Goal Zero Lighthouse Micro Review | Seven-Month Check-In
Brand: Goal Zero
Model: Lighthouse Micro USB Rechargeable Lantern
Specs:
- Lantern brightness - up to 135 lumens, 3800K
- Flashlight brightness - up to 115 lumens, 3000K
- Run time - up to 7 hours on Full Bright or up to 170 hours on Dim
- Charge time - 3.5 hours via USB port
I got into camping about ten years ago. I was managing a restaurant in lower Manhattan. I'd planned a vacation at the end of our busy season and bought a plane ticket from NYC to Tuscan and another plane ticket from Denver to NYC ten days later. By the time I landed in Tuscan, I'd lined up one night in a Red Roof Inn, and that was it.
I had picked up a tiny red lantern from an outdoors store thinking it might be useful. Over the course of the trip, which turned out to involve driving through Utah, cutting through the southeastern corner of Idaho into Montana then Wyoming and down to Denver, I was amazed at the bond I'd formed to this little lantern that had provided me ample stable light throughout my journey.
A few years later, the rubber gasket holding its battery began to deteriorate and water leaked in. That was that for my little red lantern.
Goal Zero's Lighthouse Micro, on the other hand, has proven to be a major step up but has everything that I loved about my first tiny lantern. It can hang (via carabiner) from the ceiling of my tent, giving even light to the entire interior without occupying valuable floor space.
It not only has multiple brightness settings but is fully dimmable both as a flashlight and as a lantern, which feels almost luxurious.
Beyond its robust straightforward functionality, that it is rechargeable via USB port makes it perfect for multi-day road or backcountry trips. Literally, I sleep more easily knowing that I can just charge it in the car the next day. The Lighthouse Micro is also compatible with Goal Zero's solar panels, so... no car? No problem.
There are two tiny qualms that I have with the design. The carabiner and the metal loop it attaches to feel awkward when using it as a flashlight. I almost always use a headlamp instead of a flashlight, so 90% of the time, I don't even think about it. But the rest of the Lighthouse Micro is so tight and well-engineered. The second qualm is the very small power button that is actually on the face of the flashlight. While it performs well enough, it is hard to operate in gloves. Not a major knock but worth noting.
Whenever I pack my tent, I pack the Lighthouse Micro.
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