UCO Original Candle Lantern

Product Information

I don’t want to get into an argument about whether you feel it is safe or not to use one of these candle lanterns inside a tent, I just want to report our experience and findings when using it.

Excess or spilled wax can be removed from the lantern by chipping or scraping it off with a blunt object. The classic, long-burning collapsible candle lantern that has provided warm, natural light to thousands of outdoor enthusiasts since 1982, the Original Candle Lantern is still a most popular model. I’m actually quite looking forward to using it wild camping over the winter months during those early long dark evenings, I’m sure it will make us feel really cosy, warm and maybe even damp free. Clearly you have to act appropriately around it and not bash into it, but from our perspective it was safe. Be sure not to touch the heat shield when the lantern is burning, or until it has had sufficient time to cool after use.The chimney quickly and easily slides down inside the lantern to give the user instant access to the candle area. The enclosed design protects the flame from coming in direct contact with other materials, and the handle keeps the lantern a safe distance below tent canopies when suspended in a tent. The Candlelier Candle Lantern is best for car camping, home and patio use (including emergency and power failure use), and is excellent for larger groups when backpacking and winter camping. The UCO candle lantern is designed to be safe for use inside tents, offering a warm glowing light, reducing damp/condensation and acting as an insect repellent too (when using citronella candles).

If we had been in a smaller tent then we would have had to be a bit more cautious about not knocking into the lantern. I felt that it did take the chill off the inside of the tent a little, but in all honestly the warmth that was felt was probably more psychological than physical.Wax formula, wick size, and other features were specially engineered to make this the ideal candle for our lanterns.

The UCO candle lantern was used by us for 2 nights and we didn’t experience any safety problems with it. Lightweight and compact, the patented Candle Lantern provides 9 hours of warm light from a single candle. I was a bit dubious as having a flame inside the tent was not something I would have ever considered doing before. The candle burns slowly and efficiently as it sits in a spring loaded tube that gently pushes the candle upwards as it burns.The candles are said to last for 9 hours, we can vouch for this as we did sleep one night with it still lit (not recommended) and when we awoke early the next morning it was still burning. Our Original Candle Lantern is still our most popular for all-around uses such as backpacking, camping, and home. This is easier if you first place the part with the wax on it in a freezer for 10-20 minutes until the wax becomes brittle. When wild camping, we normally hang up a head torch which gives off a super white light, even on it’s low setting.

I have experienced condensation inside a tent, even ice but the temperatures we experienced in Scotland did not cause us any condensation problems. A bit weird at first coming from a safety perspective, but it didn’t take long to become comfortable around it and more confident that nothing dangerous was likely to occur.It is perfectly suited to backpacking, mountaineering, snow camping and similar outdoor pursuits and simple to maintain and operate. The backpacking that we were in (MSR Mutha Hubba) had more than adequate ventilation, the inner layer is about 50% mesh so there was definitely plenty of fresh air circulating. You can also remove wax by heating until just hot enough to cause melting and blotting with absorbent material.