Power game: How to invite your gadgets in the wild

Power game: How to invite your gadgets in the wild

to know how to charge your gadgets in the wilderness could be a question of survival or (more likely) to avoid boredom on a rainy day that is spent under a tarpaulin

Let's be honest: Even if you are a hardcore survival artist, a compass and a card are simply no longer sufficient. Whether you follow your route with a hiking app, triangulate your position via GPS or tell your loved ones that you are safe, adventurers rarely leave the house without at least one electronic device.

During my last hike along the South West Coast Path, my smartphone provided me with entertainment in the form of reading material and music, directions to public facilities and campsites, train and bus timetables, the opportunity to follow my hike, and to take pictures of the will and, above all, to report Kia at the end of the day and report my place of residence.

I was hardly cut off from the world and of course I could have done it all without a smartphone, but it definitely made life easier. Everything I had to do to have all this information at hand was ensured that my smartphone was charged.

In the following I take a look at how you can charge your devices in the wilderness, and cover everything, from a light camping trip to a transatlantic trip.

mini chargers

Price: from $ 15

On day trips, the easiest way is to ensure that you are quick, easy and easy to access to carry a mini charger. Usually about the size of a lipstick, mini chargers are light (75–85 g), small and have enough energy to charge a smartphone or an e-reader. They are quickly charged via USB so that they can be connected to either a desktop PC, laptop or a socket.

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Mini chargers are also an ideal companion for bus and train trips or flights. Kia and I both have an MSC power stick in our daily backpacks when we travel. We prefer the power stick to our old Anker Astro Mini because it has an LED display that shows how much load is still there.

Mobile Solar Powerbanks

Price: from $ 40

For longer trips such as a camping trek lasting several days, the next logical charger is a mobile solar power bank. These are still easy (160–200 g) and usually about the size of a smartphone, but more versatile than a mini power bench, since they use UV rays for charging instead of network current or another device.

With strong direct sunlight, a good mobile solar powerbench should be able to charge a mains connection almost simultaneously with a mains connection. If the sun is lower, provide a constant solar conservation charge - enough to send you the important call or to locate your position in an emergency.

Apart from the solar energy, you have several charging functions, including network, car charger or USB, which means that you can also act as a reserve bank for portable electricity if there is no sun nearby.

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I recently bought a waterproof mobile solar bench from MSC to replace a Freeloader model that failed in the first week of use. It seems to be much better. I used it every day on my last hike through Cornwall and found that it works best when I have it on the front of my backpack during the day and soak up as much sun as possible. I would then charge it at a socket on a campsite.

foldable solar panel chargers

Price: from $ 50

For a continuous network -independent portable power supply, a foldable solar module is the best option. They are well suited for sailing trips, camping and trekking expeditions and long-term trips such as motorhome or overland travel.

foldable solar modules charge larger devices such as tablets and laptops and can charge several smaller devices at the same time. Of course, they are heavier (500g upwards) and larger, especially when it was taken out, but fold themselves together on roughly magazine sizes.

Kia and I plan our next big trip-six months through South and East Africa, including Madagascar and Mozambique-and have therefore invested in a foldable 12-W solar charyer with two panels. I am not sure whether it is absolutely necessary when you consider that James Redden uses something similar in the Arctic Circle, but we have to do a blog!

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Powerbanks

Price: from $ 50

Powerbanks serve to store energy to provide a reliable energy reserve with which several devices can be loaded at the same time. They are by far the most reliable and versatile and provide the strongest currents. However, they are also the hardest power solution-everything from 270 g to 4 kg!

power banks are ideal, regardless of whether they entertain the children on a camping trip with the family or provide their only connection to civilization with electricity while crossing the Gobi desert. You can choose robust, waterproof smartphone loading models such as this Aqua Trek or high-performance models that can start light aircraft!

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You can charge almost everything with electricity, including solar devices, car and motorhome batteries and network current, and keep your performance for months.

In addition, you can charge almost any device, including laptops, tablets and smartphones, and the high-end models can even charge model aircraft, drones, refrigerators and TVs!

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alternatives to solar energy

There are alternatives to solar energy and power banks, but most are not as cheap or reliable. Here is a selection of some alternative options.

Water: MyFC Power Trekk Fuel Cell Charge Care Price: $ 200 This is an innovative design of the Swedish company MyFC, which essentially manages with a tablespoon of water and a pinch of salt.

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Wind: Hymini wind turbine price: $ 35 This microwind -powered device from Hymini looks ideal for sailing trips or weekends in Scotland!

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Hand: American red cross FRX3 Hand crank Price: 55 $ The hand crank of the Red Cross has been around for decades, but as the old saying says: "If it is not broken, do not repair it."

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Campingkocher: Biolite Wood Burning Campstove Price: $ 120 This Biolite wood burner, which also serves as a charger, is ideal for camper.

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Power rubber boots: Orange Got Wind Power rubber boot price: TBCIIST the world ready for thermoelectric rubber boots?

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