The outdoors is a great place to be, and we’re not talking about the city; we mean the natural outdoors that’s far away from all the hustle-bustle of everyday life. Especially if you’re still in quarantine and making sure that you’re socially distancing, the best thing you can do is go hiking, camping with the family, or by yourself. It has been proven that taking walks in a natural setting improves mood and productivity, and the other benefit is that you get exercise.
However, one of the main reasons that prevent people from going hiking or camping is that they have to leave their electronic devices back at home; or at last, they can’t rely on their devices such as their smartphones, tablets, or laptops as much because they will run out out of power. That can easily be solved with the use of a Solar charger and a portable power station. Both of these power sources can get rid of your anxiety about losing power to your electronics, and you can feel as comfortable as you would in your own home while being far from home.
Charging for When You’re Hiking
Alright, so hiking is a lot different than going camping, and we think that you’re going to need different types of chargers or powering devices when it comes to doing both activities. While hiking is something that you do for a single day for a few hours, camping is more long-term and usually done for a few days.
When it comes to hiking, your most useful types of chargers will be power banks and solar chargers. That’s it, as you may bring your smartphone or tablet, and possibly your laptop. A power bank will be one of the most reliable types of chargers, as they have built-in batteries, which leads to you getting a power bank that matches your charging needs.
Best mAh Power Bank for Hiking?
There will be many options for what type of portable charger you can go with. However, it’s easy to choose what you need. If you’re looking to charge your smartphone only during a hike, then it’s wise to get a power bank that has a 5,000mAh to 10,000mAh power capacity. Modern smartphones now have huge batteries that are getting to be 5,000mAh, such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, so with a 10,000mAh power bank; you’re able to charge most phones to full power about once or twice to full power.
In addition to having enough charging power, the size of a 10,000mAh power bank is also tiny, with most of them having lengths that are the same size or smaller than phones. Most power banks within the 10,000mAh range are slim and can fit into a pocket, often the same pocket you place your phone in.
If a mid-range power bank doesn't do the job, you should consider getting a higher power capacity portable charger such as 20,000mAh or 30,000mAh power capacity. These types of chargers are larger and heavier, but not by much of a difference. The trade-off might exceptionally be worth it, though, as higher capacity power banks can charge more devices at the same time because they have more charging ports, and they feature more powerful charging such as Quick Charge and USB-C Power Delivery fast charging.
You may even get a high-capacity AC power bank without getting into portable power station territory. Overall, if you’re looking for reliable charging, then a power bank may be your best option if you’re going hiking.
Solar Charging in the Outdoors when Hiking or Camping
On the same page as portable charging, you might want to look into Solar panel chargers. Solar chargers are different from power banks because they don’t have built-in batteries. Instead, a Solar charger can provide charging only when Solar panels are exposed to sunlight or most other sources of light. This can have an advantage over regular portable chargers because you don’t have to worry about recharging or running out of power. If you’re hiking, then you’re likely going to have a light on the Solar panels, giving you a constant source of energy.
The other advantage of Solar panel chargers is that they are convenient to have on you while hiking because most if not all, have lanyard holes that you can use to connect to a backpack. Take the above ITEHIL 100W Solar panel charger as an example. The Solar charger has two lanyard holes at either side that you can use to attach to a backpack and have the solar panels facing out to the sunlight on your back.
This ITEHIL solar charger also has two USB-A ports with Quick Charge and a 10W charging speed, along with a DC port for charging laptops. Even modern Solar panel chargers can charge laptops, and these types of Solar chargers are easy to carry around and use.
Portable Solar Power Station for Camping
On the other hand, when it comes to camping in the outdoors, a power bank or a solar charger may not be enough. A solar charger may be more useful than a power bank because once you run out of power with a power bank, you have to recharge it, and if you’re camping, you don’t have any options to recharge it.
With a Solar panel charger, you can easily place the charger out in the sun and charge your devices.
To get one of the best charging and powering experiences if you’re camping, a portable solar power station is your best option. These are power banks, but with many more features, and because of that, they are also a lot larger.
This ITEHIL IT500 power station is an excellent example of what most people should consider taking on their camping trips. The portable solar power station has an AC outlet, a 12Volt outlet, and plenty of charging ports that can be used to charge smartphones or laptops, saving the AC outlets for more useful appliances. When it does come to using portable solar power station, you should get one that can power devices you want to use when you’re in the wilderness. Such as being able to power a mini-fridge or a mini-electrical barbeque. This ITEHIL portable solar power station can do that, as it has a 500W AC power output.
Just a reminder that you should take a power station for camping because of its size and heavy weight. A power station isn’t meant to be hauled for a long time, and it’s intended to set up camp and be used. That’s what makes it so convenient, as you have the power that you would get back at your home.
Choosing the Right Portable Power Solution
| Device | Best For | Capacity | Pros |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Bank (5,000-10,000mAh) | Short hikes, smartphone charging | Charges a smartphone 1-2 times | Compact, lightweight, easily fits in pocket |
| Power Bank (20,000-30,000mAh) | Longer hikes, multiple devices | Charges multiple devices several times | Larger capacity, multiple ports, faster charging options |
| Solar Charger (100W) | Continuous outdoor use | Unlimited (in sunlight) | Eco-friendly, no need to recharge |
| Portable Solar Power Station | Camping, extended stays | 500W AC output, multiple ports | Powers large appliances, long-lasting |
Final Thoughts
With the right power solution, you can enjoy the outdoors without sacrificing connectivity to your essential electronics. Hikers will benefit from compact power banks and solar chargers, while campers may find portable power stations perfect for longer stays. Products like the ITEHIL IT500 Power Station and ITEHIL 100W Solar Panel Charger offer solid options for both scenarios, helping you explore with peace of mind and the comfort of reliable power.
