Field and test information
During the two months discussed in this Field Report, nighttime temperatures ranged from about 50 F (10 C), down to around 20 F (-7 C). Despite a prodigious hurricane season and the resulting periods of heavy rain as the storms swept northwards, there were long dry stretches and I took quite a few overnight backpacks. The Xcursion lantern saw several nights of use, both at home (I find it handy for illuminating my gas grill!) and on the trail. Elevations were from 500 ft (152 m) to 3700 ft (1127 m), sometimes in heavily wooded settings, in Harriman Park and the Catskills (New York State).
Product use and Performance
The Xcursion Lantern (courtesy Coleman)
I'm charmed by the Xcursion lantern. While by no means ultralight, it's a pleasant addition on a trip, and I have found that it can be safely tucked into one of the side pockets on my Granite Gear Virga pack, or into an interstitial space in the interior. It takes up very little room.
I'm also testing the Exponent Xtreme stove, and the combination of the two is a good one, as surplus gas in the PowerMax canister left after stove use can be used in the lantern. Charging is very straightforward process, as noted in the Initial Report. I can then dispose of the empty canister (having punctured it with the Green Key first). It's a pleasure not to have yet another fractionally full canister sitting around the place. One of the real weaknesses of canister stoves is the difficulty of disposal of the empty canister afterwards. I'm pleased to report that fuel economy seems very good with the lantern, in line with the manufacturer's specifications (six hours).
I was concerned about the durability of the mantle during transport, but so far, though I have carried a couple of spare mantles (insignificant in weight) I've not needed to replace one in the field. For transportation, I simply slide the protective shields (which double as reflectors) up, so the glass globe is not exposed. I don't take any special precautions to pad the lantern, but both it and the mantle seem to be pretty sturdy, and are not affected by being jounced around in a pack.
Lighting the Xcursion is straightforward—sort of! The easiest way to light it is to strike a match, insert it through the ignition hole at the rear, hold it next to the mantle, and turn on the gas. The lantern fires up almost immediately. However, matches are a nuisance outdoors, if there is the slightest breeze. Regular matches blow out all too often, and half the time I find that the "waterproof-windproof" variety don't strike well. There's also the chance that the matchstick will be left behind at the campsite; though I'm careful about such things, others are not, and it's not uncommon to find a popular camping area strewn with spent matches. This is not good "Leave No Trace" practice!
While I always carry a small match supply for dire emergencies, I usually use a Brunton Helios lighter for camp tasks. This projects a powerful jet of flame, and with a little practice I have found that it's possible to squirt this flame through the ignition hole and thereby light the mantle. Lighting usually takes a couple of seconds (with a match it is virtually instantaneous) and there's a distinct "pop" as the gas/air mixture is ignited.
I do find the decision to place the ignition hole in the rear of the cap slightly less than ideal. This is apparently the way that the cap is intended to be positioned, as it is shown in this orientation on both the box and the accompanying literature, and it's the way the lantern is delivered. The result of this placement is that the match or lighter flame is partly blocked by the burner tube on the way to the mantle. The mantle itself is placed off-center, closer to the front of the lantern than the rear, where the ignition port is located.
Still, the cap is designed to be detachable, and may be rotated 180 degrees, so that the ignition port is now in front. The resulting angle from the port to the mantle is a bit steep for a match, but with care it works (and I feel that there's less chance of accidentally prodding the mantle in the process). This position is just about perfect for a lighter with a pressurized flame, like the Brunton. I couldn't get a simple Bic-type lighter to ignite the lantern in either position—the result was merely a slightly alarming gas-air explosion. It seems that flame really has to touch the mantle for it to light. This is a very minor cavil, really no big deal. I've yet to attempt ignition in high winds, for which a windproof lighter should be most useful.
The quality of the light is excellent, a clear white. I've mostly used the lantern solo, but on a recent trip I used it to illuminate the kitchen/conversation area of the campsite for three people (myself included) and it proved very adequate to that task. While a lantern doesn't throw out heat like a campfire, light alone can also be a focus for groups, providing an element of psychological comfort. In a backcountry setting I don't use fires (except on those rare occasions when the conditions permit a small, traceless conflagration), and the lantern really does provide a pleasant camp ambience. I should note that (like most and perhaps all mantle lanterns) it is not possible to control the level of brightness by adjusting the fuel feed valve.
The light intensity is not such that it illuminates an entire campsite, which is a good thing, to my mind. It is not terribly intrusive (and if I want to experience the night without the barrier of light, as I often do, I can just turn the lantern off). There's no need for headlamps in the vicinity of the lantern, but outside a three- or four-yard radius alternative illumination is required. The unit is almost entirely noiseless (it emits the faintest of hisses). I've sometimes found it handy to use one of the reflectors to make the light more directional. This is useful, for example, if one is map-reading or engaged in a delicate task. I initially found the catch for the sliding reflectors slightly awkward to disengage before sliding. It's necessary to both press in the catch and push on the projecting rib directly above.
Summary
So far, the Xcursion lantern has proved to be a handy little workhorse. It's easy to pack, the mantle seems durable in transit, and lighting it (while not without some minor issues) is straightforward enough. Recharging the lamp with fuel is easy, and it makes a good companion to a Coleman PowerMax stove.
Future testing Strategy
In the remaining two months of testing, I will continue to use the lantern on winter excursions. I'll be particularly interested to see how it functions at the low temperatures I'll be experiencing, and in high winds. I'll continue to examine the various aspects I discussed in the Initial Report.
So far, I'm satisfied with performance, and the only significant objection I have is to the location of the ignition port, which I feel should be at the front of the lantern for ease of lighting.
I thank BackpackGearTest and Coleman for permitting me to participate in this very interesting test.
