Solar Panels For Backpacking

[Benny]

Not sure if this has been covered. While at Fry's Electronics I found what I thought were pretty cool portable Solar Panels to charge various electronics for those who don't mind them in the backcountry.


This first one was the lightest in the box, didn't have the time to read through all the specs.


This one was noticeably heavier, and more expensive as well.


This one was on the lighter side too.


The cheapest of the bunch, a bit heavy still.


If anyone is using any of these or something similar can you please chime in and give your thoughts.

Thanks

[Wildman]

Eric might be able to chime in on this on as he is getting very dialed after his JMT trip last year.

[BrownBear]

Second hand, but a bud working in a remote setting where weight was an issue used the Wagan along with a motorcycle battery to keep a bear fence around his camp charged all summer. Even with a lot of cloudy days, it kept on zapping bears without pause. I can't tell you anything about the "draw" of the fence charger, but clearly the panel was enough for that job. Might be different simply topping off a battery all day than charging something that had gone really dead, however.

[Papasequoia]

I subscribed to Backpacker magazine from 1978 until last year - that's 36 years. Part of the reason that I stopped was their increasing coverage of electronics in the backcountry. Why do I write this? Is it just because I am a curmudgeon about these things? Yes - partly. But also to say that they have had several reviews of solar chargers over the years, so you could probably find one on their website. Probably also something in their annual gear review issue. Now get off of my lawn!

[Gary C.]

I'm with Jon as to the whole thing bugs me so I just carry my camera and extra batteries. Having said that a few of my friends carry solar chargers and wouldn't go without them. I don't know one from the other but all three carry the multi panel units and it is plenty to keep their phones charged. One guy carries one of the battery packs to charge but I think that is to get enough storage to also charge his wife's phone in the evening. One thing that I can suggest is to buy quality cables for your charging. It seems that on a regular basis the strength of the connectors gets tested by someone dropping either the solar panels or the phone or something happens and your screwed. I would carry a spare.

[midger]

I don't find that the solar panels adequate for operating my cappuccino machine and microwave so I've opted for a small Honda generator. It's heavy but why would anyone want to be in the wild without all the creature conveniences of civilization?

[Chris Kuhn]

Do your phones even get service when you are up there? Me I would need the Garmin GPS with all the bells and whistles and one of those GPS locator devices to get me out alive. But the phone? I don't know.

[Gary C.]

The reason they carry their phones is more for the camera and computer. They also replace the need an IPOD for those who enjoy their music. Phones will get reception on the odd peak or pass but not very often. You can send and receive texts a little more frequently. Even I'll admit that it was kind of cool to be able to call some friends and family from both the top of Half Dome and Island Pass north of Mammoth after a week or so in the back country. Just the same I'll stick with my little digital camera and leave my phone at home.

[Benny]

Smart phones have all the bells and whistles. You have everything in the palm of your hand. Cool apps on phones, GPS, My Tracks makes it impossible to get lost, built in flashlight, text messaging where it might save your @ss. Cell reception in certain locations, great when you start to miss loved ones. There is way more to it than just being wired in the backcountry.

[Chris Kuhn]

So those things work even when can't get a cell signal? Cool. I had no idea.

[Benny]

So those things work even when can't get a cell signal? Cool. I had no idea.

Certain peaks and passes in the Sierras. I'm wondering if there is a list of peaks and passes where reception is possible.

[MrBiggs]

Outdoor Gear Lab ran a test of some solar panels and compared them: http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Solar-Charger-Reviews. Might be informative.

As far as I can tell, most modern smartphone GPS will work without cell reception because they use an actual GPS chip[1,2]. Whether you have maps downloaded that you can get plotted on is another story (do it in advance), but your phone will at least know where you are and can geotag photos, etc.

I don't like taking much in the way of electronics with me and usually limit myself to a camera, but for some trips having actual GPS is nice. I've carried a little portable charging unit like http://www.amazon.com/Astro-Lipstick-Sized-Portable-PowerIQTM-Technology/dp/B005X1Y7I2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423253032&sr=8-1&keywords=anker+charger on medium-length trips, and was thinking about picking up some panels if I ever do the JMT hike that I've been dreaming of...

1: http://backcountrynavigator.com/android-gps/
2: http://adventurealan.com/iphone4gps.htm

[Papasequoia]

Let me revise my curmudgeonly previous post.

Carrying a GPS is here to stay and there seems to be no stopping it, even though it's bad enough that people don't know how to use a map and compass anymore, now they carry one of these and don't know how to use it. But there's no going back on this one, I fear, and overall it's probably not too bad of an advance.

Carrying your camera as part of a multi-device is probably okay, if that's what you plan on using to take all of the pictures of your trip.

However, I am dead set against listening to music in the backcountry. Whenever I see someone hiking or backpacking along a beautiful trail wearing earphones, with the sound of the wind in the trees, the babbling brook by your side and the birds calling as they swoop through the skies the only thing I can think of is how badly I would like to practice SSS and put them out of their misery.

I don't believe in taking a phone into the backcountry either. Too many unprepared people head out with them as a crutch, calling in a rescue instead of finding a way out of it like the good old days (yes, I am old). If one is really worried about getting help in case of a serious accident or getting lost, carry a SPOT.

The problem these days, as Benny mentioned as a plus, is that smart phones now have all of this, and more. So, it's getting harder and harder to get people to unplug and enjoy nature as it is, without some electronic enhancement - which is why I am mostly against it on principle.

Smart phones are incredible things. I was reading an article today about the decline of retail, and where are all of the retail jobs going. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/where-did-retail-jobs-131000931.html They had reposted a picture from a tweet (another piece of crap that shouldn't be allowed to access in the backcountry, btw) and the caption was that all of this now fits in your pocket (meaning smart phones)



I guess I am just an old fart, bemoaning the fact that young people (and some old) now prefer to listen to music in the backcountry rather than the music of nature and are so engrossed in the electronics that they lose sight of the reason that most of us head out anyway - to get away from civilization and all that crap and back to a simpler time in life before we have to return.

Btw, when Ryan swings by next to check out the forum (probably in a few months since he was here recently and FB is so much more interesting) he may comment on his JMT hike and what they did. I know that when they stopped at my place in Mammoth for a night off the trail that they left behind a bunch of batteries that they didn't need. I don't remember if they had a charger, or just weren't burning through them as fast as they thought, or what, but he will probably have something to add here.

[John Harper]

And I was going to bring my Iphone and a small speaker to the GTW, so I could share my extensive collection of "Death Metal" hits and misses this year. So much for that idea.

John

[Papasequoia]

And I was going to bring my Iphone and a small speaker to the GTW, so I could share my extensive collection of "Death Metal" hits and misses this year. So much for that idea.

John

I don't know if you were serious, half kidding, or fully kidding ;-) however, that's why I hate car camping these days.