GoalZero Nomad 5 Solar Panel — Great in Sun, Not Worth Fussing With in Rain

If you need power on a multi-day trip, a small solar panel only earns its place if it charges in the weather you actually get. Five days in Algonquin Park, mostly cloudy with a full day of rain, tested exactly that. GoalZero Nomad 5: REI: https://rei.pxf.io/OeymJn Amazon: https://amzn.to/45G23zs I bought the Nomad 5 after two BioLite SolarPanel 5+ units failed on me days before this trip — neither would hold a charge from sun or USB. The Nomad 5 clips to the Flip battery, mounts to a pack or canoe, and on the sunny days it recharged my GoPro and topped off my phone without touching my power bank. On the cloudy and rainy days it managed one or two of four charge dots, and fussing with it in a drizzle wasn't worth the effort. It's a real recommendation with one honest condition: it wants sun. WHAT YOU'LL SEE The kickstand and clip system, and how the panel mounts to a pack or a canoe deck Charging in rain inside a Ziploc bag, then at a steeper angle without one An improvised setup: the panel in a tent mesh pocket, still pulling a small charge from indirect light The honest five-day verdict: which days it carried the load and which days the power bank did Solar isn't a backup you set and forget. It's a system that pays off in the weather it was built for, and idles in the weather it wasn't. FIELD GUIDE LIBRARY Free outdoor gear guides and preparation systems: https://field-guides.subscribepage.io GEAR IN THIS VIDEO Some links may be affiliate links that help support the channel at no extra cost. If you're wondering about a specific piece of gear that's not listed here, feel free to ask in the comments or send me an email. GoalZero Nomad 5 solar panel: REI: https://rei.pxf.io/OeymJn Amazon: https://amzn.to/45G23zs WHAT TO WATCH NEXT The failure that led here: Two Bought, Two Failed — BioLite SolarPanel 5+    • Two Bought, Two Failed! BioLite SolarPanel...   The trip itself: Algonquin Park in Autumn — Day 1: Battling the Wind    • Algonquin Park in Autumn - Day 1: Battling...   CHAPTERS 00:00 Why I switched panels 01:48 Flip battery and clip system 02:50 Mounting options: pack and canoe 05:15 Charging in the rain 07:17 Two BioLite panels failed 12:55 The tent-pocket setup 16:13 Five-day verdict CONNECT Instagram:   / adventures.andreams   Facebook:   / myadventuresandreams   TikTok:   / adventuresandreams   BUY ME A COFFEE Buy me a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/adventur... No expectation. If a video or guide was worth it to you, a coffee always means a lot. RECORDING EQUIPMENT Camera: https://amzn.to/43t9193 Mic: https://amzn.to/3MTPmJH Music: Epidemic Sound, 30-day free trial: https://tinyurl.com/mryxdp4c #goalzero #solarpanel #backpackinggear #canoecamping #fieldtested