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You can set the perfect Romantic ambiance with your outdoor
lighting. Bring two or more light sources on your Romantic
Getaway. Think both practical and Romantic. I have outlined
your BEST camping lighting options below. I have also
included basic information about light measurements and
bulb types. This information is useful when deciding which
outdoor lamp to purchase.
Candles
Candles always provide a Romantic touch. Their soft and
soothing light will help set a Romantic mood for your
campsite. Try spreading out several candles around your
picnic table and enjoy the ambient lighting. If there’s
a night breeze they may not stay lit. In this case, you
should just use light of your campfire OR (if campfires
are prohibited) create a candle-campfire by placing the
candles together within your protected fire-ring.
ROMNATIC IDEA: Bring tea-light candles on your camping
trip. You want to have a couple candles for each night
of camping. Tea-light candles work BEST because they are
both small and lightweight. Be sure to pack them in their
own plastic bag so they don’t melt and make a mess in
your pack.
Outdoor Candle Lanterns
Candle lanterns are a beautiful compromise between practical
and Romantic. The candle lantern is a simple, lightweight
and inexpensive piece of camping gear. You need to have
one!
Your outdoor candle lantern utilizes long-burn candles
that are about five inches long. These candles can burn
up to eight hours. Remember to always store your backup
candles in a separate plastic bag and be sure to let the
wax harden before packing your lantern.
ROMNATIC IDEA: The top of your candle lantern gets very
hot. Set a small sprig of evergreen on the top. Ceder,
fir, hemlock or pine will work fine too. The green sprig
will heat up and cast an aromatic (and Romantic) scent.
Headlamps
Headlamps are a crucial piece of camping gear! Many experienced
campers now leave the traditional hand-held flashlight
at home. Why is this? Headlamps are small, lightweight
and hands-free. I recommend buying a simple and small
headlamp that uses AAA batteries. Consider the following
features when picking-up a new headlamp:
- Batteries: Most
headlamps use AAA alkaline batteries. Larger (and heavier)
lamps use AA batteries. There are a few options that
work with lithium or lithium-ion batteries. A factor
to consider is that alkaline batteries do lose power
quickly in sub-freezing temperatures. Lithium batteries
perform well in the cold.
- Modes: Simple
headlamps typically have only limited settings. A single
setting works just fine. Some models offer multiple
brightness levels (low, medium, high and more). Some
models offer a twenty second “boost” mode that provides
a temporary projection of the most powerful beam possible.
- Strobes: The
strobe mode uses the least amount of battery power.
However, the strobe mode is generally an annoyance.
It’s not quite fast enough to look cool. However, this
feature might be valuable for signaling for rescue during
emergencies.
Camping Lanterns
Do you remember the retro Coleman lanterns that look
like the one in the picture above? These classic noisy
lanterns use pressurized liquid fuels and a single or
double mantle. Lighting these lanterns can be tricky and
the mantles frequently burn up need to be replaced. Despite
their troubles, these classic lanterns remain a popular
piece of car-camping gear and have a nostalgic and Romantic
quality.
Many portable mantle-type fuel lanterns use propane or
butane. Such lanterns use a small disposable canister
as a fuel source. The ability to refuel without having
to actually pour and pump the liquid fuel makes them safer
and more convenient. Canisters also have an indefinite
shelf life and remain protected from moisture.
Fuel-style lanterns are now being supplanted by newer
technology. Battery powered fluorescent lamp models are
increasing in popularity. The battery lanterns are clean,
light and silent. They are also a safer option for using
inside your tent because their light intensity can be
dimmed to perfection and there's no open flame. I recommend
using battery powered lanterns because they are safe,
practical and very convenient. Some even come with a remote
control!
Lighting Basics
The lighting industry uses specific terms for measuring
light. These terms can be a little confusing. The specifications
for camping lamps often use a combination of the following
terms. I will try to explain their meaning as simply as
possible:
- Watt: This
is a measure of energy consumed. A watt is simply a
measurement of the lamp’s power consumption.
- Lumens: This
term indicates a measure of light intensity as it radiates
outward. A lumen is a measure of the total output from
a light source (usually in all directions). For point
of reference, a 100-watt light bulb emits about 1,750
lumens.
- Lux: This
is a measurement of where the light goes. Lux measures
the light density (or intensity) on the surface being
illuminated. For example, 1000 lumens, concentrated
into an area of one square meter, lights up that square
meter with an illuminance of 1000 lux. The same 1000
lumens, spread out over ten square meters, produces
a dimmer illuminance of only 100 lux.
Be sure to read the product specifications when purchasing
light sources for Romantic Camping. Figure out which weight,
dimension, light intensity, material type, fuel and battery
type will compliment your style. There are several bulb
types used in battery powered flashlights, headlamps and
lanterns. The different bulb types have their own advantages
and disadvantages. The following is a brief explanation
of the main varieties:
- Incandescent bulbs:
These traditional bulbs cast a farther-reaching beam
and are typically filled with an inert gas such as argon.
They tend to produce higher Lux rating than standard
LEDs.
- Xenon, Halogen or
Krypton bulbs: These incandescent bulbs contain
pressurized gases that prevent oxidation (darkening)
of the filament. This allows them to burn with high
intensity.
- LEDs (Light-Emitting
Diodes): These lamps use 3 -5 times less battery
power that standard incandescent bulbs. Unlike incandescent
bulbs, LEDs have a life span of up to 100,000 hours
and have no glass or filament to break. LEDs are definitely
your BEST option for an all-purpose camping lighting
source.
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