Power Bank or Solar Panel? Or both?

[madcalfe]

i take 1 power brick for 2 week mountain hunts and still come home with power in it. and thats using my phone scope quite a bit taking pics. any newer smart phone should get 4 days on a single charge if you put it in airplane mode and turn down the backlight.

 

[Kountry Biscuit]

i take 1 power brick for 2 week mountain hunts and still come home with power in it. and thats using my phone scope quite a bit taking pics. any newer smart phone should get 4 days on a single charge if you put it in airplane mode and turn down the backlight.

Now that you mention it I think you’re correct. We use our phones so much normally that we forget what the charge can do if you’re not on it. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[rhill]

Appreciate the advice from everyone's experience.

 

[nitrobro2]

I agree with most of the comments. 10 - 20 mAh brick is good. Leave the solar at home. My inReach is only on when I need to send a message (I don't worry about receiving any!). I'm not using my phone much and it is generally off, but I bring the brick in the event that I FORGET to shut it off! Otherwise, I expect it will last.

Only thing I'll add is I like to get a somewhat weatherproof brick. I don't bring anything that doesn't have a rubber cover on the ports.

 

[Voyageur]

My primary go-to is a battery-pack.

However, every year I also do several 1-2 week remote trips, which are not back-pack trips...they're remote packraft floats or drop hunts, and on those longer trips I add a solar charging panel to the battery-pack. I end-up using the solar panel at least once every extended trip just to stay ahead of my charging needs. We don't have that many super sunny days up here, so charging for me is not at all a quick process. That said, I wouldn't want to primarily/solely rely on a solar charging panel in absence of a battery-pack, regardless of the length of the trip.

The charge on my inReach is the best of anything I own...and it's an older Explorer model. I also should mention that I don't have it running continuously, just periodic checking and texting.

Edit: I also use a GAIA ap on my phone, which works while on airplane mode, so I save energy there.

Which battery pack/s do you use?
Thanks.

 

[AKDoc]

Which battery pack/s do you use?
Thanks.

My primary battery pack that I've used for several years (and still using) is a Goal Zero Venture 30. I added a Goal Zero Flip 36 two years ago as a back-up on longer trips, but the Venture 30 has still been my primary. My solar charger is a Goal Zero Nomad 7.

I'm sure there are newer and more efficient systems out there these days because this technology has been evolving, but I haven't had a need to upgrade.

 

[Voyageur]

Based on what I've read in this thread and others I like the idea of having a couple of smaller power banks rather than one larger one. Reason being if one goes belly up the other should still be working.
Other than that I get overwhelmed by all the options when I go to purchase a second one of the 10000 mAh size.
I use my electronics VERY sparingly on my trips. On a 2 week fly-in excursion my phone is in airplane mode and only turned on to take several pictures a day, write in my journal, and to identify birds using my Audubon app. During that 2 week trip I normally charge my iPhone 1 time and at the end of the trip my inReach is still at 90%+ battery capacity without having ever been recharged. In the past one cheap power bank of 10000 mAh has been enough, but as I said I like the idea of having 2 banks of power.
Based on the use/needs outlined above what features do I need to look for when purchasing a power bank? I'm clueless when product descriptions start talking about USB - C, USB - A to C, micro cables, lightning cables, etc.
Thanks.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I have solar and batteries. I rarely take the solar and tend to do just fine with battery packs for 2-7 days.

I will second the idea of two smaller vs one larger battery. I have a dark energy pack. It works great but I f it craps out will replace it with two ankers in similar or greater combined capacity. I would rather have the redundancy. Also, nothing wrong with the dark energy but I don’t find a lot of advantage in the rugged casing. Maybe I don’t beat mine up like others I guess. I usually lay it next to what ever I am charging in my shelter and it rides in my possibles bag otherwise. so, for My use, the rugged casing is just added weight and costs.

 

[Voyageur]

Based on the use/needs outlined above what features do I need to look for when purchasing a power bank? I'm clueless when product descriptions start talking about USB - C, USB - A to C, micro cables, lightning cables, etc.
Thanks.

I'm still hoping someone will chime in with a simplification of all the various options....anyone?

 

[EJDXT21]

I've been trying to research this topic lately. I'm torn between having a 20k mAh battery and two 10k mAh batteries. My plan is to have my phone on all day minus sleeping, in order to use OnX or GoHunt app. And will probably only be using inreach mini to send checking messages in the morning and evenings. I will also carry a backup rechargeable headlamp, which I hopefully will not need to use or if I do hopefully will not need to recharge.

As of now it is unclear if I will have a base camp or not and whether or not that will be near the truck or not. If we can come back to the truck every night the will likely not get a solar panel and will probably go with the 20kmAH battery. But I do like the idea of having a 10k charging with the solar panel at camp while I am hunting carrying a fully charged bank.

As far as solar panels, outdoor gear lab has some good product reviews and the big blue 3, although it could be heavy depending on your weight needs, seems to be a good option. What I am mainly looking for on a panel is one that has good charge interruption recovery, meaning if a cloud or clouds pass over for a while, when the sun comes back out the panel will go back to putting out full power. Some panels from what I have read, will stop providing good output when cloudy and when the sun comes out don't start putting out full charge unless you unplug and re-plug your device back in, meaning you have to babysit it, which is not practical and not worth taking if that's the case.

