But sometimes it’s just necessary to have certain devices charged and ready to go. And for that, you need some serious portable power; reliable energy packs that’ll keep your equipment charged and ready. We’ve picked a few of our favourite portable power packs, including solar-powered energy cells, which you can charge and use again and again, without harming the environment.
As always at Camping Things, you’ll find a lovely balance between quality and value for money, so you’re assured a great piece of kit, whichever one of these power packs you choose.
ECEEN Foldable Solar Panel Backpack – 33L
‘Sizeable backpack with built-in solar panel for charging devices.’
For the tech-loving traveller who likes to make every gram count, the ECEEN foldable backpack is a gem of a find. With a 33L capacity, it’s a sizeable backpack in its own right, but it doesn’t stop there — the ECEEN folds away into its own handy travel pouch, so that you can pack it away into your suitcase, or keep it in the car for later trips.
The folding solar panel on the front of the front of the ECEEN is extremely energy-efficient, and collects enough power in just a few hours to power most standard phones and devices.
Build quality
The ECEEN is really well-made. A lot of these folding backpacks can be somewhat of a novelty, but the ECEEN is a solid bag all-round, regardless of the solar panel.
The solar panel
The panel itself attaches to the front of the backpack and acts as a holding pad when charging devices. It’s energy-efficient, meaning it charges quickly, and comes with a USB adapter so that you can plug devices directly into it.
Best for
The ECEEN is great for hiking trips and longer holidays. Perfect as a standalone backpack, and for folding away for when you need it.
Anker 14W Solar Panel Foldable Dual-port Solar Charger
‘PowerIQ technology detects your device for fastest charge.’
Amazon’s own Anker brand solar panel is one hell of a piece of kit. It’s not small, measuring almost 12 inches x 7 inches, but at 14W, it’s powerful enough to charge most devices, phones and tablets in a jiffy.
Those measurements are when the panel is folded; unfolded the Anker is a sizeable beast at over 30 inches long, so you’ll need space, but if serious portable power is what you’re after, then the Anker is for you.
Build quality
Solid build quality, as you’d expect from anything Amazon-related, the Anker is serious business, and will hold up under the pressure of regular weekend hikes.
PowerIQ technology
The Anker features PowerIQ technology, which detects your devices to deliver the fastest possible charge for that device. Perfect for when you need to give your phone some portable power juice in a hurry.
Best for
Long expeditions and regular weekend hikes with a lot of equipment.
Innoo Tech Portable Power Solar Power Bank
The Innoo is a solar charger built to withstand the most extreme conditions. Splash and rain-proof, the Innoo can be put out to charge even when the weather turns nasty.
We love the rugged design — the Innoo is best-in-class for durability — and it’s perfect for long hikes and expeditions. This is a professional-level solar charger, built to perform, and because it features PowerSmart technology, it’s capable of charging selected devices as quickly as possible.
Build quality
One of the most durable solar panels on the market, the Innoo isn’t just durable in the rough and tumble sense, it’s extremely resistant to rain, as well, meaning you’ll be able to set it up outside your tent, or clip it onto your backpack as your hike, without fear of it breaking down.
PowerSmart and durability
The Innoo is all about performance. It’s a pro-level solar charging pack, that’s equipped with PowerSmart technology. PowerSmart detects the device you’ve just plugged in, and adjusts the charge time accordingly, so that you can optimise the use of the Innoo, and get your stuff charged more quickly.
Best for
Professional expeditions and extreme conditions.
Hiluckey USB Solar Panel Battery Charger with LED Flashlight
‘Solar charger plus built-in flashlight, also rainproof.’
The Hiluckey is a lot like the Innoo in that its durable and made for the extreme outdoors, only the Hiluckey comes with a powerful built-in LED torch, too. It’s around the same size as an iPhone, and with the orange rubber grips on the side, the Hiluckey is actually a pretty good-looking piece of kit in its own right.
Build quality
We can’t fault the Hiluckey on quality or performance. It charges quickly and delivers a solid charge to most power-hungry devices in no time at all. The rubberised outer and ribbed grips make it extremely easy to keep hold of and clip onto your backpack, and the panel itself is tough and hard-wearing.
Features
We love the torch on the back of the Hiluckey. It’s not on all the time, so no need to worry about it draining the power you’ve collected, but when it is on, it’s powerful enough to provide a decent amount of light inside your tent.
Best for
Regular camping trips, hiking holidays.
Explore Electric Plasma Lighter
‘Fire lighter, whistle and paratinder fire starter, all in one.’
What you’re looking at here is a piece of genuine human intuition, the lighter can be charged with the included USB cable in about 2 hours. The multi-functional lanyard consists of an emergency whistle and a paratinder lanyard for lighting a fire quickly.
Build quality
The 3-in-1 thing can be a bit of a novelty, offering devices which don’t really excel at anything, but the Suaoki is different, it performs. It’s well-built and compact, it feels sturdy enough to last on most regular camping trips.
Features
The Explore fire starter element performs well, even in windy conditions, and you should have no problem getting the heat going with just one or two clicks.
- Waterproof Arc Lighter
- Windproof
- Emergency Whistle
- No gas required environmentally clean and convenient
- High-quality ABS and Zinc Alloy material,durable
- 1 year guarantee
Best for
Hiking trips and weekend breaks.
Best portable power gadget
Our Choice - Suaoki Multi-Function 3-in-1
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Quality
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Functionality
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Weight
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Value
Summary
The 3-in-1 thing can be a bit of a novelty, offering devices which don’t really excel at anything, but the Suaoki is different, it performs. It’s well-built and compact. (Check out the latest price and stock levels)
I’ve had a few of these solar chargers in the past and living in the UK with limited strong sun light they’ve not really been worth it. The foldout Anker seems to be a game changing successfully charging my lamp and phone (20%) in a 3 to 4 hours.
We’ve never had any luck with these devices before charging our iPad, but I can report the Anker worked well, took a while but did work.
Another tip is just to charge a large powerbank for your trip.
Most things that do multiple things are a novelty – but this really did work, good quality kit