Are you looking for the best solar charger for backpacking? Well, look no more! In this article we will describe the many aspects of solar chargers and then give you our top 3 picks for solar charger for back packing.
What is a solar Charger?
Solar Charger is a device similar to any other mobile charger but it uses solar energy instead of conventional electric power to charge your device. Solar Energy is collected through solar panels which convert the solar energy to electricity using its photo voltaic cells which is then used for charging. Some of them do have a charging bank along them but not necessarily.
Use of solar charger
With the advancement in technology, mobile phones have become the necessity of today’s world rather than a luxury. We can find the location to any specific area, pay your bills, communicate with anyone, even earn on it. But all of this is only possible if your mobile remains on all the time which is not possible as every battery needs to be recharged no matter how efficient it is. So what are you going to do if you are in the middle of hike and suddenly your phone goes off. Well that’s when the solar charger hops in with its capability of charging your device with the sunlight.
Do we really need them?
Well the answer to this question depends on the kind of person you are. If you are a traveller-kind-of person you must buy it instantly as it’ll charge your phone on a tiring hike or during a visit to far off desert. But if you are more of an indoor person who always has easy access to the socket then you should pass. Also if you are a resident of a sunny area it will benefit you a lot but residents of a rainy or colder region should look for other options.
Factors to consider before buying
Well it’s always handy to carry a solar charger with you but before you set your foot out to buy one. There are a few things that you must consider:
- Large-Area Panels:
The solar panel with greater surface area will surely absorb more sunlight and thus will produce more electricity in a set amount of time. This feature is also useful in times when you have a very limited amount of time to stay in sunlight as it can charge your device way faster and also on a rainy cold day when the sunlight intensity is relatively less. Tough the smaller solar chargers are easier to carry but are less efficient.
- Foldable feature:
This feature solves the problem of large space taken by the greater solar panels. A mini pack of solar charger fully transforms into three or four sided panel as it unfolds from a single solar panel. Thus provide large surface area for absorption of sunlight.
- Output Current:
You must see the output rating of the charger before buying one. As a 2A charger will surely charge the device faster than a 1A charger. Well often there is more than one port for charging multiple devices simultaneously. But do check the total output capability of these ports as they tend to decrease when you charge multiple devices at a time.
The Top 5 Best Solar Chargers for Backpacking:
Well as all products have their own pros and cons but some of them do have additional features as they shine on the top of our list. Let’s have a look:
