I will be talking about the traditional lantern used in camping but when I do remember than I am referring to the one that is traditional for me. Other people may have other ideas of what it traditional for them. Remember, I am not talking about the original or very first one to exist.

For me the traditional lantern for camping is the gas one. The reason for this is that when I used to go camping we had a three legged gas barbecue that we used for almost everything. This barbecue came with a camping lantern and a long pole to put the end of it on. After dinner, when it got dark and we were no longer using the barbecue, we would connect the gas pipe to the bottom of the gas lantern and it would really light up the place, both because of the height and the fact that it was gas.

This lantern always gave out a really bright light even when we were not camping and it was great to see all the other campers doing the same or similar things and that we were in the same boat. This meant that we did not have to go to sleep just because it was dark and we could continue to do a range of activities such as reading or playing cards. Unfortunately, the places we went camping did not mean we could have a camp fire.

For others I can understand that the battery lantern is the traditional one for camping and this is probably most true for younger people. These are the easiest to operate and the easiest to manufacture and so there are many to choose from when wanting to make a purchase. If using these around the house, the trouble of recharging the batteries is not so much of an issue. You can just plug in and recharge. That way you will have bright light all the time.

I would consider the solar powered one non-traditional. New technology means that it is not traditional. However, a new generation may think the solar camping lantern is so and this may be true in the future.

As you can see, traditional means different things for different people. It also shows that the commonly forgotten item is a big part of very fond memories. You can be sure that the simple purchase of a lantern as well as camping can make your life interesting and make many memories for you too.