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Ultimate Survival Technologies 30-Day Duro Glow Review

A durable lantern with exceptional battery life.
Ultimate Survival Technologies 30 Day Duro Glo
Top Pick Award
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Price:  $50 List | $44.23 at Amazon
Compare prices at 2 resellers
Pros:  Very long battery life, tough and durable, provides a nice soft diffused light
Cons:  Glow-in-the-dark doesn't work very well, hook on the bottom is not very sturdy, hard to reattach bottom after replacing batteries.
Manufacturer:   Ultimate Survival Technologies
By Ben Applebaum-Bauch ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Apr 12, 2019
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67
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#2 of 12
  • Brightness - 40% 8
  • Durability - 20% 7
  • Features - 20% 6
  • Ease of Use - 10% 6
  • Weight - 10% 3

Our Verdict

The UST 30-Day Duro Glow is a tough battery-powered glow-in-the-dark lantern that lasts for 30 days on its lowest setting. That's 30 days straight, day and night, for 24 hours a day. It is bulkier than many of its competitors, so it's not going to be a backpacker's dream by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a quality light for anything front country, including power outages (as long as you have the batteries on hand). This light is for the homebody who may rev up the RV and go camping on a summer holiday weekend.


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Awards Top Pick Award Editors' Choice Award Top Pick Award  Best Buy Award 
Price $44.23 at Amazon
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Pros Very long battery life, tough and durable, provides a nice soft diffused lightRubber-tipped legs, dimming feature, dual metal hooks for hanging, durableDurable, packed with features, water resistant, floatsTons of features, bright, 180/360 light settings, bluetooth compatibleLightweight, solar-powered, durable, inexpensive, packs flat
Cons Glow-in-the-dark doesn't work very well, hook on the bottom is not very sturdy, hard to reattach bottom after replacing batteries.Could be brighter for large groups, replaceable batteries run out quicklyCan't fully adjust the amount of light output, limited to four settings, smallSome features can be temperamental, expensiveLow lumen output, can't fit in pocket
Bottom Line A durable lantern with exceptional battery life.The best all-around lantern for backpacking, camping, and power outages.This little lantern is tough and versatile.The lantern that boosts the fun at a party and provides a single, bright light source at a campsite.A fun, durable lantern that's great for a weekend out in a tent.
Rating Categories 30-Day Duro Glow Black Diamond Apollo Streamlight The Siege BioLite BaseLantern XL Goal Zero Crush Light
Brightness (40%)
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Features (20%)
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Ease Of Use (10%)
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Specs 30-Day Duro Glow Black Diamond Apollo Streamlight The... BioLite... Goal Zero Crush...
Weight (with batteries, in ounces) 29.28 oz 10.19 oz 9.14 oz 22.88 oz 3.67 oz
Lumens 700 225 200 500 60
Size (inches) 7.2 x 3.75 9.5 x 3.3 x 5.3 2.4 x 2.4 x 5.4 5.08 x 5.0 x 1.73 4.95 x 4.95 x 4`
Number of batteries 3 3 3 1 N/a
Battery type D AA AA 12000 mAh Rechargeable Internal Battery None
Waterproof rating "Water resistant" IPX 4 IPX7 IPX4 IPX4
Manufacturer run time (hours) 22 hrs on high, 30 days on low 24 hrs 7-37 hrs 78 hrs on low, 7.5 hrs on high 3.5 hrs

Our Analysis and Test Results

The UST Duro Glow puts out 30 lumens on the lowest setting for 24 hours a day and just keeps going and going and going. It lasted for 33 days in our testing, using a set of generic batteries. It glows in the dark, has four settings, and a sturdy, rubberized, impact-resistant base. This light scores well for its brightness and durability. It has some minor annoyances that hold it back, but even so, with no glaring weaknesses, it's still towards the front of the pack.

Performance Comparison


This mid-size lantern offers solid utility especially when getting the most out of your batteries is a top priority.
This mid-size lantern offers solid utility, especially when getting the most out of your batteries is a top priority.

