Evaluate how well Camping Lights meets your needs and compares to competing products
If you've completed step one you've identified what you need in camping lights and you've learned about the different features of camping lights. While you were doing your research, you probably started the process of determining which features - and thus which type of camping lights - will best meet your needs. Now you are going to continue that process, but in greater detail.
In this step you will
evaluate the camping lights available on the market to determine how well they meet your personal needs and establish, by a process of elimination, an initial short-list of contenders. Then you will compare these short-listed camping lights to find out which ones stand out from the competition.
Evaluate how well Camping Lights meets your needs
Your priority at this point in your evaluation is to find the available camping lights in the market that best meet your needs. You can save a lot of time during this activity by quickly eliminating any camping lights that are unsuitable because they don't meet your key requirements. For example, if you have a limited budget for this purchase then you can ignore any camping lights that clearly exceed your price limit.
The basic categories of lighting available for camps are flashlights (torches), lanterns and head lamps. The head lamp is actually a modified flashlight which is mounted on a helmet, hat or by strap directly to one's forehead. Lanterns generally are used for area lighting whereas flashlights are more point-specific. Flashlights can light a particular area brightly such as a pathway. Lanterns can cast a diffused light over a broad area such as a campsite.
Tip:
The name flashlight originated due to the fact that the first electric torches would drain their batteries in a matter of moments, hence the name flash-lighting.
Flashlights are offered in virtually any configuration imaginable. Somewhere between the tiny pen-lights to mega-size 4 million candle power behemoths, your appropriately sized light will be found. Flashlights are differentiated by both their power source and the light source. Batteries come in an astonishing array of sizes, both chargeable and non-rechargeable.
The alkaline dry cell battery has been around for many years and is still the most common type of power source available. Newer and slightly more expensive rechargeable batteries are now becoming much more competitive as their prices continue to decline in relation to dry cells. More exotic solar rechargeable batteries are now finding their way to the marketplace to power low-energy LED bulbs.
The traditional 2 to 7 watt vacuum filament bulb held sway over the flashlight market for decades. Now the LED (with the same range of wattage) and a variety of exotic gas bulbs are crowding the old style bulbs out. LED bulbs in the past few years have leaped to prominence as the technology has vastly improved their output and performance. Exotic xenon, halogen and krypton gases extend the life of vacuum bulbs and create a brighter true-white light for improved light quality.
Light quality has also improved for the many types of lanterns now on the market. The traditional lines of liquid-fuel lanterns are now joined by higher quality, longer-lasting electronic lanterns. The old line kerosene, white gas and unleaded gas lanterns still provide stable area lighting, but more convenient lantern varieties are now available.
Where electric lanterns were once considered short-lived due to battery drainage, new, longer-lasting and more powerful batteries have encouraged campers to use the new breed of electronic lantern. LED bulbs create a smaller drain on a lantern battery so the power-cycle lasts much longer. Other cleaner burning lanterns are to be found with the compressed gas lanterns.
Tip:
For safety's sake, use no open flame light source within a sleeping tent.
Butane or propane powered lanterns are both easier to handle and much cleaner to maintain than older white gas or kerosene lanterns. Simply screw a full canister of compressed gas onto the lantern body and the area will be lighted for several hours. Where the liquid gas lanterns must be constantly “pumped-up” and fiddled with to maintain an adequate light, the butane torch will take care of itself until a refuelling is needed.
Batteries for flashlights and lanterns are offered in virtually any configuration a light designer could possibly need. From the tiny coin-cell and AAAA dry cell to the relatively heavy 6 volt battery, a size is available for any light source. The newer lithium type batteries are extremely long-lasting and capable of being recharged many times over.
Tip:
When choosing appliances and lights for your camping kit, try to match the power sources so that you only carry one or two types of gas, battery, etc.
Flashlight components consist of a body, bulb, battery, switch, lens, seals and circuitry. Each component is available in several types, so the end product is configurable in a huge array easily capable of fulfilling virtually any lighting job. Even the internal circuitry is very adaptable for the new electronic torches.
The body of both lanterns and flashlights have much to do with the durability of the unit. The toughest bodies are made of aluminium. Aluminium bodies can be spray painted, powder coated or colour with anodising treatments 2 or 3 which creates a long-lasting tough finish. Less expensive are the plastic bodies.
Plastic creates a pliable and resilient body, but less able to endure sharp blows likely to occur on a camping trip. Plastic lights are a viable option when they will be placed in one protected location and left in place.
When you were considering your requirements in camping lights it's likely that you singled out certain factors such as whether you need a torch, lantern or headlamp, power source, bulb types and cost as being of major significance. As with so many other products, the more features offered, the higher the price.
