Coleman Tent Light

by Coleman

• Tent light with powerful built-in magnet
• Secures to tent poles without damaging tent fabric
• Powerful, replaceable Krypton bulb illuminates tent's interior
• Runs on 4 AA batteries (sold separately)
• Easy on/off switch; made in China

Product Description

Amazon.com

A great addition to any camping trip, the Coleman tent light will keep your tent illuminated during the evening hours. The light attaches to your tent poles easily and securely via the built-in magnet, so you needn't worry about damaging your tent fabric. The light's powerful, replaceable Krypton bulb, meanwhile, offers plenty of light for reading, playing games, or chatting. Best of all, the light--which operates on four AA batteries (sold separately)--won't get in your way while you sleep or hang out, unlike standard lanterns. Made in China, the light includes an easy on/off switch.

About Coleman
The Coleman Company has been creating and innovating products for recreational outdoor use since W.C. Coleman started selling gasoline-powered lanterns in 1900. Inventor of the hugely popular fold-up camp stove, Coleman developed a plastic liner for his galvanized steel coolers in 1957--the birth of the modern cooler--and the company has been improving their utility and design ever since. The array of products that bear the Coleman name now includes just about everything you might need to work or play outdoors, from tents and sleeping bags to boats, backpacks, and furniture.

Product Description

The Coleman Tent Light is a great addition to any camping trip. The strong, built-in magnet allows for easy attachment without damaging the tent fabric. The light operates on four AA batteries (sold separately). The powerful xenon bulb is replaceable.

Product Details

• Item Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0009PUPU6
• Item model number: 830A250T
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (156 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #656 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #4 in Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Camping & Hiking > Tent Accessories

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

328 of 330 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Nice Piece of Kit, Somewhat Bulky August 10, 2007

By Sir Charles Panther TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

This is a really nice piece of camping kit, as it "clips" with the magnet to any part of your tent in seconds. (It's got a pretty strong magnet bar, which goes on the outside of your tent, and the metal bracket of the light anchors it on the inside.) At first I wondered if the tight contact of the light would cause the tent to leak, and so far the answer has been a very clear and dry no, on many tents of different fabric.

The light is incandescent, inside a traditional sealed bulb. I have had no problem with the light or bulb in the 4+ years I've owned this light. The lens diffuses the light nicely, so if you put this light at the crown of your tent, you will have light throughout.

My only problem with this unit is that it's kind of big and bulky. It's not that heavy, even with the four AA batteries installed, but it's kind of large. In a camping world in which we've got wind-up LED systems and increasingly smaller lights which provide more and more light, I would think that an up-tech'd version of this light could be smaller and throw out more light. If you're doing backwoods trekking where every ounce counts, this is probably not the solution you need. But if you're doing family camping, car camping, or going to camps that have existing tents (summer camps, scout camps), then this is a really fantastic piece of gear.

----------

Update, 24 July 2008
Now about a year on, here are additional comments on this product:

It continues to function just fine, but I have one complaint. I do not store this unit with batteries in it, so each time I go camping I open the case to install and then later remove the batteries.

(The case opens by way of gently pinching the two sides together at the lamp's waist, between the on/off switch and the lower magnetic housing. There are no locks, screws, springs or mechanical latches; the two parts of the lamp are kept together only by the plastic flex of the upper lamp housing itself.)

After a year of easy and careful use the upper plastic housing around the pinch points has started to crack. The unit still works just fine (I just got back from a week in the woods), but it's only a matter of time now until the housing splits or a large chunk of the plastic comes off, preventing the unit from coming together and thereby ruining it.

----------------

Update, 26 May 2009
The cracks at the waist are slightly bigger, and slowly growing. The light still works fine, and just served me well on yet another campout, but the day is coming when that plastic housing breaks permanently, and this light will be finished.

----------------

Update, 8 October 2010
Another spring and summer gone, and this light continues to soldier on. It's still got its original bulb and all other original parts. No corrosion, no rust inside or out. No clouding of the plastic lens. The cracking of the waist area I mention above has stabilized somewhat, with no plastic pieces having come off. It still works great, and it'll be with me into another fall and winter of Scout camping.

----------------

Update, 2 June 2011
Getting ready for another campout this weekend, and this light is packed and ready to go. No changes since the last update, still working just fine.

----------------

Update, 19 October 2012

Man, a perfect score for helpful votes--thank you, all. This was an easy review to write for what has turned out to be a great product.

I just broke it out of the attic for a camping trip tomorrow evening, and with four AA batteries dropped in, it still works like a charm. There is no further degradation to the plastic, no flaking, discoloration, cracks or pieces coming off. It is not brittle, but still gives nicely, and came apart and went back together just as easily as any time before. It'll be lighting my tent tomorrow night, as it has on so many nights before.

I see that there is a Coleman LED tent light now, for about $8 more. I have not seen one in person nor tried one out, but if Coleman has applied the same characteristics to this new light as they did for this one, it'll be a winner.

76 of 77 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good light - not so bright August 20, 2006

By R. Weight

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a pretty good tent light and reasonably priced.

Pros: It's small and easy to pack. It safely attaches to the tent without causing and problems. It's easy to use. It works. Flexible.

Cons: The light it gives is a bit dim. Many battery based lanterns give off much more light (although not as flexible in positioning). It's difficult to position with just one person because you have to have the magnet outside the tent and the light inside, so unless you can reach to the point outside where you want it, then you need to have someone else hold the magnet in place while you place the light inside the tent. This isn't much of a problem though.

Overall I gave it 4 stars because it works and it's easy to use and low priced. It could use a brighter light, but otherwise is pretty good.

75 of 78 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Really cool gizmo March 27, 2006

By J.M

I love,love,love,this light.Take my word for it buy this and you will not regret it.I bought this becuase,i'm going backpacking across europe this summer.I took out my gear for a test run this weekend and fell in love with this light.The light really lit up my tent and is easy use.You can put it anywhere in tent or anywhere you need an extra light.This light runs off 4 AA batteries and takes up little space in your bag.