With all the focus on green, renewable energy, Utah-based Goal0 is positioned well to take solar and portable power from rooftops to the backcountry. With several solar power and battery pack options, there’s bound to be a solution to fit your needs — whether that’s simply to keep a few small devices charged or run high-drain appliances. I’ve been testing the small Sherpa 50 solar power and battery system and it’s great for charging any USB-powered devices.
Goal0 Sherpa 50 Features:
- Charge the Sherpa 50 in approximately 8 hours of ideal sunlight
- Weather resistant made to withstand the harshest conditions
- Folds into a tight, light and portable pouch
- Stainless steel grommets to easily mount to a pack, tent or trailer
- Powerful mono-crystalline solar technology delivers more power per square inch than any other solar alternative.
- Rated at 13.5 Watts of power
- Built-in pocket to store Nomad charging cable and accessories
- Tested and certified by FCC and CE
- Stores 50 Watt-hours of power
- A light 2.2 pounds of portable power
- Rugged design meant to handle any adventure
- Built-in USB and DC output to charge handhelds
- LCD screen shows power reserve at-a-glance
- Chain up to three (3) additional Sherpa power packs
- Rated for 2,000 – 3,000 cycles (5+ years of life)
- Equivalent to 30,000 AA alkaline batteries
- Smart technology protects battery and connected devices
- Charge from the wall in 2.5 hours (charger included)
- MSRP: $449.95
Goal0 Elite Sherpa 50 Solar Power Kit Review
With all the push towards sustainable energy, there’s a ton of research and advancement in solar panels. Harnessing the sun’s power seems easy on paper, but doing it more effectively with smaller and smaller panels is still a feat of engineering. Goal0 is dedicated to solar panels for backcountry travel, remote shelters and emergency situations. Their technology is leading-edge and they offer a wide variety of solar panel sizes and battery packs to harness the sun’s energy and power your life.
I’ve been testing the backcountry-friendly Sherpa 50 for a few months now. It’s still a bit bulky, but it’s still respectably-portable and packs enough punch to power your everyday electronics (cell phones, digital cameras, handhelds or even a small appliance–for a time). As a lightweight base unit, the Sherpa 50 walks the line between minimalist and powerhouse very well. One of the greatest features of the Sherpa 50 (and all Goal0 gear) is that it can be daisy-chained for increased power output. Add the UI inverter on top of that and a Laptop or other electronic item can be powered for a time (not tested, but the Goal0 crew tells me you can get about 4 hours of runtime on a typical laptop).
I got creative with the solar panel and the sunroof on my Outback. Fishing the wires through the vented sunroof allowed me to harness the power of the sun while out on long trail runs or mountain bike rides. With four grommets on the foldable solar panel, it could be secured or hung in a variety of locations. The cord is plenty long to allow for proper panel placement while still keeping the Sherpa 50 in an accessible location.
While the Nomad 13.5M solar panel charges the Sherpa 50 in about 7-8 hours, when heading out to the backcountry, you can charge the battery pack at home from A/C power or on the go from your cigarette lighter. That way you have a full charge to work from and will just need to use the solar panel to top off the battery. The handy LCD readout gives you instant feedback on the current capacity of the unit.
The Sherpa 50 is built rugged and is capable to withstand lots of punishment and inclement conditions. While it’s a great backcountry power source, it can also be a critical part of your emergency kit. Should power be knocked out after a disaster, you can keep some essentials charged and running.
Good Sherpa 50
- Great for on-the-go power for phones, cameras, etc.
- Can be stacked for additional power storage/output
- Included LED lamp can run forever
- Flexible charging options
- Portable solar panel folds away neatly
- Great for emergency kits to provide power for key devices
Bad Sherpa 50
- I wish solar charging times were a little faster
- Would be nice to have A/C power built-in, but the Sherpa UI is only $79
- The entire package doesn’t come cheaply
Bottom Line: Goal0 Sherpa 50 Solar Panel & Battery Pack
Goal0 is quickly making a name for themselves with a wide variety of solar panels and portable battery systems. The smallest of the bunch is the Sherpa 50 kit and it provides just enough power to keep your portable electronics up and running in the backcountry or an emergency situation.
Buy Now: Visit Goal0.com
