Black Diamond Moji XP

Excellent when hanging. Best for car camping.

This review is for the 2016 150-lumen Moji XP. I really like aspects of the Moji XP. It is elegantly simple. It seems very sturdy and well made. The light color temperature leans yellow instead of blue. But due to some flaws it is not an ideal lantern.

Hanging above a picnic table the Moji XP it is excellent. The light output is bright enough to comfortably light a table. The warm even light is ideal for eating a late meal. The lantern is not bright enough to light a campsite but that is expected.

1) The power switch / dimmer is simple. Unfortunately the switch is hardly recessed and is unprotected. This makes the switch difficult to find in the dark and easy to activate while packed.

2) Most of the light is directed upward. So the lantern works best when hanging, upside down. The lantern can be used sitting on a table but really needs some sort of ceiling above it to reflect light. Also, the lantern is slightly blinding to look down on. Therefore the lantern is not especially effective unless hanging, pointed downward.

3) The Moji XP is about the size of an apple. It seems slightly larger than it needs to be. I would not take it backpacking. However the size is OK for car camping.

I tried out the Black Diamond Moji XP, Orbit, and Voyager lanterns.  I prefer the Voyager. However the Moji XP is the top car camping choice with the following restrictions; hang it and protect the switch when packed.

A note about battery life: I have no idea how long batteries in the Moji XP truly last. Be skeptical of the manufacturer's claims. This applies to all LED lanterns. The Moji XP's LED circuit is not regulated. Therefore the light will dim significantly as the batteries deplete. The full 150 lumens will only be briefly available. The light output will steadily trail off to something like 25%, then slowly trickle down for many hours. Manufacturers include that dim 25% light output in their burn time specifications. That is how they justify claims such as 100 hours. Unfortunately during most of the 100 hours the lantern is too dim to be useful.