The same goes for small portable chargers and battery packs.
But what do you do when your battery or power station runs out of juice?
You get theAnker 625 Portable Solar Panel charger.
That’s when the Sun becomes your best friend.
Here’s my full review.
Overall, it feels very well-made.
One closed storage pocket protects your goods, with rugged zippers and all.
However, the second storage pocket is a breathable mesh, which houses the solar converter and circuit box.
This is likely to ensure it doesn’t overheat and stop charging, thanks to plenty of airflows.
It’s not very small, but it’s thin and reasonably portable.
There’s not much else to it, and that’s a good thing.
Pop bring up the kickstands, find a sunny spot, and you’re ready to go.
Or, if it’s mid-day and the sun is above you, simply lay it flat.
There’s no built-in battery, though, and it can’t store power.
I hooked up myAnker Powerhouse 800 IIportable power station and used the sun and panels to charge it.
And on another day, I used the Anker 625 to recharge a 20,000 mAh portable power bank.
I got dust and dirt all over them while camping, which wasn’t a problem.
The kickstands aren’t adjustable, so finding the perfect angle can sometimes be challenging.
I wish those straps were adjustable, like a backpack, to help adjust the angle.
Power stations like theAnker 757are great, but they’re also big, heavy, and expensive.
A solar charger could be all you need if you’re going on a short summer trip.
It never once stopped outputting power, even on cloudy days.
I’ll try it again when the temps warm up.
Well, that depends on how much sunlight is available and not covered by clouds.
I was very surprised that it instantly worked as advertised in terms of power generation.
you could see that number in the top left corner of the image above.
It’s not delivering 100W constantly, so your mileage may vary.
Even with a ton of clouds, it delivered around 55-73W of power to my power bank.
That’s better than I expected.
Next, I tried charging myAnker 20,000mAh portable batterybank via the USB-C output on the solar panels.
And while that’s not crazy fast, that’s enough to charge two smartphones fully.
Should You Buy One?
An entire day in the sun couldn’t charge my phone more than 10%.
With newer technology like the Anker 625, I could have charged everything I wanted in half a day.
So, should you buy one?
Well, it depends on your usage scenario.
This might be a bit too big and heavy if you need something ultra-portable.
Related:Are Portable Solar Chargers Worth It?
Or to have in storage if you lose power at home.
It’s easy to set up on a roof, tabletop, behind your tent, or backyard.
