SOLAR

Solar has become more and more accessible with many brands popping up and competition means good prices and more features. You can choose different sizes for different power, a 10-15W panel is more packable and will keep most users well charged. A 20W would recharge a 20000mAh powerbank 2-3 times per sunny day.

stopped vs moving: clearly it is best for the panel to be stationary and to aim it perfectly during riding is simply not worth the hassle. I have it either on the back of the bike (top of my backpack) or on the front (if i am riding toward the sun). During breaks, I would take it off and put it on the ground facing the sun. The best part is that it provides power when not moving as opposed to the dynamo.

durability: In about a month and a half, my Goal Zero Nomad 20 had it’s 3rd panel connection break and in the next month my output (should be 14W with 2 panels) was barely reaching 9W. I think I am a little tougher on gear than the average cyclist though…

power output: this is where solar shines. I was able to have more than enough battery to fly my drone, keep cameras charged and often had to pack up the panel during the day since everything was full.

rain/clouds: I had about a month in the rain season in Bolivia and the panel was used as a $100 mudguard and a glorified wind screen for cooking. From my personal experience, although solar manufacturers say you can get power during cloudy weather, it is really insignificant and not worth keeping your battery out when cloudy/raining.

brands:

Goal Zero - as mentioned earlier, after two months connection between panels broke, by the 3rd efficiency was way down and borderline not worth carrying. Customer service was great though and replacement is on the way (assuming it can pass chilean customs). The one thing that is keeping me with Goal Zero is that I can get a 20V output to charge my powerbank much faster as opposed to other brands with USB outputs ONLY. (usb cables are delicate and not good to have on a bike while riding bumpy roads)

Anker - this would be my second choice if it’s ok to recharge via USB. I never used them but I expect them to be as good as their powerbanks.

