I need a little help from you guys, as I don't know anything about this sort of thing.

I'm going to Elk hunt Colorado in September.  We will be backpacking into the mountains for up to 6 days. It's unlikely that I'll be able to get cell reception where we're going, but oddly enough texting does work, and I'd also like my phone just in case I get lucky and do have cell reception.

So, I need a solar powered charger. I need it to be light and cheap.

Do you guys who know about this sort of thing think some of these units (link below) might work?

[Link: ebay.com]

In case that doesn't work out, my in-laws that do some hunting trips like that usually rent a satellite phone

We'll have one as well, plus a Spot Connect unit.


But my hunting partner really wants his phone.  I personally don't care so much.
 

Check this out.

[Link: sportsmanswarehouse.com]

Goal Zero. Their product is excellent but not cheap. Then again, I never install Radio Shack surround receivers for my clients, even if they say "cheap."

Remember that cheap might mean it gives out halfway through the trip, so if you do find something cheap you should try it out for several charge cycles. Fortunately, there's plenty of time now.

There's a Goal Zero charger on ebay with the bids at $23 right now. [Link: ebay.com]; three days left in the auction. Search ebay for used solar panels. Build one yourself and hope it stays together for your entire trip. I really recommend doing away with the idea "cheap," though.

I should have asked you to define cheap, as I think the Goal Zero, while the right answer, is not cheap. Obviously Bonavox does, but all that matters is this: what do you think is cheap? What's your actual budget for this?

Contact bcf1963 and ask if the $20 chargers that sit on the dash of a vehicle, and supposedly trickle charge it, would work for you. Who knows? Maybe the weak 12 volts out of that unit will work directly into the 5V input of your phone.

By the way, do you have an iPhone, meaning there is no manufacturer-approved way to charge your phone from 12 volts? IIRC, all the car chargers, even in the Apple store, are not made by Apple.

If it's only 6 days you need coverage for then you might want to consider a portable charger instead. It's basically a battery pack with a USB interface and they come in a lot of shapes and sizes. It would be a lot faster and more reliable than solar, but it too will run out after a few charges so they're only practical for a week or two. Just search Amazon for "portable battery charger" and you'll see a gazillion of them.

Ernie, you don't know me well enough lol, I ignored "Mitch's" (sorry Paul lol) request for cheap. Cheapness requires more money spent in the future. Just reference 3pedalmini's signature!

:)

Why not just buy 4-5 batteries and charge them up before you go?

Because they're about $40 each.

That's actually a good idea, I didn't think of it.

If I fully charge one of those units, and leave it OFF until needed, how long do you think it'll hold a charge?

For example, I charge it. 4 days into the woods I need it, turn it on.  Do you think it'll still have juice on it?
 

Here's the one I have...

[Link: rei.com]

I chose this one because of the corner hooks. The holes are large enough for the buckle of my Gregory pack to fit through, so it sits right on the back of the pack without any "duct tape and bubble gum"...

Charges a Samsung Galaxy S4 fully twice. The battery in the charger itself charges fully in one day's hike.

If you don't need the extra weight and size of the solar part, the battery pack is removable and functions as a standalone portable charger.

Love it.

They typically have lithium batteries so they will hold their charge for weeks. It's more a matter of how many times you can charge your phone from it. A typical phone battery will be somewhere around 2,000 mAh, so if you get one of the larger units with 10,000+ mAh capacity you should be able to charge your phone up 4-5 times.

Jason's right. If batteries for your phone are $40 each and this thing is $80, you've already halved your cost!

The parameter you are interested in here, is the "self-discharge rate" of the pack. If it is a Li-Ion or Li-Polymer based pack, the self discharge rate at room temperature is about 2% per month. So, very slight. Most of the units you find, will be Li-Ion or Li-Polymer these days.

This is one of the big benefits of the Li+ based chemistries. Ni-MH typically loses about 4% per day, while Ni-Cd loses about 15% per month. So make sure you stay away from Ni-MH or Ni-Cd.