External Chargers & Solar Panels

[ndbwhunter]

How much extra power do you guys carry with you if you're going for 7+ days? I've got an anker astro e7 25600mah external pack that will charge my iphone about 8-10 times under perfect conditions. Is that enough if I'm using the phone for communication as well as GPS, or would it be wise to pick up another battery pack or some solar panels?

Any recommendations on solar panels that will charge the external pack and/or the phone?

 

[ndbwhunter]

I stand corrected. The E7 will charge an iphone 6 approximately 10 times. Now, this is assuming that it retains all of its power in the field and isn't exposed to any temperature extremes. With that said, I did find an anker solar panel that weighs around 13oz. Is the one charger going to be enough, or should I pick up the solar panel to use when I've got good direct sunlight?

 

[WyoHnt300]

I pack a Goal Zero Venture 30, it works for my HD cam, GoPro, and still camera. I also make sure I have the extra batteries for each, if all you are taking with you is a phone this would be more than enough. IMO

 

[colonel00]

If just using your phone, I think just the anker battery would be fine as long as you keep the phone in power saving mode and flight mode or just off as much as possible. It will all depend on how much you use the phone.

For me, I usually haul a lot of crap like a DSLR, GoPro, GPS/inReach, phone, etc. I have a Goal Zero Guide 10 because that fits me well.

 

[ndbwhunter]

If just using your phone, I think just the anker battery would be fine as long as you keep the phone in power saving mode and flight mode or just off as much as possible. It will all depend on how much you use the phone.

For me, I usually haul a lot of crap like a DSLR, GoPro, GPS/inReach, phone, etc. I have a Goal Zero Guide 10 because that fits me well.

Can all of that stuff be charged using the USB, or do you use the guide 10 to recharge AA batteries? I'm looking for a new GPS, but if I can't pick one up before I go, I guess my phone will work just as well.

 

[colonel00]

Yes and no. My DSLR has a battery adaptor so it can run off of AA's. The Garmin GPS I had also ran off of AA's. Everything else is USB chargable. If you get a solar panel, you still want that chargable battery so you can let it charge all day in the sun while you are out and they you can recharge your gear at night.

On my last trip, here is how I used my setup. During the day the solar panel was setup and charged the Guide 10 along with spare GoPro batteries. My DSLR usually keeps enough for a full trip unless I really go crazy with photos. So, at night I would use the Guide 10 to recharge my phone and inReach. Rinse and repeat.

Like I said, it works for me but I bring a lot of stuff that many others wouldn't.

 

[larryschwartz]

ndbwhunter,

A few things to think about....

1. Unless you are leaving next week, you have time to test your battery pack to see how many times it will charge your iphone while you are using it as you plan to use it.
2. Buying another battery pack and taking it with you, or leaving it at the truck, is always another option if you are worried.
3. Most people keep their phone and/or GPS on all the time, but you don't need to. Unless you want to allow people to reach you at anytime you are in the woods you can put it on airplane mode all the time and only put it back on phone mode when you want to call someone. Not sure if you can text on airplane mode.
4. With respect to the GPS, you don't need to keep it on all the time you are navigating, unless you are recording a track of where you are are walking. Turn it on, get a direction you need to travel, then turn it off until you need to refer to it again. A GPS is great for seeing where you are on a map but once you know that you can do alot with just the map.

Hope this helps,

Larry

 

[ndbwhunter]

Well, I'm too cheap to buy a GoPro and my camera is just a little sony cybershot, so I guess I'll go without the solar panel for now. I'll just put the extra $$$ toward a new GPS. Let the GPS search begin....

Thanks for all the input guys!

 

[PMcGee]

If you go with a separate GPS you should be fine. I have a newtrent powerpak I use to charge my phone. I leave my phone on airplane mode most of the time and I could get two days out of a fully charged battery. I usually take it of airplane mode 3 or 4 times a day to check in at home or check emails. I think I charged it 3 times last year in 11 days.

 

[njdoxie]

I just bring 2-3 extra batteries, but it stays powered off most of the time