I will be going to my first trip in a month or so. I was wondering if anyone knows of a good portable batter charger for iphone and ipad? due to work i will still need to have access to them, but i want to make sure that i will have enough battery to last the whole trip…
pinki wong
Check out the Suntactics PC5 solar charger. This is what I’ve used the past couple of years, along with an iPhone and USB-chargeable headlamp (Tikka) as my only electronics (with the exception of a dedicated camera on occasion). The up-front expense is a little steep, but it’s a quality product - durable and very fast charging - and should pay for itself over the long haul. And the peace of mind of not worrying about batteries on the trail is, I think, quite liberating.
blisterfree
PinkI,
Just in the last year I have begun to use a solar charger and now I can’t live without it. My HTC does great pic’s, 10 gigs of music, HD video, GPS, Police Scanner, Radio, Phone Calls, Trail Maps, Google Maps for towns, Data plan for internet (no more town libraries that are always closed), and lots more. I use the phone a lot! Don’t get one of those tiny solar chargers. I have one about the size of what blisterfree (above) is recommending. I often have to hike with solar panel attached to the top of the pack to charge up. I just bought a Steripen for my water sterilizer and it too has a microUSB port that will attach to the solar panel.
hellkat
Revolve Sol-sport 5 Solar Charger. At REI it’s $70. I’m not recommending this one in particular but it does have grommets in the corners that make it easy to tie to a pack.
hellkat
A cheaper and less finicky, but probably heavier option is a battery charger. I used this back when I had an iPhone http://www.cellularoutfitter.com/p-158534-apple-iphone-4s-battery-powered-sos-emergency-charger-w-interchang-_c.html?source=gbase&gclid=CKnBu-SRuboCFdGe4AodsXAArg
It’s a good choice if you are already carrying spare batteries for headlamp/GPS/whatever.
Probably Stalin
Nothing about chargers…but…I’m planning a thru of the AZT beginning March 15 from the southern border. Anybody out there thinking likewise.
I have completed the PCT, Colorado, Snake River, and two other wilderness areas in Oregon. I usually hike solo but if there is somebody out there that wants to think about doing this trail and is skeptical by themselves, I will chat. I have the maps, and will soon download the trail to my GPS.
Happy trails,
Joe…haznohorse
haznohorse
First off, I will confess that I’m too cheap to be an Apple guy, so I’ve never actually used an Iphone or Ipad. Instead, I buy cheap android devices, which I particularly like for hiking because if they become lost or damaged the financial consequences are minimal.
Having said that, my experience is that it’s been a great deal light, simpler and cheaper for me to buy a couple of spare batteries for my Android phone from an E-bay seller. The cheap, Chinese vendors sell them for $6-7 each and this enables me to simply bring my USB wall-charger with me and recharge all of the batteries while I’m in town. The batteries probably weigh about 30 grams each, so this is a very light way to extend the usage time for my smartphone.
I hiked the AZT this spring, so I know from personal experience that you will most certainly not lack sunshine if you elect to use a solar charger. However, do keep in mind that it’s a very dusty place and that can wreak havoc with some electronics (particularly cameras that have an optical zoom).
In any case, the AZT is an awesome hike, so enjoy!
Loup