Buyz123 has created a checklist containing examples of major features; you can work from this checklist when evaluating how well various camping lights meet your personal needs:
Features Checklist
Categories of Camp Lighting
- Flashlights (Torch)
- Lanterns
- Head lamp
Flashlight Types
- Dry cell (most common)
- Rechargeable acid
- Rechargeable dry cell
- LED (Light Emitting Diode)
- Solar charging
- Electromagnetic
- Head lamp
- Underwater capable
- Rifle or gun sight
Bulb Types
- Incandescent
- LED
- Fluorescent
Bulb Chemistries
- Standard - filament inside vacuum sealed glass
- Krypton - glass envelope filled with krypton gas around filament
- Halogen - glass filled with halogen gas around filament
- Xenon - glass bulb filled with xenon gas around filament; a pure white light and the best quality bulb offered
- HID - create their light by making tiny sparks over a gap between a pair of electrodes
- LED - most energy efficient; offered in white, red, green, blue and cyan colors; available in 3 primary sizes: 3 mm, 5mm, and High Power LEDs
Types of Lanterns
- Electric
- Florescent
- Gas - white gas
- Gas - butane/propane
- Gas - Kerosene
Power Sources
- Battery - Alkaline, lithium, Nickel-cadmium
- Liquid fuels - white gas, unleaded gas, kerosene
- Compressed gas - butane, propane
- Candles
Battery Sizes
- AAAA to D
- 6 volt to 9 volt
- Lithium 123
- Lithium A
- Lithium coin cells
Flashlight Components
- Body
- Bulb
- Battery
- Lens
- Seals - O-ring, gasket seal
- Switch - bezel twist, side click, tailcap click, tailcap twist, membrane press, magnetic reed, side slide
- Circuitry - function circuitry, step-up circuits, and regulator circuits
Body Materials and Finishes
- Aluminium - tough, long-lasting
- Anodise type 2 or 3
- Powder coated
- Spray paint
- Plastic/polymers - lightweight and naturally resilient to abuse
- Paint mixed into liquid prior to forming
Warranty
There are a lot of features listed here, and some of them may not be relevant to your particular requirements. So, work your way through the list and assess how each of these features impact on your camping lights needs. You can then create a personalized checklist of the features you really require in camping lights.
Once you have finished evaluating the camping lights available for sale in the light of your personal needs and arrived at a short-list of 'possibles' you are ready to progress to the next stage. This involves comparing the camping lights one-on-one in order to find those that really stand out.
Evaluate how well Camping Lights
compares with competing Camping Lights
Comparing the items on your interim short-list, one to another, is an important part of the purchasing process - we all want to buy the best product we possibly can. So once you have established a short-list of camping lights that meet your needs it is time to evaluate how well they compare in fine detail. This way you can assemble a select list of camping lights that stand out from the crowd.
Questions to ask yourself:
Which camping lights on my short-list offer the best value for money?
Which of these camping lights best meets my needs?
Which of my short-listed camping lights has the best warranty?
Which camping lights is the easiest to store and use?
Which of the camping lights seems of the highest quality?
Which camping lights do I like best?
[ADDTAG:7By answering these simple questions, you are actually eliminating camping lights that aren't absolutely right for you. This is an excellent time - if you haven't done so already - to evaluate how well your short-listed products measure up in the following areas: Physical Quality, Warranty Conditions and Accessories & Extras.
Physical Quality
Regardless of the method you use when purchasing the camping lights, you need to find an opportunity to examine the product to evaluate how well it is made, and to check that it is truly suitable for you and your purpose. This is the time to examine the quality of the materials, and how well the camping lights are put together. Check the assembly - are the camping lights solidly constructed? It's also important to examine the camping lights from the perspective of ease of use. How easy are the camping lights to use and maintain? Are the controls easy to use? Make sure the camping lights are user-friendly - some camping lights look great on paper, but unexpected problems will show up when you finally get your hands on them.
Physical Inspection Checklist:
- Materials - quality, appearance
- Assembly - all parts held together securely, good quality fittings
- Solidly constructed - stable, no loose components
- Proper fit of removable parts - easy to remove and replace, fit snugly
- Controls - visible, easy to use, accessible, clearly labelled
- Size - appropriate for surroundings and purpose - fits user correctly
- Appearance - well finished, appropriate color, neat fittings etc
- Easy and comfortable to use
Warranty Conditions
Similar products may be available with significantly different terms and conditions, and you want to get the best deal you can. Parts and labor are often covered under separate warranties, for different time periods; sometimes there can be a significant difference in the warranty offered with one model compared to that offered with the next model up. It is particularly important to investigate any conditions that might void a warranty, such as if you use different batteries to those recommended.
Warranty Checklist:
- Duration - check the specifics
- Parts, Labour, electrical
- Exactly what is covered
- Exactly what is excluded
- Conditions or actions that may void the warranty
Accessories, Extras and Consumables
When evaluating similar products, it is a good idea to include accessories in your assessment. You need to be clear about exactly what accessories are necessary to run the product to its full capacity, and whether these are included with the purchase. What other facilities are required - do you need a portable gas bottle, for instance? It's also important to consider consumables, such as batteries and light bulbs - some products have higher associated costs than others.
Accessories Checklist:
- Accessories - included or extra cost?
- Compatibility issues - will it work with your existing products?
- Consumables - how often and how much?
- What else will you need to fully utilize this product?
Once you've worked through the Evaluation step you will have a final short-list of camping lights that meet your needs and stand out from competing products on the market. It's time then to move on to the third and final step: Purchase.
Video Links
Buyz123.com Research Links:ReviewsLantern reviewsHeadlamp review