Reviews You Can Rely On

Ultimate Survival Technologies 30-Day Duro Review

A durable lantern with exceptional battery life for extended use that you can rely on when the lights go out
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Ultimate Survival Technologies 30-Day Duro Review (The Ultimate Survival Technologies 30-Day Duro Glow has one of the longest battery lives that we've seen from a lantern.)
The Ultimate Survival Technologies 30-Day Duro Glow has one of the longest battery lives that we've seen from a lantern.
Credit: Ross Patton
Price:  $60 List
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Manufacturer:   Ultimate Survival Technologies
By Ben Applebaum-Bauch ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Dec 2, 2022
80
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#2 of 24
  • Brightness - 45% 9.0
  • Battery Life - 20% 9.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 7.0
  • Features - 10% 6.0
  • Weight - 10% 4.8

Our Verdict

The Ultimate Survival Technologies 30-Day Duro is a rugged, 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. We tested and verified this claim. 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. See how it measures up versus competitors in our comprehensive lantern review.
REASONS TO BUY
Very long battery life
Tough and durable
Provides a nice soft diffused light
REASONS TO AVOID
Glow-in-the-dark doesn't work very well
Hook on the bottom is not very sturdy
Hard to reattach bottom after replacing batteries

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Top Pick Award
Best Portable for Extended Power Outages
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Lantern
Top Pick Award
Best String Light
Top Pick Award
Best for Portability
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
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Overall Score Sort Icon
80
81
66
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60
Star Rating
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Bottom Line Unmatched battery life in a traditional, durable lanternThis a bright, versatile, fully-featured, rechargeable lantern. What more could you want?A set of solar-powered string lights that bring some fun to outdoor gatherings with friendsA tiny, lightweight flashlight and lantern with USB charge in and outWhat 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 Ultimate Survival T... Goal Zero Lighthous... MPOWERD Luci Solar... Goal Zero Lighthous... Goal Zero Crush Lig...
Brightness (45%)
9.0
9.0
6.0
5.0
3.5
Battery Life (20%)
9.0
6.0
7.0
6.0
8.5
Ease of Use (15%)
7.0
9.0
6.0
9.0
8.0
Features (10%)
6.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
Weight (10%)
4.8
6.5
7.9
9.3
9.3
Specs Ultimate Survival T... Goal Zero Lighthous... MPOWERD Luci Solar... Goal Zero Lighthous... Goal Zero Crush Lig...
Weight (with Batteries) 29.3 oz 19.8 oz 11.4 oz 3.1 oz 3.2 oz
Measured Runtime (Highest Setting) 9.0 hrs 3.2 hrs 5.0 hrs 3.75 7 hrs 6 min
Lumens 1000 600 100 Lantern: 150
Flashlight: 120
60
Rechargeable No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Battery Type D Rechargable Rechargeable Rechargeable Rechargeable
Manufacturer Listed Runtimes Low: 30 days
High: 12 hrs
Low, one side: 320 hrs
Low, both sides: 180 hrs
High, one side: 5 hrs
High, both sides: 2.5 hrs
Low: 20 hrs Low: 170 hrs
High: 7 hrs
Low: 35 hrs
High: 3 hrs
Candle light: 3.5 hours
Size (inches) 7.2 x 3.75 4.5 x 5 x 6.5in 2 x 5 x 5 (collapsed) 4 x 1.75 x 1.2 4.5 x 4.5 x 3.6 (expanded)
Number of Batteries 3 1 1 1 1
Waterproof Rating IPX4 Not specified IPX4 IPX6 IPX4

Our Analysis and Test Results

The UST 30-Day Duro 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 on its lowest setting. 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, but even so, with no glaring weaknesses, it's still towards the front of the pack.

Performance Comparison


ultimate survival technologies 30-day duro - this mid-size lantern offers solid utility, especially when getting...
This mid-size lantern offers solid utility, especially when getting the most out of your batteries is a top priority.
Credit: Ben Applebaum-Bauch

Brightness


This light puts out a blasting 1000 lumens on high. The frosted dome makes the light softer than it otherwise would be without it. The medium setting puts out 400 lumens, 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 1000 to 400 to 30 lumens. However, its longevity makes it well worth keeping around.

ultimate survival technologies 30-day duro - the 30-day duro glow has three settings; high, medium and low.
The 30-Day Duro Glow has three settings; high, medium and low.
Credit: Valentine Cullen

Battery Life


While the UST 30-Day Duro boasts a ridiculous battery life of 30 days on its lowest setting, we wanted to see how long it would last on its highest setting. In our ten years of testing, we've discovered that a lantern's minimum brightness setting is often too dim to be of much use.


Turned up to its maximum brightness, the UST 30-Day Duro lasts a full nine hours. While this may not sound like much compared to its low-setting life, this is one of the best times we've seen put up during our testing.

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.

ultimate survival technologies 30-day duro - the ust 30-day duro stays put, even on loose and soft surfaces.
The UST 30-Day Duro stays put, even on loose and soft surfaces.
Credit: Ben Applebaum-Bauch

Features


The UST 30-Day Duro has a bunch of subtle but useful features. This light has four modes; high, medium, low, and SOS strobe. UST claims an IPX4 waterproof rating, and we did submerge it in a river during testing — it came out totally fine.


SOS Feature


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.

ultimate survival technologies 30-day duro - it's not a ufo, this light has a glow-in-the-dark ring so you can...
It's not a UFO, this light has a glow-in-the-dark ring so you can locate it in the dark.
Credit: Ben Applebaum-Bauch

Weight


The UST 30-Day Duro weighs a little under two 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.


Should You Buy the UST 30-Day Duro?


The number one reason to purchase the UST 30-Day Duro is for the battery life. The ideal use for this model is to store in a basement or closet for an emergency power outage. While it most certainly meets the requisite brightness and durability for camping, in the day & age of lithium-ion battery-powered USB rechargeable devices, we have a hard time justifying the use of expensive disposable D batteries for a weekend in the mountains.

ultimate survival technologies 30-day duro - we easily recommend this model for home use and power outages due to...
We easily recommend this model for home use and power outages due to its reliable battery life.
Credit: Valentine Cullen

What Other Lanterns Should You Consider?


Because the UST 30-Day Duro is best for a relatively specific purpose, we have several alternate recommendations in case this is not the the right lantern for you. If you're looking for a lightweight lantern to take backpacking, check out the solar Goal Zero Crush Light Chroma, or the Primus Micron, which uses the same fuel canisters as backpacking stoves. For a bright, rechargeable, portable lantern that doubles as a power bank for charging USB devices, check out the Black Diamond Apollo.

Ben Applebaum-Bauch