Black Diamond Apollo vs. Rayovac xtreme 300 lantern?

coachclass

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Mar 23, 2011
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109
Hi,
So, I'm stuck trying to decide between the Black Diamond Apollo vs. the Rayovac Xtreme 300. Links for these at the end.

The Black Diamond is dimmer (up to 80 lumens). It uses an XR-E cool white LED. 80lm seems bright enough for a flashlight, but not enough for a lantern where the light is spread out 360 degrees. But, then again, it's well built and every raves about the way it diffuses the light. So, it's dimmer, but high quality light. And, the light can be adjusted to be dimmer, huge plus.

The Rayovac is plenty bright, but I don't know about the quality of the diffuser. Anyone want to comment on it? It's got the one advantage of being able to hang right side up or upside down, and the cap can come off, which adds to the flexibility quite a bit (use it as a floody light). It uses D-size batteries, but I'm going to use AA's with adapters. The Rayovac also only has two mode (high and low), both of which are pretty bright, so there's not much options of adjusting the brightness. It doesn't have the expensive feel of the Black Diamond.

I plan on removing the stock LED and replacing it with neutral. For the Black Diamond, it'll have to be a neutral white XR-E. For the Rayovac, it'll be a neutral white or maybe warm XP-G. The Rayovac seems to have enough heat sinking for it, as others have done it.

Am I missing some other consideration? Anyone with either lanterns want to chime in?

Thanks!

Here's the Apollo:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004AJK48K/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Here's the Rayovac
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018S4XIS/?tag=cpf0b6-20
 

LanternLover

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May 12, 2007
Messages
88
Coleman High Tech also claims an output of 85 lumens while using only 3 x AA batteries. It has multiple settings and costs less. The light output pattern is also quite nice with no glare or streaks. If you want a neutral or warm white lantern, you may also want to consider the Xeno E03 or E15 along with the TW15 diffuser. Search on eBay and you will find the E15 being sold in different tints with the diffuser included.
 

LEDAdd1ct

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Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
3,557
Location
Hudson Valley
If you want a durable neutral/bordering warm white lantern that accepts "AA" cells, than get the Favourlight warm white.

$25.00 shipped off that big river site. Beam output isn't terrible, but not as smooth as the Black Diamond lanterns, which seem tops in that respect. The Rayovac doesn't have a terrible beam pattern, but isn't as smooth as the Black Diamond, either.

I forgot who it was that sprayed something on the shade to smooth the beam.
 

jcalvert

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Aug 16, 2010
Messages
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Location
Michigan
Hello coachclass,

I'll answer within your text. Please keep in mind that what I've written is based on "our personal use of these products and observations". Thus any impressions and recommendations are merely my respectful opinions, but hopefully providing helpful insight!

Also, since you did not mention how you are going to be using your lanterns, I'll preface that my lantern impressions are based on primitive backwoods, yet mid-large group tent camping in wooded clearings off of old logging trails, as opposed to a more intimate and simple, small group camping experience (i.e., husband & wife), or backpacking where a flashlight with diffuser cone/wand or mini lantern would suffice.

Hi,
So, I'm stuck trying to decide between the Black Diamond Apollo vs. the Rayovac Xtreme 300. Links for these at the end.
First, hopefully there's no need to feel stuck into only one lantern, unless it's a budgetary consideration, which I can certainly relate to these days! :broke:

Our immediate family of four,
have both the Apollo and two of the Sportsman Extreme 300s. O
ver the past few years, we have also accumulated two of the Sportsman Extreme Minis, as well as the small, adjustable output Coleman High Tech Mini (here). Due to occasional large family/friend groups of backwoods, tent campers, we tend to be the supply arm of our extended family because I have always been into finding top-quality gear from my younger backpacking days up to the present as a middle-ager.

It's gotten a bit out of hand that we have become expected to serve nearly everyone's camping needs outside of tents and sleeping bags, and sometimes even then. I made the mistake over the years of always bringing back-ups, reserves, & extras, so that new campers or absent-minded ones would be comfortable, especially since we only camp in the backwoods of Michigan w/o any facilities of any sort. But I digress...

We tend to use the Sportsman 300s
hung upside-down w/o their globes (using 2 units w/ larger groups) to illuminate the entire campsite. I can't deal with the hissing of propane lanterns.

