Please see my Initial Report for a detailed description of the Xcursion Lantern.

I took the Xcursion lantern on two 2-night trips, at the Manistee River Trail and Nordhouse Dunes in Michigan. I've also used it at home to test functionality in different weather conditions.

The Manistee River/North Country Trail loop is about 20 miles (32 km), with an elevation range from about 210'-450' (64m - 137 m) above sea level. The temperature was moderate, about 75 F (24 C) for the high, and 45 F (7 C) for the low on that trip. The first night was spent at an established campground (along the Manistee River portion of the trail) just off the parking lot. We arrived late at night, and the Xcursion lantern came in handy when we were setting up the tent the first night.

The second night we arrived at our campsite before dark, so I only used the lantern for reading. After looking around for a while, I finally found a branch to hang the lantern on that was low enough to light my book while I sat on the ground. When reading, I put one of the shields in the 'up' position to add a little more candlepower in the direction I need it.

At Nordhouse Dunes, my brother and I hiked about 4 miles (6 km) each day. The elevation changes were up to 140' (43 m), as we hiked up and down the dunes, with quite a bit of completely level hiking when we decided to take a side trail down to the beach, where we walked alongside the lake. The highs were around 60 F (16 C) and the lows around 35 F (2 C), and on the windy side, as we were right off Lake Michigan. The first night we camped in a somewhat protected 'bowl' between the dunes. I really didn't need the lantern on this trip (even to read by) since there were no trees for shade, the sky was clear and the moon was full. I started up the lantern anyways, and read for a while lying down on my sleeping pad, with the lantern and my head just outside of the Krypton 2's vestibule. The second night we had a little more shade, and again I read for about a half hour before deciding to call it a night.

At home, I've operated the lantern in temperatures down to about 20 F (-7 C). The Xcursion appears to be as efficient in colder temperatures as in warmer weather, since I timed the lantern at over 6 hours 15 minutes with a full load of fuel. Loading the lantern at these temperatures is no problem at all. I've left both the lantern and a fuel canister out in below freezing conditions and was still able to sufficiently load the light. When the canister gets low on fuel I had to bring it inside the house and warm it up to get the last bit of fuel into the lantern, but the cold temperature only affects the final refill.

I still have problems disengaging the fuel canister from the lantern. After refueling, the intake from the lantern tends to stick inside the canister's opening, and I have to gently rotate/rock the two pieces apart. I'm afraid that if I tug or try to wiggle them apart too hard that I might eventually damage the intake. I have gotten better at telling when the lantern is getting full. Although the pitch of the fueling noise constantly changes when it is being loaded, I now know the lantern is full when I begin to hear a wet 'gurgling' type of noise. If I ignore the gurgling, I usually get a reminder that the lantern is full when some of the fuel sprayback hits my hand.

The Xcursion performs well during a light snow, though I would be hesitant to use the lantern (without a tarp to protect it) in heavy snow or rain for fear of cracking the globe when cold water meets hot glass. I haven't operated the lantern in anything more than a light/moderate wind, but aside from lighting the lantern I encountered no problems with the operation in windy conditions.

Lighting the lantern can be tricky in windy conditions, though I've managed to light it with a match and the grill lighter (that I use for our stove when backpacking) in light winds. The tip of the grill lighter won't fit through the match hole, but I can maneuver the lighter to produce a flame inside the globe. When using the grill lighter, it's easier for me to light the lantern when the match hole in the cap is facing the front of the lantern. I've experimented with a birthday cake type candle, but quickly discovered that the wax creates quite a mess. Windproof matches don't stay lit long enough for me to light the Xcursion by myself, though if I had someone to steady the lantern and turn on the gas while I lit the match, it might be possible to get the lantern going. I'll have to test this theory for my Long Term Report. For now, if I encountered higher winds I would probably have to find a protected area (such as the vestibule of my tent) to light it.

The Xcursion lantern provides enough light for me to set up my tent, cook dinner, and read by. I wouldn't use it as the only light I bring along on a trip, since I sometimes need to take a late night or early morning trip to the outhouse/cathole, and in those situations I'm not going to fumble around with lighting it. I also probably wouldn't bring it along on longer trips (due to the weight) or trips where I know we'll be getting to camp well before sunset. However, this light is great for my trips when daylight isn't as abundant as in summer, especially if I know I'll be setting up camp at night.

Reviews > Lighting > Lanterns > Coleman Exponent Xcursion Lantern > Becki Stacy > Field Report