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Goal Zero Skylight Review

A sturdy, high-powered lighting system that can easily illuminate any base camp, emergency station, or small work site at the touch of a button
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Goal Zero Skylight Review
Credit: Jason Wanlass
Price:  $300 List
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Manufacturer:   Goal Zero
By Jason Wanlass ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Apr 12, 2024
76
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#4 of 24
  • Brightness - 45% 10.0
  • Battery Life - 20% 7.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 5.0
  • Features - 10% 8.0
  • Weight - 10% 1.0

Our Verdict

Testing the Goal Zero Skylight was one of our most favorite assignments, ever. We never grew tired of powering it up, extending its mast to 12 feet in the air, and marveling at its features, design, and amazing brilliance. More than a common lantern, the Skylight is a bonafide lighting system that has the ability (with an optimal power source) to shower any base camp with up to 6000 lumens of light for hours upon hours. At its highest setting this shining star can flood 300 radial feet of ground with its warm 3250K light. In other words, if you placed the Skylight at a football field's 50-yard line, its light could reach both sidelines and both end zones at the same time. Even better, despite being the largest model in our testing group, this unit is surprisingly easy to transport and set up. If you're in the market for a smaller model for backpacking or a gas-powered version, head over to our review of the best lanterns.
REASONS TO BUY
Super bright
Sturdy
Easy to carry and set up
Water-resistant
Protective case
Excellent run time
Stands tall
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy
Expensive
Wall charger not available
External battery bank needed for best use

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Goal Zero Skylight
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Best for Basecamp
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Lantern
Top Pick Award
Best Portable for Extended Power Outages
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Best String Light
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
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Bottom Line An excellent option for any outdoor setting where instant light is needed, and a great at-home accessory during a power outageThis a bright, versatile, fully-featured, rechargeable lantern. What more could you want?Unmatched battery life in a traditional, durable lanternA set of solar-powered string lights that bring some fun to outdoor gatherings with friendsWhat it lacks in shining power, it makes up for with an extremely lightweight design and phenomenal battery life, making it a great choice for any backpacking adventure
Rating Categories Goal Zero Skylight Goal Zero Lighthous... Ultimate Survival T... MPOWERD Luci Solar... Goal Zero Crush Lig...
Brightness (45%)
10.0
9.0
9.0
6.0
3.5
Battery Life (20%)
7.0
6.0
9.0
7.0
8.5
Ease of Use (15%)
5.0
9.0
7.0
6.0
8.0
Features (10%)
8.0
8.0
6.0
8.0
6.0
Weight (10%)
1
6.5
4.8
7.9
9.3
Specs Goal Zero Skylight Goal Zero Lighthous... Ultimate Survival T... MPOWERD Luci Solar... Goal Zero Crush Lig...
Weight (with Batteries) 14.1 lbs 19.8 oz 29.3 oz 11.4 oz 3.2 oz
Measured Runtime (Highest Setting) 3 hrs 3 min (powered by external battery bank) 3.2 hrs 9.0 hrs 5.0 hrs 7 hrs 6 min
Lumens 6000 600 1000 100 60
Rechargeable Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Battery Type Rechargeable Rechargable D Rechargeable Rechargeable
Manufacturer Listed Runtimes Low: 8 hrs (w/battery bank: 124hrs)
High: 1 hr (w/battery bank: 8 hrs)
Low, one side: 320 hrs
Low, both sides: 180 hrs
High, one side: 5 hrs
High, both sides: 2.5 hrs
Low: 30 days
High: 12 hrs
Low: 20 hrs Low: 35 hrs
High: 3 hrs
Candle light: 3.5 hours
Size (inches) 144 x 67 (expanded) 4.5 x 5 x 6.5in 7.2 x 3.75 2 x 5 x 5 (collapsed) 4.5 x 4.5 x 3.6 (expanded)
Number of Batteries 1 (with the option of an external battery bank for purchase) 1 3 1 1
Waterproof Rating IPX4 Not specified IPX4 IPX4 IPX4

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Goal Zero Skylight is a massive, tripod-based lantern with the power to light up any campsite like a movie set. It's sheer size makes it somewhat of an odd-man-out, when compared to the rest of our grouping. However, if you're setting up basecamp — and you want a lot of luminescence — let there be light.

Performance Comparison


goal zero skylight - powering up our skylight just after the sun sets over the dunes.
Powering up our Skylight just after the sun sets over the dunes.
Credit: Jason Wanlass


Brightness


Even the lowest of this unit's brightness settings has more power than two-thirds of the lanterns we tested. Bump that setting up one notch, and the Skylight will easily out-shine every single model in our entire lineup, placing this heavyweight lighting system in a class all by itself. We rarely shell out a perfect 10, but after seeing this mega torch in action, we felt anything lower would have been a little insulting.


