Charging an iPhone while camping

ktaylor

At the end of August i will be heading into the wilderness with my tent.

Any recommendation for charging my iPhone while away from plug sockets?

dodgy

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/197564?ut ... m=products

It was looked at by BBC Click recently. Some good reviews online. Even if yoiu don't have much sun, if you make sure the battery in the charger is full, then you should be able to charge the iphone about 3 or 4 times on its own. Just make sure you take it with you to the pub at night, if you're buying ale/food they won't mind you taking a few pence of electric off them

antikythera

I used one of these. You can get it as a simple charger without the kit, but the extra panel does make a difference.

I'd used it when ultra-light touring, strapped the solar panel to the panniers during the day and charging my iPood. Also used it for more regular travels where I didn't want to carry a myriad of chargers. The base unit comes with a variety of plugs that fit most devices.

Be aware, they work best with strong sunlight and you might be disappointed during overcast weather.

Pokerface

You want something like this:



http://www.games-shopper.co.uk/games/im ... EKXYS.html




Battery-powered charger for your phone

Big Wib

A power monkey as that offers solar, stored charge & power point charging options.

e.g. on Amazon but shop around:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PowerMonkey-Explorer-Portable-Charger-Pink/dp/B00195IXA4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1280229076&sr=1-6

meanredspider

I've had a standard PowerMonkey for years of business travel and swear by it. Not tried the solar bit but you could leave the PowerMonkey charging from the solar panels during the day then charge the iPhone from the Monkey at night.

choirboy

antikythera wrote:

I'd used it when ultra-light touring, strapped the solar panel to the panniers during the day and charging my iPood.

Didn't realise that these needed charging :? :

alfablue

I had the Power Monkey - it was good while it lasted (went kaput at 18mths, replaced the cell but it wasn't that).

I used the solar panel but depending on sunshine available, in the UK it would probably take 2 days to recharge the PowerMonkey. Used in conjunction with occasional access to the mains (camp site loo's? Obviously not if in the real wilderness!), and a backup AA charger I could make it work out.

I am now looking at getting a Son dynohub and an e-werk charger, so I can have dynamo LED lights at night and charge devices and batteries in the day


Dotbike sell them: http://www.dotbike.com/productsP8333.aspx

A Son hub built into a wheel costs about £170, and the e-werk £130 (and lights somewhere between £30 and £200), so it is pricey but it will probably work hassle-free, whereas the other solutions aren't really up to multi-day wilderness tours.

ktaylor

Really appreciate the recommendations guys.

I love the bike dynamo solution. Never heard of it before yet it seems so obvious....

mroli

http://www.fudgescyclestore.com/index.php?p=96249

May be overengineering a solution to your recharge problem (although more bikes is always good)

Just the ReeCharge is as follows: http://bikefold.com/dahon_bike_accessor ... logic.html

If Fudges don't have it, they could certainly tell you where/when you could get it.

alfablue

ktaylor wrote:

Really appreciate the recommendations guys.

I love the bike dynamo solution. Never heard of it before yet it seems so obvious....

If you are interested, Spa Cycles looks best for the wheel build:

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s170p0

I aim to do it in stages, buy the wheel this year with a cheap light, next spring buy the e-werk and a top spec light.