Solar power charger?

[amp713]

So I have a power cell for charging, it's not a backpacking one and isn't very light. My dad showed me one he runs while skiing Montana all winter and it got me interested.

It's a solar rechargeable with a light and rated at I believe it was 5k and it weighed 5.5 oz. He randomly saw it online and picked it up for under $40, he says he uses it to charge his iPod and phone when out skiing because the cold kills them and he just leaves it on his backpack throughout the day to charge....

Problem is the place he got his says they are sold out with no expected date of restock.....

Anyone using something similar? I would love to find something not too expensive that is solar. I know solar isn't perfect but I don't use my electronics that much, I almost never need to charge them really. However I'm moving all of my gear to rechargeable instead of batteries so this is more or a back up plan or if going long term.

Lots of stuff online if you google but I want something that's been tested in the woods, not just got a 5 star review cuz it "charged my tablet while I was at the park pretending to watch my kids"

 

[Shraggs]

My demands for solar power are pretty significant as I use a battery operated cpap in the back country. I use a combination of goal zero power pack and solar charger. Use Lowe pack at night and charge power pack during the day.

Sheila 50'is a great unit for one pound. Would charge many phones on full charge. Nomad 20 is what's it takes to charge it real works. The have smaller power packs too and smaller solar panels and those will charge phones and such easily.

 

[Shraggs]

Sherpa 50 that is.

 

[larryschwartz]

...Problem is the place he got his says they are sold out with no expected date of restock.....

It sounds like the company he bought it from is not the company that makes the product. I would do a search on the actual product name and see who else sells them. BTW, what is the product name, you have me interested too.

Larry

 

[Ohio Darin]

Something like this? 5.10 oz. Half the weight of what I'm lugging around (and third the price). Going to read up on the reviews.

Amazon.com: Solar Charger,Dizaul 5000mAh Portable Solar Power Bank Waterproof/Shockproof/Dustproof Dual USB Battery Bank for cell phone,iPhone,Samsung,Android phones,Windows phones,GoPro Camera,GPS and More: Cell Phones & Accessories

 

[amp713]

Something like this? 5.10 oz. Half the weight of what I'm lugging around (and third the price). Going to read up on the reviews.

Amazon.com: Solar Charger,Dizaul 5000mAh Portable Solar Power Bank Waterproof/Shockproof/Dustproof Dual USB Battery Bank for cell phone,iPhone,Samsung,Android phones,Windows phones,GoPro Camera,GPS and More: Cell Phones & Accessories

That is identical looking to his as well as multiple others I've found under different names... I can't decide if that comforts me or scares me ha

 

[n2horns]

I just started using the Dark Energy and waiting for Amazon to send me the Anker 21w solar panel. Just got the DE and charging phone around hose and seeing what I get out of it.

 

[lchavez]

Guess it depends on your goals for use. Most of our modern day electronics are power hogs. Solar small enough to pack is going to take a lot of time to really charge anything.

Also, all panels are not created equal. You will rarely get the listed wattage. Plan on a third to one half of what they are selling in real world conditions.

After years of trying different packable solar panels in my pack, that never got used, i ended up with a dark energy battery. I can plug in my devices, stow in my pack and not worry about the sun. it has charged my iphone, garmin and ipad.

in regards to best wattage for dollar, i have heard Anker makes a good panel. the most expense i have (and kept) is a Power Film 10 watt folding panel. out of everything i tested, this one performed the best in the field as was the only panel that would charge my garmin Rhino directly.

Note: I use solar on my vehicle. I have a 100w renogy panel mounted to my roof rack that keeps a ARK PAK topped off. I use this to charge all my devices when off grid and at base camp for the evening. the ark pak also keep my arb fridge running.

 

[amp713]

So I've been torn which direction I wanna go. I really don't use my electronics much once I get back there but I'm to the point where everything is rechareable now and it just seems to make sense to have something....


I'm debating going this route... Amazon.com: Ayyie Solar Charger,10000mAh Solar Power Bank Portable External Backup Battery Pack Dual USB Solar Phone Charger with 2LED Light Carabiner and Compass for Your Smartphones and More (Orange): Garden & Outdoor

I don't expect the solar to really recharge it fast but if I go in with everything charged and use the power block at all I can just leave it in the sun as much as possible and any charge it gains is just a plus...

At 10k it's the same (rating not actual) as a dark energy at 1/5 the price and its only 11oz. If it works and I start using it a lot maybe it will be worth getting a quality set up but for now I just can't drop the coin on something I'm skeptical on use time...

 

[joshdidthis]

So I've been torn which direction I wanna go. I really don't use my electronics much once I get back there but I'm to the point where everything is rechareable now and it just seems to make sense to have something....


I'm debating going this route... Amazon.com: Ayyie Solar Charger,10000mAh Solar Power Bank Portable External Backup Battery Pack Dual USB Solar Phone Charger with 2LED Light Carabiner and Compass for Your Smartphones and More (Orange): Garden & Outdoor

I don't expect the solar to really recharge it fast but if I go in with everything charged and use the power block at all I can just leave it in the sun as much as possible and any charge it gains is just a plus...

At 10k it's the same (rating not actual) as a dark energy at 1/5 the price and its only 11oz. If it works and I start using it a lot maybe it will be worth getting a quality set up but for now I just can't drop the coin on something I'm skeptical on use time...

