The 10 Best Solar Generators for Camping With All Your Gadgets

Generators used to be loud, smelly, and gas-powered, and unless you were eking out a survivalist lifestyle in a cabin in the woods, you probably didn’t have much need for one. However, in these days of renewable energy, we’re rethinking the idea of generators. Solar generators (aka portable power stations or portable power banks) seem to be everywhere now. It’s no surprise: They’re smaller, quieter, and more environmentally friendly than their predecessors. They’re also clean enough to run indoors and, with enough sunlight, can be recharged indefinitely. Plus, in our tech-hungry world, almost everyone has a use for them. For campers, in particular, packing a portable power station is as important as packing a tent, a hiking backpack and a proper s’mores kit.

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If you’re reading this, you might already be shopping for solar generators. So, by now, you know comparing the options might seem impossible without a Ph.D. in electrical engineering. The long list of techno-jargon—things like “MPPT charge controllers,” “lithium iron phosphate cores,” and “monocrystalline cells”—doesn’t help, either. So, we dove into the best options out there to find the best of the best solar generators for camping in 2022. (Pro tip: Despite the name, solar generators don’t actually generate electricity; they only store it. To recharge yours in the field, you’ll also need a portable solar panel.)

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