Solar Panels

Recent Solar Panel Reviews

Powertraveller Solarmonkey Adventurer

Compact, lightweight, and robust. This is a discontinued model but still worthy of consideration for solo use on the trail. I found a secondhand model on eBay for a bargain of £30. The secondhand market is full of these most of the time. My model is the upgraded 3500 mAh version. Its predecessor was 2500 mAh. Be aware of this when buying as they look identical. They also improved the output power of the USB charging port and introduced a four-colour led charge/discharge light which is very useful. Full review

Renogy E.TUNES Solar Bluetooth Speaker

A powerful speaker that produces great sound with the ability to charge while out on adventures. Also has a large capacity battery that can be used to not only play music but also charge your phone. As a member of another website, I get new and interesting products to try out at campgrounds I visit in exchange for a review. On a recent bike camping trip, I tried out the Renogy E.TUNES Solar Bluetooth Speaker. My takeaways from using the combo speaker/solar charger are: The solar panel actually… Full review

Goal Zero Nomad 7

Pretty cool product, this was my first solar purchase, and it did its job—keeping the camera on a Samsung phone charged, and also so I can use a wildflower identification app. I was backpacking in the Trinity Alps, so it was "Northern California Wildflowers" from GooglePlay I didn't know what to expect with this solar charger, so I'm pretty thrilled with the results that I did get, as opposed to having a dead phone. In full sun I got a very fast direct charge, maybe even faster than an outlet… Full review

Suaoki SunPower 14W Solar Charger

Lightweight, compact, and inexpensive solar charger, providing adequate power supply in stationary state. The build quality is surprisingly good, but there is still some room for improvement. It has somewhat limited use scope due to inability to provide adequate power on the go. Also its effective usage is not really straightforward and requires sunny weather. Background My first experience in solar panels was GoalZero Nomad 7, a gift from our close friend. In folded state it was about A5-sized… Full review

Suntactics sCharger-14

Great charging power, robust. I have the larger 14 model, but it's identical other than size to the sCharger-5. Charges fast and picks something up even in very low light. Full review

Renogy 21 Watt Foldable PowerPort Solar Panel

The solar panel is a highly efficient 3 panel portable charger that is designed for use in emergency situations off the grid or device charging on long trips away from power sources. The charger contains two USB ports that are designed to be "smart" and deliver the appropriate amount of energy to each device efficiently. I would say this charger is probably best used for backpacking where it functions as a helpful tool, but should not be relied on for daily charging. As a member of another website,… Full review

Renogy E-Flex10

It is so lightweight and very compact. Since receiving it I’ve had it in my overnight bag, my hiking bag, and an emergency bag in my Jeep and it still looks brand new while being a super useful tool around camp. I’d strongly suggest you get one (or two) of these if you want a little added security for an emergency pack or if you plan to be in the woods for a few days and would rather not risk killing your car battery charging your portable electronics. As a member of another website, I sometimes… Full review

Suntactics sCharger-5

The Suntactics sCharger-5 Portable Solar Charger is elegantly designed to be minimalistic and yet also effective at charging a wide variety of electronic devices (any that can be charged with a USB cable). In full sun, it delivers sufficient power to charge a cell phone and is also lightweight enough to serve as a viable power source during backcountry trips. Product specs: Output: 1200mA, 5V, 6 Watts Circuitry: 1-USB Port, Auto-Retry™ (Auto-Recovery) Weight: ~7oz (200 Grams) Waterproof: 40… Full review

Renogy E-Flex10

The Renogy E.Flex 10 Folding Solar Panel with USB offers affordable, lightweight, packable, solar to economically power electronic devises at home, on the go, or in the backcountry. The Renogy E-Flex 10 arrived in a small but smartly packaged box. The panels were folded and couched in foam cutouts. Beneath the panels were two small 1.85-inch carabiners, four 1.25-inch suction cups, and a bifold instruction pamphlet. The technical information can be easily acquired from Renogy’s website. For purposes… Full review