Re: smart phone on the PCT

Tom

What I have used in the past has been a solar charger robbed from some of our solar yard lights.
It weighs 9.3 oz with 3 AA batteries installed. It only charges 3 AA at a time but does it very well. I will then (future tense) use the Guide 10 (6 oz with batteries) to charge devices (camera, smartphone, Spot II, InReach, UV purifier.....) that do not take AA batteries. 
I may switch to the Nomad charger to pair up to the Guide 10 but it weighs a little more and I would have the shell out the extra bucks so time will tell on the possible change.

Then again I may only use the Guide 10 and carry some AA lithium batteries and not carry the solar charger .... I am testing that method right now. 

From what I've seen on the PCT and read in journals, most thru hikers that are using solar chargers are using the Goal brand.
For the newer smartphones I think you will need the 1 watt output.

As I've stated on here before, the Spartphone will take the place of guide book pages, GPS, reading material, MP3 player, cell phone, Trail journal notebook, email, and web access while in towns to find the Hostel/laundromat/grocery store and eliminate waiting for the library's computer to come available. This makes it multi-multi use.

However GPS/smartphone will NOT take the place of Halfmile's Paper maps and manual compass. 
IMHO, the hard copy maps are a must as backup to the electronic GPS unit even though I will probably use the hard copies most.
Although, as good and detailed as they are, Halfmile's maps are still not as accurate as a GPS at letting you know almost immediately  when you chose the wrong unmarked fork in the trail while looking at map and compass. 

Since I'll be carrying a Smartphone for my wife's peace of mind, I might as will install the map apps and use it as a GPS also and keep the batteries of everything charged.

'til later,
jon (Gandalf) PCT class of 2013



--- In [email protected], Tom Pitts <tdpitts@...> wrote:
>
> What chargers are people using (& at least somewhat happy with) while
> hiking?
> 
> Thanks!
> Tom Pitts
>