Solar Panel chargers.

Probably going to have to bite the bullet and get one of these for August trip.

I have the Mophie 15,000mAh power bank, which is great for 5/6 I Phone/Camera charges but no good if I can't access a power point.
Usually take this with me on longer UK 3/5 day camping trips....sufficient.

I can tolerate the extra weight/bulk as taking a lighter weight shelter with me on the August trip.
I will be away from mains electric for longer, so got to depend on Solar for extra back up.
I will also take the Mophie with me.

Don't want to have to pay for accommodation just to be able to access electric supply....silly idea.....


Have been looking at the Anker Solar Lite....anything above 15W.....21???
They get good reviews.
Gotta be compatible with Apple I Phones if I need to charge direct.
(No problem if I charge up the Mophie as can charge phone and camera from that device.)

Suggestions...comments...?
Thanks.

I just bought the Yolk solar paper for Pyrenees this summer - 135gr in minimal size (for fone) but expandable for ipads. Got extra socket for ifone direct. Not used in anger yet but said to be a big step up compared to previous solar hiking kit (ytube reviews). I got conrad.co.uk to stock its so no import charges...

I haven't really looked into it but the Sunnybag Leaf+ caught my eye recently. Lighter than the Anker but spendy and only 6 Watts so maybe no good for you.

I just call in for a lazy coffee or beer somewhere and use their power point for an hour or so. Get the most powerful charger your phone will handle for best results. Better still, leave the phone at home and blag a go on someone else's if you really need to make a call. If you're using it for mapping, don't.

tom said:

I just bought the Yolk solar paper for Pyrenees this summer - 135gr in minimal size (for fone) but expandable for ipads. Got extra socket for ifone direct. Not used in anger yet but said to be a big step up compared to previous solar hiking kit (ytube reviews). I got conrad.co.uk to stock its so no import charges...

Click to expand...

Was checking that Yolk out last night, but it says it's not robust enough to be slung around trekking.
I was lusting for its light weight etc. I could add on a few panels and treat gently???

Rog Tallbloke said:

I just call in for a lazy coffee or beer somewhere and use their power point for an hour or so. Get the most powerful charger your phone will handle for best results. Better still, leave the phone at home and blag a go on someone else's if you really need to make a call. If you're using it for mapping, don't.

Click to expand...

My I phone is also full time camera.... When in France it's only used for emergency communication......I.e. Text OH every other day to give location....
Never use any device for GPS, mapping etc....I love/lust maps and will always bear their weight....

3 spare fully charged phone batteries weigh less than a solar panel. Just saying...

Personally can't see the point in them for 'normal' backpacking trips.
I'll normally go a week (max) between resupplies & have always found mains electricity whether it be a camp site or a bar & a good USB charger can top up the phone pretty quickly (gives a further excuse for a hot shower or long lunch). I carried a spare battery (45g) for the phone on last year's 5 week trip & didn't use it but for me it was worth the weight just for the backup, carrying 3 spares would easily see me for 5 weeks off the grid.

@Whiteburn & @Rog Tallbloke -
it all depends how one uses it. My (large screen) smart phone has
- normally 2 different sets of topographical maps for each area (I only carry 1:50000 paper maps for route planning - if paper maps are available at all that is)
- satellite positioning capacity if and when required
- photos of local display maps I find at trail heads etc (very useful in some areas)
- is the only camera I carry
- has whatever guidebooks available as ebooks or as photos of book pages
- other reading (I often carry a kobo mini reader too on solo hikes)
- with internet signal, I do research on route changes, public transport time tables, book flight home near the end of hike etc.

As such, my phone is a big weight saver compromise I make (paper maps, books and real cameras are so much nicer...!). In flight mode, one battery (56gr) will last me up to 48 hours - 3 batteries = up to 6 days.
More and more mountain huts (refugios) offer charging facilities these days but rarely many sockets and there is often high demand (all those day hikers...). Camp site charging is often also not easy - especially when needing to charge multible batteries - and I often find myself heading straight to a gide or hotel to make life easy when I could simply resupply and head straight out again if it wasn`t for the damm charging.

If I can get solar to work for me, I could leave the kobo reader (150gr) at home and perhaps even just carry one Anker powerpack (80gr) for recharging while I hike and enough juice to cover at least 3 cloudy days - wishful thinking in the Piemonte but not unrealistic in the Pyrenees or Mercantour for example.

Great Tom... can I borrow you please???

tom said:

@Whiteburn & @Rog Tallbloke -
I often find myself heading straight to a gide or hotel to make life easy when I could simply resupply and head straight out again if it wasn`t for the damm charging.

Click to expand...

Buy more batteries. It's cheaper than staying in hotels.

Lady Grey said:

Was checking that Yolk out last night, but it says it's not robust enough to be slung around trekking.
I was lusting for its light weight etc. I could add on a few panels and treat gently???

Click to expand...

The panels themselves look no less robust than any other solar chargers I`ve seen and better than some. Not sure what they are made of but they have a ceramic /carbon feel. Folded, no bigger than a kindle so storage should not be a problem. I will replace the little connectors to keep the panels together with shock cord and replace the cheep plastic sleeve with a 5mm high density foam sleeve. The main vulnerability is the little box that sits on top of one panel (with the control unit and 2 sockets - 1 ifone, 1 micro usb) and could get knocked. I`m planning to attach the panel with shock cord on top of my arcblast - perfect angle for sun and safe unless bush wacking. 2 panels equals 5volt which should be enough for a phone. And they say an ifone charges in 2 and 1/2 hours...
But lets see what it actually does on the trail once I get a chance to test it (I am in Vienna for work right now).

Rog Tallbloke said:

Buy more batteries. It's cheaper than staying in hotels.

Click to expand...

and lighter than a hotel too...

tom said:

and lighter than a hotel too...

Click to expand...

tom said:

The panels themselves look no less robust than any other solar chargers I`ve seen and better than some. Not sure what they are made of but they have a ceramic /carbon feel. Folded, no bigger than a kindle so storage should not be a problem. I will replace the little connectors to keep the panels together with shock cord and replace the cheep plastic sleeve with a 5mm high density foam sleeve. The main vulnerability is the little box that sits on top of one panel (with the control unit and 2 sockets - 1 ifone, 1 micro usb) and could get knocked. I`m planning to attach the panel with shock cord on top of my arcblast - perfect angle for sun and safe unless bush wacking. 2 panels equals 5volt which should be enough for a phone. And they say an ifone charges in 2 and 1/2 hours...
But lets see what it actually does on the trail once I get a chance to test it (I am in Vienna for work right now).

Click to expand...

Well, if you can do it, so can I.