Jager,
In my never ending quest to find lighter more efficient options for my hunting gear, I've been able to reduce my power needs to completely rechargeable batteries and keep them powered by 1EA, Goal Zero Nomad 3.5 (8 oz) with 1EA Switch 8 (3.2 oz), otherwise known as the "Switch 8 kit." Providing there is sunlight available this system has proven to adequately sustain an iPhone, Garmin Oregon GPS, Garmin Fenix watch, Headlamp, inReach Device, and an iPad Mini. Just for comparison , one single Energizer AA battery weighs .511 oz. I've been in the field for 30-days straight with this setup with zero issues. In case you're pondering the Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus versus the Switch 8. Here is my thought process as I have both. Switch 8 = 3.2 oz @ 8w capacity versus Guide 10 Plus = 6.4 oz @ 10w capacity. So for the same weight of 2EA Switch 8s I have 16w capacity for the same weight penalty as the Guide 10 plus. Now having said that, I initially found the Guide 10 Plus to be more desirable in concept over the Switch 8 due to the ability to have AA or AAA batteries handy. However, realize that you must have all 4 batteries in the Guide 10 Plus in order to "complete" the circuit and allow the device to recharge. This can be an unnecessary redundancy when compared to the Switch 8. Additionally, I've eliminated the need to have a single extra or spare battery due to using rechargeable batteries and recharging them directly housed within their respective host devices. If not for the need to recharge the iPhone and iPad Mini, I could conceivably eliminate the Switch 8 but this doesn't give me any flexibility in the event of signifiant (over days) bad weather or prolonged overcast. Hope this helps.