The Skylight is simply the brightest lantern we've ever tested. It boasts four brightness settings that drastically increase in lumens with each click of a button (Low: 400, Med: 1350, High: 3500, Max: 6000). To put the Skylight's maximum setting of 6000 lumens into perspective, If we kindled all of the lanterns in our lineup at their highest setting, their combined output would be 7140 lumens. The Skylight's light housing is made up of six individual petals. Each petal houses 28 LED lights (168 in total). This flower-shaped system provides a complete circle of light reaching up to 150 feet in all directions for a combined 300-foot radius.

Lights. Camera. Action. Its daisy-flower-shaped light petals, and tons of high-quality LEDs allow the Skylight to beam light in every direction, and make it instantly recognizable.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

In addition to its powerful lumen output, we were also impressed with two other key lighting features this monster lantern brings to the table-- the first being the ability to extend the light housing high above camp. There's an old basketball coach saying: “You can't teach height. Either you got it, or you don't.” During our testing period, we absolutely loved having the ability to extend our Skylight up to 12 feet in the air with just a few simple steps. At this height, we were able to bathe our entire camp in soft, bright light without any glare affecting our eyes.

Powering up our Skylight in the middle of some of Utah's remote sand dunes. This beauty can provide light just about anywhere.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

The second thing we loved was the convenience of being able to adjust the direction of this lamp's rays. Each of the six petals is hinged at the center allowing it to be independently moved to cast light in a multitude of directions. We think the only improvement needed to perfect this feature would be the ability to individually turn off each petal to conserve battery power, offer more pinpoint lighting options, or to more drastically reduce the light output.

She loves me. She loves me not. Movable light petals can pivot up and down a full 180 degrees.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Our main complaint with the Skylight is the inability to use the 6000 lumens setting whenever the unit is operating under its own internal battery. Unless the Skylight is plugged into a larger power source (an external battery bank or a vehicle), it is incapable of producing 6000 lumens. In short, the Skylight has its own internal backup battery system, which allows it to produce light on its own. However, in order for it to produce its maximum output, it must be plugged into an automobile auxiliary power outlet or into one of the manufacturer's external power sources, like the Yeti Power Station.

Yes, the Skylight has its own battery power supply for short-term use, but if you plan to use this system extensively or in remote areas, we highly recommend a Yeti Power Station (it's a better alternative to draining your car battery). For our testing, we used the Yeti 300.

goal zero skylight - even on its lowest setting, the skylight easily puts off enough...
Even on its lowest setting, the Skylight easily puts off enough light to be seen from 250 yards away.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Battery Life


Being compatible with multiple power sources is a plus for any lantern, but it also makes measuring battery-life performance somewhat of a challenging endeavor. In the end, we thought it was only fair to use this model's internal battery system as our baseline. When directly compared against the other units in our lineup, the Skylight performed on par with most of them, earning it solid marks for this metric. However, combining it with a separate power supply takes this lantern to an entirely different level.


As mentioned, the Skylight is equipped with its own internal battery housed inside its control switch. During our tests, we were able to power the Skylight at 3500 lumens (6000 lumens is not possible) for 1 hour and 40 minutes. At its lowest setting of 400 lumens, it can run for more than 8 hours — impressive considering 400 lumens. This is the maximum output for many of the models in our testing group. Likewise, our testing showed the internal battery of the Skylight can be fully charged in 2 hours and 29 minutes.

goal zero skylight - passing the one-hour mark during our battery testing, and still...
Passing the one-hour mark during our battery testing, and still going strong.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Having the ability to power the Skylight through a larger external power source is a serious game-changer. During our testing, we were able to produce sustained battery life results that were simply untouchable by the competing products in our testing group. When attached to our battery bank (the Yeti 300 Power Station), the Skylight can produce 6000 lumens of light for a whopping 3 hours and 3 minutes. Likewise, we were able to fully recharge our power station in just 53 minutes. It's also important to note that the Yeti 300 is one of the manufacturer's smallest power stations. For example, the Yeti 1500 allows the Skylight to run at its highest setting for 20 hours and at its lowest setting for an incredible 375 hours. Lastly, when plugged into your vehicle, the Skylight's run times are nearly endless — provided you have a full tank of gas.

The Skylight can pull power from its manufacturer's battery bank or it can be retrofitted to run from your car's auxiliary power source.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

When it comes to battery life, we didn't like the fact that the internal battery of Skylight does not appear to be rechargeable through a typical AC wall outlet. It doesn't ship with a wall adapter, and we were unable to find one for purchase as an accessory on the manufacturer's website. This means that if you only plan to purchase the Skylight and run it from its internal battery, your only option for recharging it would be your vehicle's auxiliary power outlet (cigarette lighter). For long-term use, the Skylight can certainly be powered by your car, but its radius will be limited to its 14-foot power cord.

