The Basics of Charging Your Phone When Camping
Smartphones have become a necessity, and when one heads out camping, the need to keep their device powered becomes even more critical. There’s no denying that the convenience of having a charged phone allows you to access navigation, document your journey with pictures or videos, or even stay up to date with family and work tasks. If you don’t adequately plan ahead, you can run into some trouble keeping your phone geared, leaving you feeling stranded and out of luck.
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Fortunately, I’ve been a camp enthusiast for three decades now, so I can provide some invaluable knowledge about making sure your phone stays powered when your camp trip rolls around. Back in the day, I had to be crafty and improvise with the resources available, but modern technology has made it much easier these days to find a way to stay connected. These days, phones come in all shapes and sizes, so with a bit of preparation, you can ensure that your device is functional even in the great outdoors.
Power Bank
The easiest and most straightforward way to keep your device juiced up is to bring a power bank. A quality power bank will last long enough to charge your device multiple times before needing to be recharged. Power banks come in a variety of sizes, so you’ll be able to pick the one that suits your needs best. Once you’ve decided on the power bank, you’ll need to ensure that it’s charged up, so it lasts you through your trip.
When you arrive at the campsite, you can plug your power bank into the USB port in your car. This provides enough power to allow your power bank to replenish itself, and you can even take it with you and use it as a portable charger to keep your phone juiced up.
Solar Charger
Solar chargers are also becoming more and more popular these days, and most campers now rely on them for charging their phones. A solar charger is a great investment if you plan on going camping often, as it allows you to take advantage of the sunny days that most parks and camping grounds experience. The charger is typically attached to a bag or tent, with the panels facing towards the sun. The direct sunlight allows for optimal charging conditions, and at night-time or rainy days, you can always resort back to regular methods.
Solar chargers come in all shapes and sizes and since they are becoming more popular, the prices have dropped significantly. Before investing in one, you should decide how many devices you plan to charge and how powerful of a charger you need. Then you can pick the one that matches your devices’ needs most accurately.
Car Charger
By far, this is the oldest and easiest way to charge your devices when camping. Almost every phone and device allows you to plug it into your car and as long as your car itself has a functional battery, you won’t have any trouble adhering to your charging schedule. This method also allows you to charge multiple devices at once, if you have the right charger, making it a go-to for travellers and campers.
BONUS: DIY Charging Solutions for When You’re Really Out There
If you’re an experienced camper, you likely find yourself out in the wild often. Far away from civilization and all the replenishing technologies it offers. So, in those situations, what can you do to keep you phone running?
One easy way of doing this is by using a makeshift charger that uses a 9v battery and some copper or aluminum wires. This little contraption is actually quite easy to assemble and use. What you have to do is attach the positive and negative sides of the wire to the battery, so the power flows through the wire and into your device. Make sure you are careful when doing so, as the whole thing can get quite hot.
You can also use a campfire to charge your phone. All you have to do is hold the device close to the fire and the heat surrounding it will generate electricity, which will in turn charge your battery.
Conclusion
As you can see, there plenty of solutions when it comes to keeping your phone juiced up, whether you’re camping in a secluded location or in a more touristy spot. Be sure you plan ahead and bring the necessary necessities to keep you tech running through the duration of your trip! And with these solutions, you’ll never have to worry about running out of charge again.
Here a few of our recommended products to make your charging experience with your phone much easier:
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