Is there anything better than being out camping in the summer months with the sun blazing from overhead? Well, one thing—harnessing that energy to make your adventure flow even smoother! Solar gadgets for camping, i.e., ones that are equipped with mini solar panels to recharge during your time outdoors, have been gaining popularity for some time now. Although non-traditional, they offer significant advantages in terms of convenience compared to normal items. Plus you don’t have to carry a charger around, and since nature doesn’t sprout power outlet trees yet, it’s safe to say solar-powered gadgets are a staple for multi-day trippers. Read on for our selection of the recommended best solar gadgets for camping.
Benefits of Using Solar-Powered Gadgets for Camping
Using solar-powered gadgets for camping comes with a few upsides. Even if you’re already kitted out with various must-have pieces of gear, if they’re not equipped with tiny solar panels, the benefits might just make the extra investment worth it.
First off, solar-powered gadgets are incredibly convenient. By removing your reliance on the availability of power outlets, you save space in your backpack—it’s a wonderful camping storage hack if you need to carve out extra room for a necessity that you just couldn’t jam in there before. On a similar note, they make wonderful additions to your kit during multi-day backpacking trips, where saving space in an effort to conserve weight (and therefore energy) is paramount.
Second, relying on self-sufficient devices promotes a more sustainable way of camping. Using solar-powered gadgets for camping trips reduces your need for energy generation, lowering your footprint at no significant disadvantage to your convenience.
Third, solar-powered devices provide an extra layer of safety when camping. When an emergency strikes and access to power sources is limited, having solar-powered gear ensures you can still make use of essentials like GPS units or lights.
Solar Gadgets for Camping: Recommendations
Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the best solar tech gadgets worth adding to your arsenal:
Solar-Powered Lighting
A set of solar-powered lights or a lantern is a wonderful ace up your sleeve. Once day rolls over into night, keeping your surroundings illuminated is crucial. These lights are typically very compact, soaking up sunlight throughout the day, and producing it after dusk.
They make for a great eco-friendly lighting option and are available in multiple varieties to fit your exact needs.
Solar-Powered Backpacks and Tents
Your backpack and tent are exposed to the sun throughout most of your trip, so you might as well make the most of them, right? Some models come with a set of integrated solar panels to accumulate energy through the day, and once you’re ready to camp, you can plug your chargeable devices in to keep battery levels topped up.
Solar-Powered Charger
If you want to go with a more traditional option, consider a solar-powered charger. It’s a much more straightforward option than the previous entry, which helps keep your phone charged while camping.
Whether you are navigating trails, checking the weather, or taking photos, a solar-powered charger can save you in a pinch. Many models come with multiple USB ports, allowing you to charge more than one device at a time, and are designed to withstand outdoor conditions like rain or dust.
Solar Power Bank
As a natural extension to the phone charger, a power bank running on solar rays expands your window of usability by a tremendous amount. A solar power bank simply offers incredible versatility, allowing you to top up your devices long after the sun has gone down.
Depending on the make and model, you may not just be able to charge small devices like phones—Some come with larger battery capacities, letting you also charge tablets, GPS units, and even cameras.
Solar-Powered Cooking Stove
Last on our list comes the somewhat unorthodox option: a solar-powered cooking stove is an excellent addition for longer camping trips. Though their function generally doesn’t differ too much from traditional camping stoves, these solar-powered variants use the sun’s energy to heat your food, eliminating the need for fuel canisters or wood and thus decreasing your footprint. They’re a perfect choice for the eco-friendly camper.
Many are portable, efficient, and can reach surprisingly high temperatures. If you need something for cooking meals, boiling water, or just enjoying a hot drink without the hassle of a traditional campfire, consider picking one up.
The Takeaway
Solar-powered gadgets for camping offer unparalleled efficiency and convenience that lets you squeeze out even more from your trip. Of course, their usability will always be contingent on the sun’s presence throughout the day. Nevertheless, the added layer of safety, eco-friendliness, and utility they bring to the table makes it worth it to pick up some of the devices we listed above.
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