We're trying to decide on either a small solar panel or a radio with crank to re-charge phones in the field. (Already have portable battery packs)
Which way did you go and why?

Solar — hand-cranks are a PITA. If you’re in a bunker with nothing else to do then a handcrank may be the highlight of your day. OTOH if you’re in the field, a solar panel can be attached to your pack to charge batteries & power-banks as you walk, or layed in the sun charging while you collect firewood, set up camp, or otherwise do things that would interfere with handcrank duties.
$.02, YMMV

There are Radios available with integrated solar cells, cranks, batteries and ac adapter plugs, which would provide maximum flexibility in minimum space.
Alternatively, goalzero and harbor freight both offer modular components like small solar panels, battery chargers, and inverters that are compact and portable.

There are even some hand crank 2 amp variable voltage generators with relatively long crank arms on Amazon. Intriguing. The short flimsy cranks on the radios is the biggest drawback.

https://www.amazon.com/HUABAN-Generator-...GBPE64A729X13RM

Hand crank doesn't get free energy. It's an inefficient process of converting your food calories into electricity. If you're in an emergency situation, can you count on having extra calories to burn off? Will you have enough food? Will you have health arms/hands?

Interesting approach.
Granting that there ain't no such thing as a free lunch (TAANSTAFL, Heinlein) all the modalities involve converting something- wind, sunlight, gasoline, money- into electrical energy. I can collect energy from the sun, a windmill, from a car or stand alone generator, from the grid or batteries that I have purchased, but any means requires resources and is not, therefore, free. I can imagine a scenario when I would not have access to enough sunlight, enough gasoline, enough wind, or enough strength to generate meet the power budget. Best solution I can think of is to be equipped with several alternatives.

Solar

For that matter, will you have the time, given other priorities that may be present? Solar allows the recharging/energy acquisition to occur while you are tending to other priority tasks.

I have solar panels and a couple of gadgets with hand cranks. No question as to which will see the most real world use.

A crank, if it’s a particularly good one, is useful if you have to make one call, right now (or in a few minutes), briefly.

Solar can charge your phone, your tablet, and maybe a lot more, if the sun is shining. Good solar can charge stuff slower on cloudy days.

+1 on Solar, With the addition of a secondary battery- 2 separate items.

That way the sun is used to charge the battery in advance-- If you HAVE sun, charge your phone directly from panel, If night, charge from battery.

I think I got a 5 watt folding camping panel (just USB outs, about 7 x 10 folded up) for 29, and a 12,000 Mah battery for 14.

Heck, the battery even has an LED flashlight on it....

I can charge a single device in light clouds from a 5 watt panel, or 2 devices in the sun.

I'm a fan of 28-50 watts of solar along with a couple of battery banks