My other question on solar panels right now is, can I get away with a small solar panel such as a 5 watt or 10 watt for charging a 10k mAh battery pack or should I go with the bigger heavier 20-28 watt range panel?

Back to the battery banks, I would look for one and have been looking for one that has QC technology for sure on the output, meaning your devices will charge faster, but also on the input. They do sell some that have the PD input, you have to buy a separate 30-60w wall charger, but can charge a 20K mAh battery bank in 3 hours. I think the QC on the output is probably more important though.

 

[Kevin Bogert]

Power bank. Get a decent one and you won't need a solar panel.

 

[hikenhunt]

I've been trying to research this topic lately. I'm torn between having a 20k mAh battery and two 10k mAh batteries. My plan is to have my phone on all day minus sleeping, in order to use OnX or GoHunt app. And will probably only be using inreach mini to send checking messages in the morning and evenings. I will also carry a backup rechargeable headlamp, which I hopefully will not need to use or if I do hopefully will not need to recharge.

As of now it is unclear if I will have a base camp or not and whether or not that will be near the truck or not. If we can come back to the truck every night the will likely not get a solar panel and will probably go with the 20kmAH battery. But I do like the idea of having a 10k charging with the solar panel at camp while I am hunting carrying a fully charged bank.

As far as solar panels, outdoor gear lab has some good product reviews and the big blue 3, although it could be heavy depending on your weight needs, seems to be a good option. What I am mainly looking for on a panel is one that has good charge interruption recovery, meaning if a cloud or clouds pass over for a while, when the sun comes back out the panel will go back to putting out full power. Some panels from what I have read, will stop providing good output when cloudy and when the sun comes out don't start putting out full charge unless you unplug and re-plug your device back in, meaning you have to babysit it, which is not practical and not worth taking if that's the case.

My other question on solar panels right now is, can I get away with a small solar panel such as a 5 watt or 10 watt for charging a 10k mAh battery pack or should I go with the bigger heavier 20-28 watt range panel?

Back to the battery banks, I would look for one and have been looking for one that has QC technology for sure on the output, meaning your devices will charge faster, but also on the input. They do sell some that have the PD input, you have to buy a separate 30-60w wall charger, but can charge a 20K mAh battery bank in 3 hours. I think the QC on the output is probably more important though.

You didn't mention the length of your trip, but for most trips under a week, battery banks should be just fine. Get one 20k or two 10k's and try how many phone/headlamp/inreach charges they get you at home. That's the best way to check what you will probably need.

 

[EJDXT21]

You didn't mention the length of your trip, but for most trips under a week, battery banks should be just fine. Get one 20k or two 10k's and try how many phone/headlamp/inreach charges they get you at home. That's the best way to check what you will probably need.

Looking at 5 days hunting maybe 1 or 2 scouting days or days to acclimate to the altitude haha. But yes I agree I will definitely test all this out at home prior to the hunt. For now I am leaning towards just the battery bank option, and depending on the home test, that will determine if I get a solar panel or not.

 

[Crowmangler]

I took a 15 and 20 RAV battery for 1.5 weeks (some below zero temps) & they did great. The 15 still had about 40% left & the 20 had about 90% left. I kept them in my sleeping bag all the time to stay as warm as possible. I charged my iPhone and Inreach Mini every night & unplugged when fully charged. (kept phone in airplane mode the whole time because there was no signal). I took both just in case one stopped working.
You'll be fine without solar for that length of time & you won't have to worry about the weather.

 

[bsnedeker]

And will probably only be using inreach mini to send checking messages in the morning and evenings.

So for what it's worth I have my inreach mini running 24x7 when I'm out hunting. If you get into trouble and need to send an SOS you don't want to have to worry about digging that thing out of your pack and firing it up before you can signal for help. I also have it with me and running in my tent at night in the extremely unlikely event that a bear decides to come knocking.

Mine runs 2.5-3 days on a single charge so it doesn't take a ton of power to keep it going the whole time. It's cheap insurance in my opinion.

 

[EJDXT21]

So for what it's worth I have my inreach mini running 24x7 when I'm out hunting. If you get into trouble and need to send an SOS you don't want to have to worry about digging that thing out of your pack and firing it up before you can signal for help. I also have it with me and running in my tent at night in the extremely unlikely event that a bear decides to come knocking.

Mine runs 2.5-3 days on a single charge so it doesn't take a ton of power to keep it going the whole time. It's cheap insurance in my opinion.

Great! I just got mine in this week so haven't had the opportunity to fire it up and sign up and all that good stuff. I'll test it out to make sure the battery life is the same as yours and if so, I'll likely do the same as you, maybe keep a smaller power bank at camp just for the inreach. I was planning on carrying it on the shoulder strap of my pack or maybe on my belt somehow, for sure somewhere it would be easily accessible.

 

[BSLugnut]

Am still testing the Anker Solar Panel on how it charges larger banks in all conditions, not yet decided if I will bring in on a 2-week backcountry trip.

The idea is once a battery pack gets below 25% put in on the solar charger. While that battery pack is charging, I have one fully charged to recharge devices when needed.

Either way, I will be bringing two (2) of the Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD. They are heavy at 1lb each, but for a 16-day trip, it will be needed. Keep them in zip lock bags to mitigate moisture getting on them.

Each bank will completely recharge my Pixel 3 XL phone 4.5 times from less than 3% battery capacity.

It seems that increasingly electronic devices are rechargeable and not using batteries. For my, my phone, InReach, headlamp are rechargeable.