Re: How to charge devices while camping?

I have a better idea; leave them at home.

Then how would one watch movies on their iPad while backpacking? iPads don't run forever without a recharge... Then there would be long nights with nothing to do!

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Nature provides a pretty good movie every night. I'd rather watch that than some silly electronic thing. I'm out there to get away from that crap, not bring it along with me.

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Dave
Nature provides a pretty good movie every night. I'd rather watch that than some silly electronic thing. I'm out there to get away from that crap, not bring it along with me.

Do I have to explain that I intended the image as humor?

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eeek

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Dave
Nature provides a pretty good movie every night. I'd rather watch that than some silly electronic thing. I'm out there to get away from that crap, not bring it along with me.

Do I have to explain that I intended the image as humor?

I thought it was funny. The generator was funny and I find the fact that so many would go to so much trouble to make and/or buy the silly thing because they can't spend more than a few minutes away from their phone or electronics. Cell Phone addiction is a real problem so anyone inventing something that supports that addiction is going to get rich.

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Dave
Nature provides a pretty good movie every night. I'd rather watch that than some silly electronic thing. I'm out there to get away from that crap, not bring it along with me.

I agree wholeheartedly. I leave the cell phone in the car. It's another 2-3 ounces I don't need to carry.

I always have my Kindle and cell phone with me while camping, but if I have to worry about the charge on them than I've been out there too long.
The Kindle will hold a charge for weeks, and the phone is off and packed away for 99.95% of the time
And there's no way in hell I'm packing that 2 pound heavy stove with me!

BioLite CampStove tech specs



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/06/2012 10:47PM by qumqats.

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qumqats

And there's no way in hell I'm packing that 2 pound heavy stove with me!

BioLite CampStove tech specs

On the other hand, you won't have to carry around any fuel to use that stove. So you'll get some weight savings there...

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it is neat technology i must say. one of the guys i used to work with had a tiny solar panel that was probably 3 by 5 inches in size that had a little cord he rigged to plug into his cell phone and charge it.

I found it online: BioLite CampStove

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$129.00

Product Details:

Fast to boil: 4.5 minutes to boil 1 liter of water
Fire power output (peak): 3.4 kw (lo) 5.5 kw (hi)
USB power output: Max continuous: 2W @5V, Peak: 4W @5V
Compatible Devices: Powers most USB-chargeable devices including smartphones
Fuel: Burns sticks, pine cones, pellets and other biomass
Packed size: Height 8.25 inches, Width 5 inches
Weight: 2 lbs 1 oz / 935 grams
Pot weight limit: 8 lbs or 1 gallon of liquid
Materials: Stainless steel, aluminum, plastic

Not quite 1% efficiency but you do get to cook with the waste heat. If Abe Lincoln had had one of these, he could've done his homework by LED light instead of struggling to read in front of the fireplace!

They say you can collect twigs and pine cones as you hike, then burn them in the stove at the end of the day. Meanwhile, the Park Service says:

From http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/campregs.htm :
"Firewood collection (including pine cones and pine needles) is not permitted in Yosemite Valley."

From http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/yoursafety.htm :
"Please contact a park official if you see any of the following illegal acts:
...
-- collecting plants (including pine cones)"

While I understand Eeek's posting this with humor and/or sarcasm in mind, I had seen the BioLite stove a while back and thought it was pretty cool. Apparently it was developed primarily for third world places, and from that standpoint I like it. I would not bring something like it to the Sierra for all of the reasons mentioned above.

And as far as needing to charge ones's personal glowing rectangle (see this Onion Article ), I haven't had the need....but I have been surprised some of the people who I have seen use them in the back country. And while I agree that nothing is better than a backcountry sunset or late night star show, or a good book to read while in the sleeping bag, I have to admit that I have had moments on winter solos (where the nights are very long) when a glowing rectangle would have been a welcome addition.

There are those cranking emergency flashlights you can use to charge electronics. Better than nothing in the most desperate of situations.