By the Lumens.ae team in Dubai. Tested across 6 weekends in UAE desert and coastal camping conditions. Filed under: Long-form reviews.
The first time we lit the Olight Olantern Classic 2 Pro Smart at a Mleiha campsite, three different people walked over from their own tents to ask what it was. That's not a sales pitch — it's literally what happened. The bronze body and warm amber glow create the kind of atmosphere most LED camping lanterns can't fake.
This is the long-form review of what it's actually like to use as a UAE camping tool, with the photos to back it up.
What It Is, Quickly
The Olight Olantern Classic 2 Pro Smart at AED 445 is a portable camping lantern with three things going for it that no other lantern at Lumens.ae offers:
- A solid copper body with retro Edison-bulb aesthetics — it looks like a vintage hurricane lamp, not a modern LED.
- An 11,200 mAh battery that runs the lantern for up to 9 days on low mode AND doubles as a USB-A / USB-C 18W fast charging power bank.
- App control via the Olight smartphone app — you change modes and dim from inside your tent without getting up.
The original (non-Smart) Olantern Classic 2 Pro exists too. The "Smart" upgrade adds the app control. It's worth the extra AED 50–70 depending on how much you value adjusting brightness from your camp chair without standing up. Spoiler: more than you'd think.
First Setup: Mleiha, April 11
We arrived at our Mleiha campsite at 5:45 PM. Sunset was at 6:42 PM. By the time the tent was up, it was dusk. We pulled the Olantern out of its box, removed the protective insulation, flicked the side switch, and got light immediately. Out-of-box experience: no app required, no setup, just turn it on.
The first thing you notice is the color temperature of the warm amber light. It's the orange-gold tone of an old kerosene lantern, not the harsh blue-white of typical LED camping gear. Two color modes are available — warm amber (more atmospheric) and warm white (better for reading or color-accurate work). Both are dimmable from 10 lumens up to 300 lumens with a stepless rotary knob on top.
The Knob Control vs the App Control: Both Have Their Place
You can adjust brightness two ways: the physical knob on top of the lantern, or the Olight app on your phone.
The knob is satisfying. Smooth resistance, click-stop at off, stepless ramp from minimum to maximum. The kind of physical control that older campers prefer over apps.
But the app gets used. Specifically, at 1 AM when someone in the tent wakes up needing the light dimmed for a bathroom trip without disturbing anyone, the app lets you dim it from where you're lying in your sleeping bag. We used the app maybe 30% of the time across 6 weekends — the knob 70%. Both options together mean you're never stuck.
The Battery and the Power Bank Function
This is where the value calculus changes for UAE camping.
The bottom of the lantern has a USB-C port (input + output) and a USB-A port (output only). 18W fast charging means it can top up a modern iPhone or Samsung phone from 20% to 80% in about 25 minutes. Two devices can charge simultaneously — one on USB-C, one on USB-A.
For us this replaced a separate camping power bank. Previously, we'd carry the lantern AND a 10,000 mAh power bank. Now it's one device. Weight savings: about 250 grams. More importantly, one less thing to forget.
Real runtime numbers from our use:
- 10 lumens (Low): ~9 days (we did not test the full 9, but ran it 36 hours continuous and the battery indicator hadn't moved off full)
- 50 lumens (campsite ambient): ~3.5 days
- 150 lumens (reading by, group conversation): ~18 hours
- 300 lumens (Max, lighting up the whole campsite): ~6 hours
Charging from a USB-C wall charger took roughly 4 hours from empty to full. We never had to charge it during a weekend trip — we'd top it up at home before leaving and that was enough for 2 nights.
UAE-Specific Scenarios: How It Actually Performed
Mleiha (Sharjah desert, weekend camping)
The Olantern lived on the roof of our SUV when not in use, hanging from the roof-rack hooks via its top handle. Visible from 30 meters away in any direction, which made it easy to find our campsite if we wandered off for a bathroom break or short walk. 50-lumen amber was the right setting for ambient "don't disturb sleeping kids in the tent" lighting.
Liwa (Empty Quarter, multi-day desert camping)
This is where the 11,200 mAh battery earned its price. We were 4 days deep, no power outlets, and the lantern was charging phones for 3 family members across the trip. By the end we'd drawn the lantern's battery down to about 25% — still had 12+ hours of moderate use left, plus enough for one more phone charge.
