Stunt Dad: Product Review: Coleman LED Quad Lantern

With summer just around the corner, we have started to look into toys for the kid to play with in the backyard. Rather than buy a bunch of plastic crap that will break the minute after I spend three hours screwing it together, we are focusing on buying "imagination toys" that also have a tangible use beyond play. Our first purchase is the Coleman Quad Lantern. If you are not familiar with this amazing little lamp, then sit back and regale in what might potentially be the coolest thing I have ever bought for my children.

So here are the product description and features from Amazon.com:

Combining an area light with four portable lanterns in a single clever unit, the Coleman LED Quad lantern is a versatile choice for indoor or outdoor use. The Quad is equipped with four removable LED panels that hold 24 LED lights total. Users can remove any of the four panels and use them independently, such as when needing a portable light for the bathroom or tent, or they can keep all four attached to the lantern and produce 190 total lumens of light. As a result, the Quad is the perfect light for group camping trips and any other occasion where folks might splinter off into smaller groups during the night. Each of the panels is a fully functioning light, with six 5mm white LEDs, a rechargeable NiMH battery, an independent on/off switch, and a top handle for carrying or hanging. The NiMH battery--which recharges when stored in the lantern base--provides up to 1.5 hours of light on its own. The lantern base, meanwhile, requires eight D-cell batteries (not included), which provide an approximate run time of 75 hours for the entire lantern. Other features include a main on/off switch located on top of the lantern, a light range of 26 feet, and a limited five-year warranty.

Area lantern with 4 removable LED panels that function as independent lights

Each LED panel includes 6 white LEDs, top handle, and rechargeable NiMH battery

LED panels recharge in lantern base; provides 190 lumens of light with all panels

Lantern base requires 8 D-cell batteries (not included); runtime of 75 hours

26-foot light range; each LED panel runs for 1.5 hours per charge; 5-year warranty

So here is what I see when I read that:

Four lights...enough to go around for everyone...no fighting
Bright LED light ensures that I can see the little ones when they get too far away
The lights recharge in the base. Let me say that again...the lights recharge in the base. No need to futz around with battery chargers, constantly searching out D batteries in drawers that have not been opened in years...it charges in the base.
Run-time of 75 hours...this means that the kids can leave these things running for at least 9 nights without having to worry about changing the lights.

The most awesome part of this lamp is that, unlike the plastic junk toys and the lingerie my wife got as a gift for her wedding shower, this is actually going to get a lot of use in our house. We have already used it to camp in the basement, play flashlight tag, go on mystery hunts throughout the house, play transformers and more. And as the little ones get older, this "toy" will grow with them.

Do you have any "imagination toys" that you would recommend for the Stunt Dad nation to look into? Let us know in the comments below.