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Solar power is evolving fast, leading to new applications for the technology and greatly reduced cost. One benefit of this is small, affordable and lightweight chargers to power your devices on the go, whether camping, hiking, or just spending a day at the beach. They’re also great to have on hand for emergency power in an outage. Mini Wall Usb Charger
These devices range from small battery packs with integrated solar panels to suitcase-sized kits that offer more charging and battery capabilities. Smaller units are great for tossing in a backpack to power your phone or other small electronics, while larger ones can power multiple devices and small appliances for backcountry adventures or larger outdoor gatherings. Whatever your budget or needs, we’ve found the best options on the market today. Looking For Car Accessories? Match your car to your style with varied car accessories like seat covers, floor mats and more. Get competitive pricing from top brands here. Advertisement THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT EDITORIAL CONTENT. Please note that we do receive compensation for any products you buy or sign up to via this advertisement, and that compensation impacts the ranking and placement of any offers listed herein. We do not present information about every offer available. The information and savings numbers depicted above are for demonstration purposes only, and your results may vary. Explore Options On Amazon
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USB Type C, USB Type A
Fast Charge,Fast Charger,Fast Charging,Portable
Fast Charge, Fast Charger, Fast Charging, Portable Charger
Waterproof, dustproof and shockproof, the Blavor Qi hand held power bank is compact, rugged and ready to go. Toss it in your backpack or car trunk, and you’ll never have to worry about having power when you need it. Designed for camping and hiking, its features include two flashlights as well as an integrated compass and carabiner to hitch it to a backpack. In addition to Micro USB and USB-A and C ports, the side opposite the solar panel is a Qi wireless charging pad. Just make sure it’s charged before heading out, as this is more like a battery pack with solar capability than it is a solar charger. It could take several days to recharge on solar power alone. The Blavor Qi has a 10,000 mAh capacity and provides six hours of power when fully charged.
Best Added Capacity Handheld Solar Charger
Best Added Capacity Handheld Solar Charger
Similar to the Blavor QI, the QiSa solar power bank is slightly larger and holds more charge. But the big difference is it has additional fold out solar panels to make solar recharging more viable when the battery is depleted. That means the QiSa can fully recharge in several hours, rather than days. In addition to two USB ports, it has a wireless charging pad, which is on the same side as the solar panel. That means you can charge three items while the solar panels are deployed. Though it’s not as brutally rugged as the Balvor, it’s still waterproof, dustproof and shockproof.
Best Compact Camping Solar Charger
Best Compact Camping Solar Charger
A serious solar panel system that folds to the size of a laptop, the SolarFairy features USB-A, USB-C and even DC 14.4V and 19V outputs, and packs the capacity to keep all your devices going for a camping trip or day at the beach. It also has a rack system that allows you to point the panels in the direction of the sun at all times, and anchors at each corner allow you to secure it in windy conditions. Added features include a carrying case, surge and short circuit protection to guard against device damage and a variety of connectors and adaptors for different applications.
Looking for a lightweight, compact and affordable small device charger you can pack up and take anywhere? The BigBlue features multiple panels to capture more power than similarly sized chargers and has three USB ports to charge multiple devices at once. It all packs into a canvas carrying bag small enough to fit into a backpack. Waterproof and equipped with large corner anchors to keep it secure, the BigBlue is powerful, compact and reasonably priced, making it the ultimate solar panel for truly roughing it.
Not every camping trip involves backpacking to a remote region. For many, going into the wild means loading up the family car and hitting a relaxing campsite with stoves and inflatable mattresses. For those happy campers, the Jackery Solar Generator is the best bet. At 41 pounds, chances are you won’t be backpacking with it. But the Jackery is loaded with features including USB-A, USB-C and AC wall-style outlets, and can be fully charged in six hours or less using either two big solar panels or A/C power. When fully charged, it can power things like an electric grill, blender, coffee maker, laptop, mini-fridge and more.
We consider mAh (milliampere/hour) capacity of the charger, voltage, amperage and charge time of the solar charger, along with charge hold length.
We rate these portable solar charger units on price, extra features, size and ease of setup, charge time, charge duration, company customer service interactions and the unit’s warranty.
Through research and evaluation, we judge each solar charger unit by these weighted metrics:
To find the right solar charger for you, you need to plan how you’ll use it. Look for the mAh (milliampere/hour) capacity of the charger with the mAh capacity of the batteries in the devices you plan to charge. For example, if your solar charger has a capacity of 20,000 mAh and your cellphone’s battery has a capacity of 5,000 mAh, when you divide the charger’s capacity (20,000) by the phone battery’s capacity (5,000), you see that you can charge that phone four times (20,000/5,000).
It all depends. The small handheld chargers could take days, and so they require pre-charging the battery pack. For a compact battery and a fold-out panel, it could take three hours to charge. The same issues arise when you scale up, and so without pre-charging, a solar power bank could take days in direct sunlight to fully charge.
Even a small solar charger can power up your mobile phone between five and 10 times. It all depends on the battery size. A handheld device is perfect for a few people looking to keep their phones fully charged. The standalone fold-out panels work as long as you’ve got them deployed.
Technology is improving all the time, but it often comes down to the quality of the manufacturer. Reports vary wildly, from three to 20 years. For the smaller, more affordable options, it’s likely closer to a handful of years. Expect about 80% of the stated life by the manufacturer.
Yes. Though most effective in direct sunlight, the panel can still capture energy when it is overcast. They can also capture some residual energy when you are in the shade or if you are in indirect sunlight. They will even work by capturing light from a lamp at home, but at that rate, you should use the power input to charge its battery pack from a wall outlet.
Some of these products have a one-year warranty. Others have a two-year warranty. Some do not have a warranty at all. For the more expensive products, it may be possible (and recommended) to buy an extended warranty.
George Kennedy has reviewed cars and provided car advice for outlets such as Consumer Reports, CarGurus, U.S. News & World Report, the Boston Globe, AutoBlog and others. He is the managing editor for UpShift, the official publication of the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts. George has owned multiple future-classics before they were collectible, including a 1986 Toyota 4Runner, an XJ Jeep Cherokee and a two-door Chevy Tahoe.
Cute Hand Warmers Jim Travers is a lifelong gearhead, and a freelance writer, editor, and photographer. A classic car enthusiast, collector, and a regular judge on the car show circuit, Jim is the author of the Smithsonian Institute’s Extreme Cars. He has also written for Automobile, Autoblog, BBC Autos, Car and Driver, Consumer Reports, Hagerty, US News, and others. He lives in Duxbury, Massachusetts, a town known for both its beach and its dump. On weekends, Jim is a regular at both.