As you may already know, electricity is needed to power nearly all of favorite devices. Smartphones, tablets, and other devices run on batteries, which means they have a limited amount of power. One that power is gone, your device may as well be a paperweight.
Daily use devices such as smartphones have batteries that can be drained rather quickly with frequent use. We combat these ever-draining batteries by constantly recharging them whenever we have a chance. Plug-ins, car chargers, USB cords, these are all commonplace. But have you considered solar backpacks?
What is a Solar Backpack?
You may have heard of solar panels, solar generators, and solar chargers already. These devices use sunlight and convert it into usable electricity.
The process is a simple one: photon energy from the sun reaches a solar panel. The photons enter the panel, and disrupt electrons from their atomic orbit. This generates electricity, which is then sent to a battery. The battery chargers, and can then be used to power electrical devices and appliances. The scientific name for this is the Photovoltaic Effect.
Solar backpacks combine several of these aspects of solar products into a wearable, mobile solar charger kit that serves a variety of uses. The back of the backpack has a built-in solar panel facing outwards, which feeds directly to either a small battery inside or to a cord that can be plugged into a device.
The end result is a backpack that doubles as a portable solar charger. Worried about the solar panel being damaged? Don’t be – these panels are almost always waterproof, and have a protective coating that resists scratching and damage from impact.
Most of us already use some sort of bag or backpack for various reasons, so turning that backpack into a portable charger while on the go is an effective and convenient way to take electrical power with you, while also ensuring that you always have power available.
Whatever you choose to do, solar backpacks allow for you to carry your belongings and gear while also charging your phone, tablet, or other small devices during your excursion. This saves you space in your bag while also removing the need to bring an extra battery or mobile charger that dies off after one use.
Why Use a Solar Backpack?
There are certainly several options for mobile power for small devices, but they are all finite in their ability to provide power. Those little portable USB chargers you see around? Yes, they’ll charge your phone, but don’t expect them to last very long. And once they are out, they are out, and so is your phone or device.
Solar energy never runs out during the day. With a solar backpack, you have the means to charge your phone or device back up, and then do it again later, and again, and again, until the sun goes down. And even when it does, if your backpack uses a battery, you just might have enough to get you through to the next day.
Nearly every solar backpack has a USB port, along with interchangeable plug-ins for different phones and devices. This can be used to charge rechargeable batteries, GoPros, cameras, and even small lights. This can be very handy when you are spending the day away from any sort of electrical power, including a car charger.
Solar energy is also a natural and green source of energy, so using a solar backpack can reduce your carbon footprint over time.
Who Can Benefit the Most From Solar Backpacks?
Several different types of people and lifestyles stand to benefit from the use of a solar backpack.
Outdoor Activities
If you are someone who spends a lot of time in the outdoors, but still need your phone for various reasons, a solar backpack provides you with a way to always ensure that it’s up and running.
This includes runners, bicyclists, and campers, as well as fishers and hunters. Campers and hikers are especially benefited by solar backpacks, as they can often find themselves in very remote areas, far away from power.
Our phones these days are more than just something to talk and text with. They provide us with weather alerts, GPS, photos, light, video, emergency assistance, and whatever apps you like to use for certain activities. If you are camping or hiking, your phone may very well be your most important item you have with you.
If you’re outside for either work or leisure, you are almost assuredly away from any sort of electrical power. Solar backpacks are constantly charging and supplying power every second they are in the sun, making them an incredibly useful item to have, even if you don’t plan on being away for very long.
Other Uses
You don’t have to be some sort of athlete or outdoorsman to benefit from these backpacks, city dwellers can find them just as useful as well. Solar backpacks are helpful to those that commute long distances on foot each day, and need a way to keep their phones and devices powered when going back and forth, without having to haul around a standard portable charger.
If you enjoy attending music festivals, a solar backpack gives you a huge leg up. These festivals usually last all day, so if you are busy taking photos and videos throughout, your phone isn’t going to make it through til the end.
Most people bring backpacks to music festivals anyway, so why not bring one that can charge your phone on its own?
Solar Backpacks for Backpacking
Backpackers are basically off-trail hikers that turn their hike into an excursion lasting several days. Because of this, backpackers bring along a large amount of gear with them, making space crucial. Stuffing your bag with several portable chargers is not going to do you any favors. Besides, once those chargers run out they are useless.
With solar backpacks, you have a way to carry all of your crucial outdoor gear, while also providing a steady stream of power for your phone, tablet, camera, or whatever else can be powered with a USB port.
There are plenty of solar backpacks available that are specifically made for backpacking, which means you don’t have to settle for a smaller-sized, less-rugged backpack just to have a solar version. If you are a serious backpacker, a solar backpack may be just what you need to push your outdoor adventures to the next level.
