10 Easy Ways to Charge Your Smartphone While Camping

Published on: February 4, 2022
Written by Camila Avery / Fact-checked by David Rowan

In our modern life, we are running after success. We can not spend time with our beloved ones. Camping with friends and family helps to revive the relationships among each other. Spending time with your own helps to gain the strength and inner peace that boost your work.

According to  Wikipedia, “camping is a kind of outdoor activity which is performed away from home to stay in a shelter.” Typically, people prefer to leave the developed area for camping as they can come to nature.

We need many things for camping like- tent, food, etc. As the phone is essential in our life, we need to be conscious of activating it. Before starting camping, you must know the ways to charge your smartphone while camping. In this article, you can learn about different methods and choose your likens.       

Method of Charging Your Smartphone During Camping

You can find different types of methods for charging your phone while camping. Here, I will try to discuss some ways to charge your smartphone while camping is given below:

Power Bank

A portable power bank is an essential element for anyone who has a smartphone. If you are not a camp freak, after that, you need a power bank as a backpack for anywhere you go. Before going on any trip, we need to charge it with a rechargeable battery.

To make sure that the power bank is suitable for your phone, you need to research the device’s battery capacity. Also, you should identify how often you can charge your device. The best way is to use the power bank as little as possible for an emergency to preserve the charge.

The power bank is great for a short camping trip. We can use it for iPhone or Android phones as a requirement throughout the trip. It is best to buy a large portable battery from a trusted brand.

If your power bank’s capacity is 20100mAh, then you can recharge an iPhone fully 8 times. It has two USB ports and provides a maximum of 4.8 amps output.

Now you can understand the capability of the power bank. Before choosing, you need to confirm the capacity for charging your phone. A portable power bank is an ideal choice for smartphone charging while camping. As it is lightweight, you can easily carry it even if you use a backpack.

Solar Charger

If you do not want to carry a bulky power station or depend on the power bank only, then a solar charger is the best choice. There are some factors of how sunny the weather is, and the photovoltaic panel’s wattage determines the efficiency of the solar charger. Now, I will discuss the feature of the solar charger is given below:

Efficiency And Capacity

Usually, our phone takes time to charge rather than drain the charge. That’s why we need patience to fill the phone.

Fossil fuel is more efficient for converting natural energy into electrical energy than renewable energy. But it doesn’t mean that you avoid renewable energy. You can get as much sunlight as you want from fossil fuel.

If you are not worried about charging, you can depend on the solar charger. If you are not patient, you can store the charge in a powerful battery that provides a maximum charge rate.   

Size And Shape

Solar chargers are of different sizes and shapes. Some chargers are like mobile chargers, which are weighty, and some are foldable, which is light in weight.

A solar charger like a mobile battery has the drawbacks that it is heavy. It is not easy to carry big things. But you can store the charge in the battery for necessary usage.

On the other hand, a lightweight solar charger is easy to carry, like you can easily fold it. But this foldable solar charger can not store charge for later. You can charge your phone directly when the solar panel is exposed to the sunlight.

Choosing the solar charger ultimately depends on your requirement. But the most important thing is that the solar charger depends on the weather. That’s why, depending only on the solar charger, you need to go in sunny weather for camping.

Water Resistance

Water-resistance is a vital criterion for an outdoor project or trip. Electrical equipment is the most vulnerable thing. That’s why it is essential to calculate the water resistivity. 

During camping, the solar charger can be wet in a river crossing or pour down water. If you want to protect your phone from damage, you will need to make sure some of the solar charger’s water resistance.

Number of Outputs

If you want to charge more than one device, you need to consider the output of more than one. Maybe it will be heavier and bulkier than one output option.

Generator

If you want to charge or use electricity in a huge range, you can use a portable generator. As a lithium battery provides larger energy, you can charge more significant electronics devices with large power.

This option is much heavier and larger than another source, which is better for car camping. Some generators run with gas but do not provide much clear energy. This gas generator will be possible then nothing.

There is another type of generator, which is a wind type. It works great on a violent day or during biking or running. Your device will charge faster how fast the wind will be.

Electricity from Running Water

If you are camping near the river or any water stream, you will convert the flowing water into electrical power by a portable turbine. This electric power converts into 12 volts, which works 24/7.

This portable turbine can be charged by wind also. According to the Canadian manufacturer, this turbine can produce 15 watts, charging a small electronic device. The river contains an unlimited source of energy whether the weather is good or not.

To convert water into electric power, you need to face the main drawbacks. You need to stay near the riverside or use a long weatherproof cable for charging your device.

To avoid this problem, you can use a USB battery to store the charge. If you need more power, then you can increase the strength double or triple by using the turbine in the chain together.

Portable Power Station

The portable power station is popular among the car campers and glampers. The larger and heavier battery pack holds more charge than a pocket-sized one by which You can charge your phone and large electrical appliances.

 If you want to party at a campsite or work on a laptop, it is a good choice for anyone. But carrying the bulky and heavy portable power station is a bad choice for backpackers.

The power stations are different from other options because of not supporting a USB port. Some portable power stations have AC outlets and 12v carports. That’s why campers can use any electrical appliances.

Hand Crank Phone Charger

If you want to depend on the old-fashioned method, you can use a hand crank phone charger. To recharge the phone, when you turn the crank, it converts kinetic energy into electric energy. In this process, you do not need to worry about power until your charger will break.

