Other camping lights can’t hold a candle to my UCO candle lantern

My canoe camping gear would fill your average U-Haul truck. But none of it − nothing among thousands of dollars’ worth of paddles, river bags, tents, sleeping bags, boots, clothing, cookware, and gadgetry − gives me as much comfort as my UCO candle lantern.

Its soft yellow glow illuminates the pages of my journal as I reflect on a day spent on the river. When it’s time to turn in, my UCO candle lantern guides me to my tent and − on cold damp nights − it reduces the condensation inside.

My candle lantern even serves as a lighthouse beacon when friends and I explore the lakes at night, rousting curious beavers from their lodges, or gazing at the stars as we drift in our canoes across the open water. When we’ve had our fill, its welcoming glow guides us back to the shore and our campsite.

It has yet to fail us in those situations. UCO candle lanterns are incredibly reliable. Even on windy nights. A glass cylinder and the lantern design itself shield the flame from the wind. The precision-made wax candles burn for more than eight hours − even more if you opt for the beeswax variety. (You also can get citronella-scented candles to discourage mosquitoes from loitering at your campsite on summer nights.) A window on the side of the lantern tells you exactly how much candle you have left.

And they last. I’ve had my candle lantern for nearly 35 years.

Replacement and repairs far and few between

In that time, I’ve replaced three or four cylindrical glass covers and one spring.

One of the glass covers − known as  chimneys − died of natural causes. One cold night, sleet pelted the hot glass, causing it to crack. I dropped the other covers in the kitchen sink while washing the wax residue off of them after a canoe trip.

The lost spring? Well, that was a whole ’nother story. In fact, I can pretty much tell you where it is. It’s somewhere on the west side of Wills Creek Island along the Muskingum River. One dark autumn night I was changing candles. I was holding the compressed spring (the spring keeps pressure on the candle, causing it to move up in an aluminum cylinder as it burns). The end of the spring slipped off my fingertip and it went flying off into the night. The spring, not my fingertip.

It landed somewhere in the leaf litter. I searched for the spring that night, the next morning, and on subsequent canoe trips but never did find it.

If the UCO candle lantern has a downside, it’s the maintenance. Although I don’t consider it maintenance; more like tender loving care. The candles are formulated to leave minimal residue as they burn. But you will get a little stray wax on the glass and in the aluminum lantern housing. And, with the beeswax candles, the residue is stickier.

You can minimize the mess by taking care to gently blow out the candles. And not rock the lantern while the candles are burning or hot. That way wax pooling around the wick won’t get blown or flow into the lantern housing.

Dish soap and hot water do the trick

I highly recommend a good cleaning after every trip. Dish soap and hot water will do the trick. However, I’ve found that it’s better to cool off the lantern first − maybe put it in the fridge for a bit − then scrape off any beads of wax with a butter knife. Then, once the unit’s at room temperature, finish cleaning it with soap and warm water. Maybe use a little rubbing alcohol for stubborn spots and to clean the glass.

Also, you might want to order extra glass chimneys and a spring. Or, if you want to spring for the whole shebang (minus the glass), UCO sells rebuild kits for around seven bucks. The candle lantern itself sells for around $25 these days.

I also recommend buying an optional pac-flat reflector. This attaches to the top of the unit, reflecting light downward. The reflector puts light where you need it most and enhances the ambiance of your campsite. Plus, if you hang the lantern inside your tent, the reflector helps keep the heat off the fabric. As a further precaution when using the lantern in the tent, I add an about eight inches of chain.

Also, candle lanterns can be used indoors. They really come in handy during power outages.

Prior to writing this column, I contacted the company for a little history on the UCO candle lantern. I received a quick response and will share that information in a future column.

Meanwhile, I’ll just bask in the glow of my candle lantern. Watching the gentle flame can be very relaxing − and far more entertaining than most the stuff on TV.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: UCO candle lantern is the perfect go-to for camping enthusiasts