Up here at latitude 47 on the west slopes of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest, December sunsets are technically around 4:15pm. They are earlier than 4:00pm on the east side of the Cascades. Throw in thick overcast skies and perhaps a mountain ridge and darkness can fall close to 3:00pm. Yet, with the warming effect of the Pacific Ocean, winter temperatures this far north rarely dip below 20F (-7C) on the west side of the Cascades and 10F (-12C) on the east side, making for fantastic winter backpacking. Few take advantage of this season – in large part because of the darkness. With as little as 8 hours of daylight, hiking and camping can be a challenge. The solution, of course, is to bring light with you. Headlamps are a great help – particularly on the trail – but in-camp atmosphere can be a little gloomy in the 6 or so hours between darkness and bedtime. I have used gas lanterns in this scenario for years. They work extremely well, but are usually very heavy, fragile, and consume a lot of fuel. I have tried candle lanterns, which are very lightweight, but give off little light and I constantly worry about the open flame and hot wax dripping on me or my gear. In the end, I haven't found an ideal solution.

The idea of a 3.1oz (88gm) lantern that provides plenty of light and frugally uses the same fuel source as the stove I'm already carrying is intriguing. The main Coleman site (www.coleman.com) lists the F1 Lite, but the supporting documents appear not to have been added so far. A secondary site (www.exponentgear.com) provides much more useful information, including the manual and technical data. It appears this product has been available in the UK for some time, as most retailers that show up on search engines are located there and a News Release from late 2003 heralds the lantern's qualities. Claims and data referred to below in the test plan are derived from these sources.

3) Coleman Exponent F1 Lite Lantern Initial Report and Test Plan

Overview
The Coleman Exponent F1 Lite Lantern is - as far as I can tell - the lightest gas lantern in the world. I knew this before ever seeing the lantern, but after seeing it and holding it and lighting it up, I am impressed with its tiny size and relative stoutness. The entire stove fits quite easily in most insulated coffee mugs. As a size comparison, the MSR Pocket Rocket stove and the F1 Lite are almost identical in size and weight (in fact, the F1 Lantern case is a perfect fit for the Pocket Rocket).

In my initial examination, however, this tiny size does not mean it's fragile or underpowered. Quite the contrary. The globe of the lantern - typically made out of glass in portable lanterns - is made of a metal mesh. No worries about broken glass with this model. The initial power is impressive as well. Coleman claims it is the equivalent of a 38 watt light bulb - more than enough to light up a dark camp. I started it up the first night I had it and it easily illuminated a room. Light can be adjusted from very bright to a soft glow, and presumably the fuel consumption can be regulated accordingly. Coleman notes a burn time of 9-16 hours depending on fuel flow.

I screwed the F1 Lite Lantern onto Coleman Peak 1, Snowpeak, and MSR fuel canisters, and a tight seal was easily achieved on all 3. It should work with any fuel cartridge featuring a Lindal valve. These cartridges are very common in my experience, and can be found just about anywhere camp fuels are sold. I've even seen them in some grocery stores.

Two of the initially noteworthy features are the handle/hanging cable and the match lighting hole (see photos below). The hanging cable is very fine steel cable that clips on either side of the lantern and connects to a metal ring. The strong design is neat in and of itself, but the weight is incredible. For this very strong hanging rig, a scant 0.1 oz (4 gm) is added to the load. For the versatility (hanging from branches, trekking poles, shelter, etc.), this additional weight is a no-brainer. The other interesting feature is the match lighting hole. Almost every lantern I've used has required me to remove the globe (usually glass), light the mantle, then replace the glass. The F1 Lantern has a small reinforced hole in the side of the mesh globe to insert a lit match. Very simple.

Top View of F1 Lite Lantern Handle / Hanger - weighs 0.1 oz. (4 gm)

F1 Lite Lantern Match Hole - Heat Resistant Carry Case and Plastic Insert in Background

The mantles are a feature I will watch carefully. They are notoriously fragile, and changing one for every night of use could prove to be both a hassle and costly. How the lantern survives being packed and trekked around will be one of the areas I will focus on in my testing.

Test Plan
Typical trips will range from 1500 feet (460 meters) on valley trails to over 12,000 feet (3650 meters) 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 C) to the mid 50s F (13 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 will 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?

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?

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?

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?

5) Lighting: How easy is it to light? The F1 Light 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?

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.

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.

8) Weather Conditions: How does the F1 perform in wet weather? In snow? In wind? Does extremely cold weather slow it down?

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?

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?

Thanks to BackpackGearTest.org and Coleman for the opportunity to test this lantern!

4) Tester Background and Contact Information

Name: Curt Peterson
Age: 33
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 footpaths leading right from my backyard. Most of my outdoor time here in Washington is spent on dayhikes, backpacking journeys, climbs, and ski trips everywhere from the Olympic coast to the rainforests to the massive Cascade volcanoes to dry steppe.

I played football in college and often evaluate products from a big guy perspective. I tested gear for Seattle's biggest gear retailer in the mid-90s, then guided backpacking tours in Olympic National Park for a few summers. My typical pack load ranges from 12 to 19 lbs (5.4 to 8.6 kg) and usually includes gear to keep dry in the Pacific Northwest's incessant dampness.

10/1/05

Read more reviews of Coleman gear
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Initial Report

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