04-29-2018, 05:44 AM
There are niches...
They can make sense for hiking and camping. Takes about 2 solid days for a decent portable folding charger to directly charge a modern power-hungry phone from empty to full, but a backpack charger or a big folding array can keep a phone charged enough for some music playing and use of the GPS for awhile or can top-off.
...You seem to have overlooked the packs that combine a battery with solar cells that allow you to start off with a full battery charged from wall-power, top-off the battery via solar during the day, and then use the battery to top off your phone at night. Those work pretty well.
They can also be invaluable during extended blackouts. Until my friend's dad got her a small gas-powered generator for her balcony, she relied on solar chargers in Puerto Rico.
They can make sense for hiking and camping. Takes about 2 solid days for a decent portable folding charger to directly charge a modern power-hungry phone from empty to full, but a backpack charger or a big folding array can keep a phone charged enough for some music playing and use of the GPS for awhile or can top-off.
...You seem to have overlooked the packs that combine a battery with solar cells that allow you to start off with a full battery charged from wall-power, top-off the battery via solar during the day, and then use the battery to top off your phone at night. Those work pretty well.
They can also be invaluable during extended blackouts. Until my friend's dad got her a small gas-powered generator for her balcony, she relied on solar chargers in Puerto Rico.