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Charging a phone while tripping

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I am being dragged towards getting a smartphone. My flip phone charge lasts a week or more. I understand smart phones last much less. How do you keep yours charged on a trip?
Thanks, Turtle
 
I used the below on a 4-day Algonquin trip (and since). It also worked great on my rechargeable headlamp. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Not sure if there are options available that are not made in China.

In case the link doesn't work, here is the description. [h=1]Phone Solar Charger,Yelomin 20000mAh Portable Outdoor Waterproof Mobile Power Bank,Camping External Backup Battery Pack Dual USB 5V 1A/2A Output 2 Led Light Flashlight with Compass[/h]
 
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Turtle...wrt smart phones losing charge quicjkly, in less than a week... mine keeps a usable charge for ten days at least, if it's kept in airplane mode (which disconnects calls, GPS, other operations), no wi-fi, no data and if it not being used so no screen time so screen is off... check the phone's "how to conserve power" info. A small power bank about the same size should be able to recharge the phone two or three times.

BTW, airplane mode which is supposed to conserve power by disconnecting GPS along with other functions, will allow GPS tracking with Avenza maps and still keep the rest of the airplane mode disconnects going if you want to track while paddling or hiking. The screen will need to be turned on to see the track and GPS and that's the biggest single drawdown from the battery.
 
I personally have not embraced smart phones. Yes, I do have one, never leave it on except when I want to make a call. It would be the last thing I would think of taking with me on a canoe trip. Cell coverage where I go is non existent so, it would not work anyway. Last thing I want to see when out in Mother Natures back yard is someone staring at their hand.
So ends a old man yelling at the neighbor kids.
 
I have one of these
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Waterproof...hash=item46a479fc32:m:mqRllIeyyW6igTBikat4dLw
I put 4 of these in it
https://liionwholesale.com/collecti...mah-flat-top-wholesale-lot?variant=1076987260
and recharged my cell phone from dead 2.7 times. It would be easy to bring more of those batteries along and replace them when needed.
Caution in buying any battery or battery bank. There are lots more bad sellers than there are good sellers. ALL 18650 batteries marked as greater than 3500 mah that I have tested or got test data on have been less than 500 mah.
 
I've found my smart phone lasts quite well as long as I shut off data and roaming and only use it for a camera or emergencies. I bought a battery to charge it with and that's all I need. My battery charges my inReach Garmin GPS too.
 
I use Anker power banks, a 20,000mah and a 10,000mah, i think they are among the best available.

I recommend avoiding the cheap powerbanks that are out there.
 
As already mentioned, put it into Airplane mode to conserve your battery since GPS still works in Airplane mode.

Some may not know this, but the iPhone has a built in barometer (there are several free apps that let you tap into it). Not as good as getting an Inreach weather report or a good weather radio (if you are in an area tht gets receptions), but I don't yet own an Inreach and the places I've been going in Maine seem to be in one of the few pockets that don't get a weather radio signal. So, I rely on the iPhone barometer to give me a quick and dirty look at the weather.
 
I have bought a few cheap powerbanks and have had great luck with them. The last one I purchased was this one (for $34.99 at the time) from Amazon in February of 2018 and it is still going strong which is especially noteworthy as I use it daily for charging the GPS/Camera and other devices. I can't remember the last time I plugged my GPS/Camera into the wall, but I plug this into the wall one or two times a week to charge up. When I'm tripping it goes in it's own ziploc bag which goes inside a dry bag alongside my extra clothing.

I have heard that powerbanks will go bad from lack of use. If you don't use it everyday, make a point to use it and then fully charge it every couple of months. I do this with a couple others that I had before I bought the RAV and they still work.


Airplane mode is key! This keeps it from trying to contact a tower which drains the battery very quickly when there is no tower to answer. I spent 21 days camping in Idaho a couple years ago and kept my GPS/Camera on and ready to take pictures the entire time with about 34k mah of charge coming from 3 separate powerbanks. I made exactly 3 high-elevation phone calls on that trip but I took pictures every day and even read a couple books. You want to make sure it is not doing anything so turn off Wifi, bluetooth, hotspot and everything else that you can. I also close all apps (camera, maps, Kindle) every time I am done using it and I believe this helps as well. Shutting the GPS/Camera off altogether holds the battery longer, but then you have to wait for it to boot up before you can take pictures. Turning itself on normally takes a couple % of the battery as well so I have found it best to leave it on, even at night.

