Recharge in the Great Outdoors

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No matter what kind of battery you’re using, one thing remains constant: no battery’s charge lasts forever. So what do you do when you’re miles away from a wall outlet? Consider a solar battery charger or portable power device.

Spending time in the great outdoors is usually a summer pastime intended to be a departure from the fast-paced modern world. However, these days, there are a surprising number of personal, portable electronic devices designed to improve your outdoor experience.

A solar charger comes in handy away from the comforts of the grid. Photo: Shutterstock

When considering recharging your devices off the grid, you first need to determine if your outdoor plans justify the need for it (think trip duration, and device utilization). If so, with a little research, you can determine which option best suits your needs and those of your rechargeable devices.

In any case, you will be choosing from a solar charger, a power pack, or a combo of the two. A solar charger collects power via fold-out solar collectors. The light weight panels absorb light and collect energy to transfer to your devices. These can work well for recharging small handheld devices, but are dependent on the sunshine.

A power pack is a portable battery charger that contains its own rechargeable battery that supplies energy to your devices. The pack would need to be charged prior to your trip – however, some models are a hybrid and contain solar collection panels that supply the power pack unit. Power packs will usually last for between 500 and 1,000 charges.

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The use of electronic devices in the wilderness continues to grow, meaning you can still escape civilization and enjoy nature without leaving all things high-tech at home. While some of these products use household batteries, the majority of them rely on internal rechargeable batteries – all of which are important to dispose of properly once the end of their life span is reached.

Whether you’re planning a family camping trip, a remote hike or a long distance mountain bike ride, these electronic gadgets are a great way to improve your outdoor experience.