GOALZERO NOMAD 14 PLUS SOLAR PANEL

Az
Jan 6, 2020
3 min read

Updated: Jan 29, 2020

Where to get your hands on these - http://bit.ly/GoalZero-LazadaOfficial

When it comes to travelling light, I've experimented. From our very first experience in 2004, during our trekking trip to Nepal to embrace what it means to climb a mountain which was close to 5000m(this is a big deal because coming from a country where it's literally 15metres above sea level)! On our very first trip, we practically lugged every single thing on the packing list, not knowing what to expect. Only to find out we didn't need about 1/2 of the things we brought with us.

Fast forward many years later with experience on our side from all our adventures, we've learned the art of being a minimalist - which includes how the heck do we charge our batteries while we're off grid without lugging so many batteries!

So when we heard there's a compact solar panel that we could bring with us, we were excited to give it a go.

LAYING IT OUT & BREAKDOWN :

Cost ( SGD$) subject to variability - 200 - 250
Weight - 862g with the kickstand (mesh + storage space for cables) 635g without the kickstand (mesh + storage space for cables)
^Ease of use - 5/5 It's literally plug and play. All I had to be ensure was the panels are directly facing the sun and to make sure that there is at least 3-4 of the blue lights lit up. The only thing to take note is you've got to adjust the panels where it might get the best/most exposure of the sun rays/solar power.
^Sturdiness/Ruggedness - 4/5 It's meant for the outdoors and rugged it is. According to the manual it's waterproof, which we did not test that function but it's definitely splash-proof.
^Ease of cleaning - 4/5 The area where the panels are could be wiped off easily. However, the mesh area where the cables are meant to be kept can be cleaned but if it does get muddy or dusty, specks of dirt tends to get in-between the mesh.
^Aesthetics - 4/5 In the box, 2 carabiner hooks are included just in case you need to hang it up on your bag, etc to charge the panels while on the go, etc.

^ On a scale of 1-5 (1 being poor, 5 being excellent)

PROS :

it's light and flat which makes it easy to pack
easy to clean
possible to hang it on backpack while on the move
the option to take the kickstand off the panel
Junction box has the led light to indicate how much power it's getting from the sun

CONS :

the mesh area (dirt or dust tend to get through the mesh area and because of that the storage area gets dirty. Which is super hard to clean too.
obviously might not be as effective when there's minimum sun

WHAT WAS CHARGED -

Handphone ( Samsung and Apple) ~ 2hrs (Indicator : 3-4 blue light)
DSLR battery (Canon) ~ 3-5hrs (Indicator : 3-4 blue light)

*this might vary accordingly and just a gauge.

Why Solar Panel?

Let's face it, when you go off grid for weeks into the wilderness it's extremely rare to get a powerpoint where you can charge your equipments, etc. Solar panels are the next best option, you've got the sun to power your equipments. Yes it might take longer but the best part is you use nature's natural resources.

Who is it for?

Adventurers, trekkers or anyone who loves the outdoors and going off grid where there are no establishments, no guesthouses where you're headed. I mean you can also have it with you even if there are guesthouses where you're headed and still use it.

Love it?

Heck yeah! I wish I was introduced to this sooner. In this day and age, your mobile phone is sometimes enough - to capture good quality photos/videos, make emergency phone calls, etc. It takes roughly 2 hours to fully charge your phone using the sun's energy with this solar panel and you're good to go. When we are on a higher altitude and the weather is colder, batteries tend to last shorter than usual so the solar panels were definitely useful as a back up to power up my equipments. Yes at times there might not be an abundance of sunlight but it's better than not having a backup when your batteries are running low and you're off grid. The sun is nature's gift, it's literally free, in abundance(if its not a cloudy day) and waste-free. So for me it's totally worth having with you on your next adventure!