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01Battery first: how much power to carry
The phone accessories for hiking that matter most all come back to battery. GPS navigation, photos and a phone searching for signal in a valley can drain a full battery in a day, and there's nowhere to plug in.
A power bank never delivers its full rated capacity to your phone. Some energy is lost as heat in the conversion, so real-world charges are lower than the mAh numbers suggest. As a rough guide, plan on one full charge per day of normal trail use with maps open, then add a margin.
10,000 mAh
- Roughly two phone charges
- Light enough to forget in a hip pocket
- Covers a long day plus the drive home
20,000 mAh
- Roughly three to four phone charges
- Can also top up a headlamp or watch
- Heavier, so it lives in the pack
Solar bank
- Panel adds a slow trickle in full sun
- Charge it from the wall before you leave
- Heavier than a plain bank of the same size
Want exact numbers for your phone? The power bank calculator does the math, and 10,000 vs 20,000 mAh covers the weight trade-off.
02Solar power banks: useful at camp, weak on the trail
The small panel on a solar power bank produces very little power compared with a wall charger. Strapped to a pack under trees, it barely does anything. Laid in full sun at a base camp all day, it can add a useful top-up. Think of solar as a bonus, not the plan: charge the bank fully at home and treat the panel as backup.
Our do solar power banks work? page goes deeper. The useful extras on some solar banks, like a built-in flashlight or compass, are often the better reason to pick one.
Plain banks for day hikes and weekends, and solar options for sunny base camps.
03Cold weather drains phones faster
Lithium-ion batteries don't like cold. Apple says iPhones work best in ambient temperatures between 32° and 95° F (0° to 35° C), and that low temperatures can temporarily shorten battery life or make the phone shut down. The charge usually comes back once the phone warms up, but that doesn't help on a ridge at sunrise.
- Carry the phone in an inside pocket, close to your body, not in a hip-belt pocket or the outside of your pack.
- Keep the power bank warm too. A cold bank delivers less. At night, both go in the sleeping bag or a jacket pocket inside it.
- Let a cold phone warm up before charging it. Charging a very cold battery isn't recommended.
- Don't overcorrect with heat. Never leave the phone on a sunny rock, next to a stove or on a car dash at the trailhead.
04Settings that make a charge last longer
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Download offline maps at home
Google Maps lets you save offline areas, and Apple Maps added offline maps in iOS 17. Trail apps have their own offline downloads. Do this on Wi-Fi before you leave.
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Switch on Low Power Mode or Power saving
On iPhone, Settings > Battery > Low Power Mode. On most Android phones, look under Battery in Settings.
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Use airplane mode in dead zones
A phone hunting for signal burns battery fast. GPS still works in airplane mode on most phones, so offline maps keep working.
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Drop the brightness
The screen is often the biggest drain. Use auto-brightness or turn it down by hand.
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Know your emergency options
iPhone 14 and later can use Emergency SOS via satellite in supported countries, and some recent Android phones offer satellite SOS too. Check your phone's settings before the trip, and leave your plans with someone at home.
05Water, dust and drops
Rain, a stream crossing, condensation in a tent or a phone sliding off a rock at a lookout: the trail tests a phone in ways a city doesn't. A waterproof pouch handles water, and a strap handles gravity.
- Waterproof pouch: keeps rain and splashes out, and you can usually use the touchscreen through it. Floating styles help near lakes and rivers. Our blog explains what pouch ratings actually mean.
- Wrist strap or lanyard: the phone can't go over the edge when you lean out for a photo.
- Screen protector: grit from the trail scratches screens in pockets. Tempered glass takes the hit.
- Got it wet anyway? Dry it, don't charge it while the port is wet, and skip the bag of rice. See dropped your phone in water.
Waterproof pouches for wet days and straps for overlooks.
06Hiking and camping phone checklist
Questions people ask
What size power bank do I need for hiking?
About 10,000 mAh for a day hike and 20,000 mAh for a weekend. That's roughly two and three to four phone charges, depending on your phone. Plan on about one full charge per day if you use maps a lot.
Are solar power banks worth it for camping?
As a backup, sometimes. The built-in panels charge slowly and need full sun, so they're most useful at a sunny base camp. Charge the bank fully at home and treat solar as a bonus.
Why does my phone die faster in the cold?
Cold slows the chemistry in lithium-ion batteries, so the phone can report less charge or shut down early. Apple says iPhones work best between 32° and 95° F. Keep the phone in an inside pocket to keep it warm.
Does GPS work without cell service?
Yes. Your phone's GPS works without a cell signal, even in airplane mode on most phones. You need offline maps downloaded in advance, because the map itself won't load without data.
Do I need a waterproof pouch if my phone is water resistant?
It helps. Water resistance can decrease over time, and it's not designed for repeated soakings or wet ports you then try to charge. A pouch keeps rain, splashes and tent condensation out.