GoSun 10 Watt Portable Solar Panel
Phone, GPS, head unit, camera gear, headlamp, the list goes on. Carrying electronics in the backcountry is the norm these days. Keeping them charged over the course of a multi-day backcountry trip, however, is a project of its own.
Portable batteries are an obvious solution and are great for a single device for a short weekend trip. But when you need to keep multiple devices charged over a longer period of time, a portable solar panel is the ticket. A portable solar panel lets you charge backup batters and devices directly.
I recently put a GoSun 10-watt portable solar panel to the test. The goal was to maintain the charge on two Garmin GPS bike computers, two iPhones and a backup battery while on an eight-day bikepacking trip. It worked flawlessly.
Clean, Simple Bikepacking Friendly Solar Panel
The GoSun 10 Watt Portable Solar Panel is an affordable, lightweight folding panel. It measures 6.25 x 7 inches folded or 12.5 x 7 inches when open. It weighs about 10 ounces (280 grams).
10 watts is about all you need to effectively charge small electronics like phones and bike GPS units. If you need to power a laptop or a tablet or you need to charge multiple devices simultaneously, you will want to look at 20-40-watt panels.
The GoSun 10-watt portable solar panel design is clean and simple. It’s coated with a flexible polymer that gives it a rugged, waterproof feel. There’s a single USB port outlet for connecting it to a device. And there are no bulky or breakable components to get in the way or fail. All four corners are slotted for easy attachment to hang from almost anything.
How It Works
Using the GoSun solar panel is super easy. Just plug the charging cord for your device into the one-and-only USB port on the panel and set the panel in the sun. GoSun says it charges as fast as a household outlet provided full, unfiltered sunlight. My experience matched the claim. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it topped up the charge on a variety of different devices. Of course, the lower you let a battery drain, the longer it takes.
Solar Panel Charging Best Practices
The best practice for backcountry battery charging is to charge regularly. I followed a simple process where I strapped the panel across the top of my panniers each morning and let it charge my backup battery while pedaling during the day. When there was sun at camp, I connected the panel directly to my phone or Garmin unit. Both approaches work well.
Durable and Adventure Worthy Solar Panel for Bikepacking
Along with charging quickly, the GoSun Portable Solar Panel is proving to be totally adventure-worthy. It has survived a handful of week-long bikepacking trips with limited signs of wear and has never let me down on charging.
The folding design keeps it small and packable. There’s no added frame or stand to add weight or bulk. The panel folds flat and easily slips into a pack or pannier without taking up unnecessary space. Whatever it’s coated with handles day after day of dust and dirt without issue. It wipes clean with a damp rag and charges even when dusty — albeit presumably at a slower rate. The two included mini carabiner clips make hanging it snap.
GoSun 10 Watt Portable Solar Panel $39
Check the price and availability of the GoSun 10-watt portable solar panel directly from GoSun
Read our review of portable backup batteries
Planning a bikepacking trip? Check out our other bikepacking gear reviews:
Salsa Everything Cage Review
Salsa Handlebar Bag Review
Ortlieb Handlebar Bag Review
Platypus Waterfilter Review
Portable Solar Panel Review
Showers Pass Apex MTB Pants Review
Tubeless Tire Setup Tips
Ultralight Bikepacking Tent Review
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