We tested three rugged, adventure-proof solar panels fit for the wildest of wild camping.
Test conditions
- Each unit was placed in the sun simultaneously between 11am and 3pm to ensure the best possible solar retention.
- A Fluke Meter was used to assess how each panel charged an 80-amp, 12-volt deep-cycle battery (the kind used to power up a portable fridge or a similar appliance / lights at a campsite) in one hour from a standardised reading.
1. BushPower Portable Solar Kit
R5 250, bushpower.co.za
The BushPower Portable Solar Kit is built tough. It comes in a sturdy metal case that can withstand the kind of abuse you might encounter on a hardcore, denture-rattling 4×4 trail, making it the perfect companion for wild camping. It weighs 13kg, and has 110W of panel power and an output of 5.7A and charged our deep-cycle battery up by 2.6 volts in an hour. They are also available to rent from BushPower for R240 a week.
2. SnoMaster Folding Solar Panel
R5 000, snomaster.co.za
It’s the neatest, and most affordable, panel of the lot and comes with lots of handy accessories like connector cables you need to hook it up to your batter (on some of the panels, you have to buy your own connectors). In our battery charging test, it used its 100W combined panels and 5.5A of output to charge our deep-cycle battery 2.72 volts in an hour. This 8kg panel also comes with a built-in regulator and built-in storage compartments.
3. Flexopower Kalahari-158
R9 958, flexopower.co.za
Locally made and seriously heavy-duty (the South African Defence Force uses them in the field), the Flexopower Kalahari 158’s amorphous silicon panels took top spot in our battery test, using its 158W combined panel power and 8.2A output to charge our deep-cycle battery a full 4.8 volts in one hour. It also works well in low-light conditions and its roll-up design makes it relatively lightweight – at 6kg it’s easy to pack and transport.
The Kalahari’s amorphous silicone panels are seriously hardy, check out this video of the Flexopower being driven over by a truck.
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