Date:         Thu, 2 Jun 2005 22:36:45 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Subject:      LVC Petromax: Great oil lantern for camping.
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Last week I ordered a Petromax lantern to travel in the westy and for
use in the backyard when hanging out there, etc.

I researched the lantern scene for a couple of years and debated about
buying one of these. They're so good looking that all other things
being equal, I went for this one. It's nickel plated, like something
from the 19th century. You can get them in brass too.

http://www.survivalunlimited.com/lanternstove.htm

This lantern is unbelievable. It burns about anything including diesel
fuel and I think vegetable oil as well as gasoline, kerosene and more.
I've been using mine on kerosene. This past weekend, four people were
sitting under it at night reading. It's equal to, they say, four double
mantle coleman lanterns. It runs 8.5 hours on a quart of kerosene, says
the website, and that is about what I'm getting.

Check it out if you've been looking for a bright light that's portable.

The downside: it's over $100 bucks with the reflector and a dozen spare
mantles (I bought the package with the reflector but haven't used it).
It weighs more than you would think. It puts out a lot of heat, which I
guess would be great in the wintertime. You have to pump a LOT to get
it started (unless you buy the bicycle pump or CO2 inflator adapter).
It is about as complicated to light as a westy fridge is to get
started, maybe more complicated. In fact, it comes with a video to show
you how! Not that bad, really, but no coleman either.

But the payback comes with that unbelievably bright light that has just
a whisper of a sound and is totally portable.

Don't believe what you hear about mantles breaking easily. I carried
mine in the westy closet and moved it around a lot.

I posted the link above because they had the best prices I found.
Google petromax if you want to look further.

Jim