I had a little experience with this last year. I decided to go with an anker 10000 mah battery pack and solar charger and was glad I did. My buddy had the one you were looking at or one very similar with a solar charger on it and it did very little charging. I would leave my solar panel at camp and switch between my mophie battery case and battery pack and it worked fairly well. I was always lending my battery pack to my buddy tho when his was dead
Here is the solar charger I got Amazon.com: Solar Powered Panel Phone Charger Portable Dual USB for iPhone 6 6s 7 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S6 S7 Edge, Android BlitzWolf 15W Foldable Water Resistant SunPower Charger with 2 USB Port: Cell Phones & Accessories
Hope that helps you make a decision.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

 

[mcseal2]

Since I started using OnX maps on my phone I started running a Dark Energy battery in my pack. I also have a Goal Zero Venture 30 and 70 but prefer the Dark Energy pack. I really like the USB port covers when it's in my pack just to keep everything clean and dry. If it's a shorter trip I'll charge the Dark Energy pack from a bigger Goal Zero pack at camp at night as well as my phone. That way I start every day with the max battery potential for the weight I'm packing. I have a few solar panels also from Goal Zero. The Nomad 7+ will fully charge the Dark Energy pack in about 16 hours of sun if I move it once a day to follow the sun's curve. The Nomad 20 takes about half that. I have not tried any of the newer panels except the 7+. Really it has to be a pretty long trip for me to make packing a solar panel with the potential for more power a better option than packing just extra battery packs that already have extra power. Even the 7+ panel weighs as much as a second Dark Energy pack. Taking the panel means I still need 2 battery packs so one can be on a panel at camp while the other one is with me or the panel isn't working full time. Basically that means the energy needs must be more than 3 Dark Energy packs can supply, and conditions must be decent for solar charging, for taking a panel to be better than taking battery packs for me. I don't like that just having battery packs means I have a limited amount of total power, where solar panels mean I have the potential to add power. When I figure it off weight vs power use though that's how it usually works out.

I added a headlamp and Steripen that are re-chargeable this winter so next years situation may be different than last.

If I had higher energy needs or went on longer trips I'd lean more toward the panels. My use of the ones I have (3 Nomad 20's and a Nomad 7+) has showed me how good conditions really need to be to make them work well. If you are truck camping remember the windshield cuts the light they charge off of down a lot also. I tried running the panels across the dash of the truck before learning that thinking they would be out of the weather but in sun. Did not work well.

 

[Brendan]

I've used a Goal Zero Nomad 7 Plus Solar Panel, combined with a Dark Energy Poseidon. Charge phone, inreach, watch, whatever devices you have over night. During the day - leave the poseidon hooked up to the Goal Zero back at spike camp. Keeps devices and your battery pack topped off.

If you're only doing a couple days - just bring the battery pack.

 

[Kevin Dill]

You guys must be running some serious electricals to need all that extra power capacity.

 

[Brendan]

You guys must be running some serious electricals to need all that extra power capacity.

All depends how long before I'll be back at the truck... I use:

Phone that gets used for: GPS and in the field scouting (Gaia - Topo, Satellite, Public/Private), Calling back / checking in at home when I have signal, Communicating with my Inreach, Taking Pictures, Alarm Clock.

Delorme Inreach - Tracking all day every day. Satellite Weather Reports Daily when out of cell range. Checking in at home daily when I don't have cell.

Garmin Watch (Backup GPS too)

 

[AdamW]

One thing I have learned with electronics is sometimes there is disappointment and sometimes there is pure amazement. My buddy and I both got the AmazonBasics branded battery packs in late 2015. We used them on our hunt and nearly daily since (him literally daily) and they still work great. Amazon recently issues a recall on them due to fire hazard. Conspiracy! They work too well and you want me to return it so I'll buy a new crapper that dies every year. Nice try Amazon!

OP if you want to try that solar thing just grab one well before season and try to wear it out and use it in varied conditions and see what happens. Again, there's always a gamble with electronics even different samples of the same product/model. Report back if you try it.

 

[mnocito79]

Old thread but technology improves by the year so I hope this helps. I have had great luck with the charger I keep with me. It has the solar recharge option and recharges my iPhone X pretty fast. It's' also held up to many, many charges.

I got it on Amazon a while back. https://amzn.to/36k01VD

 

[TTT]

Timely. I have been looking. How long does it take to charge your phone? Also how does it do with overcast sky? Thanks.

 

[Beendare]

My experience with the Goal Zero- its a dud. If someone wants a great deal on one PM me.

Poor weight ratio to power- takes a long time to get little power. A smaller panel is going to be worse. You have to leave it out in the sun at camp...and still need a battery pack to store the solar energy so no real weight efficiency since you aren't going to leave your phone or GPS in camp.

The little Anker battery packs or equal are a great power/weight and bulk ratio, its a no brainer.

FWIW, I pack 2 small Ankers and couldn't run out of power on a 2 week hunt if I tried.

______

 

[rhunter424]

My experience with the Goal Zero- its a dud. If someone wants a great deal on one PM me.

Poor weight ratio to power- takes a long time to get little power. A smaller panel is going to be worse. You have to leave it out in the sun at camp...and still need a battery pack to store the solar energy so no real weight efficiency since you aren't going to leave your phone or GPS in camp.

The little Anker battery packs or equal are a great power/weight and bulk ratio, its a no brainer.

FWIW, I pack 2 small Ankers and couldn't run out of power on a 2 week hunt if I tried.

Is that for the 'Goal Zero Nomad 7 Plus'?

All solar panels need a battery pack to store the energy. Whether it makes sense to add extra battery packs or add solar depends on how much energy you need per day and how many days you need.

FWIW, Renology makes lighter weight solar panels. I believe the model is called EFLEX.

 

[dgaudi]

There is some good information here, I am new to western hunting and the discussion on this topic is very helpful.