Power Bank or Solar Panel? Or both?

[Kountry Biscuit]

My buddy and I will be doing a four-day backpacking trip and I am wondering what the most efficient power charging method we should utilize. We will both have smart phones, Garmin In-Reach's, and camera.

I am wondering if weight is a consideration for a power bank that can handle all of that over four days... Maybe a small solar panel would be lighter and provide continuous charging.

Any advice is welcome.

 

[UtahJimmy]

I usually use a small Anker bank to recharge my cellphone. Garmin inReach mini charge parts me weeks as I only power it on when I send messages.

I'm moving to a few more rechargeable items so I got a 20k mAh bank that has small solar panels built in. Best of both worlds although solar is super inefficient and takes days to recharge the bank.

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[MThuntr]

For a 4 day trip I'd go with a power bank over a solar panel. I just don't know if the small solar panels are efficient enough to justify the cost. Plus if you're moving during the daylight hours and you're not in full sun then you're not charging (or it is very minimal) vs plugging into a battery whenever necessary.

My InReach will go the 4 days if I'm not messaging constantly. Turn it off at the end of the day to make it last even longer.

Get an Anker 20k mAh (give or take in size) and you'll have enough juice for all your needs. Be sure to spend the money on a decent one. I made the mistake of buying a cheap copycat and it is questionable on longevity.

I don't know your camera's needs but I'd wager you have extra batteries and aren't using it all day so you may get away with a single battery with a spare.

 

[Bubblehide]

A power bank will work fine for a 4 or so day trip. But you may not want to leave your devices on unless using them. When you charge an item, make sure you unplug it once it is fully charged, as it can continue to drain the power bank.

The problem with solar is that it needs to be left out in the sun with your device(s) to charge them. Or with a power bank to charge the power bank. Those power banks are lithium batteries. As such, if they get rained on, there is a good chance they will instantly drain their power, in the form of extreme heat, lighting the forest on fire.

When not in use, keep the power bank(s) in your sleeping bags, as severe cold can drain their charge. Or carry them with you in a leg pocket as a means of keeping them reasonably warm.

 

[Kountry Biscuit]

For a 4 day trip I'd go with a power bank over a solar panel. I just don't know if the small solar panels are efficient enough to justify the cost. Plus if you're moving during the daylight hours and you're not in full sun then you're not charging (or it is very minimal) vs plugging into a battery whenever necessary.

My InReach will go the 4 days if I'm not messaging constantly. Turn it off at the end of the day to make it last even longer.

Get an Anker 20k mAh (give or take in size) and you'll have enough juice for all your needs. Be sure to spend the money on a decent one. I made the mistake of buying a cheap copycat and it is questionable on longevity.

I don't know your camera's needs but I'd wager you have extra batteries and aren't using it all day so you may get away with a single battery with a spare.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[archp625]

Through my research, not personal use solar panels are not very efficient. I cannot find one that makes sense to bring. Someone please correct me if I am wrong. I want to be wrong. I think get a battery that's big enough to charge your devices.

 

[hikenhunt]

For 4 days, I'd go battery pack every time. Charge when you want to, even multiple devices, and it's not weather dependent.

 

[AKDoc]

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.

 

[Beendare]

Get one of those solar backpacks like the cool kids- grin

Yep, longer trips of 2 weeks or more for solar...even then it takes forever for those little solar panels to get you much juice.


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[KH_bowfly]

Some good advice so far. I don’t think you mentioned which season you’re going and which phone you have. Season could affect available sunlight hours and your phone type can vary battery needs greatly. My new phone I got last year is twice as good on battery as my previous phone.

For a 4-day trip I likely wouldn’t carry either. My phone and inreach mini would both last no problem. I agree about electronics in the sleeping bag.

If anything, I might carry a small battery pack as a backup. Although, if you’re setting up a base camp and have long late season nights then a battery pack could come in more handy. You’ll be with a buddy, but I enjoy podcasts at night if I’m solo and have time to kill at night.


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[Kountry Biscuit]

Some good advice so far. I don’t think you mentioned which season you’re going and which phone you have. Season could affect available sunlight hours and your phone type can vary battery needs greatly. My new phone I got last year is twice as good on battery as my previous phone.

For a 4-day trip I likely wouldn’t carry either. My phone and inreach mini would both last no problem. I agree about electronics in the sleeping bag.

If anything, I might carry a small battery pack as a backup. Although, if you’re setting up a base camp and have long late season nights then a battery pack could come in more handy. You’ll be with a buddy, but I enjoy podcasts at night if I’m solo and have time to kill at night.


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We will be going to Idaho at the end of May... This feedback has been great from all respondents. Very long days apparently so I am guessing we should at least bring a battery pack. Probably not going to need a solar panel it sounds like.

 

[Southern Lights]

I have used both and a battery pack is all most people ever need. If you want, have one for you and your buddy just in case. Solar panels are bulky for anything that works in a reasonable time. For four days I've never had a device really run out of juice if used judiciously (e.g. phone in airplane mode with all RF turned off, GPS used only when needed, etc.).

 

[Cole]

Through my research, not personal use solar panels are not very efficient. I cannot find one that makes sense to bring. Someone please correct me if I am wrong. I want to be wrong. I think get a battery that's big enough to charge your devices.

On my longer backpack hunts I take the Goal Zero Nomad 5. Works great and doesn’t weigh too much. I’ve been using mine for 2 years. I bring a small battery pack to charge during the day while I hunt. On a good day I get about 3 iPhone charges per day with the Nomad 5.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

What's right for you depends largely on how much you plan to use your devices. With light use, you may not need any backup power at all for a 4 day trip. I've been unimpressed by the power output of my Goal Zero Nomad 7 solar panel and now rely on a pre-charged power bank and careful battery management instead of solar (e.g., put phone in airplane mode + battery saver mode when on and turn it off at night, set inReach message check interval to manual).

 

[archp625]

On my longer backpack hunts I take the Goal Zero Nomad 5. Works great and doesn’t weigh too much. I’ve been using mine for 2 years. I bring a small battery pack to charge during the day while I hunt. I get about 4 iPhone charges per day with the Nomad 5.

Damn, that’s legit. I may have to look into one. I just read so many things saying they don’t charge worth a crap.

 

[Cole]

Damn, that’s legit. I may have to look into one. I just read so many things saying they don’t charge worth a crap.

Happy to share some intel with you!

You just have to be smart about it. Make sure to keep the panel in direct sunlight. If it’s cloudy it doesn’t work as well but it still works. I’ll move mine throughout the day as the sun moves. In extreme cold you have keep the battery warm when charging but you should be doing that with all your electronic devices. Other then that it’s pretty easy and has worked well for me. I have no complaints about the Nomad 5.

 

[archp625]

I think I’m going to buy one to try out.

 

[*zap*]

I have a small ravpower portable solar panel, it charges a power pack well for what it is.....my ravpower power packs have performed very well.

 

[Cole]

What's right for you depends largely on how much you plan to use your devices. With light use, you may not need any backup power at all for a 4 day trip. I've been unimpressed by the power output of my Goal Zero Nomad 7 solar panel and now rely on a pre-charged power bank and careful battery management instead of solar (e.g., put phone in airplane mode + battery saver mode when on and turn it off at night, set inReach message check interval to manual).

I’ve heard some bad things about the Nomad 7 as well. I think Goal Zero discontinued it because of all the issues it was having.

 

[zacattack]

I carry two of the anker power packs just in case one craps out.