When you need reliable offgrid power for charging phones, cameras, tablets, or other mobile devices, a portable solar charger and power pack are just what the tech doctor ordered, and when it comes to brands you can trust, Goal Zero is at the top of the list.
I’ve been fortunate enough to use and review a number of Goal Zero solar products over the last couple of years, and without exception, I’ve been impressed every time. That’s not to say that I think everything the company makes is perfect, but rather that when compared with other similar brands, I’ve found Goal Zero solar products set the bar high with well thought-out and engineered designs, which are then built with quality components and are accompanied by a good warranty and access to a great customer service team if issues arise.
The latest Goal Zero product I’ve been using is the Venture 30 power pack, accompanied by the Nomad 7 folding solar charger (although I recommend using it with a larger solar charger for faster charge times – see full review). This little unit is indeed waterproof and rugged, and packs enough energy into it (7800mAh capacity) that it can recharge a smartphone 3 to 5 times, or fully recharge a tablet once, per full charge.
“I found [the Venture 30] to be, like most Goal Zero products, a carefully designed and well-built unit that would be right at home in a backpack, bicycle pannier, or travel bag, and the power pack itself can fit easily into a pocket or purse.
The Venture 30 is small and light enough to be packed just about anywhere, and has enough capacity to fully recharge a smartphone three to five times (depending on the model), a GoPro camera five times, and to give most tablets a single charge. The unit itself can be fully recharged via a 2A USB outlet in five hours, or can be charged via the Nomad 7 (7W) solar panel with a full day’s exposure to sunlight (your mileage may vary by the length of day and local conditions, as the specs say 8-16 hours, but I got a full charge in about 8 hours in August here in sunny southwestern New Mexico).
Like all Goal Zero battery products, the Venture 30 has pass-through charging, which means that you can charge your gadget from the Venture at the same time as it is being charged from the solar panel, so you don’t have to wait until the power pack is fully charged.”
Originally published on NaturalPapa
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