LED Lanterns: How to Light Up Your Summer Adventures?
May 12th, 2026
LED Lanterns: How to Light Up Your Summer Adventures?
Summer is fast approaching, and with it comes the time for camping, night fishing, sleeping in the car, or just endless summer evenings with friends on the patio. Proper lighting is the foundation of any successful event after sunset. While a headlamp is perfect for lighting up the ground at your feet, a camping lantern is best for illuminating an entire campsite, tent, or creating a pleasant atmosphere. But forget about dangerous and clunky gas lamps. Today, we will introduce four modern rechargeable LED lanterns from Fenix that will brighten up every adventure of yours and offer features you previously couldn't even dream of.

From left: Fenix CL20R PRO, CL22R, and CL26R PRO. Each lantern is designed for slightly different uses, but they all share extreme durability and top-notch light quality.
| CL20R V2.0 | CL20R PRO | CL22R | CL26R PRO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max. output | 300 lumens | 400 lumens | 500 lumens | 650 lumens |
| Beam distance | 12 m | 15 m | Up to 80 m (downlight) | 15 m |
| Battery / Power supply | Replaceable 1900 mAh / backup 3× AAA | Replaceable 1900 mAh / backup 3× AAA | Built-in 2600 mAh | Replaceable 21700 (5000 mAh) |
| Max. runtime | 320 hours | 320 hours | 200 hours | 408 hours |
| Color and light direction | Neutral white, RGB | Neutral white, RGB | Daylight/Warm white, RGB (including downlight) | Daylight white, Red (360°, downlight, and front-directional) |
| Special features | Emergency AAA battery option | Radar motion sensor | Ambient lighting, bottom distance reflector | Power bank function to charge a phone |
| Weight (with battery) | 122 g | 122 g | 135 g | 272 g |
| Water resistance | IP65 (rain resistant) | IP65 (rain resistant) | IP65 (rain resistant) | IP66 (heavy rain) |
Compact featherweights with a magnet: CL20R V2.0 and CL20R PRO
These two lanterns look like twins at first glance, and weighing just 122 grams, they represent an ideal choice for anyone who monitors the size and weight of their luggage. Both feature a 1900 mAh Li-ion battery (charged via modern USB-C), which can be replaced by three standard AAA batteries in an emergency. You will appreciate this option if you find yourself completely off the grid for a few days without charging capabilities. The bottom of both lanterns hides a hanging loop and a strong neodymium magnet, making it easy to "stick" them to a car hood or any iron surface.
While the CL20R V2.0 is a highly reliable model with an output of 300 lumens and a wide range of colored RGB lighting to set the perfect mood, the CL20R PRO version adds a slightly higher output (400 lumens) and, most importantly, a revolutionary technological innovation – a 5.8 GHz radar motion sensor. As soon as you approach within 1.5 meters of the lantern hung in front of your tent or caravan at night, it automatically turns on and turns off again after a minute of no movement. Tripping over tent pegs at night is now definitely a thing of the past!

The CL20R and CL20R PRO models (pictured) feature a strong magnet. Thanks to this magnet, they hold perfectly on the tailgate of your car and other ferromagnetic surfaces, which you will appreciate not only when unpacking the trunk in the evening.
An innovative gem with ambient light: CL22R
If you are looking for something ultra-compact that also manages a surprisingly long beam distance, focus on the new Fenix CL22R. It has already managed to collect the ISPO Award 2024 for its unique design. Its greatest strength lies in the fact that it offers not only standard 360° omnidirectional lighting but also has a built-in bottom reflector. This casts a narrower cone of light that reaches up to 80 meters, so you can suddenly use the lantern as a fully-fledged handheld flashlight when going to fetch firewood. The 360° and bottom lights can even be freely combined. A completely new level is the colored ambient lighting (smooth color-shifting or color-jumping functions), which will turn a garden party or a campfire into an unforgettable experience.

The Fenix CL22R lantern can not only evenly illuminate its surroundings, but thanks to the bottom reflector with a range of up to 80 meters, you can perfectly use it as a handheld flashlight for terrain exploration, or as a hanging lamp.
Versatility and energy on the go: CL26R PRO
The golden middle ground for more demanding travelers. That is the Fenix CL26R PRO. It is powered by a top-tier, high-capacity 21700 Li-ion battery (5000 mAh), providing a massive energy reserve that allows the lantern to shine for an incredible 408 hours in its lowest mode. But its advantages do not end there – the battery is generous enough to turn the lantern into a fully-fledged power bank, from which you can easily recharge your mobile phone via the built-in USB port. Furthermore, it offers a great energy-saving feature: directional (front) lighting. If you place the lantern on the table in front of you, it will not blind you, as you can turn on only the half of the cylinder pointing outwards into the dark.

With the CL26R PRO model, darkness and a dead phone present no problem. The built-in power bank function will get you out of a jam even miles away from the nearest outlet.
Final summary: Which one is right for you?
The choice depends entirely on the nature of your summer plans:
- If you are an avid car camper, frequently sleep in a trailer, and like the smart automatic lighting in front of the entrance, choose the CL20R PRO (or its more affordable version, the CL20R V2.0, for camping with a wide color palette and an emergency AAA battery backup).
- For festival nights, garden parties, and situations where, in addition to 360° lighting, you need to "pierce" the area over a longer distance with a long-range spot reflector, reach for the unique CL22R.
- If you are heading into the wilderness for several nights and your smartwatch and phone will soon need an energy boost, the CL26R PRO will be the most practical power bank that also shines wonderfully.
If you have any further uncertainties or questions, the easiest thing you can do is contact us. We will gladly answer your email inquiries, and last but not least, we will also be happy to welcome you to our brick-and-mortar store.