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Reviews > Lighting > Lanterns > Coleman Exponent F1 Lite Lantern > Curt Peterson > Field ReportColeman Exponent F1 Lite
Lantern
1)Tester Background and Contact Information Name: Curt Peterson Age: 34 Gender: Male Height: 6'3" (1.91 m) Weight: 270 (122 kg) Email address: curt<at>boopants<dot>com Location: North Bend, Washington, USA I live in the Cascade
foothills, just 20 miles (32 km) from the PCT via trails leading right from my
backyard. My outdoor time in Washington is spent dayhiking, backpacking,
climbing, and skiing everywhere from the Olympic coast to rainforests to Cascade
volcanoes to dry steppe. 2) Coleman Exponent F1 Lite Lantern Specifications Included Items:
Coleman Exponent F1 Lite Lantern Measurements:
3) Coleman Exponent F1 Lite Lantern Field Report and Test Plan For an overview of the F1 Lite Lantern, including photos of the components, please refer to my Initial Report. To date, I have packed along the Coleman F1 Lite Lantern on four hikes, including two very quick overnights during the Thanksgiving break. I've brought it on dayhikes for packing and durability testing, and the overnights saw 2-3 hours of use each time. All trips have been in local areas around 1500 ft (460 m) with temperatures at or slightly above freezing and dry weather. The use of the F1 Lite has been remarkably straightforward. Once the mantle is set up, it is just as simple and basic to use as a gas cartridge stove: open the valve and light. The light output is adjustable, and I've found that a very low setting can be achieved with the valve almost off and anything more than that offers a similarly bright output. I'm pretty happy with this because with the valve down very, very low, the light is quite adequate and fuel consumption is meager. The entire thing is plenty stable. Big cartridges offer more security than small ones obviously, but the small one I've been using all along is just fine. I have strung it up by its cable just to see if it worked - it did - but haven't used it extensively in this way. Most of the time I've had it resting on the ground, a tree stump, or a rock. My biggest gripe so far with the F1 Lite is the mantle setup. Getting the mantle on isn't that tough, but getting it ready to go is less than quick and simple. After putting the mantle on, it needs to be "pre-burned". This essentially turns the cottony mesh mantle into a fragile powdery globe that glows and creates the light. "Pre-burning" usually takes a few matches to get done. This is easier with a lighter, but either way it's a stinky and fumy affair. A complete "pre-burn" is needed to get a good globe. Once it's done, the lantern works very well and can be used over and over. It is crucial to not touch or jolt the fragile globe, however, as it will easily fall apart. In fact, it's so fragile I imagine a good hard blow could cause the globe to fall apart. Setting this up at home and taking it on a hike is surely the way to go. Doing this in camp is definitely possible, but kind of a pain to fiddle with and get going. A metal mesh mantle would be a fantastic addition to this lantern. I've noted answers to my Test Plan questions below, but in summary: Likes
Dislikes.
