Although that is something I frequently enjoy doing, at some point I am drawn back to civilization. Whether I need to write an email, want to peruse Youtube, or have a great idea for a blog post, I need some way to power my devices.

For most of my time on the road, that has been through my trucks cigarette lighters. One in the front, one in the rear. In the rear, I used a cigarette lighter-to-household style outlet adapter to charge my laptop, camera batteries, toothbrush, and other things. In the front, three USB ports for my phone, Garmin inReach, and my 10,000mAh battery bank (good for about 3 full phone recharges).

For some people, that is plenty. If you are driving or willing to start your car every day, you can recharge from the alternator. For me, and many others, that simply does not cut it. Have you ever gotten halfway through brushing your teeth when your toothbrush dies? That is where a portable solar generator, such as the Jackery 1000, comes in. Along with the ability to charge small electronics and run a fridge for multiple days at a time with no other power, there is another huge benefit over a DIY solar setup — simplicity. It is quite literally plug and play. If you buy the panels with the unit or through Jackery, they connect through an included cord. Besides that, it can be charged through your cars cigarette lighter, other solar panels, or charged through a normal wall outlet. Between all of those choices, the chances of it ever running dry, even with a fridge or similar drain, are minimal. For output, the Jackery 1000 has 3 American style walloutlets, 4 USB ports, and a cigarette outlet.

As for the included 100w solar panels, so far they have been solid. The fabric/canvas material that surrounds them has been relatively durable. Due to the flexibility of the fabric, and the stand on the rear of the panels, they are easy to adjust to the angle of the sun. If the panels do break down over time, I will know by the time I post my full review. But I got one panel, used, from a friend in Salt Lake City, and it is still in perfect condition (another benefit of the panels, they have a USB outlet built in so you can charge your phone even without a standalone power station). The ideal setup for me would be one 100w hardwired panel mounted to my tent, and two 100w Jackery panels deployed when I set up camp.

Overall, the Jackery 1000 Solar Generator is incredibly simple to get started with, and has ample power for devices and different loads. Realistically, there are only two small caveats.

1. Pricing. As of writing, in the States, a Jackery 1000 Solar Generator setup costs $1500. When I have priced out my own DIY setup, you are looking at $1,000-$1,300. You can expect any solar generator setup to run a few dollars more than a comparable DIY setup. The tradeoff for that is simplicity and time. The Jackery system is so easy.

2. Longterm degradation. Jackery power stations and similar units are good for around 1000 full cycles before degradation (to 80% capacity). On a DIY setup, the standalone battery would be good for somewhere around 2000 cycles. Now, realistically, does this matter? Not really, even if you travel for extended periods like myself. That is 1000 cycles of 100% to 0% battery - and even after that, it still works, just at 80% capacity.

The only way to fully put this unit to work is to hit the road - and I will be doing just that in September. Once I do that, I will write a much more in-depth review. Until then, I hope this overview has helped you decide which route is best for you!

One 100w Jackery panel was given to the author by a friend, Jackery supplied a second 100w panel and the Jackery 1000 Power Station.