Urban Survival Gear – Battery Powered Lanterns

Although we would consider a lantern to be a luxury for the Survival Bug Out Bag, battery powered lanterns are such a great item to have on hand not only for Armageddon but for those simple eight hour power outages that always seem to hit at night. During a survival situation, if you can maintain light discipline meaning using the lights without alerting passers by, lanterns would provide a moral boost, being able to see in darkness to read, cook, etc.

There are many battery powered lanterns available on the camping market. We think your lanterns should be powered by “AA” or “AAA” batteries in order to maintain some battery compatibility with the handheld flashlights and re-charging system(s).

Another necessary feature is that the bulbs should be LEDS and not conventional bulbs which are much more delicate and will burn out. Using various reflectors, LEDS can provide a good amount of light commensurate with their power.

There are two models that we have owned and tested that we would recommend the preparing Urban Survivor to considering purchasing:

Cabelas Ultrabright 8 LED Tent Light



The Cabelas Ultrabright 8 LED Tent Light, priced around $20. This light can be used as a standing lantern with three collapsible legs or can be hung from a hook using a ring mounted of top.

This lantern uses 4 “AA” batteries and should provide 50 to 60hours of light.

Rayovac Sportsman 70 lumens Lantern




The Rayovac Sportsman 70 lumens lantern also uses LEDS and is powered by 3 “AA” batteries and reported to provide light for 60-72 hours. Price at around $14 this is also an excellent buy. Available from Amazon or your local hardware store.

We give the slight tip of the "Don't Tread On Me" ball cap to the Rayovac Lantern. At these prices you could afford several for your survival kit and their size makes them a good candidate to pack away into your Survival Bug Out Bag when you have to get out of dodge.