This charger has USB ports with few useful features. You can use a flashlight and radio with a hand charger as a multifunctional power source. If you need an emergency conversation, this hand charger can quickly charge your phone. As a result, it is a good choice to use it as a backup. If you need more power for your phone, then you should find another option.

Car Charger

If you need to charge your phone during camping, then the most common idea is to use a car charger. It is useful for car campers.

You get 12v output from the car battery. It would help if you bought a 12v adapter with which the USB port will be connected to the phone.

Cooking Stove

The cooking stove is an essential element for camping. You can use it to generate electricity besides cooking. The sticks, pine cones, etc., can be used as fuel with the BioLite stove invention.

Then the stove converts the heat into electricity, by which you can charge the devices. But this process is expensive.

Another option is a thermoelectric generator after filling with water and placing the heat source like a portable stove. As a result, electricity will be produced, and you can charge the device through a USB port.

Speaker

We all love to listen to music. That’s why we bring a speaker to the campsite. This speaker can work as a charging device. Many Bluetooth speakers have a USB port by which you can charge your phone quickly.

The solar power speaker is made for outdoor activities. You can recharge it by sunlight and play music simultaneously. Also, you can hook up this speaker with your backpack and go hiking.

Smartphone Case

You can now find many smartphone cases in the market that have a built-in function to recharge your phone. This case works as a 2 in 1 formula. Besides the charging option, it can protect your phone for durability. Some cases have another option that has a solar panel.

Important Tips

Here I will discuss some tips about extending the battery life of the phone. As a result, you can save the charge as much as possible during camping. These tips are given below:

Airplane Mode

To apply airplane mode is a good choice if you are in an area where you do not find any cellular service. It will help you to save power for your phone. However, when you are applying airplane mode, some apps in the background like GPS, offline maps, music, camera, etc., will retain.

Power Saving Mode

When you are going outdoors, you can use the power-saving mode of your phone. This low power mode will save your charge.  

Lock The Screen

If your screen is not locked, then your phone will use the battery charge. That’s why I try to set a time to lock the phone screen. In this way, you can save money.

Charge Before You Go

Before leaving home, you need to check your electronics, especially your phone, whether it is fully charged or not. If your phone has some difficulty holding a charge, then try to capture it in the car.

Disable Apps

All modern phones have a feature to show which apps use more energy on your phone. During camping, you can identify the apps and try to remove them temporarily to save the charger.

Turn Off

If you are not using a phone, you can turn it off to save power. You can turn on your phone according to the requirement. But try to remember that turning the phone on and off frequently will also take power.

The Safety Considerations for Charging My Smartphone While Camping?

1. Use the right charger: Make sure to use the right charger for your device. Using the wrong charger can cause overheating and other safety issues.

2. Use an outdoor outlet: When camping, make sure to always use an outdoor outlet if possible. This will help prevent electric shock and other issues.

3. Use a surge protector: Invest in a surge protector to protect your device from any unusual voltage fluctuations.

4. Don’t leave your phone unattended: Leaving your phone unattended while it charges can be a fire hazard. Make sure to keep an eye on it while it charges.

5. Unplug when done: Don’t leave your device plugged in when you’re done charging it. Overcharging can decrease battery life, damage the phone, and increase the risk of fire.

More Queries

How Does the Phone Hold a 100% Charge Without a Charger?

Here I try to discuss some tips for maintaining the charge on your phone. Maybe it will not be 100%, but if you focus on these particular tips, you can save your phone’s charge almost 100% for emergency purposes.

Is It Necessary to Invest in a Camping Charger or Are There Other Ways to Charge Your Smartphone While Camping?

When it comes to staying connected while camping, investing in one of the top outdoor charger options for your smartphone can be a game-changer. While there are other ways to charge your device, such as using portable power banks or solar chargers, having a dedicated camping charger ensures you’ll have a reliable power source in remote locations.

Is the Power Bank Suitable for Phone Batteries or Not?

If the power bank is not of excellent quality, then it can damage the phone battery. That’s why before buying any power bank, you need to understand the features and also you should check that it will match with your phone or not. If you fulfill all the criteria, then the power bank will be suitable for your phone.

Can I Use a Car Charger to Charge My Smartphone While Camping?

Yes, you can use a car charger to charge your smartphone while camping. However, you will need to make sure that you have a car charger that is compatible with your phone’s charging port and is powerful enough to charge your phone. Additionally, you will need to make sure that your car is parked close enough to the campsite to allow the car charger to reach your phone.

Final Verdict

If you are looking for ways to charge your smartphone while camping, you will find many options. Among them, using a portable power bank is an ideal choice. Because if you are a backpacker or tent camper, you can easily carry it.

On the other hand, you can also use a car battery or a portable power station if you are a car camper. The most important thing is that you need to keep in mind to not deplete the phone battery fully.

You can choose the solar charger as a power source if you are going camping in a sunny environment. The solar charger is eco-friendly, and you get an unlimited source from nature. If the climate is not sunny, then you can not choose it as a primary power source.

Also, try to save your phone battery by turning off unnecessary features or wifi, etc. In this way, you can save the phone power for longer.

Relevant Resources:

• These Chargers You Can Choose While Camping
• 6 Best Hiking Poles – You Can Trust