Does anybody have any experience using the UCO candle lanterns? I was thinking about getting one and I was wondering if they were any good. Cheers
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 I think so - Ihave the tea light one. Makes a long night in a tent much more bearable.
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Cheers Ben. It was actually the tea light one I was looking at, because it's so easy to find tea lights and extremely cheap. Does it give off a decent amount of light?
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With the reflector thing I find it usuable in a tent (mini krab from handle to the hanging loop most have - caution top gets hot so don't get it near fabric) for reading and most tasks on a long winter eve. Also makes tea lights burn properly in cold so they last well and the wick does not just burn down the middle of the wax. This makes it good if you spend a night in a cold bothy. I was impressed by warming effect in a solo tent too.
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We have the type with the 9 hr candle. great for winter trips. after cooking we set it up using the aluminium wind shield as a reflector. nice light. certainly worth the few grams.
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The standard UCO lantern is great. I find it very safe to hang inside my tent - on the little line which Hilly provide on the N2 (and here comes the flak for doing something so dangerous...). But I am careful, and with the chain etc, I really wonder how you would come to grief like this. The worst is someone knocks it and spills wax on the inside of the lantern. It gives a good amount of light and warmth, but I'm not sure I'd be able to read with it hanging up there - possibly if it's stood on something in the porch, like a flask perhaps. These lanterns use their own candles, which are supposed to last 9 hours. I reckon 10 is more realistic, so it works out at about 10p/hour. I often use mine outside, if biviing or just stopping for a meal or whatever, it gives such a pleasant light. But for use in bothies, I don't think you can beat a standard household candle stuck in a bottle - a little more light than the lantern, too, and dirt cheap.
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 i find them very good. the reflector is a worthwhile addition as ben says. it's surprising how much light and heat it reflects (or not surprising at all as it's supposed to!). i think it makes a great camp light.
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| Edited: 18/01/10 08:50 |
I always use a white grave candle. less weight than a similar burning hours candel from UCO. Windscreen of the stove can be used as reflector. Enough burning hours for a whole week.
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| Edited: 18/01/10 08:56 |
Thanks everybody for the comments. No bad ones!  I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get one now! I'm thinking that I could hang a cord between the two tent poles and have the lantern hanging in the middle
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Ben & parky: slight digression but still on topic. You mention how effective the reflector is. Now, I have the mini lantern, the one that uses tea lights. It's great, 100g of pure delight on a winter's night, but I'm not sure I've seen much difference when using the wee reflector. It's the same reflector that fits the 9 hour lantern. You both say it makes quite a difference. So, given that on another thread today it turns out I'm the only one having bother putting bottles back into the wand pockets... I'm probably doing something wrong with the reflector as well?? Maybe I should polish the reflector till it sparkles? I do actually get a bit more light if I use the windshield or even better the foil base that comes with the WindPro, which I take along anyway as my winter stove. With the reflector, zilch. I fit it to the top of the lantern, in the right orientation, I'm sure of that! So, where am I going wrong... To me the reflector looks like a bit of a gimmick and I would have advised Andy not to get it, while I'm full of praise for the mini lantern itself, which I heartily recommend. I've also noticed that when the wax is fully melted, i.e. it's all gone liquid, the wick burns better and the mini lantern gives a really nice light which lasts for about 6 hours.
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 I wasn't hugely impressed with the reflector either, fearnmore, although the lantern itself is fantastic. Hope that makes you feel better
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Cheers, se@n, that helps... Now, back to practising with that bottle and my Villain... 
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Talking of polishing reflector......anybody done this? Mines getting dull n'grubby now....i was going to use solvo autosol?
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