For someone who has received exactly 0 photography lessons in his life, the quality of photos I have taken with my GPS/Cameras amazes me. Currently my GPS/Camera is a Samsung Galaxy S10, but I've had an S3, S4, S5 and S7 as well.

Edit: For context, my regular, everyday use of my GPS/Camera includes phone calls, text messages, surfing the web and broadcasting a mobile wifi hotspot for my laptop. In this function I have to charge it at least once daily and the 26,800mah power bank I use will keep it charged for 2 or 3 days at most.
 
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Thanks, I would use it only for pictures and to call my wife if I have service to tell her I'm OK. I now use a digital camera and flip phone for this so one positive is one gadget for both. Sounds like possibly I would be ok one 3 day trip depending on which one I get.
 
Thanks, I would use it only for pictures and to call my wife if I have service to tell her I'm OK. I now use a digital camera and flip phone for this so one positive is one gadget for both. Sounds like possibly I would be ok one 3 day trip depending on which one I get.

I think you will be fine. Make sure you understand from before purchase how to turn everything off.. Really off. Sometimes the makers are so clever at hiding power draws. For those that eschew phones that is fine but we had a family member die while we were on a remote trip and no one could reach us so lets not judge others but just answer the question or keep mum.
 
In place of disabling features/data, etc. Just keep turned off unless you need it. Most smart phones boot very quickly. All the texts and missed calls will be waiting for you the next time you turn it on. I use mine for e-books and some times even movies, so I take this. It lets me recharge from zero 2-3 times. If you go for more than a week, I'd look at solar options
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OT maybe but low-cost satellite internet might mean many more people will be staring off into cyberspace, even in the most remote of remote places. SpaceX has begun sending their satellites up (IIRC there is a launch today) and that friendly bringer of death to retailers, Amazon, senses megaprofits in billions of $$$ and is planning competition. Astronomers are worried that so many satellites up there in low earth orbit will mean an end to dark skies.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/14/spa...aunch-thousands-more-satellites-in-2020s.html

Even more OT... several years ago I was in a remote spot with no TV and could not watch the Superbowl... but did have AM radio and managed to catch AM skip all the way from NYC. And you know... it wasn't bad with a winter storm howling and blowing snow, listening to semi-exciting Superbowl action being described during the broadcast. Even better, I didn't see Madonna's ridiculous halftime show. So I could see being in a tent and streaming something out there into a phone with a satellite connection in the middle of nowhere and enjoying it.
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I am planning on loading a (satellite) map app to my phone to use for travelling and canoe tripping. I've noticed that the battery lasts a couple days without anything turned off, so if I were to switch everything off and use it sparingly I'd expect to greatly extend the phone's battery life. I'm also planning on purchasing a power bank to give me 2-3 charges per. This combo will be more than enough for my intended use of <10 days, we'll see. I don't expect cell service where we go, so don't feel inconvenienced by that. We've already bought waterproof soft cases with lanyards. I am tech challenged, but only because I'm an old dog lazy arse and can't be bothered to learn new tricks. Over the years I've grown envious of those around me who have conveniences at their fingertips. I'm an old school guy and I love it. The smell of real paper books, the feel of real paper maps...
Not so long ago we were tucked up in our down bags my wife and I, she with her book and me with mine. I had my headlamp on and deep in storyland listening to the wind whispering across our tent fly. Miranda was as deep into her escape as I was into mine, except she didn't need a headlamp. She had her backlit e-reader, and was simply swiping right through the virtual pages. I wondered if she was missing the smell, the feel of paper pages in her hands. Evidently not she said. This is so much more slimmer, lighter, easier to transport and use she added, although we do have to drybag both our chosen books. I reminded her smarmingly that my book doesn't need batteries; she responded with a Meh.
Transferring this reasoning to wayfinding I'm heading towards the tech direction in navigation. I haven't gotten lost with map & compass but I have gotten turned around. That never used to bother me before but I'm feeling so much more mortal these days. I'm not sure if this phone/map approach is a half step towards a dedicated GPS or an acceptable alternative to that, we shall see. The input from users of all devices is invaluable to me, thanks for the discussion.
 
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