This solar camping lantern is gorgeous — but don't expect it to charge your phone

I've had this gold collapsible solar rechargeable camping lantern sitting around for a while and finally got around to actually testing it. It's easily one of the best-looking lanterns I've handled — but looking good and performing well in the dark aren't the same thing.

Watch the full video review on YouTube.

What the box claims vs. what's inside

The packaging shows reference images for both the collapsible design and the charging setup — a 220V wall recharge option and USB output for mobile charging, plus a warning not to charge it using a mobile phone charger. It also pictures a set of included cables. In my unit, that cable set wasn't actually there — just the lantern and the one charging cable that plugs into the base. Not a big deal, but worth knowing before you assume you're getting extra accessories.

A collapsible design that actually feels good

Pull the lantern up by its handle and it telescopes out into full height, with double-layered glass — an inner hourglass-style shade over the LEDs, and an outer glass layer on top of that. It looks noticeably better in person than it photographs. I've seen worse paint jobs on lanterns that felt far less solid; this one has a clean, solid golden metallic finish with no hollow or cheap feel to it. You can also hang it by the handle, which makes it double as a decorative piece even when you're not using it for light.

Two light heads, both usable at once

The main lantern light pulls up and locks with a satisfying click — literally, there's an audible tick when it turns on. There's a second flashlight-style head on top that flips open for a separate beam. That second head's build is a step down from the main body — the clasp that locks it open is almost too easy to pop open, and the glass on it has some visible scuffs already. Still, both lights work, and you can run them simultaneously if you want more light coverage.

Charging is fine — phone charging is not

This lantern charges two ways: through the solar panel, or through the included cable into the base. The solar panel actually trickle-charges just from ambient indoor light, which I didn't expect — moving it closer to a lamp visibly increased the charge indicator's response.

Cable charging works too, though the lantern gives no obvious indication it's taking a charge beyond a small red LED — easy to miss if you're not looking for it.

Where it disappointed me: the box says it has USB output for mobile charging, and it does have a USB port, but it would not charge my phone at all — not even an older test phone. I tried with the light on, with the light off, plugged and unplugged in different orders. Nothing. Then I tried a pair of earbuds in their charging case, and that worked immediately. My guess is the output is capped at a low wattage that a phone won't accept but a smaller device will. If you need this as an actual phone power bank, don't count on it.

The dark-room brightness test

After letting it charge for about 30 minutes (not a full charge, since these lanterns tend to charge slowly), I took it into a dim room with the lights off for the real test. The result: it's a soft, localized glow rather than something that lights up the whole space. Enough to see by up close, enough for ambient camping light, but don't expect it to blow you away or replace a proper camp light for illuminating a full tent.

Who should buy

If you want a lantern that looks genuinely premium, has a fun collapsible design, and you mainly need it to run its own lights or top up small devices like earbuds, this one delivers.

If you're buying it specifically to charge your phone in the field, or you need something bright enough to light an entire room or tent, look elsewhere — the light output and phone charging just aren't there.