Solar chargers

imported
#1

I’m planning to thru hike this year and wondered if anyone used a solar charger for their GPS or Ipod.

snapshot

#2

I don’t have any personal knowledge, but this subject has been discussed at some length and the general consensus is that it’s not worth the extra weight. It DOES work but poorly. I carry an extra battery for my Blackberry Curve and Kodak camera,much lighter than a charger.

Sparky

#3

I have a Solio and after a few week-longg hikes with it, just left it at home. It takes too many hours to recharge. After a few days, you can’t charge it fast enough to keep up with your phone/ipod, depending how much you use these them. Extra batteries for the phone works better, I think. The ipod, of course doesn’t have extra batteries. The Solio needs pretty direct sunlight which means that if you are in shady area during your day hiking, you don’t get enough. Later afernoon sunlight may not be direct enought (depending on the time of year), or long enough to adequately recharge. There are better units out there that respond better and hold more charge but they get pretty expensive.

Papa-Razzi

#4

Ditto Papa-Razzi regarding the Solio. Mine went back to REI after a single 10-day trip. It takes days of normal sun for the Solio to recharge.

I need some serious power to keep my Droid going; The Brunton Sync works fine and give me 5-6 days. I might crack open the battery pack and once I can ID the battery, make my own external battery packs.

dioko

#5

I hiked with a Solio Magnesium on the PCT in 2008 and on the CDT this year with good results. The Solio Magnesium had an internal 1800 mAh battery - which can be charged in town also. The Magnesium has more efficient solar panels.

Papa-Razzi and dioko are correct, it takes a couple of days to charge. In my experience mounting the solio parallel to the ground on top of my pack works best. I don’t have any experience with other Solio models, and heard alot of complaints from fellow hikers.

In New Mexico in full sun I could charge it in a little over a day. As I continued north reaching Colorado, with the trees, storms and overcast it was more like 3 days. That’s as far as I hiked this year.

There is also a new device that harness energy via movement, nPowerPeg. I haven’t tried it yet.

Have fun on your hike. BTW north or south?

Flippy