After reading the posted reviews we were hopeful. But alas there were some problems. The knob to hold onto to turn the crank came off the first time we tried it, we screwed it back on and it stayed. The light it produced was never very bright, we hung it from a divider wall tab at the top of the tent and it provided a general light/nightlight but individual flashlights were needed for reading. It has two light settings and when we would push the button for the 12-light setting there seemed to be a short that if you bumped the button again or turned the lamp on its side the light would go out completely unless you shifted the button around and it would come back on. We are sending it back and hope to find something similar but better built.
Love the lantern, got plenty of good light, but while winding the crank it stuck and would not turn at all. I returned it for replacement, looking forward to getting more use out of it.
This lamp is a good idea to have in case of emergencies. The solar charge takes a very long time when you leave it in a window, so it is a good thing the crank option is available.
This lantern is totally awesome! We use it camping, during Hurricane season, anytime the power goes out and the kids even take it out in the neighborhood at night. A couple of tips: it shines best when fully charged, the best way to charge it is to either plug it in or just leave it in the sun when you're camping. It's not suitable for widespread light, but I love it because it's so versatile. It's also so feather-lite that we can easily hang it from the ceiling of the tent at night. LOVE this product!
