7 hours.
Funny enough all gasmantles survived the trip.
No electric light could do a better job.