Lixada 10 Watt USB Solar Panel Review

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

For either heavier electronics usage than my use case, longer trips, or longer trips where you might resupply but don’t have time or an opportunity to recharge, a solution is needed. The most popular option can be found in portable lithium power banks, which feature a USB output and are relatively lightweight, easy to pack, and can charge your devices day, cloudy day, or night. On the downside, the level of power is finite, they self-discharge over time, and in order to deal with the charging losses, you need to buy a power bank with a much larger mAh rating than you think you need which equals more weight (generally you’ll need to add about 40%). And with the limited cycle life of li-on batteries, I try to accumulate as few as possible. Solar is another option, and is typically heavy as well. Often solar chargers have in integrated battery – the idea is to recharge as you hike during the day, then charge your devices at night. This may work, but adds weight, complexity, and another battery to deal with.

The Lixada 10 Watt USB Solar Panel however offers direct charging – there are no batteries involved and the product is essentially a solar panel with a USB port. The panel is approximately 10 x 5.5”, with everything embedded in what appears to be HDPE plastic with a carrying / attachment handle and 4 grommets, one on each corner. The panel is available on Amazon.com for less than $20 shipped and weighed 3.3 ounces on my scale. While 10 watts is in the name, the specs do suggest more of an actual output after all is said and done of about 5 watts (a standard iPhone wall charger is 5 watts, for comparison). Inside the white plastic USB cover and hidden is a red LED that illuminates when the panel is exposed to enough light, but it’s hard to see in actual usage. Note that Lixada also offers a slightly lighter panel as well...

We review the ultralight Lixada 10 Watt USB solar panel in issue 50, and test its capability for recharging common electronic backpacking gear and its viability in a backpacking environment. Take a look at the full review in Issue 50:

LIxada 10 Watt USB Solar Panel Review

Issue 50 Page 1