Test Plan Typical trips will range from 1500 ft (460 m) on valley trails to over 12,000 ft (3650 m) on some volcano climbs if winter conditions allow. The bulk of testing will likely be on the lower end of that range. Temperatures will likely range from the mid teens F (-10 to -6 C) to the mid 50s F (11 to 14 C). I will definitely use it in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness of the Cascades and the Dry Falls and Seep Lakes areas in the Central Washington Steppe. Other areas will be determined by winter snows and rains. I hope to also use it on a backcountry ski touring trip near Mount Rainier. It will go on every trip with me - dayhikes, backpacking trips, and climbs. I will try every Lindal valve type fuel cartridge I can find. Snowpeak, MSR, Coleman Peak1, Primus, and a few others that seem to pop up once in awhile at gas stations or big-box stores. I have tested (italicized comments) and will continue to test the stove in various conditions and report on performance for: 1) Light Output – Coleman claims the output of a 38-watt light bulb. That's more than enough to light up a campsite – let alone a tent. Is it a functional light that truly illuminates an entire camp? So far, it absolutely enough light. For camp chores, hanging out, and kitchen duty, the F1 Lantern provides plenty of light. 2) Burn Time – Coleman claims a 9-16 hour burn time depending on fuel cartridge size and light output. They also note a 25 gram per hour consumption. Do these numbers work in the real world? Is it a gas hog requiring so much fuel that its lightness is negated or is it a fuel miser that can light up camp all night without problems? To date, I'm still on the original cartridge. I've used it for about 6 hours total at this point and it's still going strong. 3) Stability – How stable is the lantern? I will be using it resting on flat surfaces (ground, log), hanging it from branches or trekking poles, and hanging it from the ceiling of my GoLite Hex 3. Can it handle these situations safely? The F1 Lantern on ground use is as stable as the cartridge I use. Obviously, a bigger, wider cartridge will be more stable than a smaller one. Even with the small cartridge, however, stability has not been an issue. 4) Packing – Lanterns are notorious for being difficult to pack due to fragility. The F1 Lite has a few interesting features to mitigate this, including a mesh globe instead of glass and a heat resistant textile carry case for protection. Is this enough to reasonably protect the lantern? While the carry case is probably protection enough, I've wrapped the lantern inside a jacket to provide extra protection. In this setup, the lantern has arrived safe and sound everywhere I've taken it. I will pack it without the extra protection during the last stage of testing to see if it can handle travel with the standard carry case. 5) Lighting: How easy is it to light? The F1 Lantern has a neat little match hole cut out of the mesh globe for match insertion. Is this an advantage or a gimmick? More importantly, will a lighter work with this feature or does it require a match? The F1 Lantern is very easy to light with a match. So far, I've always had a wooden match with me to light it. During the next stage of testing I will focus on lighting it with a lighter. 6) Mantel use: Mantels have been another common complaint about portable lanterns because they so often break. It uses a standard small Lumo mantle. Does it need replacing every use? Coleman retails 2 mantels for US $3. While this not particularly expensive for occasional replacement, daily changes would make the lantern relatively costly to operate. As noted above, the mantles are probably my greatest source of frustration. They work just fine once in place and "pre-burned" right, but getting there can be a pain. 7) Warming Ability: I understand that this is not the design or primary function of the F1 Lite, but small gas lanterns do give off heat. Will running the F1 Lite in the tent for a few hours warm it up making for a cozy tent? Is it sufficient to allow for a lighter sleeping bag? These are not qualities that the F1 Lite can be criticized for as it's not intended to be a heater, but it could certainly add to the value of carrying it. This is an area that will have to be tested further in long term testing. So far, the lantern has been used primarily outdoors, with only a few minutes here and there inside a tent - surely not enough to fairly evaluate this aspect. 8) Weather Conditions: How does the F1 perform in wet weather? In snow? In wind? Does extremely cold weather slow it down? I haven't used it in rain or falling snow, but have had it down to freezing temperatures without adverse effect. Colder and wetter conditions will be evaluated further during final testing. 9) Cool Down: How long does it take to cool down the F1 Lite? Can it go from full brightness to carrying bag in a few minutes or does it require a long time to cool enough to touch and put away? I certainly wouldn't grab the lantern right after shutting it off - the mesh globe glows red hot. It only takes a few minutes, however, for it to cool enough to handle. For comparison, I'd say it's very similar to a gas cartridge stove as far as cool-down goes. 10) Pack Test: Ultimately, is the F1 Lite an item that finds its way into my pack along with other "must take" gear? A lantern is unnecessary to take to head into the backcountry for days. But so is a stove, Gore-Tex, and many of the things we carry. Do the benefits of the F1 Lite earn it a spot in my regular gear kit? I must admit, I really like having the lantern along - especially when the sun is setting at 5 p.m. or earlier. The light it gives off is somehow much more cozy and "camp-like" than an LED headlamp - especially when used for a few hours at a time. For fall and winter trips in particular, I can see the F1 making the trip routinely. Thanks to BackpackGearTest.org and Coleman for the opportunity to test this lantern! Read more reviews of Coleman gear Read more gear reviews by Curt Peterson Reviews > Lighting > Lanterns > Coleman Exponent F1 Lite Lantern > Curt Peterson > Field Report | |||||||||||