Coleman BatteryLock Review

Before I start my review of the Coleman Twist+ 300 LED lantern and the
Coleman CHT+ 100 BatteryLock Headlamp, I thought that I’d write a couple paragraphs about a very useful and innovative feature that both of these products share. Coleman have called their new idea BatteryLock and it’s a very simple but effective one. I’m sure most of you can remember a time when you’ve gone to a draw to get a torch or some other battery powered device and found that it had either drained on its own or had got weird corrosion on the batteries.

Both of these annoying and wasteful affects are caused by the battery loosing power over time. This happens when the device is switched off because the battery is never truly disengaged. With Coleman’s Batterylock, with a simple pull or twist the batteries are moved away from the contacts and this ensures that battery drain and leakage will not happen. This is fantastically useful for torches and camping gear as they can regularly go months without use. As I said, both the products I’m going to review in this article feature Batterylock and utilise it well.

 

Coleman Twist+ 300 LED lantern Review

The Coleman Twist+ 300 LED lantern is the perfect solution for anyone who would like a modern, electric, rechargeable lantern. It has several excellent design features (including Battery Lock) and at an affordable price, I can see it being popular with lots of campers and outdoor enthusiasts.

When you first look at the Twist 300 Lantern you will notice how modern it’s design aesthetic is. It looks like it’s been made in the same factory where they make Storm Troopers! The black bands that wrap around the lantern are made from rugged rubber and will help protect the light from bumps, drops and knocks. It is weather resistant and has rubber grommets to cover the charging and USB ports.

Speaking of the charging and USB ports, they are brilliant. You have two options for charging, direct from USB or via regular plug sockets with the included power cable. My favourite thing Coleman have included is the option to charge USB devices from the Twist+ 300. This is magic when camping! With my iPhone, Camera and GoPro all needing charging from USB this can be an absolute life saver when plug sockets aren’t around.

The lantern itself has five settings which are selected by twisting the top handle. The five settings are off, low power, medium power, high power and rescue! The rescue mode basically turns the whole lantern into a beacon and it flashes a bright powerful light which is bound to attract attention when needed.

Here are the useful vital statistics:

• Light output: 300 lumens on high / 50 lumens on low
• Beam distance: 8 meters on high / 3 meters on low
• Runtime: 9 on high / 75 hours on low
• Size: 14.7cm x 28cm
• Weight: 1050g

One final mention must go to the ingenious secret compartment on the bottom of the lamp. When you un-clip the base of the lantern it reveals a storage area for all of the plugs and charging cables you might need for the lamp. This is great for when you are away and also when storing it as it means that not only do you have somewhere to keep them but also you are a lot less likely to loose them. The other nice feature on the underside of the lantern is a very sturdy clip loop which will enable you to hang it wherever you want.

 

Coleman CHT+ 100 BatteryLock Headlamp Review

The Coleman CHT+ 100 BatteryLock Headlamp is a fantastic value-for-money head torch. At the time of writing, it is on sale on some websites for under £8 and represents a brilliant bargain! I’ve been so impressed with its design and performance at this price point.

It is the perfect headtorch for hiking, camping and running. This is because it has a very lightweight construction and weighs in at just 90g (including the batteries). It is also incredibly comfortable, the torch itself is padded and the strap is very soft and grippy. This means that you can wear it securely without having to death grip it around your forehead.

I really liked how the strap was tightened, a gentle pull on each side of the elasticated strap pulls it into position. It is very easy to adjust while walking and in the dark. It was a lot less fiddly than a lot of head torches that I have used and I really thought the design of this was brilliant.

Here are the useful vital statistics:

• Light output: 100 lumens on high / 20 lumens on low
• Beam distance: 55 meters on high / 10 meters on low
• Runtime: 6 on high / 60 hours on low
• Batteries: 3 x AAA Duracell batteries included

The most important part of any torch is the light which it produces and the Coleman CHT+ 100 BatteryLock Headlamp doesn’t disappoint on this front either. As you can see from the stats above it has a very long beam distance on high power and when on low power can run for 60 hours! Along with the high and low mode the head-torch also has a red mode.

Red light is very useful on head torches, this is because red light preserves your natural night vision. That’s why red lights are used in military bunkers, submarines, and other places where you might find yourself working in the dark. It gives you enough light to see by, while at the same time keeping your eyes adjusted for the dark. Because of this it gives you much more peripheral vision – perfect for use when walking on the trail.

I hope you have enjoyed my review of the Coleman Twist+ 300 LED lantern and the Coleman CHT+ 100 BatteryLock Headlamp, they are both excellently designed, well built and present superb value for money!