Coleman 8D Double U Tube Classic Lantern Review

Well last week, it was the annual occurrence of Key Colony Beach Day. Doesn't sound familiar?

Down in the Florida Keys, just a couple of miles north of Marathon sits the pretty little City of Key Colony Beach. OK, go ahead and laugh, but it really is a city.

Every year, just about now, on a Sunday the City celebrates Key Colony Beach Day. The day starts out with a very early breakfast that anyone who is anyone in Key Colony Beach attends. To a transplanted New Englander it's a very Stepford kind of thing. I mean that in only the kindest terms. Everyone in this town is so nice.

Following the town breakfast a day of festivities begins and a huge (well maybe not huge) craft fair is the center piece. This year, the lovely Veronica and I are showcasing JennaMax Designs at the Fair. Our handiwork is on sale there today.

But still, what has this have to do with a Coleman Lantern? Well, this year, everything. You see Daylight Savings Time came early this year and at 6am it is pitch dark. Setting up displays as only Veronica can takes light, plenty of light.

So believing in the old Boy Scout credo of "be prepared", I packed the Coleman. Pretty good, I must say. Perhaps next year I'll be even more prepared and remember to check the 8 D Cell batteries this monster devours. But no foul; we realized our dilema upon our arrival at our hotel Saturday night and paid a visit to the Home Depot, 2 miles south in Marathon. Home Depot in Stepford? Sigh, how Margaritaville has changed!

Coleman 8D Double U Tube Classic Lantern

Externally, this Coleman Lantern keeps the style and form that Coleman Lanterns have featured for generations. But, instead of those delicate mantles, gasoline (or Coleman fuel) and the need to pump and light the lantern, this one uses 8 D cell batteries to power a 13w U-shaped compact fluorescent bulb. At first read, this lantern sounds almost "conveniently green". Close, but no cigar, read on.

What works well

To give it its due, the Coleman Lantern puts out a pretty good amount of light. Having both a low and high setting it will produce the equivalent light output of a 40w - 65w incandescent bulb.

The traditional glass of the lantern has been replaced with plastic and is less likely to break.

Since, it is battery, rather than gasoline or propane powered it can safely be used indoors. In fact, that is our primary place of use during the Hurricane Season.

What doesn't work so well

Remember those 8 D Cell batteries? If you run this lantern on the low setting, they'll last approximately 18 hours. On high, figure 12 hours. For casual camping needs maybe this kind of performance is OK. But, in South Florida during the Hurricane Season, you may find yourself feeding this monster so often you'll swear you're watching a scene from "The Little Shoppe of Horrors"!

I'm not sure whether this lantern will accept rechargeable NIMH batteries, but we're going to be testing that real soon. We're also testing some alternatives for emergency lighting. The idea of having to dispose of 8 D Cell batteries a day definitely removes it from the "conveniently green" category.

My Viewpoint

As emergency lighting, the Coleman 8D Double U Tube Classic Lantern will do in a pinch. It's safer than Coleman's Fuel powered Lanterns, is fairly durable, but oh that appetite. Listen! Can you hear it? "Feed Me!" "Feed Me!"

This product gets a qualified recommendation from this reviewer.

Regards,

Rudi