Old Coleman lantern finally failed after 30 years, the new one feels off

I took my dad's Coleman lantern up to Big Bend National Park last weekend, figured it would outlive me like it did him, but the generator tube just gave out on day two. Bought a replacement at the camp store near Terlingua for $28 and it works fine, but the brass is thinner and the flame pattern is different. Does anyone else feel like the newer gear just doesn't have the same heft, or am I just getting old and picky about stuff that shouldn't matter?

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reeseperez7d ago

You tried swapping out just the generator tube, right? They sell those separate still, and it might be the original model that fits your dad's old base. The new lanterns use a different generator assembly and mantle size, so the flame pattern will look off until you match them up. I had the same thing happen with my 70s model, the replacement tube was like half the weight, but it screwed right in and burned clean after I adjusted the air flow. If the brass feels flimsy, check the collar where it threads, some of the new ones strip easy if you crank them too hard. Might be worth keeping the old one as a parts donor, those base pieces are way more solid than anything made now.