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kris25
11-24-2012, 16:34
Should a solar panel be a necessity ? If so which are the best kind to have?

Razor
11-24-2012, 16:56
No
10 characters

AggieAl
11-24-2012, 17:19
No. It is easy to recharge when you hit a town.

In my experience they do not work well, especially on the AT where there is a lot of shade.

Starchild
11-24-2012, 19:29
My understanding is that solar panels don't work well on the AT due to the amount of foliage.

Dr. Professor
11-24-2012, 21:39
Agree with those above -- solar panel isn't worth the weight, especially on the AT where there is simply too much shade even on sunny days. Beyond that, sunny days can't be counted on.

My advice:
1) Camera separate from cell phone to spare cell phone battery.
2) Turn cell phone off at virtually all times; only on when in use.
3) Alarm, if you use one, on watch or some other separate device (and preferably not used around others).
4) Optional (and probably not necessary if you do the above) -- bring a spare cell phone battery; it would be far lighter than a solar panel.

peakbagger
11-25-2012, 08:18
The only use for solar panel is another thing to send home, leave in a hiker box or leave in a shelter to make some poor ridgerunner have to carry it off and dispose of it.

I have home solar and know it well, its just not a good fit for the AT. Just turn off the technology and hike.

weary
11-25-2012, 09:06
The only use for solar panel is another thing to send home, leave in a hiker box or leave in a shelter to make some poor ridgerunner have to carry it off and dispose of it.

I have home solar and know it well, its just not a good fit for the AT. Just turn off the technology and hike.
True, except it more likely will not be a paid ridge runner, but a volunteer trail maintainer that picks up after AT hikers. There are no paid people gathering up left overs and trash on the vast majority of the trail. The trail from the beginning has been pretty much a volunteer effort, which is why it is such miracle that a two thousand plus mile trail system even exists.

lukabrazi
11-28-2012, 15:05
Maybe a battery charger like the Trent Icarrier. It's 8 ounces and will charge a smartphone 5-6 times. There's also another one that is half the weight and would charge a smartphone 2-3 times. I have that wrote down at home. I can get the info if your interested.

FarmerChef
11-28-2012, 15:17
I've only hiked a little over 1,000 miles of the AT from VT down to extreme Southern, VA so I can't comment on more remote? portions of the trail. Even with using my phone as a camera, weather station, calling device, mail checker, note pad, alarm clock I rarely run out of batteries before I hit an outlet. If I do, it's really not that big of a deal. The solar charger is a nice idea but in practice there just isn't enough sunlight to make it happen unless you are stopped for a long time in full sunlight, like, say, a zero day in town. The iphone charger is very small and you could even forgo that if you thought you could get to a USB port in each town library or similar. But the convenience of charging at the pizza plus while you're scarfing down a large pie negates the need for walking down to the library. Plus, you can update your trail journal while the phone is charging. The Trent chargers look very interesting and I've soldered a couple Minty Boosts (which didn't work on my 3gs) :( but in practice I just haven't missed my phone that much for the last few miles to an outlet. YMMV.

Sman
11-28-2012, 15:38
If you are interested here are two options for cell phones

Solar Powered Backup CCHA-SOLABACK
Philips Xenium X520 can use standard AAA batteries