Brunton Liberty Mantleless Lantern
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I've got one. It's the not brightest lantern in the world (my dual-mantle white gas Coleman is 
), but we used it up in a cabin up at Baxter this past winter and it did a very decent job of lighting up its side of the room.
It puts off a good deal of heat, and a wooshing sound, but if you've got a canister stove this is a fine, not-overly-heavy and more importantly, not-fragile, addition.
For me it's a bit of an oxymoron because when I'd want a lantern most is in the winter when the nights are early , but in the winter is when I want my reliable white gas stove, not my canister one.
The drawback is that without a mantle, globe, or diffuser, it's a very concentrated point of light. If it's in your field of vision, that can be bright enough to make the surroundings seem darker than they are. It also didn't seem to throw a lot of light outdoors. But as an indoors ambient light source, it did well.
Was it worth the money? Tough answer. I think if you really want good light, get a more traditional canister lantern. If you want the tiny size and convenience, get the Liberty.
), but we used it up in a cabin up at Baxter this past winter and it did a very decent job of lighting up its side of the room.It puts off a good deal of heat, and a wooshing sound, but if you've got a canister stove this is a fine, not-overly-heavy and more importantly, not-fragile, addition.
For me it's a bit of an oxymoron because when I'd want a lantern most is in the winter when the nights are early , but in the winter is when I want my reliable white gas stove, not my canister one.
The drawback is that without a mantle, globe, or diffuser, it's a very concentrated point of light. If it's in your field of vision, that can be bright enough to make the surroundings seem darker than they are. It also didn't seem to throw a lot of light outdoors. But as an indoors ambient light source, it did well.
Was it worth the money? Tough answer. I think if you really want good light, get a more traditional canister lantern. If you want the tiny size and convenience, get the Liberty.
HAYDK
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Michaelj ,
Thanks for the reply back . I was thinking about the same oxymoron of canister performance in the winter . I have a Coleman model 226 white gas lantern from several years back . They call it ultralight gear , weighs several pounds . I think i'll wait a little bit before I purchase one . Thanks Tom
Thanks for the reply back . I was thinking about the same oxymoron of canister performance in the winter . I have a Coleman model 226 white gas lantern from several years back . They call it ultralight gear , weighs several pounds . I think i'll wait a little bit before I purchase one . Thanks Tom
Waumbek
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I have one also. I got tired of handling and breaking the mantles and globes. It works best if you can hang it overhead, above your line of vision. I have not used it often yet, though, and what I really got it for is a late fall trip when the days are shorter but temps not too low yet.
Waumbek - what kind of rig do you use to hang it?
One other note - it's not omnidirectional like a mantle or globe lantern. One side has those little fold-out wing mirrors to concentrate the light. So it's definitely something to put on, say, a shelf on the side of the lean-to or cabin, not in the middle of the picnic table.
I'd wait for now and watch for a sale over the summer, and think about for those fall or early spring trips.
I did use it midwinter in Baxter and it performed fine; I just carried it, a canister, *and* my white gas stove. Maybe someday I'll trust in canisters for winter better (and I shoulda for that trip, since we were in a cabin with a wood stove and it was far from subzero stowage).
One other note - it's not omnidirectional like a mantle or globe lantern. One side has those little fold-out wing mirrors to concentrate the light. So it's definitely something to put on, say, a shelf on the side of the lean-to or cabin, not in the middle of the picnic table.
I'd wait for now and watch for a sale over the summer, and think about for those fall or early spring trips.
I did use it midwinter in Baxter and it performed fine; I just carried it, a canister, *and* my white gas stove. Maybe someday I'll trust in canisters for winter better (and I shoulda for that trip, since we were in a cabin with a wood stove and it was far from subzero stowage).
KayakDan
New member
After messing with mantles on my Primus lantern (always fun in winter!),I decided the Liberty was the way to go.
It takes a little tweaking to get the mixture right for best light,and the dirrect light is tough on the eyes.
I like using mine in winter(place the cannister on a mousepad to insulate it),and reflect the light off the snow. It's a "mini campfire" effect from the glow.
The light from a regular Primus lantern is a bit brighter,and better disbursed,but the Liberty is durable and compact.
Not better,but different-I like it"somewhat".
It takes a little tweaking to get the mixture right for best light,and the dirrect light is tough on the eyes.
I like using mine in winter(place the cannister on a mousepad to insulate it),and reflect the light off the snow. It's a "mini campfire" effect from the glow.
The light from a regular Primus lantern is a bit brighter,and better disbursed,but the Liberty is durable and compact.
Not better,but different-I like it"somewhat".
This is currently being tested on BackpackGearTest.org
Initial (descriptive) reviews just went up, I think, but field and long term reviews will be two and six months fronm now. Still, I'd suggest checking it out.
Initial (descriptive) reviews just went up, I think, but field and long term reviews will be two and six months fronm now. Still, I'd suggest checking it out.
I read the field tests, and while I can't vouch for the poor performance in the cold (I haven't used it outside in subzero temps), I think the other points, which are pretty varied between the reviewers, are well on.
