[pct-l] Lightest backpacking solar charger

[walt Durling]

Hi Joe.  You can google "best solar chargers" and find a couple of articles comparing several models, and go from there.  I'm not sure whether simply choosing the "lightest" one is the best way to go, though.

 I'm hiking the PCT this year and began with a bushnell solarwrap 400 I got from LL Bean for about $160.  It weighs about 10 ozs.  The first one they sent didn't work.  The second one worked fine.  On the trail it powered my iPhone 4S to about 95% from about 10%.  Not bad. I noticed the panels have to be pointing directly at the sun to recharge, and it takes a full 8 hours of that.  A lighter alternative is the bushnell mini wrap, also sold under the Bear Grylls brand and relatively inexpensive.  It gets mixed reviews but is lighter and smaller. Inbetween is the solarwrap 200.

However, I decided to go lighter and replaced the 400 with a suntastics battery pack 6000 mAh for $35.  It's not solar.  You charge it from a  computer or the wall. It weighs 4.6 ozs and has recharged my phone 3 times to 100% and to about 20% on the 4th charge.  By using airport mode or only turning on my phone when needed, I can go a long time with this system, and needn't depend on the sun or it's angle.  I simply recharge the device in town. Suntastics also has solar chargers.  At present they have 10% off their website and offer a 5 year warranty and enjoy good reviews.

The bottom line here from one who is using these products is that the solar chargers range from inexpensive to moderately expensive, from very lightweight to moderately lightweight, and have mixed reviews.  None of them, except the most expensive, will charge a phone more than once.  Some are better than others about recharging in the sun, and some are more rugged than others.  With a bit of online sleuthing I think you can find what you're looking for.  Good luck!

Sent from my iPad

> On May 1, 2014, at 23:38, Joe Roth <jroth2353 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> What is the lightest solar charger that charges i phones?
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