Propane lantern is the best for all the reasons stated above.

I, however, am cursed with the damn things. I CANNOT manage to keep the mantles useable for any length of time but worst of all, partner present or not, they always end up, somehow, in the sand or in the water. Glass broken, carbuerator shot......toast!

My latest attempt is a coleman battery operated lantern. Same size as the propane jobs but takes 8 D-size batteries. Verdict's out on this one until it goes through it's first sea trials.

Headlamps are a distant third again, for the reasons stated above. Another thing I don't like with these is most that i have tried don't have decent battry life either, sometimes puking before I'm done digging. Ever try to change batteries in the dark?