While at Outdoor Retailer earlier this year, we stopped by the Zippo Outdoor booth, and one of the products that caught our eye was the Zippo Rugged Lantern. For those not aware, Zippo isn’t just about lighters. They have a whole line of outdoor gear, and if this lantern is any indication, they’ve done their homework and come up with some great products.

First, it should be pointed out that this isn’t for backpacking. Tipping the scales at over four pounds, it’s not very packable. The Zippo Rugged Lantern is for car camping, your cabin, or even just enjoying the outdoors in your backyard. Its combination of output, weatherproofing, and run time make it well-suited for anyone looking for a tough light that can light large areas over extended periods of time. A rechargeable lithium ion battery provides up to 12 hours of light on high, where output is 220 lumens. On the medium setting it will run for 18 hours. At the lowest setting, which is the one we used the most, expect up to 59 hours. (There’s also a flashing mode) That’s more than sufficient for most of our needs. Of course, it’s an attractive lantern as well. A light tube surrounded by a diffuser sits in the middle of the unit, which is mostly clear plastic. Stainless steel rods protect that clear plastic, and hard black rubber on the top and bottom prevent drops or light strikes from causing damage. There’s also a handy strap on the top, and the base contains a waterproof charging port (a wall charger and 12V accessory outlet charger are both included), with a large red power switch on the opposite side of the base.

In between rainy and even a couple of snowy days, the weather cooperated enough that we were able to use our fire pit. This was the perfect opportunity to test the lantern. With three dogs, the high setting is convenient for navigating the yard at night. Output is bright enough that we only used the low setting near the fire. That’s all we needed to light up a small table with marshmallows, Hershey bars, and graham crackers, as well as the immediate surrounding area. Although the quality of light wasn’t as soft as we prefer, the Zippo Rugged Lantern didn’t disappoint. We confirmed the run time on high, and gave it a brutal high pressure soaking with a hose, which it shrugged off. Repeated drops of 3-4 feet on carpet over concrete left it unaffected as well. So while we didn’t test Zippo’s claim that it can survive a five foot drop, it’s probably a safe bet to take their word on it. Judging by how many of our regular testers have asked to borrow it, it’s definitely a useful and popular piece of gear. Check it out, and the other outdoor products from Zippo at zippooutdoor.com.

– Brian

Disclosure of Material Connection: We received the Zippo Rugged Lantern for free from Zippo, in consideration for review publication