How to Charge Electronics when Hiking

It is rare for any of us to go somewhere without our phones and that includes our backpacking trips. After all, our phones can serve as our camera, map, GPS, entertainment, plus the thing they were actually invented for, communication. But how do you plan to keep your phone or other electronic devices charged while out for a weekend or longer on a backpacking trip?

The best method for keeping your electronics charged while backpacking is to use a portable charger or power bank, one with enough mAh to charge your device as many times as you feel you will need during your trip. Aside from mAh, the number of charges you can get from a portable charger depends on your device and cable, and how low your device’s battery is when you initiate charging.

Let’s discuss this method in a little more detail. Plus, I’ll highlight another method to charge your electronics before moving on to ways you can optimize the battery life of your device so that it last longer, thus requiring less charging.

Methods for charging electronics while backpacking

Portable Charger/Power Bank

As I stated earlier, I believe a portable charger is the best method for charging your electronics while on the trail. All you have to do is plug in your device and you are instantly charging. They are reliable and can charge your devices when you need it.

Portable chargers are rated in mAh (milliamp hours). The higher the mAh, the more charges you can get out of it. Also, with higher mAh you can expect the charger to be larger and heavier. You can find portable chargers less than 5,000mAh up to almost 30,000mAh.

Depending on your device, you can expect 1 to 2 charges on a lower mAh charger, and up to 9 on some of the largest ones. Note that these estimates are based on phones and not tablets. Tablets will take longer to charge, and you will not get as many charges out of your portable charger.

Most backpackers seem to stick with the portable chargers between 10,000 and 20,000mAh, ranging from 3 to 7 charges for their phones. This is usually enough to get them to town where they can recharge their portable charger. You may want to go larger though if you plan on using your phone more frequently or if your phone dies quicker. Also, if you plan to charge multiple devices, a larger mAh charger is recommended.

I personally have an Anker 26,800mAh portable charger because my phone dies quick when I have my GPS app running, filming video, and taking pictures, so it needs charging more frequently.

Solar Chargers

Solar chargers are not as popular, but they are still an option. Unlike a portable charger, the solar chargers can be charging while still on the trail. Many can attach to your backpack even or when you are eating lunch you can set the panel up in direct sunlight and let it build charge while you eat.

The problem with solar chargers is that they can’t necessarily provide you a charge when you need it. When on the trail, a lot of the time you will find yourself in shaded areas which reduces the amount of sunlight the photovoltaic cells on the panel receive. This means you won’t be able to get as much charge, if any at all. Also, cloudy days limit the amount of sunlight as well, ultimately making solar chargers unreliable. Not to mention solar chargers tend to be heavier than portable chargers.

However, if you primarily will be hiking in deserts with little tree coverage, a solar charger may work fine for you. I would still stick with a portable charger but do what works best for you.

Multiple Batteries

While not technically “recharging” your electronic device, having additional batteries is another way to keep your devices running. Instead of charging your device, you just swap out the dead battery with a fully charged one and off you go. This method may even save you some weight as many cell phone batteries don’t weigh much and carrying 3 or 4 of these may be lighter than hauling a portable charger.

Not all cell phones have removable (or at least easily removable) batteries. You should know whether or not this is an option for you based on your phone. Again though, it probably is just best to go with a portable charger. However, it may be a good idea to keep a backup battery in case of an emergency.

Making your charge last longer

While having a portable charger is a good idea for keeping your electronics charged, knowing what you can do to maximize the life of your device’s battery can help you get by with less charges. Here are a few tips to make your device’s charge last longer when backpacking.

Top off before starting your trip

The first thing you should do to maximize the life of your device’s battery is to top it off just before hitting the trail. Charge your device in your vehicle during your ride to the trailhead if possible, that way you have a full charge to start your hike. This enables you to go longer before needing to use whatever charging method you choose.

Turn on airplane mode

Airplane mode disables signals coming from and to your device. When you are out on the trail, your device is always looking for a signal if one doesn’t exist and this can drain your battery quick. You block this from happening by enabling airplane mode, thus saving battery life on your device. However, know that you cannot make or receive calls or messages when airplane mode is on, but if you won’t have signal anyway, then spare your battery and turn it on.

If this is the case, let your loved ones know that messages are unlikely to be received and not to worry if they don’t get a response. Give them a reasonable timeframe of when they should expect to hear from you, and to contact the authorities if no contact is made within that span of time.

Even with airplane mode activated, your GPS should still work. However, I have experienced issues when calculating distance hiked when using airplane mode. My path was accurate, but the distance was off. I’m not sure if this has to do with airplane mode or what is usually a reliable hiking app. Just something to be aware of.

Reduce screen brightness

Lowering the brightness of your device’s screen will help prolong the life of its battery. The brighter your screen, the more power it uses to illuminate it. Reducing it down to 50% is a good starting point, but it can be tough to see if it is too bright outside. When it’s dark, you should be able to reduce the brightness down even further. If you don’t plan on using it while hiking, keep it low until you need it.

Have a good battery

Make sure you have a good battery in your device to minimize how much charging it will require. A bad battery in your phone doesn’t hold a charge as well and ultimately dies faster, requiring you to charge it more frequently.

I’m sure you’ve recognized when you first get a new phone the battery seems to go for days between charges, but after prolonged use you find it requires charging once or twice a day. This can be due to apps draining your battery, but it can also be a bad battery itself. For more help on this topic, research it on google or talk to a professional.

Don’t let your device get too hot

Heat kills batteries so try to keep your device in a place where heat won’t get to it. A pocket may be okay if it isn’t tight against your body, otherwise find a better spot such as a breathable or spacious pocket, hopefully where it is still easily accessible.

Turn it off when not in use

If you don’t have signal and aren’t using your device for GPS or another purpose, it isn’t a bad idea to turn it off to save your battery. If you plan on taking plenty of photos though, this will be hard to manage since turning your device on and off can be a nuisance every time a photo op comes around.

Other items you need for charging electronics

A few other items to remember to keep your devices charged are:

• All appropriate cables
• Wall charger
• Car charger

You’ll need to make sure to have any cable you need to charge whatever device you’re carrying. If you are hiking a trail where you will find yourself in towns, you’ll want a wall charger or adapter, so you can charge your device and/or portable charger. And you may not need it but having an option to charge your device in a vehicle isn’t a bad idea either in case your phone is dead and you have already depleted your battery bank, or maybe you get a hitch from someone and need a quick charge on the road.

Conclusion

Now you’re ready to keep your devices charged on your next backpacking trip. You probably already have a good idea on what you need to do so. Again, a portable battery charger is the best method in my opinion, and also the simplest, but whatever works best for you will always be the right choice. Just make sure you don’t find yourself in a situation where you need your device but can’t use it because you have no way of charging it.