ColemanSignature Northern Nova Propane Lantern, Red/Silver 2000023099

This is the brightest lantern I’ve ever seen. I bought one for myself, and my fellow scout leaders have been impressed as well. I wound up buying another for the scouts. The two mantles really set the night ablaze. It is difficult to run on low, as it begins to sing loudly, but you don’t buy a powerful lantern to run on low, so I don’t. I fuel it with green bottles usually when using it for short periods, as it’s more convenient and portable that way. I refill my bottles, so I don’t worry about waste. Where this really does the job is sitting on top of a propane distribution post connected to a 20 lb. tank. This tank fuels two big stoves and the lantern lights the whole camp sufficiently for food prep, cooking and serving. It would be overkill in a tent or small cabin. In a big tent or dining pavilion, this does the job single-handedly. It’s a little quirkier than traditional Coleman lanterns, but worth having when the evenings come early in Fall and Winter.

My wife got this for me as a gift as I'm starting to become a Coleman lantern freak (the old ones). I burn my gas lanterns just for fun all the time. OK, the Northern Nova -- it has a pretty cool design and is very bright. The legs turn downward giving it a nice base with rubber tipped feet. The propane tank is actually elevated slightly. It looks, I don't know...backpack industrial? The chrome looks a little cheesy to me...a little Cadillac Cimarron. I actually like 'frame' (metal outside the globe)..well how it looks anyway. The vent or 'hat' too as some people call them is a nice design. It is bigger than what it looks in most pictures (dimensions are online I'm sure), but it is larger, wider, taller, etc. than any of my existing gas lanterns. The bag is nice, but a little on the thin side.Now time for me to be picky, picky, picky. "Brightest Coleman Lantern" -- Yes I'm sure if they are advertising it as this than its true, but...it is not that much brighter than the other North Stars and not noticeable brighter than some of my 50 year old gas lanterns. I will say on low those accordion mantles give off a cool halo pulse type effect. Almost like an old school kerosene lantern. You can kind a see the gas flicker in the mantle. This is actually a bad thing on full blast, as the propane tank can't seem to keep up with the massive flow rate of this lantern. On high (and I have tried different tanks) you get a slight flutter that is not pleasing on the eyes at that light level. This goes away one or two notches down, but returns again on the lowest setting. I like these mantles; although, as other reviewers have said, they are a bit fragile and are expensive. I have done several burns on mine and they are fine, just be gentile. The auto ignite works great!Another note on the performance side -- this is the noisiest lantern I have ever heard. Propane in general I find noisier than white gas, but this thing sounds like it has a model jet running in it, especially on high. NOT something you would place on a camp table for dinner chat, at least on the higher settings. I have one of the cheap $25 Coleman Propane lanterns and it is down right whisper quiet compared to the Northern Nova. It should also be noted, this thing puts out some HEAT...again, look at the rate the propane is being burned. Watch where this is being used, it heats up.I find the materials finish to be typical say post-1980's Coleman. The vent is thin (not like the old school enameled metal ones), the frame is thin. I will say I like the bigger top ball nut better, it is way easier than the old ones as it is so large. The frame can be a big time pain to get back on as each individual leg is loose...you have to line up all three with the vent to get it back together. Kind of a pain, but with the electronic ignitor you don't need to take the globe off too often. I'm not crazy about the chain vs. an old school metal loop to hang the lantern, but it is unique. It does make a high pitched 'squeek' as it runs out of propane. Reminds me of my daughter trying to tune her clarinet first year.Well who would purchase this? An avid Coleman collector for sure. It is a car camping or luxury camping item. Its best use is hanging from one of those lantern hooks in campground where it can flood a large area with light in areas without power and without the need for batteries. There it can make noise and heat up in complete safety. It will burn about a tank of propane before midnight and you can pop a new tank on the next night and do it again. Deer camp, duck camp, on a riverside fishing for catfish, etc. Now I'm probably going to continue to pick my old white gas lanterns for those duties, but there are customers who prefer the green 1 pound propane tanks! Also, if you have to have the brightest...this is going to be the one!

This lantern worked 120% ! It was super bright, when evening got cold girls were able to sit around it and it also produced heat sufficient for 6 ppl. Last long time too. The only thing that could be better is hissing sound, a bit louder then similar, but producing 3000 lumens needs more gas. Very compact for its size.