People search for a Goal Zero lantern shade for two reasons. The Lighthouse Micro’s light is cool and white, and the bare LED glares at anyone sitting across the table. A shade fixes both. This page explains the kinds of shade you can put on a Lighthouse Micro, which ones fit which model, what a shade changes and what it does not, and when a machined metal cover is worth more than a ten-dollar shade.
Why put a shade on a Lighthouse Micro at all
- The colour. The stock light is a cool white. It is good for finding things in a tent and harsh on a dinner table.
- The glare. At table height the LED sits at eye level. Without a diffuser, whoever faces it is looking straight into it.
- The look. Bare, the Micro reads as a gadget. With a shade or cover it reads as a lantern, which is what most people want at camp.
Three kinds of shade
| Type | What it is | Typical price | Warms the light | Hides the LED | Adds weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moulded clip-on shade | A plastic or silicone cap or sleeve that clips onto the light | Roughly $10 to $16 online, October 2026 | Coloured versions do | Partly | No |
| Fabric or paper diffuser | A home-made wrap or a small lampshade | A few dollars | Depends on the material | Yes | No |
| Machined metal cover | A solid brass or aluminium body with an orange inner tube, such as the SAKAKI Gear covers | $229 to $459, US shipping and import duties included | Yes, through the inner tube | Yes | Yes, 250 to 500 g |
All three do the job of a shade. Only the metal cover also changes the weight, the stability and the silhouette, which is why it costs what it does.
Which shade fits which Lighthouse Micro
Goal Zero sells three lights with the Lighthouse Micro name, and a shade made for one may not fit the others.
- Lighthouse Micro Flash, with a flashlight in the top cap: the model most shades are made for, and the one every SAKAKI Gear cover fits.
- Original Lighthouse Micro, lantern only: Hatenaki and the Hajimari Set fit it. Check any other shade’s listing for the model name.
- Lighthouse Micro Charge, with a USB output: its body is 4.4 inches long against 3.66 inches for the Micro Flash, according to Goal Zero’s product pages checked on 30 September 2026. Shades cut for the Flash usually will not seat on it, and no SAKAKI Gear cover fits it.
If you are not sure which one you own, Lighthouse Micro vs Micro Flash vs Micro Charge shows how to tell them apart in three seconds.
What a shade changes, and what it does not
- Colour: a warm shade makes the light look like a flame or a candle. This is the main reason to use one.
- Glare: any shade that covers the LED removes the bright point you would otherwise look into.
- Brightness: you give up some light. On a table you will not miss it. In a tent, run the light one step higher than usual.
- Battery life: unchanged. A shade or cover is passive and draws nothing.
- Controls and charging: a good shade leaves the button reachable so you can dim the light without taking it off. Do not block the charging port with anything you cannot remove quickly.
- Stability: only a heavy cover changes this. A brass cover puts weight low in the light, so it stops tipping on uneven tables.
When a ten-dollar shade is enough, and when a brass cover makes sense
If you want warm light in a tent and nothing else, a clip-on shade does the job, and we would tell you so. A machined cover makes sense when the lantern lives on a table and you want it to look and feel like an object rather than an accessory. It is heavier, it does not tip, it is made to outlast the light inside it, and brass darkens into a patina that many owners prefer to the day-one shine. It is also the version people tend to buy as a gift.
SAKAKI Gear covers used as shades
Every cover is cut from a solid billet in our shop in Kasugai, Japan. Prices include standard US shipping and prepaid US import duties, so nothing is collected at your door.
| Cover | Fits | Size assembled | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hajimari Set | Light included and installed | 50 x 100 mm | approx. 300 g | $229 |
| Akatsuki | Micro Flash | 50 x 120 mm | approx. 450 g in brass | $329 |
| Hatenaki | Micro and Micro Flash | 75 x 105 mm | approx. 250 g | $389 |
| Mahoroba | Micro Flash, or real oil flame | see product page | approx. 500 g | $439 |
| Mikasa | Micro Flash | 60 x 120 mm | approx. 500 g | $459 |
Making your own shade
If you want to try the effect before buying anything, a home-made diffuser shows you what warm, indirect light does to a table. Keep three things in mind:
- Use a material that lets light through evenly, such as baking parchment or a thin cotton, and wrap it loosely.
- Leave the button and the charging port uncovered so you are not unwrapping the light to dim it.
- LEDs make little heat, but do not seal the light inside paper for long periods, and do not leave a paper shade unattended near a flame.
Frequently asked questions
Will a Goal Zero lantern shade fit the Lighthouse Micro Charge?
Usually not. The Charge body is about 19 mm longer than the Micro Flash, and most shades and every SAKAKI Gear cover are cut for the shorter body. Check the model named in any listing before you buy.
Does a shade make the light dimmer?
A little. Warm and frosted materials absorb some light. Most people run one step higher in a tent and leave it on low at the table.
Is a brass cover the same thing as a shade?
It does what a shade does, warming the colour and hiding the LED, and it also adds weight, stability and a lantern silhouette. The light comes through an orange inner tube inside the metal body.
Can I still use the flashlight on the Micro Flash with a cover on?
Yes. The cap stays clear and the switch stays reachable, so the lantern, the dimming and the flashlight all work as normal.
Can I buy only the orange inner tube?
It is not sold on its own in the store, but it is a separate part. If yours is lost or damaged, contact us.
Next
To match a cover to your light, read the Lighthouse Micro cover compatibility guide. To choose between brass and aluminium, see brass vs aluminum lantern covers. For the rest of the camp table, see the best Lighthouse Micro accessories.