A good lantern on a dark night is invaluable whether it be on a camping trip, at a pit area for a race, or for when the power goes out at your home. Recently, I was sent a new lantern from Fenix Lighting to test out and see how it would hold up to the demands of life.

The first thing that drew me to this lantern was the 650 lumens it boosted on its max setting. Camping in the desert can get pretty dark. But it wasn’t camping that first caught my attention, it was the pit area for World’s Toughest Mudder, lighting a pit area can be challenging and with 650 lumens, that changes things.

From the Manufacturer:

The Fenix CL30R rechargeable camping lantern offers maximum flexibility in power and lighting. This versatile lantern allows for recharging via a micro-USB port but also has a standard USB port which allows you to charge other electronic devices. Powered by one, two or three 18650 rechargeable batteries, in a cold-resistant battery compartment for all-season use, the Fenix CL30R lantern delivers a maximum output of 650 lumens, which illuminates an area 115 feet in diameter. 

In the Field:

The lantern itself is compact; it’s night the lightest weight so I would not suggest it for a fastpack but for car camping, races, evening BBQ’s, or emergency situations this lantern will do the trick. Three rechargeable batteries are housed in the lantern

Three rechargeable batteries are housed in the lantern. One of the major perks which made this lantern not your typical run of the mill lantern is the addition of a USB port. You can use this port to both recharge the batteries and also charge your own devices from the lantern’s batteries in a pinch. For those out in the woods, you could certainly hook up a solar charger to the lantern and charge it all day for light all night long.

Overall, this is a great addition to my gear bag, especially for races where a pit needs to be set up or in an emergency situation. Of course, it would do great on a camping trip in the desert!

Price Point:

The Fenix CL30R can be found on the Fenix website for $94.00, not including batteries. It is currently available on other online retailers both including a battery pack or without. Listings without a battery pack will run you around $110.00. Amazon currently has the product listed for $144.95 for the lantern and battery pack included.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received Fenix CL30R Lantern for free from Fenix in consideration for a gear review . The opinions are my own and were not influenced by the manufacturer.