Coleman StormBeam Dynamo Lantern

Last winter, the power went out in the D.C. area three different times for several days at a time, and my daughter told me she wanted to buy a flashlight because lit candles are so dangerous. So for Christmas, I bought my daughter a Coleman StormBeam Dynamo Lantern. The Coleman StormBeam uses a hand crank to recharge the battery. The LED light bulb never needs to be replaced. The lantern comes with a built-in FM radio so that my daughter can keep up with the latest news and weather reports. And the Coleman StormBeam comes with six cell phone charger adapters so that my daughter can call her mother if the power goes out.

Sure enough, the storm that hit the eastern coast last week knocked out the power in my daughter's apartment complex for more than twelve hours. My daughter called me to tell me that she used her Coleman Lantern for the first time. She said that the light and radio worked together for about four hours before the battery died. But by morning, the charge from the hand crank would only allow for either the light or the radio to work, but not both at the same time. People in her apartment complex were impressed with the Coleman StormBeam Dynamo Lantern though. Having the FM radio gave them all something to do to pass the time, and the LED light isn't a fire hazard in an apartment complex like the lit candles are.

I found the Coleman StormBeam Dynamo Lantern in the camping section of my local Wal-mart store. But to be prepared, I like to plan for camping before the power goes out.