Only a few years ago, we told people not to bother with solar at festivals and just take a regular power bank instead. That’s still good advice, especially if you know you’ll have enough capacity to last until you get home. However, portable solar panel chargers have now become small enough, powerful enough and cheap enough for us to recommend a few of them as an alternative solution.
If you’re camping for a full five nights, as part of a large group with loads of devices to charge, or perhaps staying on site for weeks as part of festival crew, a foldable solar panel can be a very effective way to keep your stuff charged throughout. All the panels we recommend still work effectively in cloudy weather and are light (and waterproof!) enough to clip onto the back of your backpack – so you won’t need to leave them outside your tent all day at risk of being stolen.
These panels all fold down to around the size of an iPad, so they won’t add much weight or bulk to your bag. We’d recommend taking a power bank with you too. It’s much more convenient to keep your power bank topped up from the solar panel so you can recharge your phone at full speed at any time day or night. A decent power bank and solar panel combo is probably the ultimate festival charging solution – you’ve got the convenience of round-the-clock charging from the power bank backed up with worry-free unlimited power from the solar panel.
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Best all-round solar panel
Anker Solix PS30 – 30W USB foldable solar panel
Anker is our go-to charging brand for quality and reliability and this carries through to their solar panels. The Solix PS30 is perfect for charging power banks, phones and any other USB devices whenever you’re away from a traditional power source for an extended time.
While it’s festivals we recommend them for, they’re also great for camping trips, long hikes or any other outdoor activities. I’ve even found myself using one to keep a Bluetooth speaker going at a BBQ on a sunny day, because while my power bank was out of charge the solar panel is always ready to go (if it’s daytime of course!).
This one has a 30W max output and can charge two devices at once from two ports: standard USB and USB-C. In direct sunlight, most power banks will be charged just as quickly as from the mains, and the large panel area means you’ll still get a decent charge through a cloudy day.
It’s waterproof, backed by an 18-month warranty and comes with two carabiner clips so you can attach it to your backpack.
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Smallest solar panel that works well
FlexSolar 36W Ultra-Foldable Solar Charger
While most solar panels fold down three or four times into the size of an iPad, this 36W model from FlexSolar uses a clever multi-fold accordion design for the ultimate portable experience. Instead of a bulky square, it folds down to roughly the size of a large smartphone, but still unfolds to reveal a massive 36W of solar capability.
Despite packing down smaller than almost anything else on the market, you actually get more power than most standard panels. It features USB-A, USB-C, and even a DC port. The USB-C port supports fast charging (PD), meaning if you get direct sunlight, it will charge your power bank just as quickly as a mains plug.
Like the Anker panel, it is properly IP67 waterproof and dustproof, and comes with carabiner clips so you can attach it to your bag while walking or your tent while at camp. It is probably the best combination of high output and tiny pack size available right now.
- The most compact option available
- Clever accordion design packs down to the size of a smartphone
- Massive 36W output with fast-charging USB-C
- IP67 waterproof and includes clips to attach to your backpack
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Cheaper options with good performance
FlexSolar 20W Solar Charger
If you don’t want to spend quite as much or just want a slightly smaller solar panel, this option from FlexSolar is the way to go. We’ve tested it and it is highly capable of keeping your power bank topped up throughout a festival, though naturally it will take longer for each charge than the 30W panels above – and is more reliant on bright weather.
If you’re camping somewhere you can safely leave the panel out charging your power bank all day, the lower power output might not make any difference at all. It might give you a full-speed charge directly to your phone in direct sunlight, but in cloudy weather it’s more likely to slow down.
It features both a standard USB and a USB-C port, comes with two carabiner clips to attach to your backpack, and is waterproof too.
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F.A.Q.
Does the panel always need to face the sun?
No, but you’ll get a faster charge if the panel faces the sun. You’ll still get some charge facing other directions, so if you’re wearing one on your back you don’t need the sun directly behind you.
Do these solar panels hold any charge?
No, the panels have no battery and cannot be charged. They’ll only provide power during sufficient daylight. We recommend taking a power bank and using the panel to keep the power bank topped up, so you can charge your phone quickly with or without sunlight.
Do portable solar panels work in the rain?
Yes, and all the panels we’ve listed are waterproof. Of course, you’ll get a much faster charge on a sunny weather than on a dark, rainy day.