The Lantern So Cool You'll Have No Choice but to Book a Campsite
Shop $45, amazon.com
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Have you ever set up a camp, cooked dinner over a grill, and navigated a darkened trail to the latrine with only the light of your iPhone flashlight to guide you? I have! It sucks! Similarly, I have hooked a headlamp on a branch in an attempt to make its beam illuminate a whole campsite, and let me tell you, it leaves a lot to be desired. What is desired, in particular, is a lantern. And of all the lanterns in the world (I have not taken a tally, but I'm assuming the number is high), Barebones' Beacon best pairs function with form.
It's useful as all hell.
First, take a look at the carabiner on the top of the Beacon. That'll hook onto anything—tree, tent, slack line, your hand, or otherwise. Now, check out the legs built into the bottom of the lantern. Those'll rest it stably on a table, cooler, or the ground. So, placement won't be an issue. Then, for the light itself, turn your attention to the dial on the top of the lantern. It dims and brightens the LED output from a high beam of 220 lumens to a low beam of 30 lumens. Somewhere in there, you'll find the light setting that fits the natural setting.
Shop $45, amazon.com
It has the cool camping aesthetic locked.
We've mentioned this aesthetic before. It's one thing to muck up and down a mountain for five days, wearing the same pair of cargo shorts, the same grubby tee, and carrying the same efficient backpack. It's quite another to set up camp, emphasis on the set up. A Biolite stove. A set of Snow Peak chairs next to a Kelty tent. Gadgets on gadgets. Yeti mugs all around. The Barebones lantern fits that vibe perfectly, setting the tone with its glow as you make yourself at home amongst the trees. And, as a camper yourself, you'll appreciate that it's built from steel with a rechargeable battery, so it isn't ruggedly cool in looks alone.
It is an excuse to go camping.
Frankly, the call of the wild is more of a scream these days, the way things are going. Camping, a mostly solitary and reasonably distanced activity, is one of few safe escapes. So gear up and get out there. Having Barebones' lantern is one more push out the door. Of course, the Beacon is just as suitable for a concrete patio, a lakeside dock, or a sprawling backyard. Hell, even a fifth floor walk-up's fire escape. Wherever feels safe and solitary and in need of a softly glowing light to you.
Shop $45, amazon.com
Photography and prop styling by Allie Holloway
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