A rechargeable, water-resistant, packable lantern.
Big Light in a Small Package
The Princeton Tec Helix Li Lantern just became my favorite lantern because it gives me a nice bright light in a much smaller size than most of my other lanterns. The lantern looks like the Apollo Lunar Model, with a rubbery white globe that looks like a pinecone. It provides a strong 3600 beam of light that’s ideal for lighting up an outdoor space at night and for working with my hands in a small space (like tying on jigs when I’m fishing for squid at night).
Most often I use the Princeton Tec Helix Li Lantern in high mode inside my swim buoy to make myself visible when I swim at night. My swim buddy and I sometimes swim at different paces, so it is quite important to have strong lights in our buoys to helps us keep track of each other in the dark. The Princeton Tec Helix Li Lantern is also useful for keeping our post-swim transition area well lit so we can quickly get out of our wetsuits and into dry clothes (and keep track of our gear in the dark).
The pinecone globe can be quickly collapsed for packing into a smaller size that I can easily toss into a bag and often just stuff into my jacket pocket. Packing small is key for me because whether I’m fishing or swimming at night I already have too much gear. (The globe is removable if I need a bright spot light.)
Simple and Versatile
Operating the Princeton Tec Helix Li Lantern is a breeze. Princeton Tec has ingeniously incorporated a popular cell phone design pattern, the swipe, to make usability fast and intuitive. There is a small panel on the base of the lantern that is activated by dragging my finger across it. I swipe right for white light, twice for low white light. For red light, I swipe left for bright red mode and left twice for low red mode. It is easier and faster than pressing on a button. Since it’s November and our temperatures are into the mid-30’s, my fingers are often cold when I operate the light. Swiping is much easier than pressing a button.
When I’m using the lantern somewhere other than the inside of my swim buoy, I can hang it by its handle, adjust its legs to form a stable base, or adjust its legs to hang from a wire or cord.
In the past couple of weeks I have only used the Princeton Tec Helix Li Lantern in or around water, so I really appreciate that it’s water resistant. I don’t have to worry about it getting ruined if it gets splashed. I love being able to use the micro USB charge cord to power up the lantern. I am so done with buying batteries!
Burning Bright
When used in low mode, the Princeton Tec Helix Li Lantern runs for 110 to 200 hours, depending on whether I use white or red light. In high mode, the lantern lasts six to 16 hours. I most often use it in high mode, so I try to remember to charge it every week because I am exactly the type of person to leave it in my bag and forget to turn it off.
The versatile Princeton Tec Helix Li Lantern has just enough features to be useful but not so many that I have to use the instruction manual to use it. I like that.
Details
- 300 lumens
- Rechargeable Lithium Ion battery
- 1 white Maxbright LED light
- 2 red Ultrabright LED lights
- IPX6 water resistance
- 5.4 oz weight
Bottom Line
I have several lanterns for car trips and camping, but the Princeton Tec Helix Li Lantern just moved to the top of my gear list because of its small packing size, ease of use, and bright lights. I love this powerful little space age lamp!
$54.99 on sale for less ($46.98) at Amazon
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