The IPX5 rating handled the fine Liwa silica dust without complaint. We brushed it off with a dry microfiber at the end of each day.
Khor Fakkan (coastal, beach camping)
The bronze body developed a slight patina from the salt humidity within the first weekend. We grew to like it — it makes the lantern look more authentic, not less. Copper specifically resists corrosion (which is why ship fittings are often copper or copper alloys), so the patina is purely cosmetic. After 3 trips to coastal locations, no functional degradation. We rinsed it with fresh water once after a particularly heavy salt-air weekend.
Al Qudra (sunset picnic, short outdoor evening)
For a 2-hour evening picnic with friends, the lantern hung from a small acacia branch via its included carabiner-style ring, throwing warm amber light over a picnic blanket. Better atmosphere than any flashlight or smartphone torch. The aesthetic case for this product is real — it's not just utility, it's mood.
Two Things That Annoyed Me
This isn't a sales pitch, so honest negatives:
One: The 4-hour full recharge is too slow for last-minute trips. If you discover the lantern is at 20% on a Friday afternoon and you're leaving for camping at 5 PM, you can't get it to full before you go. A 90-minute fast-charge mode would be useful for the next product revision.
Two: The app pairs reliably but takes 8–12 seconds to connect over Bluetooth when you launch it. That's not painful, but for the use case of "quick brightness adjustment from inside the tent," the wait undermines the convenience benefit. The physical knob remains faster.
What Surprised Me
The single biggest surprise: the social effect. A retro bronze hurricane-style lantern at a campsite genuinely changes how people interact with the space. Friends sitting around it stay longer, conversations feel different than under harsh LED light. Kids gravitate toward it like a campfire.
We didn't expect this and it doesn't show up on the spec sheet. But it's the real reason we'd recommend the Olantern over a brighter, cheaper alternative. The warm amber + copper body create an atmosphere that matters.
Who This Is For, And Who It Isn't
Buy the Olantern Classic 2 Pro Smart if you:
- Camp 6+ times a year in UAE — desert, beach, or family weekend trips.
- Want atmospheric lighting that complements (not competes with) the campsite vibe.
- Need a power bank function AND a lantern — one device replaces both.
- Have multiple family members on multi-day trips needing phone charging.
- Care about build quality (solid copper) and aesthetic over pure utility.
Skip it and get something else if you:
- Need maximum lumens for working in the dark — 300 lumens won't cut it for serious task lighting. Pair with the Olight Perun 3 headlamp for that.
- Camp 1–2 times a year — AED 445 is overkill for occasional use. A simpler USB-C lantern at AED 100–150 will serve you fine.
- Need a tactical / waterproof unit — the Olantern is IPX5 (splash resistant) but not IPX7+ submersion-rated.
How It Compares Within the Lumens.ae Camping Lineup
If you're outfitting a UAE camping kit, the strongest 3-piece combination is:
- Olight Olantern Classic 2 Pro Smart (AED 445) — ambient campsite lighting + power bank
- Olight Perun 3 Headlamp (AED 369) — hands-free task light, IP68 desert-proof
- Olight Baton 4 Premium (AED 200) — pocket carry for short walks, signaling, vehicle tasks
Total: AED 1,014. Covers every realistic UAE camping lighting scenario. Read our 90-day Perun 3 field test and 60-day Baton 4 Premium review for the other two.
Our Recommendation
The Olight Olantern Classic 2 Pro Smart isn't a utility tool you tolerate. It's a piece of equipment you look forward to using. For UAE families who camp regularly, who appreciate aesthetic design alongside function, and who'll use the power bank capability — this is the right AED 445 to spend on camping gear in 2026.
For occasional weekend campers, a simpler unit suffices. For serious outdoor leaders who need maximum waterproofing and beam distance, look at the Perun 3 headlamp instead.
For the right buyer, this is the easiest camping recommendation we make.
Browse the Olantern Classic 2 Pro Smart product page at Lumens.ae, or see our other camping-relevant guides: Best Headlamp UAE 2026, Best EDC Flashlight UAE 2026, How Many Lumens Do You Need?, and the brand comparison Olight vs Acebeam UAE 2026. All Olight products ship from our UAE warehouse with full 5-year manufacturer warranty across all 7 emirates.
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