What makes a great camping lantern? In a word: versatility. A top-notch camping lantern can brightly illuminate your campsite for setting up tents and cooking, provide photography lighting, or dim down to provide a soft, ambient glow for safety.
Fenix offers a wide range of flashlights, headlamps, and lanterns that are designed to meet the diverse needs of your campsite. The camping lanterns in their lineup are labeled with the “CL” designation, with “R” indicating rechargeable models. Beyond that, the numbers (such as CL22R, CL26R PRO, and CL27R) provide clues about their varying lighting power and features.
In the sections below, we’ll guide you through the specifications of these three lanterns and explore their different outdoor applications.
A Summary: Fenix CL22R, CL26R PRO & CL27R
To set the stage, here’s a quick summary of the three Fenix camping lanterns that show off the brand’s range.
- CL22R: Small and lightweight with an intense down-facing light that’s bright enough to use like a flashlight.
- CL26R PRO: Feature-rich with nine lighting modes, it can charge other devices and has a magnetic top to attach to steel surfaces.
- CL27R: Intense forward-facing floodlight for illumination of broad areas and a spotlight for navigation. A color-adjust dial to change the floodlight’s temperature, and the CL27R can be mounted on a tripod or with its magnetic base.
All three Fenix camping lanterns have a durable build that can withstand drops, resist dust and splashes (at least), and recharge via a USB-C port.
Large group campsites with a communal overhang or tent might reach for the bright CL22R. But the CL26R PRO is also a workhorse, with surround and overhead lighting that can be dial adjusted. Plus, it also serves as a power bank to charge other devices like a headlamp or smartphone.
Campers that need to navigate campsite or trail hazards at night will enjoy the spotlight of the compact, carry-friendly CL27R, which can be angled and dialed to cast light in several ways.
Fenix CL22R Camping Lantern
The Fenix CL22R camping lantern puts out a brilliant 500-lumen light and can run for 200 hours.
It provides 360-degree illumination, which is something of a Fenix staple, and stands out from the pack with its bright downward light mode. You can also use both together to provide more of a spotlight below while still illuminating the surrounding campsite area. A single-handed rotary switch on top lets you dial up lighting to fit the needs (and mood) around camp.
The CL22R stands out from other Fenix lights — and other lanterns on the market — with a mode that rotates through red, green, and blue lights for a fun, disco-style vibe.
Use case: The 360-degree illumination and overhead spotlight can light up a large campsite with an overhanging branch or tent structure to hold it. It also has a dance mode.
Max lumens: 500
Max beam distance: 262 feet
Max runtime (on low): 200 hours
Lighting modes: 7 – including stepless brightness levels for a warm 360-degree light, down-facing flashlight, and both combined; plus a red light, red flash, and two modes of decorative disco lighting
Weather rating: IP65; resistant to water jets, rain, and splashing
Impact: 1.5 m
Weight: 4.76 oz. with battery
Price: $50
CL26R PRO Rechargeable Lantern
The Fenix CL26R PRO lantern pushes 500 lumens on High mode and provides 360-degree illumination up to 50 feet away. A dial on the front lets you quickly cycle through all nine lighting modes.
A retractable hook on the top lets you suspend the lantern mid-camp — plus, the top is also magnetic for additional hanging options. Even cooler: the CL26R PRO can be used as a 5,000mAh power bank to top off your smartphone, headlamp, or any other devices.
Use case: A do-it-all lantern for solo campers, couples, or groups.
Max lumens: 650 (combines High 360-degree light and the Down 3 light)
Max beam Distance: 50 feet
Max runtime (on low): 408 hours
Lighting modes: 9 – three 360-degree brightness levels, a forward light, three down-facing levels, and solid or flashing red lights
Weather rating: IP66 (dustproof/heavy rain, splashproof)
Impact: 1 m
Weight: 7.02 oz. excluding battery
Price: $80
Fenix CL27R Rechargeable Lantern
The Fenix CL27R Rechargeable Lantern has a floodlight, spotlight, and a full range of adjustability. A 360-degree handle lets you carry it easily and set it up wherever needed. It even mounts on a tripod or via its magnetic base.
If you hear something go thump in the night, you can crank this lantern to its brightest level and see anything nearly 600 feet away.
The top button toggles through several modes: floodlight, spotlight, both combined, a red light, and a red flash. Two dials control both the brightness of the light and the color temperature in floodlight mode (which ranges between 2,700K and 6,500K).
Its rechargeable battery is removable and has an indicator to monitor remaining power. Plugging it into a power bank allows for longer runtimes.
Use case: Lighting up large swatches of land. The spotlight mode helps light the way getting to and from camp or cabin. Afterward, it can be used in floodlight mode to create less intense visibility over a wide area. At home, these same functions are great for lighting up a dim workspace.
Max Lumens: 1,600
Max Beam Distance: 591 feet (spotlight and floodlight combined)
Lighting Modes: 5 – stepless brightness levels for floodlight, spotlight, and both combined; plus a red light and red flash
Weather rating: IP66, dustproof/heavy rain resistant
Impact: Up to 1.5 m
Weight: 10.58 oz. with battery
Price: $85
