Solar Windup Sturdy iPhone Charger

[dmperkins74]

hey gang, looking for recommendations for a charger that is both solar and wind up powered that I can hang off my pack while hiking to collect some rays and plug my iPhone in at the end of the day. Any recommendations?

[saltysack]

Save ur money!!! Get a newtrent battery back up


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[colorado_rob]

Save ur money!!! Get a newtrent battery back up


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Yep. Sorry, there's just not enough solar energy to collect with anything that is of reasonable size. There is a kinetic energy thingie around, I forget what it's called, it bounces along when you walk and generates some juice, again, probably not much, as you walk. A New trent or something similar is the way to go.

Or dump the Apple and get an Android phone that has replacement batteries; I carry one of those with three 0.7 ounce extra batteries so the four total batteries last a very long time, 3+ weeks (mostly on airplane mode, of course).

[steve0423]

+1
Love my newtrent, have a few different models and each works very well.

[atraildreamer]

Google wind up flashlight and cell phone charger. Here are two example of what are available:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=wind+up+cell+phone+charger&tag=g ooghydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=22436909575&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=& hvnetw=g&hvrand=17735564577094302550&hvpone=&hvptw o=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_769v4wdctd_b


http://www.k-tor.com/hand-crank-gene...FQmBfgodG7wAOg

[Possum Bill]

I have a hand crank charger (with flashlight) and I've found it to be pretty useless. I can crank for an hour an only get a couple percent charge. I ended up going with a Goal Zero solar panel to charge my iPhone. It's small and fairly lightweight. Everybody says they are useless too, and it's true that you'll get very little charge by putting in top of your pack while hiking. But what I do is find a sunny spot to stop for lunch, etc., and if I let it sit stationary, pointing toward the sun, I can get 10 percent or more charge on my iPhone in a half hour or so. It's at least enough to make one call per day and check in at home.

[88BlueGT]

Get yourself a Droid and a few extra batteries. Cheapest/lightest option

[magneto]

I researched all this extensively. I ended up with a Mophie 12000 milliamp-hour battery. It is about the size of a pack of cigarettes and does not require sun to work. Weighs 11 ounces and recharges and iPhone 6 times. It has two standard USB charging ports and can recharge two devices at once. Charge before leaving. Combine with an iPhone battery case - and get 9 full charges, including the internal battery. I carried one on my 100 Mile Wilderness hike and used it to power my iPhone and DeLorme InReach. I used the iPhone as a keyboard for the InReach (bluetooth connection) and sent/received over 160 messages plus used the InReach tracking point feature extensively. I also used my iPhone every now and then for cell calls (where service was) and to look at my position using Guthook's AT Guide. I still had 25% of the Mophie battery left after 10 full days on the trail; it was plenty. Mophie sells a 6000 milliamp-hour version that is 1/2 the weight. This would be fine for shorter trips - like 5 days.

[Colter]

hey gang, looking for recommendations for a charger that is both solar and wind up powered that I can hang off my pack while hiking to collect some rays and plug my iPhone in at the end of the day. Any recommendations?

I agree with those who suggest not going that route. Not enough sun on the AT, and wind-up power is difficult and inefficient. I have an iPhone and have done lots of solar charging in sunnier places. On the AT I would carry an external battery of some kind and recharge it at town stops. A much better plan.

[Theosus]

I never understood the "dump phone x and get phone y" crowd. A phone is a personal choice, you wouldn't tell someone "yeah dump your canon and get a nikon". If someone has a certain phone - I just assume they'll stick with it. I wouldn't want to switch to Droid - I've had iPhone since before droid existed to copy them. I like the device, I'm familiar with the interface, and finally got used to iTunes. Plus - if you have all your apps on one system, then you have to find comparable apps on the other system.

That being said - I have a battery pack, but use my phone seldom enough on my short trips (3-4 days) that I don't really need it. There ARE a few battery packs with a solar cell. You can plug the thing into the wall and charge it, or lay it in the sun and top off the battery. Then plug it into your device and you don't need the sun... If I was going on a long trip I might go that route. Plus, some phones are power finicky. If the solar power drops below a certain level the device won't charge at all and may go into a constant charge/not charge loop beeping or buzzing every so often, actually USING more power than they gain. So JUST having a solar cell may do nothing for you.

[2015 Lady Thru-Hiker]

I ended up going with a Goal Zero solar panel to charge my iPhone. It's small and fairly lightweight. Everybody says they are useless too, and it's true that you'll get very little charge by putting in top of your pack while hiking. But what I do is find a sunny spot to stop for lunch, etc., and if I let it sit stationary, pointing toward the sun, I can get 10 percent or more charge on my iPhone in a half hour or so. It's at least enough to make one call per day and check in at home.

I am leaving my Goal Zero solar panel at home and carrying the charging pack. With a USB cord and a wall plug I can use it to charge all my batteries while in town and use the charged up back batteries to charge my phone if needed. (am going to change from my iphone to a samsung galaxy before I head out so it should work. currently the battery pack will not charge an iphone)

[saltysack]

I am leaving my Goal Zero solar panel at home and carrying the charging pack. With a USB cord and a wall plug I can use it to charge all my batteries while in town and use the charged up back batteries to charge my phone if needed. (am going to change from my iphone to a samsung galaxy before I head out so it should work. currently the battery pack will not charge an iphone)

Newtrent charges iphone...cheap n light


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[Slo-go'en]

Just for fun, I carried a 99 cent solar powered garden light on the back of my pack and used it for a night light next to my tent. It worked pretty good for the first 400 miles or so. It would usually get enough sun for it to stay on most of the night. But once I got up to about Damascus, it wasn't getting enough sun to stay on even for an hour after dark. That's when I stuck it in someones yard and walked away

[Ken.davidson]

I have a hand crank charger (with flashlight) and I've found it to be pretty useless. I can crank for an hour an only get a couple percent charge. I ended up going with a Goal Zero solar panel to charge my iPhone. It's small and fairly lightweight. Everybody says they are useless too, and it's true that you'll get very little charge by putting in top of your pack while hiking. But what I do is find a sunny spot to stop for lunch, etc., and if I let it sit stationary, pointing toward the sun, I can get 10 percent or more charge on my iPhone in a half hour or so. It's at least enough to make one call per day and check in at home.

+1 on charging during lunch.

[rocketsocks]

Just for fun, I carried a 99 cent solar powered garden light on the back of my pack and used it for a night light next to my tent. It worked pretty good for the first 400 miles or so. It would usually get enough sun for it to stay on most of the night. But once I got up to about Damascus, it wasn't getting enough sun to stay on even for an hour after dark. That's when I stuck it in someones yard and walked away

good leave.