Many years ago I was introduced to the socio-economic “Boots Theory,” which states that it is a better value to spend more money on quality products in the long run than it is to keep buying cheap products over and over that break or wear out quickly. The theory gets its name from the concept that it’s more economical to spend $100 on a pair of boots that will last three years than spending $50 on cheap boots that will only lasts a single year.
In the few years I’ve been running this site I have learned this applies to more than just boots. When it comes to camping equipment, you can spend a little to buy things that might only last for a few adventures, or a little more to buy quality items that will last much longer. In the beginning I made the mistake of buying things like a cheap sleeping bag a budget mattress, all of which I have since had to replace. It is within that scope that I present to you Ogery’s Camping Light, which is a little expensive, and probably last camping light you’ll ever need to purchase.
Similar to their F11 (REVIEW) and F21 fans, inside Ogery’s Camping Light is a built-in rechargeable 10,000mAh battery that will run the light for long periods of time while disconnected from power. The light has three power settings and claims it can run for up to 22 hours on the lowest setting (which is still quite bright). On the brightest setting the light can illuminate up to 10,000 square feet, so in many situations the lowest setting will suffice. According to the manual, the device can be recharged 10,000 times and the LEDs are rated to run 50,000+ hours. That’s like almost seven years of actual run time; if you used it eight hours a night, every single night, that’s 21 years.
The light’s design is relatively unique. What looks like a cylinder actually unfolds into three separate “wings” that can be positions in essentially any direction you want. Each of the three wings can be aimed up, down, or all around. On a recent camping trip we pointed the light up to illuminate the underside of an awning, down from above to light up a table, and pointed all the lights in a single direction to act as a lighting rig.
Included in the box is a sturdy tripod. With all three sections completely extended, the light stands more than 6′ tall. The tripod collapses for easy storage, and the light can be unscrewed and removed from the tripod. Like Ogery’s fans, the light also contains a flush-mounted hook that pops out from the base. There are also four flush-mounted magnets in the base that will allow the light to be mounted to a vehicle’s metal ceiling or the side of a car. Between the magnets, the hook, and the tripod, it’s hard to think of a mounting situation or location the light can’t overcome.
With only two buttons located on the unit it’s pretty simple to operate. One button adjusts the unit’s brightness while the other switches between white, amber, and blue-tinted shades. The end of the light also works as a flashlight and there’s also a strobe-light setting. The back of the unit contains two USB ports. The USB-C port is used to recharge the light and both ports can be used to charge other devices. A 10,000mAh battery can charge an iPhone 15 2-3 times, so it wouldn’t be my primary go-to when it comes to charging “all the things,” but in a pinch it’ll get you by.
When a car salesman is about to soften the blow, he or she will often pivot to discussing value versus price. I’ve explained the value. The MSRP for this light on Ogery’s website is $139.99, but before you close your browser just know that every website I checked has it on sale. Ogery has the unit marked down 50% with a list price of $69.99. Amazon bounces between $59.99 and $79.99. (EDIT: After publishing this review, Ogery reached out to me and offered me a 15% off code for this product: “BigRobsVan”. How cool is that?)
So yeah, it’s a little expensive. It’s also the best and last camping light you’ll ever buy.
Link: OGERY on Amazon
EDIT: Ogery reached out and provided an additional 15% off this product with the code “BigRobsVan”.
Link: Ogery Product Link