This expandable solar camping lantern is a cheap, unbranded light that pulls out into a lantern or folds down into a torch. It charges by solar or USB, weighed 122 g on our scale, and I paid $17 for it. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s been handy on weekend trips.
What’s in the box
A small black and orange lantern with a solar panel on top, an orange handle that folds down flat, and a white accordion shade that pulls out to turn it into a lantern. The light sits in the base, and a rubber flap on the side covers a USB-C port for charging and a USB-A port to top up a phone. A USB cable comes in the box.
What we like
- 122 g, folds to a small cube
- Lantern or torch in one
- Solar and USB-C charging
- Can top up a phone
- Cheap at $17
What we don’t
- Cheap, basic build
- Max 125 lm, 2.5 to 6 h
- Solar needs about 2 days of sun
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Unbranded |
| Material | ABSPC |
| Colour | Blackwith orange trim |
| Weight | 122 g |
| Brightness | 125 lm |
| Light modes | Low (30 lm)High (125 lm)Flash/SOS |
| Battery | 800 mAh |
| Charging | USB-C (2.5 hours)Solarabout 2 days |
| Run time | 2.5 to 6 hours |
| Water rating | IP44 |
| Included | USB cable |
| Features | Folds into a torchPhone chargingFold-down handle |
Lantern or torch
Pull the shade out and the light spreads 360° through the accordion, which gives a soft, even glow for a tent, an awning or a camp table. Push it back down and the light shines out of the base like a torch. One button runs through the three modes: low at 30 lumens, high at 125 lumens and a flashing SOS mode.
At 125 lumens it’s bright enough for reading, cooking for two or finding things in the back of the car, but it won’t light up a whole campsite. Run time is 2.5 hours on high and up to 6 hours on low.
Charging and power
The solar panel on top charges the 800 mAh battery, but it needs about two days in the sun for a full charge, so think of it as a top-up while the lantern sits on the dash or the roof. By USB-C it’s full in about 2.5 hours, the quicker way to charge it before a trip.
The USB-A port can charge a phone in an emergency. With only 800 mAh, that’s a top-up to get you through, not a replacement for a proper power bank.
Hanging and packing
The orange handle folds up to hang the lantern from a branch, a hook in the car or a tent loop, and folds down flat when you pack it. Folded, it’s a small cube that slips into a gap in the boot or a door pocket, and at 122 g it’s easy to keep in the car as a spare light.
Build quality
It’s a cheap lantern from an unknown brand, and it feels like one. The plastic body and the shade are light rather than tough, and I wouldn’t count on it lasting for years of hard use. It’s rated IP44, so a splash of rain is fine, but it isn’t made to sit out in a downpour.
That’s why it’s a light for a few weekend trips, not for longer trips further into the country, where you want lights you can rely on.
Conclusion: Expandable Solar Camping LanternConclusion
This expandable solar lantern is a cheap, handy light for weekend trips. It pulls out into a lantern or folds into a torch, charges by solar or USB, can top up a phone and weighed 122 g on our scale. The build is basic and 125 lumens won’t light a whole campsite, so it isn’t one for longer trips further out. I paid $17, and as a spare light in the car it’s worth it.
A $17 solar lantern that pulls out for 360° light or folds into a torch, 122 g on our scale.
Handy for weekends, but the build is basic and it isn't one for long trips.
- Car campers
- Weekend trips
- Emergency kits
Yes, for weekends. I paid $17 for a lantern that also works as a torch and charges by solar or USB. For longer trips further out, spend more on something tougher and brighter.
