Warning: my tent almost caught fire because of a cheap lantern hack I saw online

I was talking to a park ranger at Yellowstone last weekend and he told me something that made me rethink all my gear choices. He said he sees at least a dozen campers every summer who nearly burn down their tents because they rigged up those cheap propane lanterns with zip ties or tape to hang them inside. I admit I've done that myself a few times thinking it was saving weight and hassle. He showed me photos of melted nylon and one tent that was completely gone just from a lantern tipping over at 2 AM. That hit different because I've got three kids and I never once thought about how stupid that setup actually was. Has anyone else heard similar warnings from rangers or guides about gear shortcuts that aren't worth the risk?

3 comments

3 Comments

scott.miles2d ago

Tbh I stopped using any kind of open flame inside a tent years ago after I woke up to a lantern melting the mesh right above my head. Those little battery powered LED lanterns are cheap enough now that it's just not worth the risk, especially with kids around.

bennett.mason2d ago

LOL I feel that. Woke up once to find my buddy's little propane lantern had somehow melted a hole in the floor of our tent and was slowly torching a patch of grass underneath us. We were both out cold, just lucky the whole thing didn't go up. Now I'm that guy who brings three different battery lanterns and a string of fairy lights just to be safe. My inner pyromaniac is sad but my eyebrows are safe.

brooke7672d ago

Blew out the bottom of a cheap coleman lantern in my vestibule once. Scared the heck out of myself and the raccoons that were trying to get into my cooler at 3am. Have you ever tried explaining to a park ranger why your tent smells like burnt plastic and regret?