View Full Version : Where do you charge your devices?
I was just curious how you guys charge your phone/battery pack when you go into town and you aren't staying at a hotel/hostel. Where do you plug in at?
If im not staying in town, Im hiking. If Im hiking, there is nothing to plug in to. There are solar chargers you can buy that work pretty well when the sun is shining, but its best to be someplace sunny, and hiking the AT isnt sunny.
Restaurants (fast-food or otherwise) are pretty much number one. Doing laundry at a laundromat on occasion.
If you're not staying in town but expect to spend some time at grocery shopping ... it doesn't hurt to ask!
Sometimes it's not so much an "in town" per se situation as, for example, a little store or gas station mini-mart outside of town. Stop to buy food to carry and buy food to eat on the spot, ask to charge your device while you're eating whatever. Or perhaps you can walk to the side or the back of the building and there's an outlet.
After a thru-hike, it can be hard to get out of the habit of peering under the tables of a restaurant that you walk into, trying to find the one that has an electric outlet ... :-)
There are certainly more possibilities, but it's a matter of keeping your eyes open, and/or asking politely. So for example, if staying in an established campground --- maybe the camp host has power, or maybe there's power for RV's at their sites, or maybe the toilet/shower area has power for electric razor/hair dryer use.
la.lindsey
04-03-2017, 10:18
When I go to a grocery store or eat at a restaurant, I ask if there's a plug I can use.
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rashamon12
04-03-2017, 10:58
They do not like it if you do not ask... If you do ask you will get more yes's than you might expect.
Slo-go'en
04-03-2017, 11:47
I check behind outdoor vending machines, often there is a spare socket behind them in reach. Plus your phone isn't left in plain sight behind the machine. Most everyone carries a USB battery pack to recharge the phone while on the trail. If possible, top off your phone with the battery pack before going to town, then just charge the battery pack. That way you don't have to leave your phone someplace for a few hours. Of course, when staying at a hostel or motel, it's not an issue.
get a good solar charger. one that will charge itself even on a cloudy day. can get them pretty cheaply these days. I agree with Slo-go'en. charge the phone first then plug in the battery pack or the solar charger. my solar charger can be charged by the sun or receptacle.
colorado_rob
04-03-2017, 12:28
It's amazing how many times along the AT I'd be walking by a farm building, or maintenance shed, or some other building close to the trail and find an outlet on the side of it; if it times out well, take a nice little break for an hour's worth of charge. One key is to make sure to have a fast charging system, like a 2.5A USB plug and thick enough cable. Experiment at home with a fast charging system, little bity tiny ones take 3-4 times as much.
At home, where they stay until I return. :)
Locations of electrical outlets within 2000 ft of the trail will be included in next yr's AT Thru-Hiker Companion...The AT Companion now weighs 64 ounces.
TX Aggie
04-03-2017, 12:46
I have the Nomad 7 and I've used it on shorter hikes on the MD section of the AT, and I've actually had very good results. I will typically charge an older backup battery while walking, then use the battery to charge my phone if needed while hiking.
Even in the green tunnel, you may or may not be able to get a full recharge onto your backup battery, but you'll definitely extend your backup by a significant amount. Yes, it adds weight, so that's a sticking point with some.
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Slo-go'en
04-03-2017, 13:08
Even in the green tunnel, you may or may not be able to get a full recharge onto your backup battery, but you'll definitely extend your backup by a significant amount. Yes, it adds weight, so that's a sticking point with some.
I don't know about the significant amount, YMMV. Solar chargers have proven to be of little use on the AT.
TX Aggie
04-03-2017, 14:23
I don't know about the significant amount, YMMV. Solar chargers have proven to be of little use on the AT.
Maybe it's just my glowing personality. :)
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Traveler
04-04-2017, 06:59
The key word is asking
+2 Manners are a good thing, otherwise its theft.
Greenlight
04-04-2017, 09:39
Heard it thru the grapevine that it is good sport to lay a Washington or two on the counter when "asking" if you can charge your device.
Restaurants (fast-food or otherwise) are pretty much number one. Doing laundry at a laundromat on occasion.
If you're not staying in town but expect to spend some time at grocery shopping ... it doesn't hurt to ask!
Sometimes it's not so much an "in town" per se situation as, for example, a little store or gas station mini-mart outside of town. Stop to buy food to carry and buy food to eat on the spot, ask to charge your device while you're eating whatever. Or perhaps you can walk to the side or the back of the building and there's an outlet.
After a thru-hike, it can be hard to get out of the habit of peering under the tables of a restaurant that you walk into, trying to find the one that has an electric outlet ... :-)
There are certainly more possibilities, but it's a matter of keeping your eyes open, and/or asking politely. So for example, if staying in an established campground --- maybe the camp host has power, or maybe there's power for RV's at their sites, or maybe the toilet/shower area has power for electric razor/hair dryer use.
"Heard it thru the grapevine that it is good sport to lay a Washington or two on the counter when "asking" if you can charge your device."
I've never paid just to charge, but most of the time that I'm doing so in the context of buying something --- food at gas station or grocery store, lodging in a motel room, a prepared meal at a restaurant, etc.
If a person wanted a really complete list, it would take a little thinking ... for example, if you're in town for just part of a day and hit a public library for internet that's a possibility, except that you're likely there to USE your phone. Even then, though, asking the librarian could possibly net you a place to sit to plug in and "use" the device at the same time.
