How Well Do Solar USB Cell Phone Chargers Work?

Solar laptop and cell phone chargers for camping and hiking allow us to take our toys into the great outdoors. While I do enjoy getting away from civilization on backcountry hikes, I also enjoy having my iPhone along, as well as a SPOT Satellite Messenger PLB for emergency use should I need help, and a GMRS two way radio that I mostly use for listening to NOAA weather reports. All of these devices require either batteries or a USB charger to stay working. There are fortunately dozens of solar chargers for camping and hiking on the market that will charge most devices in a few hours of direct sunlight.

Coming Soon, A Rugged Waterproof Solar USB Charger

A rugged waterproof solar USB charger made specially for outdoors, the Joos Orange, is in production and should be available to campers later this year. Above is a photo of the Joos Orange waterproof solar charger for outdoor use. It recently won 2011 Best Eco Design design award for a new product. Initial reviews of the Joos Orange solar charger by testers have been very positive. The Joos Orange should sell for around $100. In the meantime you can get a fairly water resistant USB charger for camping for around $100 to $150. The Voltaic Systems Amp, (around $99.00), features 4 watt panels that are waterproof, but the unit is not submersible. Not all solar USB chargers are water resistant so my advice to hikers and campers is that they carefully check the specifications of the product before purchasing. You should keep all of your electronics that are not in use in a dry bag while camping, since most devices are not water resistant enough for the great outdoors.

What To Look For In A Camping Solar USB Charger For Cell Phones and Electronics

As someone who loves gadgets to the point of pushing them to their limits, I have learned a few things about what works and what doesn't when used in outdoors. Cheap solar cell phone chargers may work for a few months when used in a windowsill but may quickly fail when exposed to any amount of shock, vibration, humidity, etc. When choosing a USB solar charger, choose a design that either includes a rugged case or separate cells that fold up. One of my favorites is the Solio Classic solar USB charger, which features a clever fan-out design that folds up for easy storage in a backpack. It features a variety of tips for Nokia, Samsung, Sony, etc, and has micro USB, mini USB and USB female outputs as well. This means that the Solio solar USB charger covers about ninety percent of the smartphones on the market. I have used this solar charger for my iPhone and it will give me about twenty minutes of talk time for every hour of full sun. What I like about it is that it contains its own batteries, which can in turn charge up your phone when there is no sun. It's rugged, and fairly water resistant, and therefore is carried in the hiking section of stores like REI.

What Solar iPhone Chargers To Avoid For Camping and Hiking

Avoid solar iPhone and smartphone chargers that act as a case and iPhone charger in one. I have found through experience that these do not provide enough of a charge in the outdoors. Chargers that double as cases do not have a big enough solar panel to charge the phone, are not waterproof, and often mean that you have to remove your smart phone from its protective case to be used. The last thing you want when hiking or camping is to expose your expensive smart phone to the elements as it is being charged.

Summary

Overall solar USB chargers work very well to keep your smartphone or other devices working out in the wild, provided you have a few hours of sun each day.  One thing you must look for though is a charger with at least three watts worth of panels. Smaller solar USB chargers will not give you enough power to charge your phone. Choosing one with an internal battery, such as the Solio Classic, means that you can store energy in an internal battery when directly charging your electronics is not convenient. Also, look for rugged construction and water resistance when shopping. You can find solar USB chargers for hiking and camping at outdoor stores such as REI, Cabellas and online at Amazon. Before using any outdoor solar USB charger for a smart phone, make sure it is fully compatible with your device. When using your devices outdoors, always use a rugged case such as an Otterbox to protect them from shock and moisture. Don't leave your phone out in the hot sun or cold when you charge it. I tuck mine away in my backpack and run the leads out to the panel, which I clip on my pack while hiking. It's always nice when you can hike away from the sun in the afternoon and arrive at your campsite with all of your electronics charged up.