Goal Zero Torch 500 Review: A Solar-Capable Lantern and Flashlight Combo

Introduction

The Goal Zero Torch 500 is a two-in-one camping light that pairs a directional spotlight with a wider floodlight lantern. It adds USB-C charging, a solar panel built into one face, and a USB-A output for topping up a phone. It is a substantial piece of equipment rather than a pocket light, and that size buys a 5,200 mAh battery, an IP67 waterproof rating, and mounting hooks at both ends.

This review covers how the light modes work, how long the battery really lasts, how quickly it charges from USB and from the sun, and the practical trade-offs that come with the extra bulk.

Dla kogo jest to światło

The Torch 500 suits campers who want one light to do two jobs. The spotlight throws a beam for walking to a wash block or checking a trail after dark, while the floodlight spreads light across a tent or picnic table. Running both at the same time, with each set to its own brightness, covers more situations than a single-purpose lantern.

It also makes sense for anyone who wants a light that doubles as an emergency power source. The USB-A output charges phones and small devices, which is useful on multi-day trips and during a power cut at home.

The built-in solar panel changes the calculation for longer trips. A day in the sun adds charge without a wall socket, which matters on extended camping or backpacking trips where power banks eventually run flat.

Campers who mostly want a soft, dim night light should look at smaller options instead. The Torch 500 does not go as low as some compact lanterns, so it is best suited to people who want serious brightness and are willing to carry the weight that comes with it.

Main Strengths

A Two-in-One Light With Predictable Modes

Two buttons at one end control everything. The left button is labelled Spot and the right is labelled Flood, and each cycles through high, medium, and low before switching off. Pressing the button again after a mode has been running for about six seconds turns the light off immediately, which saves cycling through every level when you simply want to stop.

Both lights can run at once, and each can be set independently. The output is warm rather than clinical, with the spotlight rated at 3,000 Kelvin and the floodlight at 3,500 Kelvin, so the light is easy on the eyes inside a tent at night.

Brightness is close to what the specifications promise. The floodlight is rated at 300 lumens on high and 150 lumens on medium, and the spotlight uses the same figures. Measured output matched those numbers closely, and running both lights together did not dim either one.

Elastyczność ładowania: USB, solar i ładowanie urządzeń

Charging over USB-C takes about four hours from a 5 volt, 1 amp source, whether the cable is USB-C to USB-C or USB-A to USB-C. The four indicator lights at the top blink while the battery is filling and stay solid once it is full.

The same indicator lights show remaining charge for roughly ten seconds after the light is switched on. The last light holds a large share of the total capacity, so dropping to two lights still leaves plenty of runtime. A blinking last light signals a critically low battery, somewhere around 5 to 10 percent.

Solar charging is rated at 23 hours in full sun. A full day outdoors added roughly 15 percent of charge in practice. One important detail: a completely drained battery will not accept a solar charge at all, so it pays to top the Torch up before a trip rather than arriving with an empty cell.

The light can also be used while it is charging, so a power bank or a wall socket can keep it running through the night.

Build Quality, Mounting, and Waterproofing

The IP67 rating covers heavy rain, water jets, and full submersion to one metre for 30 minutes. The Torch 500 came through 30 minutes of heavy rain, 10 minutes of high-pressure jets, and a 30-minute dunk, and the USB ports stayed dry behind the waterproof flap. Submersion protection is rare among lantern and flashlight combos.

The body mixes high-grade plastic, aluminium sections, and rubberised trim. The rubber adds grip more than shock protection, and the light will pick up marks if it is dropped, but it kept working normally after several drops.

Mounting is well thought out. There are two hooks at each end, so a single hook fits through a circular loop while both hooks together form a closed loop. The light can be hung from either end, or from both at once.

Pojemność baterii i ładowanie telefonu

The 5,200 mAh battery is double the capacity of the smaller lantern-flashlights in the same range, and it delivered roughly double the mobile charging as well. The USB-A output runs at 5 volts with a maximum current of 2.1 amps, double the maximum of the other lights in that family, although the charging time advantage was smaller than those numbers suggest.

In practice, a phone went from 17 percent to 94 percent in about an hour and a half, and a second run added 56 percent in the same window. After the phone stopped charging, the light still produced about 48 minutes of very dim light, which is a useful buffer rather than an abrupt cut-off. The Torch also charged devices around 10 to 20 percent faster than the smaller lanterns in the range.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Runtime is where the specifications and real use diverge most. The official figures run from 3 hours on the brightest modes to 50 hours on the dimmest, and the brightest spot and flood modes held up well, while the medium modes ran slightly longer than promised. The low modes fell short, delivering about 28 hours for the spotlight and just under 20 hours for the floodlight instead of 50.

Running both lights together shortens runtime further. Expect roughly 3 hours on high, 4.5 hours on medium, and about 12 hours on low, which is a drop of 20 to 60 percent depending on the mode. The brightness that makes the Torch 500 useful is also what limits how long it runs.

The dimmest lantern setting is 300 lumens, which is far too bright to work as a night light. Smaller lanterns in the same range can dim to almost nothing, which is a better fit for reading in a tent without disturbing anyone.

There are two physical compromises. The light stands vertically upright, which is not especially stable, or sits at roughly a 45-degree downward angle when horizontal, with no way to aim it 90 degrees to the side. And because of the solar panel, the floodlight shines in only one direction: hanging the Torch in the middle of a tent lights about half the space, with the panel facing the other way.

Portability is the final consideration. At about 13.1 ounces and 8.8 inches long, the Torch 500 is more than four times the weight of the smaller lanterns in the range and around double the length of the Micro Charge. That is a fair trade for the battery and solar panel, but it is not a light to slip into a jacket pocket.

Porady zakupowe

The Torch 500 earns its place when a single light needs to cover several jobs. Campers who want a bright beam for walking, a wide lantern for the tent, a solar top-up on longer trips, and a phone charger in reserve will get a lot of use from it. The 5,200 mAh battery, the IP67 rating, and the dual hooks all support that role, and the two-year warranty adds some reassurance.

The trade-offs are honest ones. If a soft night light and hundreds of hours of runtime matter more than brightness, the smaller lantern-flashlights in the same family are a better match. If you need a light that can survive being dropped in a river and still charge a phone the next morning, the Torch 500 is the more capable choice.

Conclusion

The Goal Zero Torch 500 is a well-equipped camping light rather than a minimal one. The two-in-one design works, the brightness lands close to what the specifications claim, the IP67 rating holds up in rain, jets, and full submersion, and the solar panel adds genuine flexibility on longer trips.

Its weaknesses are mostly consequences of its strengths: the battery and solar panel make it heavy and bulky, the low modes do not reach the claimed 50 hours, and the dimmest lantern setting is too bright for a night light. None of those are deal-breakers for the right buyer. For campers who want one rugged, solar-capable light that can also top up a phone, the Torch 500 is a solid pick.