Goal Zero solar chargers

[Becca]

Anybody using these to charge up their Iridium phones? I'm just wondering if there would be a weight savings, but highly unlikely and probably just easier to take a spare battery for the phone.

To be honest, I have never tried as we always carry the phone plus one spare battery. I can tell you we have never had an issue running the iridium battery down, but we only power the phone on to make a call and then turn it off again.

The goal zero doesn't always go, or sometimes we just take the guide 10 power pack and lave the panel at home.

 

[snowcamoman]

I actually ran my new Extreme battery down this past summer. Then again, I made over 120 minutes of calls back to the pilot and other people. I think I'll just stick with hauling the second battery as backup insurance. I'd hate for a cell in the Lithium battery to go bad and not be able to run the phone in an emergency. Thanks for the info on the Guide 10 and power pack. When I'm floating rivers, I haul a recharge pack, since weight isn't typically an issue. For mountain hunts, every bit or lack thereof counts.

 

[Becca]

I actually ran my new Extreme battery down this past summer. Then again, I made over 120 minutes of calls back to the pilot and other people. I think I'll just stick with hauling the second battery as backup insurance. I'd hate for a cell in the Lithium battery to go bad and not be able to run the phone in an emergency. Thanks for the info on the Guide 10 and power pack. When I'm floating rivers, I haul a recharge pack, since weight isn't typically an issue. For mountain hunts, every bit or lack thereof counts.

You must be a talker...we buy 200 min every six months, and probably roll over at least half of them. Rarely see the battery drop to even 2/3 bars, but we carry the spare a long just the same...it doesn't weigh much and in an emergency, or even just to coordinate logistics on a fly out, it's cheap insurance from a weight perspective.

Luke got a mophie charger for Christmas and I am curious to see if we will get more charges out of it than the guide 10...I like having the spare double A batteries along, but for trips where all we want is to charge the iPhone's (for reading and listening to audio books) we may take the mophie and leave the guide at home. We shall see...

 

[rbljack]

no experience with these, but did I read it correct that the whole set up for the guide 10 kit with nomad 7 weighs 1.2 pounds for a pack weight? sound about right?

 

[elkbowkevin]

Ive got the guide 10 and use the battery pack alot. I usually charge it to full mid day and then top off my cell phone in the AM and
later in the afternoon. Used it with my samsung S5 with no issues. Batt pack takes it from 20% to full change in less than an hour.
I love this thing.
The weight of the guide10 pack is in the batteries. If you can find lighter rechargables you can save some weight. Im still looking for Lith rechargables for this kit to use.
I also recently got a wind up NMH battary pack charger that you can crank, or charge from solar, car, or wall. It was $45 at cabelas. Its a bit heavy but will charge my phone 20-30% in about 10 min of cranking. It charges from 25-100% with the guide 10 panel kit in a few hours.

 

[n2horns]

Ive got the guide 10 and use the battery pack alot. I usually charge it to full mid day and then top off my cell phone in the AM and
later in the afternoon. Used it with my samsung S5 with no issues. Batt pack takes it from 20% to full change in less than an hour.
I love this thing.
The weight of the guide10 pack is in the batteries. If you can find lighter rechargables you can save some weight. Im still looking for Lith rechargables for this kit to use.
I also recently got a wind up NMH battary pack charger that you can crank, or charge from solar, car, or wall. It was $45 at cabelas. Its a bit heavy but will charge my phone 20-30% in about 10 min of cranking. It charges from 25-100% with the guide 10 panel kit in a few hours.

Thanks for this update, I got mine Guide 10 in the mail few days ago from an ebay buy. Need to start using it, I will buy a 2nd battery pack for a back up.

Going to move my flashlight, headlamp and GPS rechargeable batteries for refreshing via Guide 10. Will carry a set of lithium batteries in the truck just in case.