Camping after dark used to mean kerosene lanterns and choking smoke. Now you've got LED lanterns that run for 100 hours on rechargeable batteries, head torches that throw a beam 200m, fairy lights you can hang on your awning. Lighting is one of the easiest quality-of-life upgrades for any camping setup.

Here's the practical guide to camping lighting — what's worth carrying, what to skip, and how to actually pick the right lights for your style of camping.

Photo by Zyanya BMO on Unsplash

Kerosene, shellite, unleaded petrol, propane gas — fuel lanterns produce massive light output and run a long time on a tank. Reliable in cold conditions where batteries die.

Pros:

• Bright (200-400 lumens with mantle lanterns)
• Long burn times
• Reliable in cold weather (where batteries fail)
• Gas lanterns share fuel with cooking stoves (efficient pack list)

Cons:

• Need replacement parts (mantles, wicks, glass)
• Generate heat — can't be near tents/fabric
• Open flame = fire risk in fire-ban zones
• Must respect fuel storage rules
• Dangerous to operate inside enclosed tents (CO buildup)

Best for: long base camps where fuel is a single shared system; cold-weather camping where battery performance falls.

Photo: Matthew Brodeur / Unsplash

For 95% of camping, electric/battery lanterns are the right answer. Three main types:

• LED — the dominant choice. Efficient (low battery draw), rugged, long life (50,000+ hours), low heat output, doesn't attract many insects. Aussie favourites: Hard Korr, KickAss, Black Wolf, Sea to Summit, Goal Zero
• Fluorescent — older but still around. Decent light output, comes in many sizes, can run 12V or 240V. Bulkier than LED, less efficient
• Incandescent — being phased out. High power draw, fragile bulbs, overall outclassed by LED

Power source options:

• Disposable batteries — convenient, ongoing cost
• Rechargeable (NiMH or built-in lithium) — cheaper long-term, but you need to manage charging
• 12V plug — runs off the cig socket or directly from auxiliary battery
• Solar/USB rechargeable — modern hybrids that charge from any power source you've got

• Head torch (the essential) — hands-free, points wherever you look. The first piece of personal lighting every camper should own. Look for: 200+ lumens, multiple modes (high/low/red), adjustable beam, comfortable headband
• Hand torch / flashlight — for spotting wildlife, longer-range visibility, the bigger jobs. Compact LED torches are powerful these days — Olight, LedLenser, Fenix, Maglite all make 1000+ lumen units smaller than a beer can
• Glow sticks — for marking guy ropes at night (kids running into them at night is the way trips end), tent zippers, marking trails. Cheap, single-use
• Brands worth knowing: LedLenser (German engineering, durable), Petzl (climbing-grade head torches), Fenix (high-output), Black Diamond (good all-round)

Photo: Alex Moliski / Unsplash

Optional but transformative for the camping vibe. Modern LED fairy/string lights run 30-50 hours on a USB battery pack, use almost no power, and turn an ordinary campsite into something genuinely cosy.

• String along the awning or rope between trees
• Inside the tent for kids' bedtime reading
• Around the fire pit area for atmosphere
• Solar-powered string lights that charge during the day are the easiest set-and-forget option

Hard Korr makes excellent 12V LED strip lights designed to run off auxiliary batteries — semi-permanent install on awnings.

For most car-camping families, here's the right kit:

• One head torch per person — non-negotiable, especially for kids. Confidence + bathroom trips
• One main camp lantern — 1000-2000 lumen LED, hung in the centre of the cooking/eating area
• One spare lantern — for the kitchen tent or backup
• One 1000+ lumen hand torch — for wildlife spotting, longer-range needs
• Some glow sticks or guy-rope lights for night safety
• Optional: fairy lights for atmosphere

Total kit weight: under 2kg, fits in a small bag, lasts 5+ years.

LED lighting has solved camping in the dark. Get one quality head torch per person, one bright lantern for the cooking area, and a backup. Add fairy lights for atmosphere and a hand torch for wildlife spotting. That's the complete lighting kit.

The kerosene-and-mantle days are over for most campers. Modern LEDs are brighter, lighter, safer and run longer.