I don't get the concept - a lantern is typically used for a while, so what's the point of using an MC-E (or even an M60) for that purpose?
I guess if you had a bunch of charged up rechargeables lying around when your power goes out maybe, or if you took a ton of cells camping, but I don't see the case for purchasing such an item when I could just use (or purchase) an actual lantern...
EDIT: I just thought of one thing this could be great for though - backpacking. As rarely as I do that anymore I'd easily spend the money on batteries and lug them and this thing around rather than a lantern (which I never bothered with for backpacking anyway).
Dude!!!, It works, with 2X 18650's its got 2 hours of run time at least plus for looking for stuff in the shed, which may have gas fumes from the lawn mower, never know???, don't want to take a chance lighting a gas lantern with flame and getting
. I want to meet Jesus, but like the song says, not tonight. So hanging this thing up and pressing a button is a whole lot easier and safer. Next, I keep it in the kitchen hanging on the curtain rod as a quick and easy emergency lantern in case the power goes out.
If I wanted really long run time I could drop back to the Malkoff M60 or M60F. Or and I really hate to show off (I may be lying here) but I could put the Uniq Continuously variable tail cap back on it and simply turn it down and cut back on brightness and extend the on time that way. Been using that on it back and forth but I put it on another light for some testing of which by now I forgot why.
This is a very convenient tool. don't have to dig out the lantern, hope the mantle isn't ruined, screw in a propane bottle and fire it up, find a safe place to put it and set it down or hang it.
And so what if I carried extra batteries. How do you figure this is a problem compared to the size of those little green propane bottles. I could probably put 20 batteries into the size of one of those things and I would never use them. Plus I don't have to wait for it to cool down to be able to put it away. No disposing of propane bottles. what is not to love!!!!.
Now if your talking about one of those stinkin liquid gas lanterns that you have to fill and hope they don't leak and start a fire all over the place,
fawgettaboutit. Not going there. Mr Malkoff MC-E in a lantern head is the way to go. G.