Testing our Skylights control switch and brightness settings. Simply press and hold to turn it on and off, and press quickly to change between its four brightness settings. This handheld switch also houses the internal battery, and the blue lights tell you how much power is left.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Ease of Use


If there is a drawback to being the biggest and brightest lantern of them all, it would be this model's overall ease of use. It just can't compete with the lanterns on our list that can fit in your pocket, deploy in seconds, and light up with a push of a button. We gave the Skylight its lowest marks in this metric; however, given its size and complexity, we still feel it's very easy to use.


We love that the Skylight can be transported or stored in its own protective carrying case. During our testing, we accidentally dropped our Skylight twice and slammed it into a tree stump without causing any serious damage. A large portion of this unit is made of steel, making it heavier. It's also the only lantern on our list that sits on a tripod, so the setup process requires more effort and time. That all said, we were still able to deploy and power up our Skylight in about a minute.

Despite its size and weight, setting up our Skylight was a relative breeze.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

On the nitpicky side, we think the carrying case has room for improvement, specifically the lid and carrying strap. We don't like how the strap attaches directly to the lid. It's held in place by a pivoting bracket that spins in place, allowing the lid to be unscrewed — none of which works very well. In fact, the carrying strap gets twisted and is a pain to unwind. We think the entire problem could be avoided with a hinged lid that locks in place with a latch.

goal zero skylight - come on baby, let's do the twist: we didn't like the shoulder-strap...
Come on baby, let's do the twist: We didn't like the shoulder-strap and lid assembly at all.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Features


Thoughtful, user-friendly features — that really work, and add value — earned the Skylight solid scores in this metric. In fact, we feel it has some of the best features of the whole lot.


In addition to its four impressive brightness settings, hard plastic carrying case, and telescoping tripod system, the Skylight offers other key features that really add to this amazing system's entire function. The entire unit is water-resistant (IPX4), which allows it to still provide light when weather conditions are less than ideal. It also comes with built-in ground stakes, and each of its three tripod legs can be lengthened individually, allowing it to remain stable and upright on uneven ground. In addition to these features, we think the manufacturer should consider creating a flashing SOS mode for the Skylight as well.

Testing our Skylight's ground stakes and adjustable feet. Both passed with flying colors.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Weight


The Skylight is large and made of metal, so there's no need to avoid the proverbial elephant in the room. This model is certainly the heaviest lantern we've ever examined, earning it rock-bottom scores for this metric. And, when you add in the weight of an external battery bank, this system tips the scales at 18.1 pounds.


Surprisingly, we found the Skylight fairly easy to lift, move, and transport. In fact, during our trip to some local dunes in Utah, one of our testers carried this model and its battery bank for nearly a half mile across windblown sand without much trouble.

goal zero skylight - a comparison photo showing the size of the skylight and its carrying...
A comparison photo showing the size of the Skylight and its carrying case in relation to a 1-liter bottle of water.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Although considerably heavier than any of the smaller lanterns on our list, we feel most able-bodied adults will be able to transport the Skylight reasonable distances without a problem. The carrying case can be slung over the shoulder or carried by hand, and the Skylight itself also has a built-in handle, making it easy to transport.

Testing how the Skylight's weight impacted its ease of portability. Our general consensus: Very little, over short distances.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Should You Buy the Goal Zero Skylight ?


The Goal Zero Skylight now makes it relatively easy to shed large amounts of light in situations and locations where, in the past, the only other option would have involved an electric generator. It's a great option for base camps, search and rescue operations, outdoor events, or any other activity where light is needed. When not in use in some remote corners of the globe, this lighting system also doubles nicely in the home as a backup light source during power outages or natural disasters. However, to receive its greatest benefit, we highly recommend combining the Skylight with one of the many battery banks the manufacturer has to offer.

goal zero skylight - front and center. we used our skylight extensively during large camp...
Front and center. We used our Skylight extensively during large camp outs to provide lots of light for lots of people.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

What Other Lantern Should You Consider?


If you don't need your campsite to glow like a Hollywood movie set, but you still want a product that will deliver a decent amount of light for a good amount of time, check out the Ultimate Survival Technologies 30-Day Duro (400 lumens), Goal Zero Lighthouse 600 (600 lumens), or the Lighting Ever Camping (1000 lumens). Each is far more portable and won't take up a ton of space.

goal zero skylight - all done with today's testing. getting ready to call it a wrap.
All done with today's testing. Getting ready to call it a wrap.
Credit: Jason Wanlass

Jason Wanlass