The Best Portable Solar-Powered Gear for Outdoor Adventures
Sustainably driven buys are a natural choice for those who love the great outdoors. When adventuring in the wild, it’s hard not to be reminded of the gravity of doing your part to protect the planet, and a good place to start when it comes to preservation is investing in solar-powered gear. Ahead, discover the various outdoor gear solar power has been integrated into, and find the pieces that might improve your next off-the-grid outing. But first, a primer on how portable solar power works and where gear is at now.
How solar power works
First developed in the 1860s, solar power occurs when energy from the sun is converted into electricity. “This is achieved using photovoltaics or indirectly with heat,” REI retail sales specialist Kevin Lau says. “Generally speaking, solar panels use flat screens of cells to convert sunlight into electricity through the photovoltaic effect where current is generated when light hits a material, such as selenium. This current can then be used to power or charge devices.”
The pros and cons of solar outdoor gear
You’ve no doubt spotted a rooftop with solar panels, but if you’re not yet privy to the wonderful world of portable solar gear, your next hike or camping trip is about to get an upgrade. “The benefit of having solar power is the ability to stay out in the field longer and more safely with our modern conveniences and safety devices without having to [rely on] one-time-use batteries,” Lau says. The obvious downside is that because you’re relying on sunlight as your sole power source, if you encounter a cloudy day or your angles aren’t quite right, charge levels will be impacted.
An ever-evolving category
Thankfully, significant advancements and innovations have been made over the years to help offset these potential downsides. Lau shares that the first solar cells in 1884 were one percent maximally efficient (meaning one percent of the energy that hit them from the sun became electricity). “Today’s consumer solar panels can operate from 10 to 20 percent maximum efficiency and it continues to increase as technology improves,” he says. “For outdoor gear, this means we can bring small and relatively lightweight solar panels into the field that can help keep our modern devices charged without the need to bring non-reusable batteries. This is especially important for some safety devices, such as phones, GPS units, lights, and GPS emergency communicators.”
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MPowerd Luci Base inflatable solar lantern and power bank
A solar lantern hits its stride at the end of the night when settling into your sleeping bag; hang it at the top of your tent and enjoy a couple chapters of a book before turning in. This model offers the dual functionality of a USB port, which means you can use it to charge mobile devices. It collapses down to just one inch, too, leaving ample space for your other gear—especially useful when you’re backpacking.
LuminAid Sunfox solar speaker
Complement the crackling sounds of the fire with soft tunes played on this solar Bluetooth speaker. The compact design and light weight (just 8.6 ounces) make it easy to bring along for any adventure; plus, it’s waterproof and shockproof. When fully charged (roughly 16 to 18 hours of direct outdoor sunlight), this speaker offers 20 hours of playtime.
Sirius Survival portable emergency weather radio
Lau notes that solar-powered outdoor products are especially useful for emergency gear, like this weather radio. In addition to delivering AM/FM radio and a weather broadcast channel from NOAA, it also serves as an LED flashlight and has both micro and standard USB port for charging phones. There’s a solar panel as well as a hand crank to recharge the battery.
Goal Zero Nomad 5 solar panel
This lightweight power bank and solar panel can be strapped onto your backpack and used to keep small USB-powered devices charged. Here's how it works: When exposed to sunlight, the solar panel produces power and charges the accompanying flip power bank, which can then be used to juice up everything from a smartphone to a headlamp once the sun goes down.
Garmin Instinct solar special edition GPS watch
“One of the coolest applications of solar power as the size has decreased and efficiency increased is the use of solar cells in GPS watches to extend the watch's battery life,” Lau says. This Garmin model is a favorite of his; its battery can last up to 54 days with solar power. Plus, its useful features abound, including monitoring heart rate, tracking steps, and GPS capabilities like projected waypoints to make sure you know the way back.
Thorfire hand crank solar-powered rechargeable flashlight
A flashlight will forever come in handy on overnight outdoor adventures and this waterproof LED solar version is a top-notch pick. After the battery runs out, you can either expose it to direct sunlight for one hour, producing 120 minutes of light, or you can hand crank it for one minute, producing one hour of light.
MPowerd Luci solar string lights and charger
Add some ambiance to your campsite with this solar-powered string of lights. With 10 glowing nodes and 18 feet of cord (plus an IPX4 waterproof rating, meaning it's been tested to withstand splashing water, like rain, on all sides), you can easily transform a picnic table into a memorable tablescape. Plus, there’s a built-in USB port so you can also charge your phone.
GoSun Sport solar oven
This portable and lightweight solar oven can bake, roast, and steam a tasty meal for two people in 20 minutes under direct sun—no fuel or flame needed. It quickly reaches up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit and because it sets up and breaks down in seconds, it makes for a rather convenient outdoor dining companion on camping trips.
Advanced Elements summer shower
You haven’t lived until you’ve showered amongst the trees in fresh forest air. This 2.5 gallon solar-powered shower will warm your water to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in less than three hours when left in direct sunlight on a 70 degree day—the perfect thing to have waiting at your campsite after a long hike. To use, hang the shower from a sturdy branch, unhook the hose, and pull down on the nozzle to turn on the water flow, then push up to turn it off.
