Headed out for few days of backpacking and need a charger for my Galaxy s7 edge and the wife’s iphone 6s.
Suggestions??
Thanks!
Recommended charger for s7 edge and iphone 6s
If you’re just looking for 1 for both, then you should get a QC one because of the S7.
The concept of defensive charging saves your money and weight, because you keep the portable charge plugged in when its in your backpack and so a slower charger isn’t necessarily worse so long as its lower cost or lower weight or lower volume.
You mention a few days and two phones. I’d say then you’re looking for probably in the region of 15Ah - 20Ah.
Given it is backpacking and days, I recommend you don’t go for one big portable charger, on the off chance if fail (unlikely, but think the consequences rather than the probability).
So I think you’d be best off buying two Powercore 10000. The S7 Edge has a 3600mah battery so the Powercoe 10000 would do (10000/3600/53.7) 2 full recharges. Enough? The iphone 6s has a 1715mah battery so a Powercore 10000 would do (10000/1715/53.7) 4.3 recharges. Enough?
If you store each battery separate (say one each in your two backpacks) then a fall or some other accident will be highly unlikely to damage both batteries.
The alternative is if you’re expecting sun is solar. The Anker 15W Solar Lite will give out about 7W in strong sunshine which is a reasonably fast charge, the 21W gives out about 10W (yes I know quoted vs actual). Note: iphones are finnicky you might have to unplug and replug in the iphone if the solar panel see a dip in sun power. That half of quoted power seems a fairly robust rough sizing, so if you had breakfast in sunshine, the odd stop walking in sunshine and dinner in sunshine, you’d expect to see about say 3 hours, possibly more if you kept the solar panel outside your backback for any accidental alignment with the sun. If you used the halving method then the Anker 15W gives about 7.5W you’d get about 22Wh in a sunny day which equates to roughly your S7 Edge and iphone 6s fully recharged each day.
If you look at the weights, one Anker 15W is about the same weight as two Powercore 10000, and given sunshine may not happen, for just a few days the Powercore is better, for >week then it shifts to lighter to use solar.
Powercore 10000 (observe its price) https://www.anker.com/products/A1263011
Note that iphone won’t get any benefit from QC.
The Powercore 10000 Speed supports QC3, your S7 Edge is QC2 so this will recharge your phone faster but also observe its a higher price, hence why I said if you defensive charge the speed isn’t a need https://www.anker.com/products/A1266011
Solar panel (21W) https://www.anker.com/products/A2421011
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Thanks Josh!
I appreciate your reply.
Nigel,
Outstanding information!
I’m convinced the two charger option is the best route based on your recommendation.
Even though it’s just a few days, we do spend a great deal of time preparing for unforeseen circumstances and situations with our gear, communications, routes, medical emergencies.
I don’t know why I didn’t think two chargers.
Thanks again.
Placing order for two Powercore 10000 today.
There are three PowerCore 10000s. Which one are you getting? I would get this one.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSZCM75/ref=twister_B01MUBCMWD?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
It has Quick Charge.
price varies. Read my reply 
Yes and they are all different. At least as far as the included technologies.
These are what I’m looking at.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JIYWUBA/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0194WDVHI/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Looks good. Anker’s product failure rate is low, lowest of any such powerbank vendor I have used (and why I pick Anker above others) but given your context, I recommend you charge them and then test them before you head out. That would involve not using your existing chargers and use the Powercores you have delivered to check they act as per my estimations of recharge count.
Then the chance of a surprise is reduced.
Would highly recommend the first of those two links!
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At the moment a QC3 input and QC3 output Powercore+ 10050 is $30 in USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K6T7AFM/?kinja_price=30
Cons:
- its heavier, bigger
Pros:
- it will recharge itself faster using whatever QC charge you use now.
Now why I didn’t recommend first in your context is you said off-grid so you won’t have the chance to recharge it during your trip, plus recharging it calls for the charger to be also carried, adding backpack weight. The absolute lowest weight is as per your last post the Powercore 10000 and the Powercore 10000 Speed, although if you’re counting the odd half ounce two Powercore 10000 would be a fraction lighter.
Also if you were ounce counting and just wanted to carry a wall charger, whilst not Anker, i own and I recommend this:
But you’d need to consider carrying an extra micro-B USB cable to recharge the Powercore not using the Lightning cable you are carrying for the iphone. So the “possibly on-grid” ounces add up.
This would be where you do not expect to be on-grid ever during your backpacking period, but you think there’s a wee chance you might.
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We will be without cell service at various points but will be using the phones for navigation, music, video, pics.
This trip will only be a few days, maybe just two. That will be determined by Thursday.
Thanks so much for the help!
Put cellphone into airplane mode when don’t need data and particularly when no signal, as when the signal weakens the cellphone will increase it’s power demands to compensate. Make use of offline apps like offline maps, downloaded music etc.
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