Brightness


This light puts out a blasting 700 lumens on high and can do so for just over 22 hours. The frosted dome makes the light softer than it otherwise would be without it. The medium setting puts out 140 lumens (for up to 106 hours) and the low and SOS modes both glow at 30 lumens. You have the option of taking the dome light cover off and hanging it upside down by its plastic hook in order to illuminate a larger area with slightly more light.


It doesn't have the same dimmability as many of the other models in this review. It just goes from 700 to 140 to 30 lumens with a lot of the spectrum just getting skipped in between. However, its longevity makes it well worth keeping around.

The 30-Day Duro Glow has three settings; high medium and low.
The 30-Day Duro Glow has three settings; high, medium and low.

Durability


The 30 Day Duro Glow has a rubberized housing which makes it a very durable product. UST claims that it is water-resistant, not waterproof, but we did submerge it in a river during testing and it came out totally fine.


We just don't quite trust the hook on the Duro Glo (right) the same way we do with the carabiner on the Streamlight The Siege (left).
We just don't quite trust the hook on the Duro Glo (right) the same way we do with the carabiner on the Streamlight The Siege (left).

It didn't fail during testing, but we think that hook which enables the lantern to be hung from above could be one of the first pieces to break. The lantern is relatively heavy, especially considering its 3 D batteries, and the hook is just not very sturdy plastic.

Testing lanterns' claims of waterproofness. Both of these models passed with flying colors.
Testing lanterns' claims of waterproofness. Both of these models passed with flying colors.

Features


The 30-Day Duro Glow has a bunch of subtle, but useful features. This light has four modes; high, medium, low, and SOS strobe.


The SOS strobe setting is not just synonymous with flashing. It actually pulses light in Morse code, spelling out S-O-S

Its handle also makes it easy to carry around if you need to walk away from your campsite for a while. It glows in the dark — not as well as we would like, but just enough that you can see it a few feet away at night, say, in a tent. If you charge it up next to a very bright light source, it glows in the dark a little bit better. You can also unscrew the dome lid and hang it upside down by its plastic hook to increase the illumination area. The plastic hook is not super sturdy and bends when taking it out of its snapped-closed position. The base is hefty. Because of the grippy rubber material and the lantern's overall weight, it certainly won't slide off of a table or get knocked over easily. However, when you unscrew the bottom to replace the batteries, it is kind of difficult to put it back on.

It's not a UFO this light glows in the dark so you can find it...before you knock it onto the floor in the dark.
It's not a UFO, this light glows in the dark so you can find it...before you knock it onto the floor in the dark.

Ease of Use


This model is fairly easy to use. Press the power button successive times to cycle through each of the light settings. The light cover detaches and attaches easily, however, we found that the battery compartment lid/bottom isn't as simple — it's just tricky to line up the two pieces to screw them together smoothly.


There are no feet at the base. However, between its weight and the gripping rubber base, we felt good about setting it down on relatively flat surfaces and confident that we weren't going to knock it over.

This light stays put even on loose and soft surfaces.
This light stays put, even on loose and soft surfaces.

Weight


The 30-Day Duro Glow weighs a little under 2 pounds with three D batteries installed. It measures 7.2" tall and has a diameter of 3.75". It is not nearly as light and compact as any of the Black Diamond models we tested. This light probably isn't going to accompany you in the backcountry, but it is really trying to replace the role of a traditional propane lantern without any of the hassle, mess, or safety concerns.



Value


The 30 Day Duro Glow comes with a limited lifetime warranty. If you need something with a rockstar run time, this is your product. If its applications are right for you, then this lantern is well worth the investment.

Four top contenders for your next camping adventure.
Four top contenders for your next camping adventure.

Conclusion


We love that this light has the capability of running on low, 24 hours a day for over 30 days. On high mode, it puts out a bright 700 lumens. This lantern is sturdy and durable and would make a good addition to any car camping box, RV outdoor lighting option, or emergency kit. It earns a Top Pick award for use during power outages because of its awesome runtime.


— Ben Applebaum-Bauch