Solar panels

ND_muley

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
100
Location
Fargo, ND
I'll be going on my first backcountry trip this fall and have most of my gear squared away. I searched on here and didn't find much information on solar panels. I already have a couple Mophie charging banks that i was planning on bringing and figured a small solar panel would be an easy way to keep them charged up for my gps, phone, headlamp, etc.

Does anyone have any experience with solar panels and which ones would you recommend? Amazon has a ton of options across all price points but I really don't know what I should be looking for.

Thanks
 

Trial153

WKR
Joined
Oct 28, 2014
Messages
8,187
Location
NY
I have the newest goal zero nomand 7, works good for what it is. That said I dont really pack it any place. If I am flying in or at basecamp I will set it up to keep stuff charged if I have the weight to spare. Otherwise I dont feel like it's a good use of weight to pack in vs a extra power pack.
 
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
52
Location
Butte, MT
I spend two months out in the bush and use a nekteck solar panel to charge my stuff, works great for my phone's and tablet's or anything that has a USB. But I wouldn't pack it anywhere with me, that's what power banks are for. Unless you're going to be out for more than 10 days I wouldn't bring one as a power bank will be plenty to charge all your devices.
 

Life_Feeds_On_Life

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 16, 2017
Messages
262
Location
AZ
I got an Anker solar panel years ago on Amazon for like $50. I've never compared it to power packs or other panels but it gets the job done and I do bring it in longer backpacking trips.
 

Jskaanland

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 19, 2016
Messages
1,700
Location
Washington
If you're not setting a basecamp and hunting with your gear I found it too hard to charge stuff during the day. Now if you're in a basecamp on a longer hunt and dont mind the extra weight that would work in tandem with a battery pack.
 
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ND_muley

ND_muley

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
100
Location
Fargo, ND
Thanks for the replies. We will be hiking in, setting up camp, and hunting from there. I planned on leaving it at camp to charge during the day so I wont be carrying it every day.
 
Joined
Feb 20, 2014
Messages
1,043
Location
Southwest Colorado
how long are you planning to be hunting for? I use my phone for GPS and can usually hunt 2 days without charging it and then I have a 10,000 mah power pack that will recharge my phone 3 times. If i needed anything more I would probably just get another battery pack.
 

mtluckydan

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 7, 2012
Messages
286
Run a headlamp like a zebra light with larger batteries that will last entire trip & a power bank like dark energy poseidon for phone & other electronics. Solar panel is more gimmick than reliable source of energy especially given varying weather you may encounter

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Rob5589

WKR
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
6,243
Location
N CA
I have a GZ Nomad 7 with battery pack. It works well and will charge large phones fairly easily; tablets very slowly. But, it really needs to remain in constant heavy sun to really perform well. As I found, that is rarely possible given terrain, weather, and available placement. A charge block, or two, is a far better option.
 
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ND_muley

ND_muley

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
100
Location
Fargo, ND
We'll be out 7 to 10 days. I've already got 2 battery packs but maybe I'll just pick up a bigger battery pack and bring that and one of the mophies I already have and call it good.
 

Backyard

WKR
Joined
Jan 24, 2014
Messages
698
Location
Minnesnowta
I use a Goal Zero. Works very well for me. I leave it in the sun with the charger stick attached all day and when I get back in the evening I charge my phone and watch back to 100%. Still have 50% left in the charge stick after. The whole system (panel and charger)weighs 16oz. No issues ever.


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Joined
Mar 15, 2019
Messages
16
Location
Central Texas
I've used my GZ guide 10 paired with the Nomad 7+ for a few years now. I usually take a it and an extra battery bank (dark energy poseidon), let it charge the banks at base camp while im out during the day and once I get back at night, top my phone (which i use for GPS) and my delorme off before I go to bed. Since I use the phone alot I tend to start running low on power by the end of the 5th day. This year I aquired a Venture 70 and a Nomad 28 panel, they are heavy for sure, but it will only be heavy two times, in and out, hopefully this setup will last for a full 7 days. Oh and I'm also charging AAA's for my headlamp as well with my guide 10. The best upgrade to my setup so far was buying some quality rechargeable batteries, those panasonic enoloop pros, are pretty solid batteries.
 

bamagun

FNG
Joined
Sep 14, 2018
Messages
93
Location
alabama/florida
Nomad 7, but only because it was free.. haha.. Never used it in a backcountry setting, but will be giving it a go this summer and possibly this fall if I don't find a lighter more efficient panel.
 

Tedy321

FNG
Joined
Oct 24, 2020
Messages
1
I'll be going on my first backcountry trip this fall and have most of my gear squared away. I searched on here and didn't find much information on solar panels. I already have a couple Mophie charging banks that i was planning on bringing and figured a small solar panel would be an easy way to keep them charged up for my gps, phone, headlamp, etc.

Does anyone have any experience with solar panels and which ones would you recommend? Amazon has a ton of options across all price points but I really don't know what I should be looking for.

Thanks
Hi, to be honest, I was a little confused, since I never took solar panels with me on trips. This is certainly convenient, but not practical as for me. Small solar panels produce a very small amount of electrical energy, in the best case, you can charge everything in a few days, this is given that the weather will be clear. You can look at https://www.solarsamui2020.com/ . My friends praised this site, although I'm not sure that you will find what you need there. There are different panels, different sizes and different technologies, I hope you can find what you need there. I will be glad to be useful to you , good luck :)
 
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