The Apollo has been used at times at the campsite card table, but it's usually relegated to duty as one of our family tent lanterns. We also use the Coleman High Tech Mini as well, since both lanterns offer adjustable
dimming. So all these lanterns have their roles! :clap:

The Sportsman Extreme Minis are used
primarily as back-ups or extras for larger groups of our unprepared relatives. Fortunately, the big, extended family camping trip is only once a year!
rolleye11.gif


The Black Diamond is dimmer (up to 80 lumens). It uses an XR-E cool white LED. 80lm seems bright enough for a flashlight, but not enough for a lantern where the light is spread out 360 degrees. But, then again, it's well built and every raves about the way it diffuses the light. So, it's dimmer, but high quality light. And, the light can be adjusted to be dimmer, huge plus.
I am personally picky about quality and quite honestly, I find the Sportsman 300s and Minis to be at least of the same or better quality of the Apollo, and definitely much more rugged IMO. The Sportsman's are well-built, solid performers, and the external, removable globe and internal diffuser work very well to soften glare.

It's true the Apollo's globe diffuses its lantern's output very smoothly, but IMO at the cost of too much potential output as a campsite lantern. When I consider its usefullness, it's limited as a primary lantern for a large campsite, but fine for small, intimate campsites. And due to its large size, it would never be my backpacking lantern where its lower lumen output would suffice.

We tend to use it hung upside-down on a Coleman lantern stand over tables for (cooking, dining, cards, etc.) with the globes removed to increase spread. Its internal globe offers softly diffused light with broad illumination.

The Rayovac is plenty bright, but I don't know about the quality of the diffuser. Anyone want to comment on it? IMO, it's perfectly fine.

It's got the one advantage of being able to hang right side up or upside down, and the cap can come off, which adds to the flexibility quite a bit (use it as a floody light). It uses D-size batteries, but I'm going to use AA's with adapters.
Consider though, you'll lose a lot of runtime this way, but if your using rechargeable AA Eneloops, at least you won't be adding to our landfills. :thumbsup: I also need to check into using "D" size NiMHs as seen here.

The Rayovac also only has two modes (high and low), both of which are pretty bright, so there's not much options of adjusting the brightness.
I agree completely, but we consider these as dedicated "outside of the tent" lights for our large group camping.

It doesn't have the expensive feel of the Black Diamond.
Respectfully, does this really matter for a tool? A lantern needs to be a reliable illumination tool and in our experience, they have very sturdy, durable, rugged, and a tank of reliability.

I plan on removing the stock LED and replacing it with neutral. For the Black Diamond, it'll have to be a neutral white XR-E.
As much as the diffuser decreases the Apollo's output and any potential for glare, I would fully consider how the lantern will be used, since IMO there really isn't enough output to take advantage of a neutral tint. For example, a 4000K tint will likely decrease output by +/- 10%.

For the Rayovac, it'll be a neutral white or maybe warm XP-G. The Rayovac seems to have enough heat sinking for it, as others have done it.
This would be a worthwhile mod, especially when used upside-down as an area light, providing a pleasant atmosphere. But due to the internal globe diffuser, I wouldn't go too warm, maybe no warmer than 3500K.

Am I missing some other consideration? Anyone with either lanterns want to chime in? Getting a Coleman Lantern stand here, has been an extremely useful tool for us around the campsite for many hanging jobs, but especially being able to adjust a lantern's height over a table. Especially if trees are scarce for hanging anything.

Thanks!

Here's the Apollo:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004AJK48K/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Here's the Rayovac
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018S4XIS/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Although both of the Sportsman and Apollo lanterns are solid, useful illumination tools, I prefer the Sportsman Extreme 300 for around the campsite as a general-purpose lantern for pitching & striking camp and for cooking. But for lower illumination needs around the campsite after things settle down and inside a tent, I much prefer the Coleman High Tech Mini over the Apollo. The Coleman also has a nicely frosted globe (cylinder) for diffusion and the output adjustment dial is much faster to control. It also has a lower dimmable low (although still not low enough for me), and unlike the Apollo, the Coleman's dial let's the user retain the same output it had at turn off, when clicking it back on (memory). The Apollo always defaults back to high after its clicked off, which is not good in the middle of the night. Heck, as I write this, I think I'm going to sell my Apollo. OK, that's all for now, but I hope I was helpful!

All the best,
John
 
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