The extra weight of a battery pack might be helpful in that situation; I've never carried one, sticking thus far to phones that have removable batteries. But those are getting rare on the ground.
It also depends on the nature of the hike; I found out on the PCT that a solar charger was more weight and hassle than I wanted relative to what I got out of it, but there are certainly hike situations where it would be worth it (just not, for me, any sort of long distance hike that I've done to date). But gear adjusts for the anticipated conditions. For example, on the Camino de Santiago, an extra long USB-to-microUSB cord was a very low weight addition that allowed me options when there were more people with phones to charge than available plugs in the Albergues. In such a situation, a small 1-to-N plug adapter can be a godsend.
But on the AT in particular, where towns or other options are close together, unless you've got a really (electric) power-hungry hiking style, it's not that difficult.
+2 Manners are a good thing, otherwise its theft.
:confused:
State vs person charging cell phone Case#: 123- theft
How do you plead?
Guilty with explanation your honor.
Explain.
Your honor needed to make an emergency phone call to my wife and two children letting them know my whereabouts and making sure they were safe. I apologize to the members of my family, society, Circle K, and the court for my indiscretion.
Guilty as charged. You are hereby reprimanded to the authorities at Guantanamo Bay to serve a sentence of 1 hr the same length of time you charged your cell ph in front of the Circle K. You're also to pay a restoration fee of 7 cents to the owners of Circle K and pay the state $1000.
Honor.
Yes.
I also took three packets of Hot Sauce from Taco Bell two yrs ago without first asking.
So, you're a habitual offender.
This is a disgrace on society. 2 hrs at Guantanamo Bay and $2000 fine. You're on the terrorist watch list as an enemy to society and corpocractic ideology.
Rain Man
04-04-2017, 12:40
I made and take a very short (6") extension cord, the kind with three "outlets" on the end. That way, I don't have to unplug something else wherever I am, plus I can share with a fellow hiker or two.
I agree with asking first and/or making sure I'm a customer if it's a commercial business.
rashamon12
04-05-2017, 07:12
most solar chargers only offer quality charges when in direct sunlight due to how solar cells actually gather the energy. Since the majority of the trail will be in the shade the best a solar charger will be able to offer is a topping charge. The amount of surface area plays a large part in how much charging power a solar panel offers so all of the smaller ones are practically worthless. There are some fold down lightweight solar chargers but even then honestly save your money or buy a battery pack.
You'll get very creative with charging; don't over think it. Just ask before plugging in - if there is someone to ask. Between Airplane Mode and external power supplies, you'll be fine.
Slo-go'en
04-05-2017, 10:44
I saw a really neat packable wind turbine generator which would be fun to have. But it's a little more suited to base camping then thru hiking.
TX Aggie
04-05-2017, 13:23
I saw a really neat packable wind turbine generator which would be fun to have. But it's a little more suited to base camping then thru hiking.
I saw the same one and thought the same. Although, it could charge batteries overnight. I'm curious how a solar/wind combo would work. Solar during the day, wind while camped. For a brief time in the evening, you may get both.
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Francis Sawyer
04-06-2017, 14:04
At home, where they stay until I return. :)
What he said.
DownEaster
04-07-2017, 02:29
I bought an AC adapter with 4 USB charging ports as a courtesy to others who also need to charge their devices. I figure the extra ounce compared to the single port AC adapter that came with my phone is worth the hiker goodwill. So I charge the same places other hikers do; I just share the outlet.
I bought one of these anker solar panels several years back for a "disaster kit"
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E3OL5U8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I tried it for the first time at scout summer camp last year. I found that I would get an almost negligible charge in my battery pack after many hours each day trying to chase the sun spots filtering through the trees. I'd imagine it would top things off in a stationary full sun spot sitting all day....or if hiking in the desert if you could keep it facing the sun.... but for hiking a trail I wouldn't consider it very practical based on my limited experience with it.
capehiker
04-07-2017, 13:38
Before going into town, I always charge my phone to 100% first. Then when I get into town, I only have to charge the charger. A lot of kindness and appreciation can go a long way towards plugging in around town.
Another Kevin
04-10-2017, 17:12
I have a 15000 mAh external battery pack (that's about the form factor of a brick, you can't have everything). With that, and careful power management, I can keep my phone running for about a week, with GPS track logging whenever I'm in motion. I've yet to go farther than that without an overnight in a town. It takes an overnight to recharge that pack, anyway, with a 2.2 amp wall wart it's still seven or eight hours to get to full from empty.
DownEaster
04-12-2017, 10:40
Before going into town, I always charge my phone to 100% first. Then when I get into town, I only have to charge the charger. A lot of kindness and appreciation can go a long way towards plugging in around town.
Drawing down the external power bank increases the charging time, meaning you'll be attached to the wall outlet for a much longer span.
It takes an overnight to recharge that pack, anyway, with a 2.2 amp wall wart it's still seven or eight hours to get to full from empty.
I let the phone charge get low if I'm close to town. Then when I'm plugged into the only free outlet (behind a soda machine seems typical) I charge my power bank, my phone, and my headlamp simultaneously. And I've still got one more USB port to share if somebody else has a device that needs charging. Phone and headlamp get fully charged in the time it takes to do one load of laundry, and the power bank gets what it gets in that time. I may get more charge into the power bank if I find a free outlet in a fast food restaurant, but by fully charging the other devices I'll at least reduce the demands on the power bank for a few days down the trail.