I picked up one of these today. i've never owned a camping lantern before however i have used friends mantle lanterns. at the store i was looking at the liberty and lucy. the lucy was half the price but used a mantle and the liberty was twice the price and mantleless. further the liberty was smaller and looked like it would pack easier. those are things that are important to me because i tend to pack in a lot of gear.
anyway, i gave it a whirl tonight outside. at first it seemed easy to use, it started up well and gave me light. but i wasnt too happy with the light output - its says 80W but it didnt seem like it.
i know a little bit about the technology of catalytic burners which is what is used in the liberty (a platinum screen). this, by the way, is the same kind of technology used in automotive catalytic converters. well the way these things work is that they can consume all the fuel pumped into them but the conditions have to be just right.
how does this apply to the liberty? well, once you get the screen glowing the trick is to get the fuel to combust UNDER the screen there-by optimizing the light output of the lamp. the way you know this is happening is that there will be no blue flame outside the screen and the sound will generally be a hiss (ie. no roar of a flame).
getting this condition on the liberty was not mentioned in the manual. it can be done but it take some fiddling. here's what i do to get this condition:
1. air value closed, fuel closed
2. open the fuel a bit and light
3. adjust so that there is minimal flame and the screen will glow
4. slowly open the air valve and find the point where the screen is brightest (do not adjust the fuel yet)
5. slowly increase the fuel and asjust the air to keep the screen at its brightest
6. you should be at a point now where the entire screen is glowing white and there is a bit if blue flame visible and a bit of a roar
7. this is the tricky part: quickly turn down the fuel and back up again in a flicking motion. dont turn the fuel all the way down. the idea is to drop the flame below the screen. if you do this successfully the screen will glow bright and there will just be a hissing sound.
now, the light output is still orangish but i think from my backyard tests it will be bright enough to at least see around the campsite. its not bright enough to really sit back and read or whatever.
on the other hand i dont have to deal with mantles. the last thing i want to be doing while i am camping is trying to get a mantle on my lantern in the wind and rain.
i am wondering if i should also pick up a lucy. i mean there will be times when i want a bright light. then again maybe a lucy isnt as bright either, rated at only 65W.
anyway... the trick with these catalytic burners like in the liberty is to get all the fuel cumbusted under the screen. this is why the air flow is so critical. once you achieve this the lamp will be at its brightest.
i read one review that talked about the low light and roaring sound it made. clearly this user didnt have it set right.
i tested it out in terms of reading. its ok for me at about a max of 4ft. the light is more of a yellowish than orange by the way, when you get the mixture and combustion just right.
is it worth the money? i think so. i will find out this weekend when i go camping with it! i will post and let you know how it went.
plexus
anyway, i gave it a whirl tonight outside. at first it seemed easy to use, it started up well and gave me light. but i wasnt too happy with the light output - its says 80W but it didnt seem like it.
i know a little bit about the technology of catalytic burners which is what is used in the liberty (a platinum screen). this, by the way, is the same kind of technology used in automotive catalytic converters. well the way these things work is that they can consume all the fuel pumped into them but the conditions have to be just right.
how does this apply to the liberty? well, once you get the screen glowing the trick is to get the fuel to combust UNDER the screen there-by optimizing the light output of the lamp. the way you know this is happening is that there will be no blue flame outside the screen and the sound will generally be a hiss (ie. no roar of a flame).
getting this condition on the liberty was not mentioned in the manual. it can be done but it take some fiddling. here's what i do to get this condition:
1. air value closed, fuel closed
2. open the fuel a bit and light
3. adjust so that there is minimal flame and the screen will glow
4. slowly open the air valve and find the point where the screen is brightest (do not adjust the fuel yet)
5. slowly increase the fuel and asjust the air to keep the screen at its brightest
6. you should be at a point now where the entire screen is glowing white and there is a bit if blue flame visible and a bit of a roar
7. this is the tricky part: quickly turn down the fuel and back up again in a flicking motion. dont turn the fuel all the way down. the idea is to drop the flame below the screen. if you do this successfully the screen will glow bright and there will just be a hissing sound.
now, the light output is still orangish but i think from my backyard tests it will be bright enough to at least see around the campsite. its not bright enough to really sit back and read or whatever.
on the other hand i dont have to deal with mantles. the last thing i want to be doing while i am camping is trying to get a mantle on my lantern in the wind and rain.
i am wondering if i should also pick up a lucy. i mean there will be times when i want a bright light. then again maybe a lucy isnt as bright either, rated at only 65W.
anyway... the trick with these catalytic burners like in the liberty is to get all the fuel cumbusted under the screen. this is why the air flow is so critical. once you achieve this the lamp will be at its brightest.
i read one review that talked about the low light and roaring sound it made. clearly this user didnt have it set right.
i tested it out in terms of reading. its ok for me at about a max of 4ft. the light is more of a yellowish than orange by the way, when you get the mixture and combustion just right.
is it worth the money? i think so. i will find out this weekend when i go camping with it! i will post and let you know how it went.
plexus
Last edited:
I'm back from my camping trip and first field use of the bruton liberty. both my girlfriend and i liked it a lot. its not a hugely bright lantern but when set up properly (see my previous post), it emits a decent yellow/white light that is bright enough to read by and lights up the site with enough light to get around without a flashlight. its not at all like a mantle laterns which is a good substitute for the sun. LOL. No. the liberty is more like having a bunch of candles lighting your site. the character of light, for us, was also really nice, being warmer and dimmer - it the evening at the site more, i dont know, romantic and calm.
i plan to keep it and use it.
plexus
i plan to keep it and use it.
plexus
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