I recently picked up a folding solar panel to charge my cell phone & GPS when out and about. It’s a RAVPower (no affiliation) 16W panel with two USB output ports which together top out at 3.2 Amps (full sun, optimum exposure). I really only need one port and 2 Amps max, but those tend to be smaller panels and this gives me a spare port and wiggle room for exposure.

Testing, testing — as I type the panel is laying across a bush in the back yard attached to my flip-phone. If the phone’s estimate is correct it should be fully charged in ~45 minutes or so. Then I do the same with my GPS.

Amazon shows a number of folding solar panels from different manufacturers and of different wattage output, some with two USB ports, others with three. The larger one from this manufacturer has three ports, but since I would need a max of two and normally only one, the smaller of their offerings seemed a better choice. In any case since available power is shared by the two or three ports, more ports is not always an advantage. This one looked to be well built and a good size for hiking.

OutdoorGearLab’s ”The Best Portable Solar Panels and Chargers of 2019” shows this one to be middle of the pack, however my test is running ahead of schedule (that’s a good thing I think), so while it may not be #1, it’s good enough. I initially rejected their Editor’s Choice (BigBlue 28W) primarily because of size, but that doesn’t mean I won’t get it too — objective opinions count and it looks like a great way to recharge a 20,000 mAh power bank.

Done, phone’s charged, test complete.