Backpacking Solar Charger

[WiseOwl]

I read about this product via The Dusty Camels...(they are two guys that hiked the AT in 09 and are 1100 miles in on the PCT now...www.thedustycamel.org one of their uncles is a good friend and these dudes rock, they do this for a good cause!)
Anyways, they use the Brunton Solar Roll Flexible Panel...

http://www.backcountry.com/brunton-solarroll-solar-panel

They charge the cell phones, gps, and anything with a usb cable...

This seems like a great addition (if you have the funds) to add to a BOB or even a backpacking pack. I saw this earlier and thought it was one of the coolest things I have seen. He charges his phone in 2 hours with it and even wears it on his pack as he walks...


Do any of yall have any experience with this or similar products?

[Grand58742]

I saw an article a while back...don't remember but maybe Army or Marine Times...anyway, it was talking about the same type of product. A rolling lightweight solar panel. Apparently the Army or Marines, one or the other was field testing something similar but had an outlet for a AA charger instead of a USB port. The troops said it worked pretty well under field conditions (in Afghanistan IIRC) and the service in question was talking about full scale deployment from what I can recall.

[ComputerGuy]

I bought a solar battery charger on e-bay and it works great. Now I am looking for one to charge my laptop. Does anyone have a recommendation?

[Rmplstlskn]

Brunton makes a lot of great gear, and their flexible solar panels are top-notch gear... I have the Brunton Solaris 26 with charge controller and love it...

[CLT46910]

I read a article a couple years back of a group working in the jungles of South America using a similar product to great success in charging batteries for computer, cameras, GPS, etc for about the three months they was there.

Can't remember the brand but if I remember right, they had two of them. One larger one they had mounted to the top of a hut for a permanent charging station and a smaller one they could carry with them when they was away from the base camp of a couple days.