What is the best solar charger for backpacking trips?
I just got a Goal Zero Nomad 3.5 from REI but i'm not too sure that i'm gonna like it. I'm going on a 9 day camping trip in North Carolina and will need to keep head lamp, iphone, and GoPro charged. I'm not too sure that this little thing can do it. I do want something small and lightweight so its easy to carry on a backpack. Any suggestions?
You just bought the best that money buy. However weather and where you place it will make a difference. I have found that strapping them to the top of my pack I don't have to sit around and wait for my electronics to charge. I use it them to recharge batteries for my camera, GPS and ham radio
The New York Times reported this week that
a public use park was installing solar powered
stations that will freely charge electronics of
passer-by. That article may also suggest the
solar technology is available for backpacking.
Goal Zero is top of the line.
You need to reduce your need for electricity. Forget the I-phone; turn it off and use it only if it's an emergency. Headlamp can be run on batteries and while camping you should go to sleep when it gets dark. Think about what it was like in the 1800s before travelers had electricity: you don't need it.
I have a Goal Zero solar charger and this:
http://www.goalzero.com/shop/p/112/Lighthouse-Lantern/10:1/
If you really need to charge anything via a USB cord, use a hand crank.
But it's camping! You should not need electricity.
I bought a Goal Zero for about $160. Even in bright sunlight, I have never had a full charge on any set of rechargeable batteries that I placed in the charger. Much more reliable, I use an inverter from the cigarette lighter socket in my car when I'm traveling. I also carry a portable power pack battery in my car that has a 12-volt cigarette lighter socket. You should have no problem with your headlamps, especially with a set of back-up lithium cells and an extra headlamp to protect against any kind of failures. I keep several rechargeable camera batteries in my backpack to hold me over several days. You should purchase a few spare batteries for the GoPro. Skip the iPhone.
Http://www.budk.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=174209&
check this out hope its helpful
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