Military tent with solar panels along the roof

Portable Power

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Updated November 2026

For most of us, having access to electrical power has become so second nature that we hardly give it a thought. It's so abundant to be almost free, and there are lots of places all around to plug in your cell phone when it runs out of juice.

But if the grid goes down for a long period of time, or you need to charge your devices on the move, then you need to consider sources of portable power if you are serious about prepping.

It keeps your communication devices going, and keeps your lights working at night.

This list factors in only small devices, such as anything charged over USB like phones and tablets, or anything that runs off AA or AAA batteries like head lamps.

Camping trailer in a field with solar panels

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Ni-MH AA & AAA Batteries

There are several different types of rechargeable batteries: from the lead-acid which powers your car or truck, to Ni-MH which are used in AA and AAA batteries, to Lithium-Ion used in portable re-chargeable electronics like cell phones.

Lets look at Ni-MH which stands for Nickle Metal Hydride.

Panasonic eneloop AA batteries

Typical Price: $24

We have been using eneloop batteries for years. They are considered by many insiders to be the best-made rechargeables. They maintain 70% of their charge after 5 years of storage and they can be charged and discharged up to 2100 times.

See our full eneloop review.

$24Amazon $24Add To Bag

AA / AAA Battery Storage Hard Case Boxes

Typical Price: $6 for 6

It will help to keep your batteries organized and protected from the elements having these little cases to hold them in.

These have charged and uncharged labels on them, so you can orient the batteries and know which ones are ready to go.

$6Amazon $6Add To Bag

Amprobe BAT-200 Battery Tester

Typical Price: $16

You're gonna need a tester to figure out the charge of your batteries once you start getting into reuseables. We like these so much we bought 3 of them for use around the house. These are immensely useful.

$16Amazon $16Add To Bag

Field Charging AA & AAA Batteries

If you are away from home, or don't have access to a grid based power source, you still have options to keep your devices up and running.

Goal Zero Nomad 5 Solar Panel

Typical Price: $60

We used to carry Goal Zero's Guide 10 Plus, a little battery pack that charged AA and AAA eneloops from the sun. Goal Zero has discontinued it. The Nomad 5 panel that went with it is still around: a small 5-watt folding panel with a USB port. Plug a USB charger for your AA and AAA eneloops into it and you can keep them topped off away from the grid, or charge a phone or headlamp straight from it.

$60Amazon $60Add To Bag

Emergency Backup Battery Systems

There are two companies that we trust the most and have been using their products for years: Goal Zero and Voltaic Systems. That's not to say there aren't other good companies out there, but in terms of ease of use, reliability and durability, the products these companies make can't be beat.

Check out our review on the entire Goal Zero Yeti lineup, it is a simplified breakdown of all their systems and what each one is good for.

Solar Charging

Goal zero yeti with solar panels from various manufacturers

If grid power is out, one of the easiest solutions to power up small and medium sized devices is solar power. Not as cheap or powerful as a fuel burning generator, but much more portable, quiet, and easily renewable.

Voltaic Systems and Powerfilm Solar make my favorite solar panels.

FlexSolar 10W USB Solar Panel Charger

Typical Price: $22

For years our favorite small panel was the Voltaic Arc 10, which is hard to find now. The FlexSolar 10W is the one we'd pick today: not expensive, packs small and light, IP67 waterproof, and all you need is some sun and a USB charging cable. 10 watts is enough to charge a phone, a radio or a power bank.

$22Amazon $22Add To Bag

PowerFilm R-21 Watt Rollable Solar Panel

Typical Price: $310 - $325

If you are looking for a high-end US-Made product that you can rely on, look no further than PowerFilm products. Their R-21 rollable solar panel only weighs 1.6 lbs and rolls down to 14.6" by 3" (14.6" x 60.8" unrolled.) Comes with a 12V Female Car Charger Adapter and a 15 ft. Extension Cord with O-ring Connectors.

$310eBay

Renogy 100W Portable Solar Panel

Typical Price: $125

If you want to power a base camp with multiple users, you want a 100-watt folding panel feeding a power station. The Goal Zero Nomad 100 we used to list here is gone. The Renogy 100W folds in half for carrying and is made for charging portable power stations. This is a beast of a portable solar panel, and great for base camp use with multiple users.

$125Amazon $125Add To Bag